Saturday's Your Home story about pools, spas and "spools" had me thinking over the weekend about the pictures we ran. None of them showed a security fence around them. Today I found a Fresno Bee article -- you can read it here -- about pool safety.

I don't think I could ever have a pool in my yard. I would be too paranoid about not only the safety of my children, but that of other kids. You'll notice this line from The Fresno Bee's story: "The recent drownings of two 5-year-olds in backyard swimming pools in Fresno have flashed a spotlight on pool safety."

Just my take: If you own a pool, you have a responsibilty to make sure it is secure and safe.

My garage project is still some time away, but I continue to look for products that I might be able to use (a guy can dream, right?).

Here are two:

1. Garage floor tiles that come in various colors. They're about $2.80 a square foot. Go here for info.

2. A storage unit that makes use of ceiling space, but also can be lowered for easy access (pictured above). It's $140 at Costco.com. Go here. It includes a video demonstration.

If you watch as much of home improvement TV as I have over the years, you are familiar with Vern Yip, who made a name for himself on "Trading Spaces" and now has his own show on HGTV called "Deserving Design." I'm not a design/decor expert by any means, but in my opinion he's one of the better designers on TV.

I found these simple tips from Vern in a recent story:

1. Start with a space plan before you buy anything.
2. Embrace color: It’s just paint.
3. Invest in quality furnishings.
4. Seek out environmentally friendly products.

For more on Vern and some great design ideas, go to his Web site.

I found this short story this morning. It's pretty good:

Finally, it pays to have an ugly yard. In fact, having one of the four ugliest lawns in the United States can win homeowners professional help, tools and cash.

Running through June 30, homeowners can nominate
their yard or a neighbor’s in a Briggs & Stratton-sponsored ugly yard
contest. To enter, submit videos on YouTube. Find rules and directions
for submitting here. 

The ugly yards will be posted on the Web site, and viewers
across the country will vote on which are the four ugliest. In July,
winners will receive a consultation from Trey Rogers, a turf grass
specialist who has helped design and grow fields for Olympic
competitions and World Cup soccer games. They’ll also win $1,000 and
two pieces of new outdoor power equipment.

A reader called in today wanting to know if we could recommend a good roofer. Well, we can't really do that, but I figured I'd put it out there in The Hive.

If you know a good roofer, please reply here. Also, try to provide a phone number and a little bit about the job they did for you.

One project that I've had in my head for quite some time (ever since we bought our house a year and a half ago) is the garage.

First, it's painted an ugly mint green. Second, it has some nice cabinetry, but it's pretty much mix and match. Third, the kids' toys get in the way of being able to park two cars in the two-car garage.

My plan: Pull everything out, re-paint the walls and ceiling, re-organize the cabinets, clean and paint (or tile) the floor. If I only had time to do it all!

The above picture comes from this site.

Again, if anybody has any tips, feel free.

Can't figure out how much paint to purchase? Not sure how much tile you're going to need to cover the kitchen floor? Re-seeding you're lawn and not sure what you'll need?

No, I'm not the man with all the answers. I just know where to go. It's here. The calculators -- for paint, seeding, tiling, wallpaper, fencing, drywall, etc. -- are easy to work. All you need are some measurements and an idea of what you want to accomplish.

Happy calculating!