House Fuel Costs Rise By 20

Writen by Aled Evans

Once again the ordinary person has to absorb the shocking rise in domestic fuel prices, be it oil or gas.

Given the long British Winter and mediocre summers, when quite often we have to turn on the heating, this comes as a devestating blow to all concerned, but especially the old and those on low income.

It is common knowledge by now that Britain is one of the countries with the highest cost of living in the World.It would be fascinating to know the cost of living in some other desirable countries.

Of course the biggest enemy by far for the British consumer is the exorbitant taxes, which we have to pay on a wide range of goods and services.We are all aware of the fact that we have to pay 80% tax on petrol.Just imagine every time you fill up at your service station, for every £10 worth of petrol, the good old chancellor Gordon Brown helps himself to £8, so that he can spent it on all sorts of wonderful ideas!Quite often on the news we hear of the oil companies being accused of increasing the price of oil.Just think for a moment,without tax the price of oil is relatively cheap.The oil company only wants about 80p for a gallon of petrol.What is the tax on fuel in the U.S.A?

It has been quite often said that the U.S consumer would not tolerate the level of taxation on fuel in the U.K.

However not many people realise that the government have devised a countless number of ways to take away as much of your hard earned money as possible in very subtle ways.It is a staggering thought to think that in all if you added up all the taxes which you encounter in your day to day living, for each £100 you earn, you are only allowed to keep a feeble £40!

So what can you do to prevent the chancellor getting his dirty paws on your hard earned money?

These are some suggestions which might help you:

-Firstly make sure your house is well insulated and you might be able to get support for this expense from your local council office.In the long term you will save a great deal of money. -When you buy your next car take into consideration the economy figures.Even petrol cars today are fairly economical or if you really want high economy, diesel cars will return 60 miles per gallon.The only thing to remember is that diesel cars generally cost more in the first place, so you need to work out your sums as to how much mileage you do each year and will buying the more expensive diesel car be worth it in the long run. -Alternatively you could buy magnetic devices called thermaflow and motoflow which help to save you money on household heating and your car fuel costs.The motoflow can easily be attached to your car's fuel pipe.According to Government figures derived from tests, savings of up to 20% can be acheived. This means that a gallon of petrol would in a sense have cost you only £3.20 instead of close to £4.

This is possibly the most effective way to retaliate against the greedy chancellor's dirty tactics.

This article was provided by Aled Evans an official Ecoflow distributor. Send me an email if you would like further information on the thermoflow and motoflow magnetic products. email: aled@cwmhalen.freeserve.co.uk

Spending Time With Chuck

Writen by Charles Wheeler

I have been waking up thinking about something that happening to me and my son Chuck. I have decided to write it down while it's on my mind.

Chuck was seventeen, we had him when I was seventeen, a child dad . This was not a good combination I thought I knew it all ,he knew he did. Needless to say we had not been getting along very well for quite a while.

My wife told me, honey you need to find a way to spend more time with Chuck. Well I have not been spending very much time with him the last few years. Honey he will be grown and gone before you know it, I said ok. Chuck is my oldest son. I have seven children, fourteen grand kids and Five great grand children.

So I have decided to start spending more time with Chuck now the question is, doing what?

We tried golf, he tried to hard and all we did was argue. Then we tried fishing but the rest of the kids wanted to go along. That was ok, but it was not what I wanted. How to spend time with Chuck.

Two weeks later a friend of mine ask me to go sailing with him that Saturday as he needed a crewman.

He had a real nice sailboat a Catalina 22. The rules were that he had to have two people on his boat to race. His normal crew had something to do and couldn't sail that Saturday so he ask me. I told him that I had never sailed on a sailboat, he said that was ok. He would show me. I ask can I bring my son Chuck along? He said yes no problem. We went, Chuck nor I knew anything about sailing and we a great time.

On the way home we talked about a lot of things. One thing that was brought up was, why don't we get us a sailboat, then we could learn to sail together.

The next week we looked in the paper (bet you thought I was going to say internet, there wasn't any internet back then) the paper.

SAILBOAT FOR SALE the ad read. Dad let's go look at it. First we called had it in the paper for $850 said that would take $600 cash. We went to look at it.

It was a Dolphin. Not to bad, a two person sailboat 5 years old and in good shape. We got it.

Chuck was very proud of that boat. We joined the sailboat club to go racing (fours hours to go three miles) Breaking the speed records. Chuck got some books from the library about the racing rules. The next week he told me. Keep going dad we have the right-of -way and he yelled starboard boat. Yea we are doing ok.

