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© St. Petersburg Times, published October 19, 2002
Briefs and news of note
Here's another of those "Why didn't they think of this sooner?" ideas. New from Loctite: Professional Wood Worx, a premium wood glue in an angled bottle with a flat side so you can lay it down (it won't roll) and keep the glue flowing toward the nozzle. There's a convenient notch on the cap to store the red nozzle tip while you're gluing. Professional Wood Worx comes in a 6.76-ounce bottle at a suggested retail price of $3.99 and is available at Wal-Mart.
Now that the first breath of fall has blown through, it's time to think ahead to the heating season. For propane gas users, here are tips from Ferrellgas, a major national marketer of propane: Have your system checked by a technician to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. Fill your tank early so you're ready for the first cold snap. Become familiar with the smell of propane so you can detect a leak, or install a propane detector. Have a professional light your pilot light.
Here's the ultimate "how to build a house" book for beginners. Habitat for Humanity: How to Build a House by Larry Haun (Taunton Press, $24.95) is a step-by-step guide to building modest, durable homes at a realistic price. It's also an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand how a home is constructed. Many color photographs and line drawings explain clearly each part of home building: Learn how to install windows, hang a door, attach hurricane clips, install blocking in bathrooms and closets. Plenty of knowledgeable tips appeal to the more experienced. The publisher will contribute 15 percent of all sales to Habitat for Humanity.
The markets and the roadside patches are full of pumpkins these days, and it will soon be time to create jack-o'-lanterns for Halloween. If you'd rather paint a face on a pumpkin than carve one, what kind of paint should you use? Poster paint, or tempera, is a good choice, but it will run if the pumpkins get wet (as they might if you put them out on the porch). A more stable alternative is acrylic paint or permanent markers. If you do carve a pumpkin, keep it in the refrigerator when it's not in use. That will postpone the inevitable rot brought on by warm temperatures.
-- Compiled by Homes editor JUDY STARK