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Friday, January 23, 2015
Need some help. My grandsons belong to the Chamber Singers at their high school in Apple Valley. The group has been invited to sing at Carnegie Hall (they are that good) this spring and have to raise the funds to get the whole group there. They have been busting their tails and have raised $30,000 but are still a ways short of the costs. (Approx. $50,000) What really hurts is that the Ellen Degeneres (producer heard them sing) show heard about them and had them set up to sing on her Christmas show but when the producers called the school to let the choir leader know when to bring them in for filming the secretary decided it was crank calls (they tried several times) and kept hanging up on them. That would have gotten them their trip for sure. Needless to say everyone is scrambling now. Donations are needed and it is a write off. If anyone is interested in helping them out, let me know and I will put you in contact with the Choir leader.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Saturday, January 17, 2015
When flu season hits, the virus can linger on surfaces and other overlooked places. Here are some ways to stay well. The peak of flu season tends to be between December and February, and during these months a little extra cleaning can really pay off. When we go out and about, we can easily bring home the flu virus, and it can continue to be a threat on surfaces throughout the home. Using a disinfectant registered with the Environmental Protection Agency is a smart move. Remember to wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face while cleaning. Here's a checklist of places you'll want to clean more regularly during the flu season: 1. The bathroom is ground zero for cross-contamination, especially the sink area. Faucets, door knobs, and areas around trash cans are key zones to clean. 2. Light switch plates are notorious transfer points for germs. Wipe them down with disinfectant throughout the house. 3. Remote controls, game console controllers, and touch-screen devices are seldom cleaned and often touched. Refer to your manufacturer's cleaning directions to make sure you don't damage the electronics. 4. Beloved stuffed animals are germ magnets, especially those indispensable "go everywhere" toys. If possible, wash these special friends in hot water. 5. Shift to dishwasher-only cleaning during the flu season. Utensils, plates, and leftover food containers might not get a complete cleaning in or around the sink alone. Someone in the house already feeling under the weather? Take a few extra precautions by isolating their toothbrush, washing their bedding, washcloths, and towels daily, and segregating their eating utensils from the rest of the household dishes. Also be sure to empty their trash cans frequently to dispose of contaminated tissues. And if you're buying or selling your home during flu season? Keep in mind that open houses can be a common crossroads for the flu virus. Take extra steps to disinfect before and after events.
Friday, January 16, 2015
Whew, major sigh of relief. At 1am Chic came over to his feed buckets and licked em clean of all the food. Blew in my face and went to sleep. At 4am he was happily sleeping and greeted me this morning with whinnying, a horse hug and where is my breakfast, which he ate with gusto and when I left for work he was grazing on the grass shoots. I still do not know what was wrong with him but I think I will get my first good nights sleep tonight. Been 3 sleepless nights. So happy.
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Thursday, January 15, 2015
Having a very rough day. I think my 35 year old Qtr gelding is thinking about saying good-bye. I have had him 1/2 my life and I am not ready. He is not eating like he should, he wants his grooming and loving but there is something ...... cannot put my finger on it. He kinda snacks on he food instead of inhaling and ... I don't know. Just don't like the feeling I am getting.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Winter Home Maintenance Tip: Melting Ice Dams Image of ice dam The ice dam can be a real winter downer when it comes to home damage. In one version, as gutters clog with ice, water runoff from the roof backs up, penetrates the shingles of the home, and leaks into the house. While there's little you can do during the snowy season to permanently fix the problem, there are some short-term fixes to reduce the damage once an ice dam has formed. One homemade remedy is to take panty hose and fill it with calcium chloride. Calcium chloride is a common ice melter available at most home improvement stores. Don't use rock salt instead of calcium chloride. The salt's corrosive qualities can lead to unsightly staining. An article on the various types of de-icing agents can be found here. Fill the leg of the panty hose and place it over the ice dam and gutter. Be careful working it into position, as conditions are likely to be slick... a rake handle or other pole will be useful. As the calcium chloride melts the dam, the gutter will open up, allowing the water to flow freely again. A permanent fix for ice dams typically requires bolstering your home's insulation, adding sealant, and taking steps to improve ventilation in the attic. (A video look at ice dams and curing the problem can be found in this clip from "This Old House.")
Monday, January 5, 2015
Here are some great tips from my friend Brian Smith at Summit Funding - New Year Organizing your Home. Downsize Think of this as your open opportunity to make your home and your use of storage more efficient. All of your holiday decorations are out and ready to be put back. Any decorations you didn't use this year? Chances are you won't use them next year, either. These go in the donation pile. Planning on buying clothes this year? Yes, you may want to keep a few old T-shirts and jeans for Saturday sports or painting with the kids. But you don't need two dozen. Place any old or unworn clothing in a donation pile. For those of you that have been gathering a collection of hotel shampoos this is the time to organize and get rid of them. Donate these to your neighborhood shelter. De-Clutter The quickest way to de-clutter your home is to throw everything in a bag! Give garbage bags or boxes to everyone in the family and go room by room. Everything that is unneeded, unwanted or unused goes in the bag for removal from the house. Spaces in your home will start to open up giving you a fresh look for the new year. Make sure you label the bags or boxes with the items you have so that you can throw away, recycle or donate everything accordingly. Organize After you have downsized and de-cluttered, you can start organizing. The organization part is the easiest part of this task. You have open space for organization and everything that is left over has a purpose and can be easily placed into a specific location for ease of use and accessibility.
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