Random Order Weblog - Nothing’s too random!

I’m great at a lot of things, but I have to admit that plumbing isn’t one of them. So recently when I realized that the water in my kitchen sink was still sitting there an hour after I’d pulled the plug I knew it was time to call in a professional.

Now, I had tried some of those at home fixes for clogged drains. Most of them claim to unclog the grease and grime within seconds, leaving you with a fast draining sink. Maybe I didn’t read the fine print on the bottle where it must have said that it only works in 9 out of 10 cases.

Regardless I’m smart enough to know when it’s time to call a plumber. I just didn’t know which of the plumbers in my neighborhood would be willing to come out on a Thursday evening without requiring that I hand over my arm and leg for payment.

So I did what anyone who has never called a plumber does, I looked in the Yellow Pages under “plumbers.” Before this point I would have guessed that any of the plumbers I called would suggest that they come out and have a look before giving me a quote. Actually some of the plumbers I called did just that. They wanted a few dollars as soon as they stepped foot in the house even before peering down my kitchen sink drain.

In the midst of all these plumbers who didn’t want to know my opinion on what the problem was, I found one who welcomed my input. I told him that I was sure it was a common household plug, a rich combination of grease, hair and whatever grime I had scoured off my lasagna dish lately. He said he’d be right over and quoted me a price. The price actually included his coming out in the evening.

This prince of plumbers was over within the hour and had my kitchen sink flowing freely in no time at all. It was well worth the few dollars it cost to know that a professional still listens to the opinion of the people who know nothing about plumbing.

Foam; probably not something that you give a lot of thought to. In fact, the only time most of us even consider foam is when we are buying something like a new bed or a pillow.

Cut foam is everywhere in your house, even if you don’t realize it. Cut Foam Limited is one of the companies that creates the foam that allows you to have a better sleep at night or sit more comfortably in your favorite chair.

Recently, I came to the realization that my sofa wasn’t as supportive as it used to be. When guests would come over they’d slowly sink down into the cushions. Being the polite and friendly folk they are they never once said a thing. Yet when they’d leave I’d feel horrible after watching them struggle to get up off of the worn foam base.

Finding cut foam supplies was relatively simple. Cut Foam Limited actually specializes in creating foam pieces that are special order. What exactly does that mean you ask? Well it means saving money. Consider that I had them cut a piece of foam for my sofa with the exact specifications I needed. Add to that a Saturday afternoon that I spent taking the sofa apart, replacing the foam and reupholstering it, and I saved big.

It’s not just for sofas though they have cut foam supplies for almost everything. If your boat needs a new bench, they’ll supply the foam. Cut Foam Limited can also custom cut a piece of foam for the top of your mattress if you need an extra lift.

The best part of the whole experience for me wasn’t just the service with Cut Foam Limited but the fact that I did the job myself. I know that I could have easily taken it into a shop to be repaired, but knowing I did it myself makes the sofa even more comfy.

For those of you that are old timers and read my old blog, you will know I am a big fan of fishing.  I love going on trips—especially camping, etc., but lately I’ve run into some problems with time and things like that and haven’t been going as frequently.  That may change though, if I get one of the portable generators my friend is pushing me to get, because it will make things ridiculously convenient.

With a portable generator you can power most any appliance you could want to use on the road or even on the side of a river.  I could power an electric stove, use my laptop without worrying about battery issues, even plug in a heater and stay warm.  For the kids, it also means they could watch videos and stuff on our old school TV by just plugging it in to the generator.

Another potential benefit of the generator is that if there were a power outage at home, I’d still have access to electricity.  This would make me a pretty popular guy in the neighborhood during any blackouts J.  The specific portable generator I’ve been looking at is a Yamaha portable generator.  The specific model, the Yamaha EF1000iSC Inverter Generator is actually one of the “quiet” portable Yamaha generators.  Because I haven’t gone out to Sears and checked one out in person, I’m not sure exactly what quiet means, but if it really is quiet that would be a huge plus for taking it fishing and camping without driving everybody crazy or even getting kicked out.  Not to mention the fact that a loud  generator would ruin the experience for all my fellow fisherman and / or campers—something I would feel terrible about, especially since that is the kind of thing that drives me crazy myself.

Collectable swords are virtually becoming the new staple of collectors all over the world. Where coins and stamps were once the focus of what collectors got involved in, swords are now gaining steam. It’s really not difficult to understand why if you’ve ever seen one of these swords. They are works of art – solid, bold and striking testaments to the people that designed them.

For the novice who finds the idea of collectable swords interesting they probably have no clue how to get started. It’s certainly not like coins where you can go to an antique dealer and pick up a few rare items. Swords are different and buying them does pose a few hurdles, but definitely not something that should hinder your interest.

The first you’re going to want to consider is what types of collectable swords you find most appealing. There are the Samurai swords, dragon swords and even daggers. Each has its own unique characteristics and they all may look similar but to the avid collector, there’s glaring differences.

You’ve also got to start thinking about what you’re going to do with this collection once you start assembling it. Unlike other collectables, swords are begging to be displayed, but with the same thought there’s also a safety issue to take into consideration.

Some individuals who have a large collectable swords display will utilize glass cases. These can be hung from the walls or sat on a shelf and in addition to protecting the sword from dust they also discourage small hands from getting in contact with the blades.

Another solution to consider is sword stands. These aren’t going to offer the same protection as the glass cases would, but the collectable swords are going to look sharp.

If you’re still wondering what all the fuss is about, you need just look at one of these swords and you’ll have the answer. In the case of collectable swords, beauty isn’t just in the eye of the beholder, it’s in the construction of the blade and handle.

If you’re a homeowner or vehicle owner, then you probably will need to use tools at some point. People who work in the construction industry or people who perform their own home repairs also need the best tools their money can buy. With one trip to the home improvement store, you’ll be exposed to a wide variety of tools from various name brands, offered at a range of prices from budget to premium.

One great tool company that offers consumers with top quality tools is Harbor Freight Tools. This company has offered the finest tools for home and work use since 1968. Today, Harbor Freight Tools is the largest catalog retailer of quality tools and serves millions of satisfied customers annually.

Sears is another company that’s known for their great tools. Their Craftsman line contains an amazing variety of tools for every home improvement need. Whether you need a high-powered drill or simple screwdriver, you can’t go wrong with Craftsman tools by Sears.

Snap-On Tools is yet another company that offers great tools at affordable prices. In the Snap-On catalog, you’ll find 14,000 quality products that you can order. There are hand tools, power tools, diagnostics and tool storage solutions. Because these tools bear the trusted Snap-On name, you know you’re getting quality.

There are many other great tool companies out there to serve all your needs. When choosing tools, it’s better to spend a little more for a quality product than go cheap. If your tools are of high quality and taken care of properly, they can last for decades to come. Some tools come complete with warranties that protect against damage, wear, tear and mechanical breakdown.