Author: Donna Arcara

  • This Old House, Our New Office: Upcycling Furniture

    This Old House, Our New Office: Upcycling Furniture

    It’s happening! We have secured the necessary approvals, created a master plan, and hired a wonderfully talented contractor to help us, (we call him Miracle Bill), and the “little brown house” down on 2nd street in Old Town Helena, historically known as the Nunnally House, is well on its way to being rescued and repurposed…

  • This Old House, Our New Office: Chapter 1.

    This Old House, Our New Office: Chapter 1.

    It was just meant to be. For years, the sweet, neglected little bungalow style house beckoned to Greg Arcara every time he drove through Old Town Helena. Not on Main Street, but right down there on 2nd Street, sitting quietly under the shade of an overgrown tree; the For Sale sign perched in the yard…

  • Sweet Home Strange Alabama

    Sweet Home Strange Alabama

    Location, location, location; the classic real estate mantra. Well, chances are if you are reading this, the answer you would give for one of the location blanks on a form is “Alabama”. Maybe you have lived here your entire life. Maybe you are new to the Yellowhammer State. Either way, there is a good chance…

  • For Kids: Street Name Bugs!

    For Kids: Street Name Bugs!

    For kids, one of the fun things about moving to a new home is getting an entirely new address; although it can be a little stressful, too. Here is an easy, creative way to help your child learn and celebrate your new street name: create Street Name Bugs! Or Street Name Aliens, or Street Name…

  • Pipes, Pets, and Plants.  Surviving Deep Cold in the Deep South.

    Pipes, Pets, and Plants. Surviving Deep Cold in the Deep South.

    Traveling back from Pasadena by way of Chicago during Polar Vortex 2014, I often found myself smirking with the knowledge that once we made it home to Hoover, we would enjoy superior weather and would be tooling around in flip flops in no time. We were still hovering self-righteously over the Illinois tundra in a…

  • Surviving the Auburn/Alabama Madness

    Surviving the Auburn/Alabama Madness

    Well, it happened. After fifty years of living on the front lines of the Auburn/Alabama rivalry, I saw something today that surprised even me. There she was. Miss America wannabe, our beautiful Miss Alabama, previewing an official ensemble of Roll Tide meets Hancock Fabrics with a dramatic flair of Scarlett O’Hara thrown in. First I…

  • A Pretty Red Dress

    A Pretty Red Dress

    The world came crashing down on many residents of Oklahoma yesterday, and it brought back so many heartbreaking memories for Alabama residents; memories of April 27, 2011. Our prayers are with everyone affected by yesterday’s tragedy. As these storms tear apart lives, homes, and communities, they also yield another powerful outcome: these tragedies seem to…

  • Zombies!

    Zombies!

    What is the deal with zombies lately? I admit, I have always had a thing for zombies, but I have kept that a secret for decades. In my teens, I didn’t admit to my girlfriends when I’d see movies like Return of the Living Dead (tag line: “The dead are back from the grave and…

  • Helping Children Adjust to a Move

    Helping Children Adjust to a Move

    Moving is such an exciting time for families, and can be thrilling for kids! It can also be a stressful time with many changes. There have been many children’s books written to help kids cope with the big move, and we have created a list of some of the best reviewed books about moving available.…

  • What is Title Insurance?

    What is Title Insurance?

    Title insurance is a policy that is usually issued by a title company to protect the lender against something that might have happened in the past, rather than something that might occur in the future. In essence, an extensive search of public records is conducted by the title company to validate who has held title…