Looking after your truck

Being a truck owner has its advantages. We can park where we want to (including sidewalks), we can attempt rough patches other cars can’t imagine and our trucks can take a beating before they die.

Although they are tough we/you should keep an eye on our magnificent vehicles. I’ll share some tips I use when looking after my truck.

Be patient with your new truck

Take the time to drive your car’s engine in (if it’s not been driven in by the factory already). Putting in the miles will enhance your engine for future years of driving. Also don’t overload your trucks, hummers and rovers with too much weight in the begin; let the car smooth into the loads it will be carrying.

Cleanliness

Cleanliness is next to godliness. An old saying but it’s true. If you keep your car clean grime won’t be able to accumulate and start eating through your car. Dust can also scratch your car so be sure to wash down your car before wiping it with cloths.

Type of fuel

The type of fuel your car uses is important to a healthy car. Keep track of the kind of fuel your car uses and keep to the legal speeds on the road to save fuel and wear and tear on your car.

Tires

Read your manual to determine the correct tire pressure for your car. Keeping your tires at the optimal tire pressure will ensure you save fuel and that the treads on your wheel have a longer life expectancy.

Manual

To look effectively after your truck you have to ensure that you know everything about it. Read the manual from page one to the end so that you can pick any extra tips on how to care for your truck.

I’ve found that if you look after your truck you won’t ever need any rollbacks to come pick you up when you’ve bought that big trailers forsale special and it broke your axel in half because you weren’t looking after your truck.

New home essentials

If you just moved into a new place with your wife and you hopefully stay settled in one place it’s time to plan your home and buy all those essentials needed in this modern day and age.

A home theatre or media room. 

A decent home theatre with a 32” screen, surround sound and media storage devices are what modern home theatres are about. In this room you can watch television, play games and listen to your music.

Some home theatre systems have a media storage device which acts as a hub for all the movies, series and songs in your home. This storage device is connected with all the pc’s, laptops and other multimedia devices. With the iPod revolution most people buy docking stations where they can dock their media device and play their whole playlist.

Internet connection

Every house needs a fast internet connection be it uncapped business adsl or uncapped adsl for business or gaming. Online services have become a necessity with social media and online shopping hitting the scene. If you are running a business from home it would be ideal to have a adsl connection as you will be able to do group conversations with others and make business deals instead of having to drive everywhere and make expensive landline calls. Uncapped adsl lines make it even easier since you don't have to worry about running out of bandwidth.

Lighting and automation. 

Lights have become more interesting as the years passed by. These days you can set up a lights which are able to sense your movement in each room. This way you can save electricity because the house automatically switches the lights on and off as you enter and exit a room. Some advanced houses have light control boards where you can monitor your lights and switch on different lights with different styles to your liking.

Security systems. 

Security systems become more sophisticated as time passes. Two important ones is video surveillance which sends images to your phone if it detects movements as well as a software program which learns your routines when switching the lights on and off. This way you can go on holiday and the lights will still go on and off as per normal.

Gaming rooms. 

Gaming rooms can range from table tennis to Xbox and Wii. Having a space where you and your friends or even your children can play their games on their own dedicated TV instead of them disturbing you while you want to watch a movie is ideal in modern homes.

The history of the fire engine

When boys (and some girls) grow up they want to be two things, a fireman or a policeman. Nothing is as exciting as a big red truck speeding down the road with sirens blaring and lights flashing off to put down some big fire and most likely save people’s lives. Where did it all start though?

1700 – Water pumps on wheels:

The first fire engines were water pumps fixed with wheels. You had fire fighters called “bucket brigades” who pulled the water pump to the fire and started pumping while the other fire man hosed the fire down. The water pump didn’t have any seats and was just a basic pump and wheel design. It moved slowly as the water filled tank was heavy. Even if two people were pulling it they took quite some time to get to the fire and then the fire most likely destroyed everything already.

1800 – Water pumps pulled by horses

Paid fire fighters came into the scene which made it easier to set up a budget. This way the service could hire horses to pull the heavy water pump. This resulted in quicker response times and a lot of homes and lives being saved. The only problem was that this still didn’t solve the issue of transporting the firemen since they had to run after the water pump and rest before they could start fighting the fire. The fire fighters later added running boards and steps which they could jump onto.These added designs made the pump heavier for the poor horse which resulted in the next invention.

1841 –Steam powered fire engine

The first steam powered fire engine was built in New York and was self propelled. It didn’t last though as most fire fighters saw this design as a dangerous concept and didn’t trust the propulsion solution. They only started using it ten years later once they trusted the design.

When the building started to grow in size in the 1930’s fire fighters installed ladders to reach the higher floors. This resulted in a 150 feet long ladder which was installed on a swivel which was built onto the fire truck.

1960’s – Modern day Fire trucks

The full final design of the fire engines as we know it was defined in the 1960’s. The truck was self propelled, had seats for the fire fighters, had a modern water pump, ladders and a cherry picker.

 Time surely does improve inventions; it’s great that technology can become so advanced in such a short time. Can’t wait to see when they invent Hover Fire Trucks or fire truck trailers for sale. 

Small changes have a big effect

When people talk about building on or re-doing a certain room in their house I bet most of them think big changes that are going to cost a lot of money. This should not always be the case and people need to realize that there is actually smaller changes one can make to your home that still has a big impact on the whole look and feel of it. I want to go over some things I think is great ideas to make your house look and feel more modern and big.

Dinning Room and Lounge

When you think about re-doing your lounge then there are a few things people may want. If you looking for more space then there is lots of things you can do. If you currently have a display cabinet in your lounge then its time to get rid of that thing. If you have items in your display cabinet that you still want to keep in your lounge then install some shelves to hold them instead of a big display cabinet taking up space. Hang your TV against the wall or get a TV stand if you do not have a flat screen television.