The last race was November 15th It was cold and windy about 35mph. The race was to start at 1pm. We got out to the lake at 11am. Got the boat unloaded and got the sail up. The wind was blowing about 35mph and boat was pulling hard. Chuck was going to park the car but I told him to come on. We would sail the boat to the dock and come back and park the car. He said let me get the life preservers, I said no come on let's go we will be right back.

As we got under way, damm this wind must be blowing harder than I thought. Thrilling but a little scary if you know what I mean. In just minutes we were quite a ways out. I tried to turn around but a nearly turned the boat over. The only way that I could turn around was to go across the lake to the other side and get out of the hard wind. Man what a ride the temp was 45 cold but exciting we were right on the edge.

We got turned around no easy feat and headed back. We have decided to put the boat up we didn't want any more of this. Cold wet and a little scared. A gust hit us. What am I doing in the water. It's ok Chuck will come back and get me. I heard Chuck yell stay there dad I will go and get the boat. We were both in the water and the boat was moving away from us. We both tried to swim after it but we could not get close to it. The waves were one to two feet high, the wind just moved the boat away from us.

I looked around it was two miles to land that way, and two miles that way. Four miles that way and that way. I always thought when I heard of someone drowning how could anyone get in that kind of trouble. Now I know.

Chuck we are in a lot of trouble. We may be ok if we can survive for 30 or 45min. I think that the crew will be out to put the racing pylons in place. They will surely see the boat with the sail down it the water, and know that there is a problem.

I read somewhere that if you are in an emergency like this stay away from each other Chuck was trying to hold me up. I pushed him away. I told him we are in a lot of trouble and we will have to save ourselves.

I can float and Chuck can tread water but it is so cold and the waves are so high. I must remember to keep the top of my head down under the water and wait until a wave goes over my head then take a breath. It's going pretty good oh man it's cold. Cough- Cough where did that wave come from. Chuck are you ok. Chuck, sorry dad thought I heard you but the wind. I didn't know .Yes I am ok. Dad- yes, are we going to make it. I have not seen any boats on the lake. Do you think that I should try to swim to shore. No let's wait and see if the crew comes out. How long has it been, 20 minutes dad.

It goes on and on. It seems like hours float, tread water, see if Chuck is ok, float again.

I am floating, I here a boat motor. I know that we have made it. I heard my son holler throw me something that floats and save my dad, he is up there. I relaxed I was saved I saw the boat getting dimmer and dimmer as I started to sink. All at once a hand hit me in the chest I grabbed it and he pulled me from under the water.

On shore waiting for the ambulance the guys told me they saw the Dolphin floating into the dam. They thought that it had broken loose from its mooring. So they launched their boat and went after it, but when they saw the sails in the water. They knew it was an emergency, standard procedures. Head up wind that's were the boat had to come from and hope that you are time to save whoever is in trouble.

So that's what they did then they went tearing across that lake. When they saw my son he told them give me something that floats And save my dad. He is that way. They said they did not see me. Then there he is.

He just went under quick hold my legs. He reached under the water and touched my chest and grabbed me, he said he thought that something broke his arm is was grabbed so hard. He had a black bruise on that arm for a week

My son made a quick recovery. The doctor told me I nearly didn't make it. It was a good thing that I had quit smoking the year before or I probably wouldn't have. We were in the water only 45 minutes. It seemed like hours.

Chuck and I have sailed for years since then. We have had many boats over the years and had many sailing experiences. But none like this.

Chuck and I haven't ever said anything about this. But I thought that I should write this down before I forget it Because it's been 28 years and my memory is not what it use to be.

Charles Wheeler Has been a salesman all of his life. For the last 18 years Has been selling custom printed T-shirts to his clients. Now has his own web site were you can design your custom Logo on-line have it printed on your T-shirts, freight free 15 days www.custominktexas.com

Organize A Garage Sale That Sells More With Less Effort

Writen by Helen Walters

Before you start organizing a garage sale, find out if you are allowed to hold one in your area. Many municipalities frown on these sales and you may have to pay a fee or only be allowed to set up in a certain area of town.

So before you start organizing a garage sale and laying out items, you had best check with your city or town government as well as your management company, should you happen to live in a managed development. If they approve of you having a sale of used items, then plow ahead. However, your town or community may require you to obtain a permit.

