So the realities of going back to school have set in.  You’re bored and wishing for the carefree days of summer to return again, but alas, they won’t be here for quite some time.  So, what are you to do?  This weekend, the Irmo Okra Strut Festival is in town, ready to keep you amused and entertained!

Since 1973, the Irmo Okra Strut Festival has been raising money for the town.  As the idea stemmed from a joke on a local radio show at the time that pondered the question, “What were the ancient Irmese like?”  One answer was that they most likely survived off Okra, as they were originally a farming community.

The Lake Murray-Irmo Women’s club took that idea and ran with it, and as they say, the rest is history.  The purpose for the festival was to raise funds to build a public library, and they had enough money to do so by 1980.  Today, a board of commissioners appointed by town council put on the event, which now funds civic and school organizations, scholarships and town improvements with the festival’s profits. Read the rest…

Are you craving some spanikopita or maybe a little baklava?  Starting today, you can dive right into some great Greek food, music and culture in Columbia, South Carolina!  For 23 years, downtown Columbia has been host to its very own Greek Festival, with dancing, music, culture and so much more!

Check out this video to see some of last year’s music!

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Perhaps we’re not slaves to fashion, but homes tend to have some “fads”, like the 1980s and 1990s with wallpaper.  I’ve had my fair share of installing and later removing wallpaper like many of you.  If you’re preparing your house for sale, updating your walls can mean more money in your pocket at the closing table.

But how do you properly remove it?  Click here to check out this video for some quick tips on how it can be done!

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I understand you haven’t been having wild parties at your house, as it happens to all of us from time to time:  the dreaded hole in the wall.  A rambunctious child and a broken door stop can quickly make a hole in the drywall the size of your doorknob.  The house settling can also crack it as well.  But how do you repair these issues?  Check out this video, which tells us how – from the smallest crack to a doorknob sized hole, it can be done!

Click here to see the video!
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This morning, I found myself moving to some awesome Latin sounds provided by the Main Street Latin Festival’s website. How can you help but feel happy when listening to these tunes? In checking out the photos and videos on the festival’s website, it’s proof positive I’m not the only one who feels this way.

Each year, the Main Street Latin Festival in Columbia, SC brings Sizzling hot Latin and Caribbean Music, Salsa, Grupera, Latin Pop & Reggaeton artists, Authentic Caribbean, Cuban, Mexican, & Puerto Rican Food, hands-on activities for kids and so much more to downtown Columbia. This year, the festival takes place on September 26, 2009! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a little Salsa dancing to do around my office…

Click here to check out the video!

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It is universally accepted that the master suite and kitchen in any property are where sellers can get the most “bang for the buck” when making improvements.  These two areas are where buyers focus when making a purchase decision.  It is often said that for every $10 spent, you can get $8 or $9 of it back at the time of sale in these two rooms of the house.

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The quick answer: You bet! With record low interest rates, there are a lot of us out there refinancing or purchasing a home. However, so many are wowed by the interest rate and the long term savings that we do not look at the fees charged at closing to get the loan. If lenders are saving the borrower money, they have to make up the profits somewhere and that could be in the fees. This video explains how you should compare and negotiate to get your best deal.

Click here for the video!

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Since I was one of the few that stayed up until 1:30 am last night waiting to see the Space Shuttle take off but did not because of the rain, I thought I would do a blog post on roof shingles.  When it rains heavily, I know we’re happy to know there’s a good roof over our heads to keep us dry.  But what goes into a roof?  How do they know how long it will last?  Check out this video which explains a lot about roofing:

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Yesterday we had a little bit of excitement here around my house. A city water main pipe had burst in our front yard. Within minutes, we had a few thousand gallons of water everywhere. I had ankle-deep water in one section of driveway and could not believe the deluge!

So, with that being said, today’s topic will be an homage to French Drains. While they are not designed to handle such loads as what mine were asked to do yesterday, they still provide help to those homeowners with too much water surrounding the structure. Luckily, I had the system in place, as it took enough water away from the low-lying areas to keep water from entering the house. It could very easily have happened, and would have in a blink of an eye. Read the rest…

I’m one that really enjoys DIY, or “Do it Yourself” projects around the home.  For instance, I’ve changed many a light fixture and painted many rooms in our home.  I get real satisfaction from seeing a job well done, and knowing I did it myself.  However, a $20 light fixture is dramatically different than attempting making decisions in regards to your largest financial asset without counsel.  That’s something I definitely would not recommend at all. Read the rest…