10 things to do before summer ends
Today is July 31. If you consider Labor Day the end of summer, you have 6 weekends to cram in all the summery things you didn't do because every weekend thus far was too hot/cold/wet/dry/busy. Thank goodness August has 5 weekends this year! Here's your list for living it up and accomplishing a few things.
1. Pack a huge picnic lunch and spend a whole day at the beach. Remember the SPF 40.
2. Vacuum the inside of the car, but wait until you've gone to the beach.
3. Seal your asphalt driveway. Scrub stains and patch holes one day, and spread the sealer the next. By the way, if stones come loose when you scrub a stain, the asphalt there is shot — stop scrubbing and start patching. For more detailed directions, see Seal coat an asphalt driveway in our Project Center.
4. One weeknight after dinner, while it's still light out, drive to a town you've never been to within 20 miles of your house. Get ice cream and then walk around the neighborhood just as people begin turning their lights on. It's a great way to get real-life decorating ideas under cover of darkness.
5. Scrape, prime and paint spots where the exterior paint is peeling. It should only take about few hours, not including finding the paint in the corner of the basement, stirring it and allowing drying time between priming and painting. If it's going to take more than that, you need to paint the house. Next summer. To learn how, check out Paint your house's exterior in our Project Center.
6. Visit a public garden. For a list of gardens nationwide, visit the gardenweb.com garden directory.
7. Clean out the garage. Come winter, you might want to park in there. Even though you're not relocating, you can find tips in Pack your garage in our Project Center.
8. Go to one of the jazz in the park, blues on the green, or family movie nights on the town square that just about every town (or shopping mall) hosts during the summer.
9. Volunteer to help with a park cleanup, food drive or other event that benefits your community. For volunteer opportunities in your area, visit allforgood.org.
10. Get a bottle of wine and show up one evening at the backdoor of the neighbor whose been saying "We should get together for a glass of wine one of these evenings" all summer. Better bring some crackers and cheese too, since everyone has to go to work the next morning.
Another great idea is to see a movie or concert in your local park.
Posted by: Alex Orson | August 03, 2009 at 01:14 PM