If you need to get a permit from the local government, or permission from your community, then it is question and answer time. Hopefully, you can call or email someone with questions. If you cannot, you will have to slog your way through the legalese on the forms and information sheets. However you do it, you must find answers to the following questions before you start organizing a garage sale:

1. How much does it cost?

2. How long will it take to get a permit?

3. For how many days is the permit good?

4. What are the rules for rain dates?

5. Are there any restrictions on how long you can remain open?

6. What are the restrictions on the size and number of signs?

7. Can you post flyers?

8. If so, where can you post flyers? Where can you not post flyers?

Once you know you have the approval, you can comfortably start pulling things out of storage and begin organizing a garage sale. These may seem like trivial things to take care of, but taking half and hour to make sure that you are OK sure beats having a by-law officer roll up to your garage sale and issue a $200 fine for holding a garage sale without a permit.

Get original garage sale tips and other excellent resources on how to hold a profitable garage sale with the least amount of work and hassle. Great selection of tips and advice will guide you to a very profitable and enjoyable garage sale experience.

Timing And Planning To Make Your Bar Mitzvah Work

Writen by Gail Leino

A Bar Mitzvah will be a very important part of your son's life. For many, the best route to take is to hire a professional planning to plan the party. Though you can start collecting ideas for your party ahead of time, if you decide to plan the party yourself you need to make sure you have enough time to do everything.

First, you'll need to determine the right location. Make sure that you pick a place that will be able to hold enough people for they Bar Mitzvah. Are you going to have a band and dancing? Take that into consideration also along with dinner and tables and any kind of games that you might want to set up when selecting the location.

If you know of people that are planning on inviting to the Bar Mitzvah from far away make sure that they are able to come. If you're sending invitations to someone that has to travel, send them early, five to four weeks. This way they can make arrangements, the rest can be sent out three weeks in advance.

For a large dinner for the Bar Mitzvah think of hiring a caterer. Or, if this is too costly, have friends and family help in preparing the meal in a traditional family theme that works for your family. Once you've done all this, it'll be time to set up for the Bar Mitzvah. Ask friends and family to help. Or hire a few workers for a couple hours to get everything done quicker. Take a few minutes to sit down and go over a time line of when things will take place with your son.

Then it'll be time for your Bar Mitzvah! During the process, realize that everyone will want to spend time helping out to make this a memorable day for your entire family.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette, and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free coloring sheets, printable games, and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes (PartyThemeShop.com) to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Wacky Spiders A Fun Halloween Craft For Kids

Writen by Lindsay Small

This is one of our favorite Halloween crafts for kids, and is very quick and simple as well as a good way to practice cutting skills with little kids. Older kids can let their imaginations take over and create some really wacky spiders!

You will need:

Black paper

Scissors

Glue or sticky-tape

Googly eyes (optional) or scraps of paper and pens

Instructions:

Cut a rectangle of paper approximately 3 inches by 3 1/2 inches. Fold the short side down about an inch to make a crease, then open up again.

With the crease horizontal, cut the paper up to the crease to create the spider's 8 legs.

NB: You can show the children how to make the first cut in the middle, dividing the area below the crease into 2 halves. Then show them how to divide each half again to make quarters, then the quarters to make eighths. You may want to draw lines for younger children to practice cutting on.

Now wrap the spider around the child's finger and fasten with sticky-tape or glue. Remove and decorate - either with scraps of paper or with googly eyes. Put back on the finger and bend the legs into shape or curl them around a pencil.

Variations:

Hang the spiders up! Simply cut a length of black yarn (wool) and attach inside the head of the spider with a small piece of sticky-tape.

Make smaller versions of these spiders to decorate the ends of Halloween pencils.

Wrap small spiders around straws to decorate your Halloween table! Make some bigger spiders and scatter them around the table too.

Cut a small slit on either side of the spider's head and insert a name card to turn these spiders into spooky place markers!

Lindsay Small is the owner of Activity Village, packed full of fun and educational activities for kids. Do you have children aged 2-10? Visit http://www.ActivityVillage.co.uk to find free kids crafts, printables, educational resources, worksheets, coloring pages and puzzles, jigsaws, Sudoku for kids and much more!

Congratulations Grads

Writen by Matthew Keegan

Mary Valenti was looking forward with anticipation to her son, Joshua's, college graduation. As the grandchild of Italian immigrants, Joshua was soon to become the first member of the Valenti family to obtain a bachelor's degree in America. Mary was stunned when Joshua told her that he did not want to have a graduation party. Instead, he chose to spend a long weekend at the Jersey Shore with some college buddies.

Ann Powers learned that her daughter, Chantel, was skipping her master's degree graduation program and heading off to Europe on a month long trip. Ann had already arranged a surprise graduation celebration bash with family members and friends at the local country club when Chantel produced airline and train tickets for her planned trip.

John Cowens was happy that his son, Rick, finished technical school with honors. Rick, on the other hand, was disappointed that the family was marking the ocassion with only a cookout at home with a small group of family members. Clearly, he had expected more.