Cool the house down

Installing a air con in your home might seem like an expensive option but it works in the long run. Another option that is longer lasting and gives you more options in terms of customization is installing some tiles. I have recently installed some ceramic tiles in my home and it has cooled it down considerably. I have installed the tiles in my bathroom, lounge and kitchen. I replaced our old door with a sliding door which allows more air to pass through the house. The trick with leaving doors open is to leave one open at the back and one in the front of the house. This allows the air to flow more freely through the whole house.

Outdoor entertainment

Invest in some outdoor entertainment. I BBQ area works well for when you have friends over and its a hot day. If you don’t have a pool then maybe install some other type of water feature that is cheaper to install but still does a job of cooling you down. Here you can opt to install some porcelain tiles in the outside area if you want to add a special touch.

These are just a few of the things you can do to improve your home at a low cost.

The new year interior changes

The new year is here and I have planned some exciting upgrades for my home. By upgrades I do not mean buying some new home and kitchen appliances. I am talking about some really big changes to my home. I am planning to build some new rooms and entertainment areas in the house before the middle of the year. After some long thinking I realized what rooms I need to add to my house.

The entertainment area
I plan to build a entertainment area in my house where I could add a few fun things to do. I will be adding a pool table and fireplace where I can have a BBQ anytime. This is of course going to be indoors as I am not a fan of having this kind of stuff outside. Its best to have it inside because once winter comes around I would still like to make use of the fireplace.

Guest Bedroom
I always have friends wanting to stay over at my house so I think a guest bedroom is a must for me. I don't intend on pimping this room out to much but I at least want to make it a comfortable area for somebody to spend the night in. Some nice duvet and curtains with neutral colors so that males or females would feel at home in the room. I would also like to add a en-suite so that they can freshen up in privacy instead of coming to the public bathroom in the morning.

My lounge area
I already have a lounge area but I want to break down a few walls and have the lounge and kitchen in one big area. I like the open plan more than a small kitchen where I have to stare at 4 walls while cooking. I have recently bought a new TV and surround sound system and I want to be able to watch some programs while I stand in front of a stove of counter.

What would you take in case of emergency

I don’t want to be bad luck or anything like that but I sometimes wonder what exactly are the first things I would grab if there was a emergency and I had to leave my house in a rush. I think of stuff like my Xbox and TV and all those kinds of things but I honestly believe that if it should ever come to that time those kind of things will be the last thing on my mind. My mother might think she is going to grab some kitchen appliances before she leaves but I beg to differ and say that she will probably be heading for the same items like me.

My cellphone

I am 100% sure that no matter what I will be grabbing my cellphone first. Even before I know what kind of danger I am in I will still look for my cellphone. I don’t think I will be able to live without it anyways so I will rather take the chance of looking for it instead of just leaving it behind.

My warmest blankets

Maybe there is a huge fire and maybe carrying blankets around while there is a blaze near to you is not the smartest idea. On the other hand maybe I might be sleeping in a place I don’t know which is super cold and the only blankets they give you is that thin hospital ones. If that is the case then I will be glad to have taking the risk of running with my blankets because I hate getting cold. I might even take the duvet and a blow up mattress if I can find one quickly.

My pets

No matter what kind of dog(or animal I have at that time) and regardless of their size I will take them with me. Even if I had a Great Dane dog at the time I will pick that big guy up and run with him as far as I can until I pass him on to somebody else to carry the rest of the way.

Even though I believe that I will be taking all my electronics out my room in case of emergency the reality is that these are the only things I will try to find when that time comes.

Tips on tropical garden design

I love my tropical garden and when I get home it’s the first place I explore. A tropical garden always has something new every time you walk through it. New birds or butterflies always seem to make their homes in my garden. Growing a tropical garden can be an adventure if you enjoy gardening and you will be able to leave the garden to let it grow into the “tamed jungle” look.

To create the perfect tropical garden you need a big space to begin with. This way you will be able to create the perfect atmosphere for the garden and you will have a big garden to walk through and relax in. People enjoy tropical gardens since it gives the feeling of luxury and peace.

Plants

A big feature of tropical gardening is the large amounts of plants and flowers you use to get the tropical effect. The flowers and plants you use in your garden are greatly varied so you will be able to pick different shapes, sizes and colours to your heart’s content. The flowers and plants you will buy usually have dramatic colours as well as extravagant shapes and sizes, some of these flowers include the frangipani, hibiscus and bougainvillea. If you’re like me you enjoy different fragrances as well, if that’s true then you should buy flowers such as the jasmine and maybe the Michelia Champaca. The Michelia Champaca may not be as pretty as the jasmine but it still has a wonderful scent as is used in perfume bottles. Bamboo plants also give off a wonderful tropical garden feel and you should at least plant a few of them in your garden.

Statues

Having the right amount of statues in your garden also gives it the perfect tropical look. Placing lanterns, vases and statues in the correct location can be great for your total look of the garden. It’s even better if you can place them next to creepers or lush bushes so that the plants can grow over them or around them. Winding paths and water streams also give a feeling of a jungle and it’s a great form of relaxation as you stroll through the garden. Some gardens use decking for their walkways, the most popular one used is timber decks.

Origins

Depending on your style you might choose to add some culture from other countries to your garden. People usually add a touch of Balinese, Polynesian or Thai to their garden. Decking the entrance to your garden or placing timber decks on your walkway gives a finished touch to your design. I used the Thai theme and it went brilliantly together.

Once you’re all set and done you will be able to invite family and friends and entertain them in your tropical garden. The maintenance is minimal if you plan well and you will have beautiful plants all year round.