Smart home

Continuing our look at the ‘connected home’ let’s take a look at the idea of keeping your home ‘lived in’ while you’re travelling. This is especially handy this time of year while the weather warms up and many of us start making plans to travel and get out a lot more. Whether you’ve got a road trip or a vacation coming up, home security can be a concern while you’re away. With all the smart home technology you can employ nowadays it’s easy to give your home the appearance of remaining occupied as usual even though you’re out and about. If your home will be unoccupied for an extended period of time this can be particularly useful.

Last weekend was a scorcher; and as someone who relishes tropical climates and often wonders why she hasn’t yet moved to one, I ate it up. But on Sunday night, as I was enjoying a glass of wine and a new book on my balcony, something tragic happened–the sun set. You might wonder why that’s tragic, but when you live in an apartment that has a small balcony that isn’t equipped with an electrical outlet, sunset means no light, and no light means no outdoor reading. So for those of you who, like me, have a small outdoor space, here are some patio lighting options that will ensure you can remain outside until you say it’s time to go in; or at least until you finish the chapter you’re reading!