All three of these situations underscores what sometimes happens when a loved one graduates from school: one family member or members expects something completely different than what another family member delivers. The fall out can result in family conflicts that will not be easily erased; the resultant damage can have lasting implications.

Let's examine some steps that parents and their adult children should take before an important family milestone arises:

1. Communication Long before the graduation ceremony is scheduled, parents and their adult children need to discuss specific celebration plans. Assuming that one party or the other wants to mark or skip the event can be a huge mistake. Give voice to your thoughts; let nothing be taken for granted.

2. Expectations As parents, we can easily impose our will for our children upon them without considering their thoughts. Lest we forget, they are now adults and they should be able to make important decisions on their own.

3. Compromise Parents and their adult children, after airing their ideas [communication] and sharing their 'plans' for the event [expectations], must arrive at some point of compromise with each other. It may not be a story book resolution, but it should be something both parties agree to. Without some sort of compromise, ongoing conflict -- even just seething below the horizon -- can and will take hold.

Now let's take a look at how each family implemented these techniques to resolve their own conflicts.

Initially, Mary yelled and reminded Joshua that the family footed the bill for his college education. Joshua explained that he and his friends were worn out from final exams and were heading to the shore to unwind. After a heated argument, a compromise was reached when they agreed to have a family celebration the following weekend.

Chantel Powers had no idea that her mother wanted to celebrate her master's degree and to such a lavish extent. Happy with her family's celebrations marking her high school and college graduations, Chantel thought a quiet family event would be held. Ann, on the other hand, was thrilled with Chantel's accomplishments and wanted to mark the ocassion with an "all-out, get-out" event. Mother and daughter reached a compromise for a smaller, but still important event to be held over the 4th of July weekend when many family members and friends would be present.

Rick was disappointed with the low key celebration that his father had planned for his graduation. When he stressed to his father that he was not going to seek formal education beyond the associate degree level, his father upped his plans closer to what Rick had expected.

In all three cases, communication gave voice to everyone's expectations which, when hashed out, resulted in compromise that everyone could manage. Congratulations, grads...you just achieved another important milestone!

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Matt writes extensively about business, travel, personal, and aviation issues. Visit http://www.cabinmanagers.com or http://www.aviationemploymentboard.com for samples of some of his websites.

Feng Shui Interprets The Street That Ends At Your House

Writen by Kartar Diamond

The house which sits at the very end of a cul-de-sac or T-juncture is going to be receiving more energy than the other houses on either side, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. Most feng shui books illustrate how this is a very accident-prone or unhappy home and to be avoided at all costs, but occasionally it is the luckiest house on the block. Why? If the house is inherently good in its "unseen" influences, then all the chi rushing toward that house will activate the good features. So, this type of street alignment will only intensifiy whatever house type it is.

What are the unseen influences? These are the energies created inside the house based on when it was built and what precise directional orientation the house faces. As a concrete example: if you have a house that faces 345 degrees north and built in 1950, this house does not have a very good front door if it is smack in the middle of the front side of the house. It is a house type where the occupant could have head or lung problems. Now, if that same house has a street directly aligned with this front door, it would exacerbate this negative potential of the house. But what if that same house was built in 1990 instead? That house with a north door would have major prosperity energies in that location so a road directed toward it could make it even more active in a good sense.

This is just one of many examples of how the outside forces influence the inside forces and you cannot do a proper feng shui analysis without considering both the interiors and exteriors together.

If you have falllen in love with a house that happens to be at the end of a cul-de-sac, don't write it off as bad feng shui without looking at other important features to the house and getting a comprehensive evaluation to determine the real effects. Even if it is not the type of house that can benefit from the street alignment, there could easily be some good landscaping remedies to off set this oncoming flow of air currents. With enough of a front yard, you could have a half wall, a hedge, a fence, an elevated sculpture, trees or plantings to buffer or re-direct the otherwise direct line of chi.

For more information about traditional feng shui, for either residential or commercial properties, visit Kartar Diamond's website at http://www.FengShuiSolutions.net

Managing Caregiver Guilt 5 Tips To Manage Guilt So Guilt Serves You Not Imprisons You

Writen by Dr. Vicki Rackner

Guilt is a common feeling in the landscape of care giving. Guilt can propel you to be the best you can be …or it can immobilize you.

For caregivers, painful feelings -- such as guilt, sadness and anger -- are like any other pain. It's your body's way of saying, 'Pay attention.' Just as the pain of a burned finger pulls your hand from the stove, so, too, guilt guides your actions and optimizes your health.

