First Time To Costa Rica
  
We had a wonderful spring break at two different resorts in Costa Rica. My first time south of Mexico in this part of the world. Our first week was at an all-inclusive, which was nice because it really gave you time to wind down and enjoy the warm weather and with it being all-inclusive we didn't want to stray from the resort.
The second week was at a timeshare condo so we did our own cooking and had an exciting day trip where we enjoyed zip lines, horseback riding, rain forest water slide (probably the last time I will be found on a water slide, just a little too fast for me), mud bath and hot springs.
With no more snow to blow or shovel and the curling season now over, I guess I will have to find another physical activity to burn off the calories that are so easy to pack on during a vacation like this.
Car Payments A Little Too High
For home owners with variable rate mortgages, the increase to the prime lending rate may be causing some financial hardship right now. Mortgage payments combined with car payments or loans for a recently purchased boat or RV that got you through the pandemic and lock downs may be adding up to a lot!
I may have some good news for you, while mortgage rates are not likely to take a nose dive in the immediate future, we could help you reorganize some vehicle loans. TMG is currently working with a refinance company. If you want to find out what could be done, send me an email with the year, make and mode of your vehicle, the approximate remaining balance, the current payment, and what your goal is. The latter might be to reduce the payment or you may want to borrow against the vehicle to pay off some other debt.
This "refinance" option would only apply to newer vehicle. Having said that, it doesn't hurt to ask in case we can help with an older vehicle.
We have also used this program to lower a person's car payment so they can qualify to buy a home by qualifying for a larger mortgage with the lower vehicle payment.
4 Funky Odors in Your House Only Your Guests Can Smell
Stand in your kitchen and take a deep breath. Smell that? From last night's fish to your son's nasty lacrosse pads (why did he leave them on the table?), you probably can't detect any of your home's rankest odors. You've got nose blindness.
On a sensory level, your processing mechanism becomes less sensitive to the continuous stimuli. Or, on a cognitive level, you can become habituated to the smells and basically learn to ignore them. Or you can do both.
Here are some of the most common nose blindness culprits and how to ban them from your home.
#1 PET FUNK
As a pet owner, I am keen to the idea that I don't want my home to smell like a litter box when new friends show up. Pet odor is the #1 most common undesirable smell. I have gone to the extent of designing my own electric cat litter box. It exhausts odors to the outdoors by venting a covered litter box much like a stove vent but with a lower volume of air and heat loss in the winter. I have been told I should patent it.
#2 MUSTINESS
Fortunately, nose blindness only affects one of your senses, and you don't need your nose to verify a basement with a musty smell.
Mustiness is caused by mildew and mold, which - for better or for worse - your eyeballs can easily detect. Do a careful inspection of your basement, from the darkest corner to the surface of every cardboard box or bookshelf. If you find gray or white splotches anywhere, it's probably mildew. If it's fuzzy, (oh no!) it's mold.
First, you'll want to bust up those existing odors. Then, you'll want to make sure they never return. Some elbow grease with regular household cleaner will scrub away mildew. Bleach isn't the cure-all for mold. In fact, it can often exacerbate the problem.
To prevent mildew and mold from returning, consider running a dehumidifier or improving air circulation and sunlight exposure in the affected area if possible.
For chronic mustiness, you can deodorize rooms by setting out bowls of vinegar, cat litter, baking soda or as crazy as this sounds, an onion also will do the trick.
#3 SMELLY BEDDING
Similar to pet odors, knowing if your mattress smells is easy: Do you have a human body with skin and oils? Do you sleep on it?
Eventually, all the dead skin and body oils you shed while sleeping are going to build up, and stink they will, especially if your bedding is older.
You can't exactly toss your mattress in the washing machine, so you'll have to deal with it where it lies.
But there's an easy fix: Sprinkle baking soda on it, let it sit for an hour or more, and then vacuum up the soda. (This works for memory foam, too.) Add a couple drops of essential oil to the soda (drip directly into the box and shake it well to mix evenly) for a pleasant smell. Bonus: Lavender has been shown to help you sleep.
#4 FRIDGE AND FREEZER GRIME
Itty bitty food bits hang out long after you've tossed the item from which they came. Although you might not notice the odor creep, you may notice your ice starting to taste funny or see those food morsels start to accumulate in the corners of your fridge shelves.
If you see or taste something icky, you can bet others can smell something icky.
To zap odors from from your freezer and fridge, unplug and empty them and do a thorough cleaning with a mix of hot water and baking soda.
You can sanitize with a solution of one tablespoon bleach and one gallon of water. Let it air out for 15 minutes. Try wiping it down with vinegar for extra odor eliminating, or even leave the door open for a few days.
What better excuse is there for a long weekend away or to treat yourself to takeout?
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