Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Craig and Tanya Bell thought of themselves as big-house, backyard suburbanites until Craig accepted a work-related assignment in Germany.

Living in Dusseldorf introduced the couple to the advantages of public transportation and being able to walk to the neighborhood market or bakery. It was with that in mind that the Bells bought a Victorian townhouse on Charter Oak Place when they moved back to the United States in 2011 and settled in Hartford.

"We realized city living was the way to go," said Craig, 45, then a vice president of sales and marketing at Henkel Corp., the parent company of Loctite adhesives.

Built in 1880, the three-story Fenn-Eaton House is one of several historic brownstones on the quiet street, conceived by Samuel Colt as a residential enclave for mid-level managers at the Colt Armory. The neighborhood is perched on a hill just off Main Street and a few blocks southwest of Hartford Public Library and city hall. Once a duplex, but now subdivided into condominiums, the Bells' is the largest of the five units at just over 1,800, square-feet. The iconic blue dome of the armory can be seen from the home's third floor deck.

Craig credits Tanya, 51, with seeing the potential of the house and updating it in ways that preserve its classic features while giving it a more contemporary feel. Except for the hardwood floors, pretty much everything has been redone, he said, including a gut rehab of the kitchen and upgrades to the two full bathrooms. He and Tanya, an artist, did much of the work themselves, he said.

Craig describes his wife as a "stay-at-home renovator" and her artistic flourishes are everywhere. She did the tile work in the bathroom and most of the painting, he said.

The once-white walls are now soothing shades of green and blue and, in the living room, she used white paint and black trim to make the previously dark woodwork around the fireplace pop. A breezy mix of mid-century and older furnishings, bold fabrics and artwork brightens the otherwise stately rooms. Twelve-foot ceilings and minimal window treatments make them feel airy and big.

"It feels roomy indoors and there's a lot of space to live in because it's so open," Craig Bell said. "I like the classic woodwork. Those are the things that attracted us."

The sleek remodeled kitchen features a commercial gas range, cork floors and a new half bath. A closet in one of the renovated full bathrooms has been converted to a second floor laundry area. The improvements meld beautifully with the Victorian features of the home and even enhance them by setting them off. The grand foyer, with its massive double front doors and marble floor, looks much the same as it must have in Mark Twain's day. The brass door knobs and hardware is original, said listing agent John Balf Morgan, with Berkshire Hathaway Homes Services, as is a pair of hardwood pocket doors used to divide the living and dining rooms.

Craig said he and Tanya used the living room fireplace nightly in the colder months. And in the summer, they often pulled the dining room table onto the back deck for outdoor dinners with friends. The home is the ninth he and Tanya have owned in 22 years. Much of that time, they lived in Michigan.

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Moving Out: Charter Oak Place

You've probably seen a number of movies where a small amount of smoke triggers all of the sprinklers in a building, soaking everyone and everything inside. But did you know that sprinklers aren't even triggered by smoke, and they don't all go off at once? Fire sprinkler systems are actually heat activated, one sprinkler head at a time, and most fires usually require only one or two sprinklers to be extinguished. These are just two of the many misconceptions about fire sprinkler systems. In this article, we'll dispel other myths and learn the ins and outs of this important safety technology.

You might think installing a fire sprinkler system is like choosing water damage over fire damage. This belief is a spinoff from the myths we just mentioned -- that sprinklers are activated by smoke and every sprinkler head goes off at the same time. If that were the case, sprinkler systems could potentially cause more harm than good. After all, if you burned a piece of toast, every sprinkler would go off, soaking all of your belongings, even though there never was any real danger of fire. Fortunately, the clever engineers who developed these systems designed them to reduce the damage to your property from water, smoke and fire.

Fire sprinkler systems have been around for more than two centuries and have seen significant improvements over the years. It's true that early versions weren't very reliable and caused significant water damage. But today, sprinkler systems are credited with reducing deaths and loss of property by more than 65 percent [source: Fleming]. Since each sprinkler head is automatically triggered by fire-specific temperature, just one or two sprinklers can quickly extinguish and/or contain a fire to the room where it started and cause little property damage. And because sprinklers use about six times less water than a fire hose, they're actually less harmful to your property than a visit from the fire department.

Still convinced you know everything you need to know about fire sprinklers? We'll address another common myth and discuss the details of how sprinklers work on the next page.