You have a picture of the "Ideal You" with values you hold and how you relate to yourself and others. Guilt often arises when there's a mismatch between your day-to-day choices and the choices the "Ideal You" would have made. The "Ideal You" may be a parent who attends all of the kids' soccer games. Miss a game to take your dad to the doctor, and you think you're falling short.

You may have needs out of line with this "Ideal You." You may believe that your own needs are insignificant, compared to the needs of your sick loved one. You then feel guilty when you even recognize your needs, much less act upon them. A mother may ask herself, "How can I go out for a walk with my kids when my mother is at home in pain?" (A hint for this mother: she can give more to her mother with an open heart when she takes good care of herself.)

You may have feelings misaligned with the "Ideal You." Feeling angry about the injustice of your loved one's illness? You might even feel angry at your loved one for getting sick! Recognizing those feelings can produce a healthy dose of guilt. Yes, you may even feel guilty about feeling guilty.

"Why did my loved one get sick?" you may ask. Perhaps, if the "Ideal You" acted more often, your loved one would be healthy. What if you served more healthful meals? What if you called 911, instead of believing your husband when he said his chest pain was just "a little heartburn"?

If you're the kind of person prone to guilt, learn to manage guilt so that guilt serves you rather than imprisons you. Here are 5 tips for managing your caregiver guilt:

Recognize the feeling of guilt: Unrecognized guilt eats at your soul. Name it; look at the monster under the bed

Identify other feelings: Often, there are feelings under the feeling of guilt. Name those, too. For example, say to yourself: "I hate to admit this to myself, but I'm resentful that dad's illness changed all of our lives." Once you put it into words, you will have a new perspective. You will also be reminding yourself of how fortunate you are to have what it takes to take care of loved one."

Be compassionate with yourself: Cloudy moods, like cloudy days, come and go. There's no one way a caregiver should feel. When you give yourself permission to have any feeling, and recognized that your feelings don't control your actions, your guilt will subside.

Look for the cause of the guilt: What is the mismatch between this "Ideal You" and the real you? Do you have an unmet need? Do you need to change your actions so that they align with your values?

Take action: Meet your needs. Needs are not bad or good; they just are. If you need some time alone, find someone to be with your loved one.

Change your behavior to fit your values: For example, Clara felt guilty because her friend was in the hospital and she didn't send a card. Her guilt propelled her to buy some beautiful blank cards to make it easier for her to drop a note the next time.

Ask for help: Call a friend and say, "I'm going through a hard time. Do you have a few minutes just to listen?" Have a family meeting and say, "Our lives have been a lot different since grandma got sick. I'm spending more time with her. Let's figure out together how we'll get everything done."

Revisit and reinvent the "Ideal You": You made the best choices based on your resources and knowledge at the time. As you look to the future, you can create a refined vision of the "Ideal You." What legacy do you want to leave? What values do you hold dear? Then, when you wake up in the morning and put on your clothes, imagine dressing the "Ideal You." Let this reinvented "Ideal You" make those moment-to-moment choices that create your legacy.

Understand that you will be a more effective caregiver when you care for the caregiver first. Loved ones neither want nor expect selfless servants. As a caregiver, when you care for yourself, you increase and improve your own caring. Yes, guilt is part of caregiving, but this guilt can help you become the caregiver you and your loved one want you to be.

Dr. Vicki is a board-certified surgeon and Clinical Instructor at the University of Washington School of Medicine who left the operating room to help caregivers and patients take the most direct path from illness to optimal health. Want more caregiving tips? Get your free report "Caring for the Caregiver" by emailing Dr. Vicki Rackner at DrVicki@DrVicki.org and be sure to check out her regular column with the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Group's new caregiver web site http://www.strengthforcaring.com

The Arrival

Writen by Christine Bettridge

To arrive at a certain destination in life is described as a person being a success at what they have accomplished in life. Success is where you can finally get to breathe a little or take a break from all the hard work. It also means to accomplish ones goals, the American dream, to own a house, and to be better off then the previous generation. The question that has been pondered is simply arriving good enough?

As I sit here at my desk as I do every morning I thought to myself I have finally arrived. I have arrived to the destination and place that I am meant to be. It's been a long and hard road, but I am finally a self employed entrepreneur, and I am doing exactly what I've wanted to do my whole life. Although I didn't really know it and it's been a long road to finding this out but fate has finally stepped in. The thoughts of having a home based business enables me to pick and choose my time, to spend more time with the family. Being there at home when the children get out of school and making those doctors appointments. I get to do more with the children then most parents who work outside of the home.

