Our First Craig's List Sale

Last weekend we sold our very first item on Craig's List (or six items).

 

We posted it shortly after New Year's.  Almost immediately we had a few inqueries, but nothing too exciting.  Then about two weeks ago, a women text Husband asking if they were still available, which they were.  So Sunday afternoon, the woman came over to pick them up.  We didn't make as much as we had posted them, but it was still an extra $180 and we finally got rid of the patio furniture we were no longer interested in.

I'll be back soon with another Craig's List First!

Lesson 70- My Moroccan Dream

Husband and I need to do something with our backyard. In the words of my mother, "It looks like a trailer park" (She's never said this about our backyard, but rather this is how she used to describe her own backyard. I also won't let her see our backyard to avoid any such comments, not that I really think she would say that about our yard). We've been discussing some ideas for what to do while creating a low-maintenance space--neither of us is big on yard work. And who would be really when the average summer temperatures are well over 100*?

I've longed to visit Morocco. Casablanca has held a special place in my heart since I was a kid. I even tried to convince Husband that's where we should honeymoon--with no success. Since it appears as though I'm going to have to wait a while longer to experience the beauty of Northern Africa...I've decided to bring it to my backyard. Here are some pictures I've collected as inspiration. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

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Stay tuned for updates on what we actually decide to do. Who knows?! Maybe I'll actually make it to Morocco before Morocco makes it to my backyard.

Lesson 4- How to go scorpion hunting

As a life long resident of the American southwest, you grow accustomed to sharing your abode with creepy crawlies. However, most of these are not wanted. The past couple of months my husband and I have battling the invasion of our home by scorpions.

We found 2 in our garage within just days of each other. It was at this point we decided to call our exterminator. Most exterminators in the Southwest are equipped to fight the scorpions. However, just hours after having our house sprayed I came across another one in the garage ready to attack me as I got in my car to go to work.

The next evening while at dinner my husband and I were talking about our scorpion problem. I came up with the brilliant idea of going scorpion hunting. At least I'm going to take credit for coming up with the idea--this is my blog after all. After doing a little research on my Blackberry we headed to Wal-mart on our way home. Our shopping list consisted of two things:


A black light (approx. $10) and scorpion tongs ($3)
We also used glue traps given to us by our exterminator.

We returned home to search our entire backyard. No sign of any scorpions. So we searched the front yard and the side of the house. No luck. We were getting a little discouraged. Where were they hiding? At this point we opened the garage door, turned off the lights and turned on our black light again. Score!!!

The first one we saw was hiding under my car (they're out to get me, I tell ya!). I held the black light while my husband coaxed the lil' bugger on to the glue trap. We found another one in between the two cars in the garage. Again my husband was responsible for coaxing it on to the glue trap. Boy, were they angry. Now this may seem inhumane, as the glue traps doesn't kill them instantly, but we're not taking any chances that these things hurt us or our awesome dog, Montana.

Once we were back inside I did some research on scorpions and thanks to Wikipedia found some interesting info. If you are stung, there is no anti-venom used in the US, and unless the victim is a small child, elderly person, or sufferer of asthma or other breathing related ailment, going to the ER is a mute point. The wound should be washed well and have an anti-hestimine applied to it. To read more click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Bark_Scorpion