One gallon of paint is the same as any other brand, right?  Wrong. 

A main factor in determining the price of paint is the amount of solids in the can.  The solids are what you see on the wall once the paint has finished drying. 

You can actually save money by using the higher priced paints.  How?  Fewer coats will be required to completely cover the wall, saving you time which saves you money.  Also, when you add the gallons required for multiple coats of the cheaper brand, many times you’ll find the two gallons of the cheaper brand end up being more expensive than a single gallon of higher quality paint would have been.

While driving from Oklahoma to Nevada you pass the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.  My aunt and uncle had been there previously and they suggested we not bother with it as there wasn’t anything to see.  My son and I spent 3 entire days exploring the park.  Turns out my aunt and uncle never even got out of their car!  Exiting your car is a must to see all this park has to offer. 

There are two distinct sections to the park the Painted Desert and the Petrified Forest.   

The Painted Desert is layer after layer of gorgeous color.  It reminded me of the sand sculptures in glass jars children do for craft projects.  There are also very clear petroglyphs to be seen.

The Petrified Forest portion is trees that have turned to stone, also in technicolor.  In some places you can see what appear to be entire tree trunks, the individual pieces lined up as though one was lining up blocks.

This is a drive through park.  You will receive a map as you enter the park, it will explain what you will see at each stop.  There is a designated parking area at each stopping/viewing point with plenty of parking, including designated bus/RV spots.

I would strongly suggest bringing snacks and drinks along with you, even lunch if you wish.   You will see plenty of picnic tables along the way.

Your leashed pets are welcome.  Our MinPins enjoyed exploring right along with us.  They do require removal of any…shall we say ”presents” Fido may leave.  Don’t worry trash cans are available at each stop to aid in the removal of Fido’s gifts.

More information about the Petrified Forest can be found here or here.

The following is my contribution to Darren Rowse’s Group Writing Project at ProBlogger.net.   http://www.problogger.net/archives/2007/05/07/top-5-group-writing-project

1.  Stay Off The Phone — Write a polite letter telling them there is not ever a good time for them to be calling you at any number.  Request they only contact you via mail.  Be sure to include permission for them to contact you by mail, if you cut off all contact their only recourse is to sue you in court.  Send the letter via certified mail, return receipt requested (CMRRR).

After they receive your notice, they are allowed to contact you by phone only one more time to inform you of having received your letter. 

Keep the little green card when you get it back from the post office.

2.  Know Your Rights — Familiarize yourself with Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.  You should also familiarize yourself the collection laws of your state. 

3.  Request Validation — That simply means sending a letter CMRRR asking them to prove you actually owe the debt and prove the amount of the debt.  They can’t just send you a single statement.  What they send you should be enough to convince a reasonably logical person you are the one who owes said amount.

4.  Check Your Credit Reports Consistently — While the collection agency (CA) is allowed to add information to your credit report, it must be accurate AND the original creditor should be showing as a charge-off with zero balance, or the original creditor should not be listed at all.  If the information on your report is inaccurate, dispute it with the credit bureau(s).

5.  Keep Records of All Contacts — Keep copies of all correspondence to and from the CA.  If they are calling you on the phone, or are leaving messages record it.  You should also take a picture of the Caller ID each time they call.  Keep a call log of each phone call including date, time, who they spoke with or if they left a message, and detailed notes of what was said.