Being self employed I have noticed that I seem to work harder now then ever. It requires discipline, sacrifice, and dedication. Self employment is not the only job out there that requires time but your finances depend on how hard you work. Just how much do you have to sacrifice or give up to finally make your dreams come true?

Most home based businesses or other upper management positions require at least 50-60 hours a week. It requires the ability to put things on hold, especially when you work out of your home. If you have children that are always running in and out it requires the ability to control your emotions and not let them get the best of you. The emotional toll it takes on a person can be quite substantial. Especially being interrupted when you are in your thought process mode and if you break it at that moment you may not get it back.

I remember one of those instances of losing track when my daughter interrupted me one day. She knew I had an aunt that I hadn't seen in a while and she was under the impression that I didn't know where she was at. So while I was busy working she knocked on the door again and in the usual tone of interruption I screamed what! This is when she told me she thought she found my aunt on one of those online databases. When she told me this it brought tears to my eyes as I could tell she was only trying to surprise and make me happy. It was then at that moment when I realized I was working way too hard and I really needed to get my priorities in order.

You miss out on some of the little things in life. For parents that have the younger children you may miss out on all of the firsts. The first tooth, words, crawling, or steps and so on. For the little older you may miss out on teaching them how to read, taking time bathe the dog together, or going for walks. Even more critical are the years right before becoming a teenager, the preteen years. Having "the talk" with them. Probably the most important talk you will ever have with them in their life. Keeping kids off drugs, premature sex, dating is not something to take lightly. It doesn't stop there because in the years beyond it becomes a reinforcement issue. It is important to go to a few games, watch the ballet, cheerleading, choir, and how about a good old fashion bike ride in the park.

Not taking the time necessary reminds me of a song in the seventy's called Cats in the Cradle. I am sure most have heard of it as there has been a remake or two. The father is so busy with his schedule that he had denied several requests from his young son to play ball or to spend some time with him. It didn't seem to bother his son as he was very proud of his father and deemed that he would be just like his father someday. It happened just as he said it would; he did become like his father.

The boy now a man is all grown up with his own family to take care of as well as his own pressures in life. The father whose son has moved away and he is now lonely and wondering what he's been doing. So the father calls him up one day and asked when he would come by. The son denies his request saying the new job is a hassle, the kids have the flu, but at the end of the conversation he says it's been great talking to you dad. It occurred to the father his boy had grown up to be exactly like him.

You have heard the saying take time to smell the roses. You better do it quick because once they're gone they quickly fade into the past. Just the memories last and if there aren't any memories made there won't be any to remember. Time is money we all know that but time is something else as well. Time is love, above all else. "It is the most precious commodity in the world and should be lavished on those we care about most. (Sidney J. Harris, "Money is Time," Clearing the Ground, (1986)."

Take the time right now to plan the vacation or if that is stretching it, then stop what your doing right now and go spend some time with that child or give the other person in your life a hug. That's what I am going to do after I come up with a fantastic ending to this article. Gotcha! I already had the ending in mind before I wrote it. The way I see it is that it just isn't "good enough" to simply "arrive," but rather if you enjoyed the ride.

© 2006, Cypress Street Publishing. This article may be reproduced as long as the content, authors by line and live links are included. Christine Bettridge has loved writing since childhood. She has written plays, poetry and many articles. Her e-book End Time Secrets recently released by Cypress Street Publishing can be found at http://endtimesecrets.com

Cleaning Service In Your Area

Writen by Roger King

Take advantage of one of today's many cleaning services. They offer full time cleaning services for those days when your schedule is too full to fit in house cleaning needs.

Regular cleaning services are available on weekly, or bi-weekly basis. The cleaning industry has two primary market groups: consumer and commercial.

The consumer arena consists primarily of residential maid services, along with carpet cleaners, window cleaners and a variety of other cleaning services required on a less-frequent basis.

The commercial arena is dominated by janitorial services, which typically provide a wider range of services than maid services, along with other cleaning companies, such as carpet and window cleaners that target businesses rather than individual consumers.

Cleaning Services currently employs around 200 cleaners, mostly on a part time basis, either early morning or evening. The cleaners carry out a daily cleaning service to almost any home, and office.

They can mop, dust, vacuum, wash, disinfect and clean up every corner of your house. Not a superficial, cover it up, but a deep, thorough, complete cleaning.

Cleaning includes all services normally associated with a house cleaning company, including emptying all trash, dusting, vacuuming carpet, cleaning mirrors and insides of windows, and cleaning the bathroom toilet, shower/bath, sink, and floor.

Cleaning services are available Monday through Friday. Requests cannot be made for same-day service. Service is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment must be received at time of request, and can be made by check.

