Tonight's the night! When you go to bed tonight, turn your clock ahead one hour -- spring forward. This is also Check Your Batteries Day, a time to install new batteries in smoke alarms, carbon-monoxide detectors, flashlights, baby monitors and other household devices. (Is your watch battery keeping good time these days?)

Luxurious living in the great outdoors

These spring days and evenings are the time to enjoy being outside in Florida, before summer's steam rolls in. Suggestions for life al fresco:

Your outdoor dining set should resemble one found indoors, not a picnic table and benches. If cost is an issue, a floor-length cloth can make a humble table seem more formal for those special occasions.

Arrange a seating area (chairs, chaise longues or other pieces of furniture, preferably with fabric cushions) adjacent to your dining set. Such an area is ideal for conversation before and after dinner.

Adding pottery, statues and other accessories can dramatically dress up an outdoor living space.

In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, fountains and other water features are ideal for blocking noise.

Garage sale for home remodelers

Here's an event worth getting up early for on April 7: It's the annual garage sale sponsored by the Tampa Bay chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. The remodelers will sell doors, windows, locks, base and crown molding, tile, appliances, cabinets, fixtures, office furniture and tools. Some items are new, such as over-orders, leftovers and overruns. Some are used items salvaged from remodeled homes and offices. You may find perfectly decent cabinets, a vintage door for the older home you're remodeling, or a great price on a sink. The sale starts at 8 a.m. at 7133 30th Ave. N, St. Petersburg.

- Compiled by Homes editor JUDY STARK from staff and wire reports

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