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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 17, 2008

A Little TLC For TLC Givers

When your home includes a sick spouse or frail parent, you need to plan more than most about what you'll do when a hurricane threatens.

Help is at hand. Several local agencies have teamed up to present a free Hurricane Preparedness Seminar for Caregivers. They'll help make sure there's not one second of panic in the event you must evacuate. And they'll load you up with free kits so you've got a head start.

you need. Heck, they'll even feed you lunch and look after your loved one so you can pay full attention during the workshop.

It's from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the Westshore Senior Center,

4102 Spruce St., Tampa. Space is limited so you must register to attend. Call (813) 319-4115.

Win A Date (Sort Of) With Steve Watson
First-time homeowners who've finished an incredible DIY project have a chance at winning a $5,000 shopping spree at True Value and a personal consultation with Steve Watson (pictured below), do-it-yourself expert and host of HGTV's "Don't Sweat It."

Submit a 250-word essay and either three photos or a five-minute video showing why you're a DIY All-Star. Deadline is Aug. 22. Twenty semifinalists will be chosen, and their entries will be posted at www.startright starthere.com, where the public

can vote from Sept. 4 to 18.

Find complete rules for the DIY All-Star Contest 1st Home Edition at the Web site.

Try These Smart Green Tips

Alison Shoemaker, an expert in green interior design, looks for ways to weave together style and environmentally friendly function. The best thing about her ideas? They don't have to cost much - if anything.

1. Keep an

attractive pitcher near the faucet. When you're running the tap while the water heats up, catch the cold in the pitcher and use it for something else, like brushing teeth or watering houseplants.

2. Along with your wastebasket, put an attractive container in every room for tossing recyclable items.

3. Place an attractive, square basket for shoes near your home's entry. Most dust,

allergens and chemicals ride inside on shoes. Limiting shoe traffic will prolong the life of your flooring and reduce pollutants in the house.

4. Bamboo linens keep you cool when you're warm and warm you when it's cold, saving on energy costs. Bamboo is one of the softest fabrics in the world and offers a drapelike silk look. It comes from a rapidly renewable resource that does not require pesticides to grow.

Staged, On TV

I haven't seen the show, but the premise scores. HGTV's newest program, "The Stagers," has viewers following a team from Canada's leading home-staging company, Dekora, as it preps homes for sale.

Entertainment potential: good. Tips potential: very good.

The team includes Matthew Finlason (pictured at left) and two other designers, who have only a few days to come up with innovative ideas for putting each house

in its best light. Catch a sneak peek at 10 p.m. Sunday or watch the premiere in its regular slot, 10:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Penny Carnathan

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