Newsday.com - Home Work

Putting AS SEEN ON TV products to the test

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Home columnist Gary Dymski roasts, juices, mixes, dusts, repairs and lights his way to clarity

The television was tuned to one of the 750 stations we have, and Jack LaLanne was hawking his Power Juicer on a painfully annoying infomercial. Yep, the same Jack LaLanne whose exercise show I watched on a black-and-white Zenith nearly 45 years ago when I got home from morning kindergarten classes. He was annoying then, because I wanted to watch cartoons. He is annoying now, because I'd rather watch cartoons.

What's happened to the missing socks?

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Solving the mismatch mystery that causes so much misery in the laundry

Two socks enter the washer. Two socks exit the dryer.

Building a dream

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Perseverance of a Jamesport native transforms a mansion in disrepair into a contemporary showcase

Almost 45 years ago, Jeff Hallock was a kid riding his bike past a creaky old house on South Jamesport Avenue, thinking the same spooky thoughts his friends were thinking. "To all of us kids, it was a haunted house," Hallock says of the 19th century Jamesport mansion. "When we got older, in high school, we'd sneak in on Halloween nights, just for something to do."

A weekend in Jamesport

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Almost 45 years ago, Jeff Hallock was a kid riding his bike past a creaky old house on South Jamesport Avenue, thinking the same spooky thoughts his friends were thinking. "To all of us kids, it was a haunted house," Hallock says of the 19th century Jamesport mansion. "When we got older, in high school, we'd sneak in on Halloween nights, just for something to do."

Correcting a sticky finish

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400

About 10 years ago, I finished the top of a wood table with Varathane. Within the past year or so, the finish has become "soft," and in spots, it has developed a stickiness. Everything, such as dishes, cups and paper, sticks to the table. Even my hands. Is there anything I can do to remove this stickiness without refinishing the entire tabletop?

Finding a small mower to replace old faithful

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400

I have enjoyed the use of an 18-inch, rear-bag, gas-powered lawn mower for 24 years. The machine, like the owner, has become tired. As a senior with a small yard, I have searched long and hard to either rebuild my mower or find another 18-inch mower. The new 21- or 22-inch models are too heavy and too large for my property. An electric model with a cord is not an option because of the layout of my property. Any ideas?

Which way is your fan fanning?

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:00:00 -0400

There is a switch on my kitchen ceiling fan that goes up and down. Which position should it be in for the summer?

10 most wanted home products

Thu, 9 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0500

From furnaces that run on wood pellets to toilets that make a splash, new home products bring style and innovation

New technology can make a splash. Like the Swash toilet seat. Or the Jentle Jet laundry sink.

And the top 10 are ...

Thu, 9 Feb 2006 00:00:00 -0500

1. AUTOMATED LIGHTING CONTROL

Nonprofit turning houses into homes

Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0500

Michelle Wacker was 28, single and looking to buy her first home.