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How Fire Sprinkler Systems Work - HowStuffWorks

Okay, the planning's done, you've bought all the parts, now you're in the yard, shovel in hand, ready to start. In this helpful video, we'll show you the steps to a perfect sprinkler system installation, including trenching, connecting the water source, installing shut-off valves, working with PVC pipe, building a valve manifold, connecting wires, installing sprinklers and flushing your system.

Place a stake or flag at every sprinkler location as indicated on your layout. Use string to show where the pipe will run.

STOP! Make sure you know where all gas lines, power lines and cable TV lines are before you start to dig. Be sure to call your utility companies if you need help.

Dig trenches following the string. Mark the sprinkler locations with flags or the stakes. Typical trench depths range from 6 to 12 inches.

To run pipe under existing walkways you can "drill" using water pressure. Get a piece of PVC long enough to go under the walk, glue a slip-female thread adapter to one end and attach a hose. On the other end glue a slip-male thread adapter and connect a Jet Spray Nozzle (available at most home improvement and home & garden retailers).

Dig your trench up to the walk on both sides. Now turn on the water and work your way through. It may take a while, and it will get muddy so turn off the water once in a while to let the water soak in.

To make trenching easier ask your local tool rental supplier about a "power trencher." If you are using a Poly Pipe, ask about a pipe pulling machine, which will bury pipe without digging up your lawn. Be sure to put enough space between valves on the manifold so that they can be removed in case they ever need to be replaced.

Hook up your water supply. Did you check with your Rain Bird Dealer to find out which connections are right for our local codes and conditions?

Assemble your valve manifold. Connect the back-flow preventer if required.

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Sprinkler System Installation Guide - Rain Bird: Sprinkler ...

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. Avenue, a womens clothing store, was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after Henrico Fire crews responded to a fire inside the store located at 9077 Staples Mill Road.

Henrico Fire Battalion Chief Eugene Gerald said it appeared the fire started at about 1:04 p.m. in the main part of the store. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Inside the Avenue clothing store fire crews found a small fire that had been extinguished by the stores sprinkler system, Henrico Fire spokesman Danny Rosenbaum said. There was minor smoke, water and fire damage done to the Avenue clothing store. The GameStop next to the store suffered minor water damage and the Sweet Frog had no damage.

Chris Jarvis and his youngson took a shopping break to watch his heroes in action.

It looks like it was pretty serious, Chris Jarvis said. Hes a fan of fire trucks. So, we wanted to make sure everything was alright.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Photos taken at the shopping center showed Henrico Fire crews in the parking lot. One witness said he saw smoke coming from Avenue, but never saw any flames.

Nearby stores and restaurants such as Sweet Frog andGameStop were temporarily closed while Henrico Fire crews investigated,Gerald said.

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Sprinkler system controls fire inside West End store

Ray McDonald Search Warrant Sheds New Details Into Alleged Sex Assault
Police released the search warrant in the Ray McDonald sex assault investigation, unveiling new details into the alleged crime. Mark Kelly reports. (12/22/14)

By: CBS SF Bay Area

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Ray McDonald Search Warrant Sheds New Details Into Alleged Sex Assault - Video

Discount Garden Wooden Shed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Slz2raUOQo Discount Garden Wooden Shed Cheap Garden Sheds http://www.cheapgardensheds.org.uk have a huge range of garden sheds and buildings.

By: Cheap Garden Sheds

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Discount Garden Wooden Shed - Video

Papa Oo, 12, benefits from the Light a Candle Christmas Appeal. Picture:Rob Leeson Source: News Corp Australia

LIFE has been tough for brave Papa Oo, but her smile still lights up the room.

Born legally blind and deaf in Myanmar, all the 12-year-old ever wanted was to go to school.

Now, with the help of Vision Australia and a number of charitable Victorians, she is living her dream.

I love school, Im going again next year. Im really happy, Papa said.

Papa was raised in a Myanmarese orphanage, her CHARGE syndrome preventing her from ever going to school with the other kids.

But just over a year ago, she was brought to Melbourne on a medical visa by Sister Catherine Brabender to live with her new family, humanitarian Moira Kelly, miracle conjoined twins Trishna and Krishna and Iraqi-born brothers Emmanuel and Ahmed.

After one year, her English is nearly fluent and shes being supported through school by Vision Australia, and is now throwing her support behind their Light A Candle Christmas Appeal.

I like Melbourne, I like school, I like maths, Papa said.