About The Author: Roger King is a successful author and publisher of http://www.1st-home.com. Cleaning services and ideas to showcase your homes.

Timely Household Tips Amp Hints

Writen by Tom Koziol

These hints, tips and tricks should save you a few minutes, a lot of dollars and, in general, make your life easier. This list is by no means complete. If you have any hints, tips or tricks, please email me at: tom@senior2senior.org and I will update this list as we have the time.

Hints, tips and tricks

A sealed envelope - Put in the freezer for a few hours, then slide a knife under the flap. (The envelope can then be resealed hmmmmmm...)

Use empty toilet paper roll to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll to what appliance it belongs.

For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the steps. They won't refreeze. (I wish I had known this for the last 40 years!)

To remove old wax from a glass candle holder, put it in the freezer for a few hours. Then take the candle holder out and turn it upside down. The wax will fall out.

Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow grease that is!).

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.

Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided this would be much more economical. A box of S.O.S pads now lasts me indefinitely. In fact, I have noticed the scissors get sharpened this way!

Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood. Works every time! Now, where to put the body? LOL

Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean. Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.

Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is turned on.

Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do this with towels and linen.

Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.

To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking like new! Works like a charm!

To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet, simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove top.

Spray your TUPPERWARE with nonstick cooking spray before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.

Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.

When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.

Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.

Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.

To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.

Ants, ants, ants everywhere ... Well, they are said to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.

Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.

When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most splinters painlessly and easily.

Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer!!

Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes, brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous China.

Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets.

Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets into a glass of water and immerse the jewelry for two minutes.

Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or longer, if necessary).

Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, than run the hot water.

Keep critters out of garbage by spraying bag/can with ammonia and water

For a sweeter smelling house, squeeze a few drops of fresh lemon into the dustbag of your vacuum before you use it.

If you mix 10 or more drops of an essential oil with 8 ounces of water, you have just created an instant air spray that is aromatic and kills airborne bacteria.

Essential oils are considered to possess certain qualities or serve special purposes. The soothing fragrances are generally considered to be chamomile, rose, jasmine, clary sage, geranium, sandalwood, vanilla, musk and nutmeg. The energizing fragrances are lemon, eucalyptus, pine, citrus, bergamot, peppermint, rosemary and cinnamon. The aphrodisiacs are clary sage, geranium, sandalwood, ylang-ylang and lavender. If you want your spirit lifted, use neroli, bergamot or rosemary. The mental stimulants are clary sage, juniper berry, pine and peppermint. The muscle relaxants are jasmine, vanilla, musk, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Sweeten your breath after a meal by munching 2 sprigs of fresh parsley.

If you are like me, you don't want to cut off a finger when chopping, mincing or dicing. Hold the knife's handle in one hand with your thumb against the blade and place your other hand over the top of the knife and hold the blade of the knife on the board and chop using a vertical pivoting motion and you will keep your fingers on your hand.

Use ripped panty hose as a scouring sponge. Simply put a regular sponge inside a section of pantyhose and its coarse texture will scrub things clean.

Baking soda makes the best fire extinguisher for stove top grease fires if you do not have a fire extinguisher.

I hope these few tips and hints have helped make your life easier.

Tom Koziol is Executive Secretary for a non-profit focusing on senior citizens. Visit http://www.senior2senior.org and pick up fifteen free topical ebooks and a ton of free resources just for stopping by and browsing. Email him at: tom@senior2senior.org

How To Be Your Pool Companys Favorite Customer

Writen by Michael Dinger

By taking advantage of a few easy swimming pool maintenance tips, you can easily make yourself the most profitable customer your local pool business has ever seen.

1. Don't clean your pool! A dirty pool is an expensive pool (expensive for you, profitable for your local pool business). The more you let your pool go, the more it will cost to get things back together again. Do you see leaves in there? By all means, let them sit. Are random foreign objects floating around in your pool? Sure, let them stay. Anything that doesn't belong in the pool, it shouldn't cause any problems, right? Likewise, it's a waste of time to be brushing your pool… especially the dead spots where algae is likely to grow. Your pool company will love you, knowing that you'll need to be buying algaecide, shock, and possibly other products to clean up a mess. Your pool business would love for you to let your pool go.

