You probably will need an explanation of what is being shown in this photo. There is a birds nest in one of my ducts. With the avian flu issue currently in the news I thought I better get rid of it (there are no birds or eggs in it) but it is about 15 feet beyond what I can reach from my 4th floor balcony. I needed to make something to get at it. Part 1 was the extendable duster with the duster removed and replaced by a long shoe horn with the hook on the end. The connection was encased in surplus packing Styrofoam and held in place with liberal amounts of duct tape. It worked like a charm. Have you ever cobbled something like this together - comments please.?

There has been a lot of talk recently about the heat and over the years I have tried all sorts of fans before concluding that the most practical kind for cooling my apartment was the tower fan type. I have 4 of them to bring air in one window then through the apartment and out my patio door. Air on the move feels cooler than at a standstill. This latest one is only 13 inches high and adjusts its speed to match the desired indoor temperature. It takes up hardly any space on the dresser in the bedroom yet keeps me cool at night. Do you like tower fans? (comment on what you are doing to keep cool).

I have lost some weight and needed to by a couple of belts for my jeans and slacks. Previous belts of various types either stretched, snapped (fake leather), or frayed (that webbing type). I also wanted a substantial buckle on it. Previous ones had fallen apart. I love the smell of leather and how long a leather belt lasts and found the belt in the photo on Amazon. Excellent quality, real leather smell and a solid buckle, - all for a very acceptable price. Is there any real substitute for a quality leather belt? (comment if you have found one).

My dog is very food motivated and this made her easy to train. One of the treats she absolutely loves is these DentaLife sticks. She gets one a day after her morning walk. I suspect there is something addictive in them that turns on every tracking instinct my dog has, especially her sense of smell. My wife hides the treat somewhere in the house while I am out for the walk and Abby has to find it when she gets home. It is incredible to watch Abby at work. She tracks the treat while running almost at full speed and often will make a beeline straight to it. Have you ever had a pet this amazing?