She likes school so much that last holidays she walked to Our Lady Help of Christians primary and cried because the gate was locked, not understanding school was closed during holidays.

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Papa sheds light on life-changing program

A HAMPSHIRE grandmother is half the woman she used to be after shedding ten stone in 18 months.

Marjorie Boyle has her knees to thank for her dramatic weight loss after she was told doctors could not perform a knee replacement due to her size.

The 63-year-old grandmother who lives in Fordingbridge now no longer needs the knee surgery either thanks to her new weight of 8st 13lbs.

She said: During my first knee replacement operation there were a few complications and afterwards my doctor advised me that they would not be able to replace the other knee as it was too dangerous due to my weight.

That proved to be the final straw for Marjorie who joined her local Slimming World group at the Avonway community centre.

I had tried every diet over the years and I didnt think this would work because you eat so much food but its not really a diet, its all about eating the right foods.

Marjorie who has dropped from a dress size 30 to a size ten, says she is enjoying a new lease of life.

Marjorie before the weight loss

Im a carer for my husband who is disabled and it used to be a struggle just to bend down to put on his shoes. But now life is so much easier my health is better. My blood pressure is back to normal and I dont get out of breath anymore.

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Hampshire gran sheds 10 stone in 18 months

A fish eye from a primitive time when Earth was but one single continent, has yielded evidence of color vision dating back at least 300 million years, researchers said on December 23, 2014.

Analyzing the fossilized remains of a fish from the spiny shark family that lived long before the dinosaurs, scientists discovered light-sensing rod and cone eye cellsthe oldest ever found.

This is the first discovery of vertebrate retinal fossils, said Gengo Tanaka from Japans Kumamoto University, who co-authored the study in the journal Nature Communications.

It is rare for palaeontologists to find eye remains, as the soft tissue generally decays within 64 days, the authors of the study said.

However, the Hamilton Quarry in Kansas is a treasure trove of unusually well-preserved fossilsan entire ecosystem having been rapidly buried under sediment.

They included the extinct fish Acanthodes bridgeiamong the oldest known vertebrates with jaws.

It had a long, streamlined body and fins with spines, is believed to have lived in shallow, brackish water, and died out at the end of the Permian period about 250 million years ago when nearly 90 percent of species disappeared in the largest extinction in Earths history.

An A. bridgei specimen found at the quarry retained elements of the original eye color and shape, and a light-absorbing pigment in the retina.

The remains had been preserved under a thin coating of phosphate, Tanaka told AFP.

Analysis of the tissue provides the first record of mineralized rods and cones in a fossil, said the study.

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Fish eye sheds light on color vision

By Nick Roth | Dec 24, 2014

Lewes Should the Highland Acres neighborhood become part of Lewes? Residents were evenly divided on annexation during a Dec. 9 public hearing at Lewes City Hall.

Supporters say tapping into the city's water and sewer is a no-brainer because the community's old septic systems will undoubtedly fail in the coming years. Those against say the $40,000 per person price tag is a financial burden they do not wish to undertake.

After more than an hour of testimony, Lewes Mayor and City Council determined the only fair way to decide on annexation was to poll residents. Council set Saturday, Jan. 31, as the date when residents of Highland Acres and the city will offer their opinions on the community's annexation request.

I think if we don't hold this election we essentially disenfranchise those who are in favor of annexation, said Councilwoman Bonnie Osler. If we go forward and hold an election we give the members of the community time to persuade one another until the day of the election of their point of view. Then we do it the way we do it in this country, we hold an election.

Highland Acres is a 53-home community set behind Shields Elementary and the Lewes School. The development is surrounded by Lewes on three sides and at one point in its history was part of the city.

By annexing into Lewes, Board of Public Works General Manager Darrin Gordon said, Highland Acres residents will tap into the city's water and sewer systems, and roads will be brought up to city standards. Supporters argue being apart of the city will also increase property values and provide access to other city services, such as yard waste collection and snow removal.

Opponents say the cost is too high to bear.

I'm 76 years old, so is my wife, and it just scares me to death to think I'm going to have to go in debt for $40,000, said John Warrington.

Gordon said his figure is the engineer's all-in estimate, including disposal of old wells and septic systems. To defray upfront costs, he said, he has obtained a grant to pay for 50 percent of the engineering costs and secured a 30-year loan with 2 percent interest for all residents. Gordon said he is confident when all is said and done the cost will be less than $40,000.

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Highland Acres residents divided on annexation