2. Never empty your skimmer or pump baskets. Those baskets are meant to permanently store all the debris that they catch. That's what baskets are for, right? Storage! It would be a far greater hassle to empty that skimmer basket every few days, as opposed to letting it break and having to buy a new one (at $15 a pop) with great regularity. Not only that, but it's good for your pool to be choking on the water circulation. Forcing your pump to work harder only makes it stronger, right? No pain, no gain. When your skimmer basket breaks, letting debris get through, let that same junk sit in your pump basket for a while. You can break two baskets with only one load of debris! After your pump basket breaks, that's when the real excitement begins. You'll have all sorts of chunks flying through the rest of the pump, and being forced into the filter. Hoorah! All the equipment is getting some exercise now! Hopefully something will break, which will further ingratiate you with your favorite pool place. After all, cleaning out those baskets is far more trouble than it's worth, right?

3. If you see algae, brush it and hope it goes away. It's a well-known fact that scrubbing algae kills it, as opposed to the nonsense of using concentrated chlorine on it. After all, even though algae was actually growing in the pool, there still should be enough chlorine in the pool to kill that stuff. The idea of actually shocking the pool wouldn't make any sense then, would it? By all means, wipe away the algae and then continue on your merry way. It's not like it will come back, right? Your pool company would much rather you waited until your algae becomes a significant problem, and growing everywhere before you take an interest in treating it. So do your pool business a favor and wait until there's algae everywhere before you decide to do anything about it.

4. Buy all your chemicals in as small amount as humanly possible. If you need some shock or chlorine sticks, make sure you get them in the smallest container available. You want to avoid those larger containers like the plague. Not only are those larger containers of the dreaded economical type, and not only do they cost you less per pound, but they will keep you from being required to regularly visit your favorite pool business.

Keep in mind, these tips are only useful if you want to be as financially supportive as possible to your local pool company. If you'd rather save money, or spend it on something other than your pool, you would do best to ignore all this advice, or even do the opposite.

Michael Dinger has worked in a pool supply business and can easily recall the silliness actual pool owners have done. For more free information and tips on swimming pool maintenance please visit http://wwww.keepyourpoolclean.com

Having Fun With Themed Gift Baskets

Writen by Elizabeth Gilley

Most people use the words "gift" and "present" interchangeably but there is a difference between the meaning of these two words. A gift is something the receiver wants to receive while a present is something the giver wants the recipient to have. True, it is a trivial difference but it makes all the difference between giving something good and something great. Good gifts are displayed and kept, but great gifts are appreciated, used, and remembered. This is the idea behind making your own gift baskets. By making your own gift baskets, you determine what goes in it to fit the personality of your recipient.

Making your own gift basket is not hard. In fact, there are many everyday items that you can throw in together to make your perfect basket. Speaking of baskets, gift baskets aren't limited to hand-woven baskets. Boxes, plastic containers, and other everyday stuff can make good baskets if you exert a bit of creativity. Making theme baskets is a perfect way to recycle and reuse the stuff cluttering your space. However, please don't recycle used items as gifts. It is impolite and inconsiderate of others' efforts.

Traditionally, gift baskets are limited to food items like cookies, breads, sauces, and preserves. A good way to tweak this tradition is to come up with themes for your food baskets. Brunch baskets may include bagels, preserves, marmalades, eggs, and beverage mixes. You may include recipe cards of brunch favorites like quiche or fritata. You can use breakfast trays line with soft fabric as your makeshift basket. Movie night baskets may include bags of popcorn, M&Ms, Raisinets, gummy bears, and a couple of DVDs. Put all of these in a big popcorn bowl and decorate with a bow or small flag proclaiming "Movie Night." Other fun theme options you can try for your food baskets are cheese and wine, afternoon tea, and roadside picnic. The recipients of these food baskets can't help but think of you each time they take a bite.

Food is not the only stuff you can put in your themed baskets. Most people are resorting to giving hobby theme baskets to their family and friends. These hobby baskets are more fun to make with less effort and a dose of creativity. Got a sick relative? Put together a basket with canned chicken soup, a book, a music CD, nasal drops, and cough medicine. Roll in a soft cardigan or blanket and finish with a "get well" card. Hobbyists will certainly appreciate gift baskets from you with hobby materials inside. Put together a fishing basket with bait, tacklers, and fishing book for your fisherman uncle. Get a wicker basket and fill in different yarns, pattern book, and knitting needles for your family knitter. Themed gift baskets give you the flexibility to give everybody their perfect gifts.

To learn more about setting up themes on your Gift baskets and food baskets, please visit http://www.holidaysgiftbasket.com

Tips For Choosing A Plan For Your Log Home

Writen by Al Hearn

Here are some tips to help you narrow your search for plans for your new log home.

Use your old home to help you plan your new home One of the ways to help you decide on a plan for your new home is to take a look at your present home and use it as a reference point for your new plans. Treat your new home plan as an "adjustment" to your old home plan. Make a list of the features you like and dislike in your current home. Add features you don't have now, but would want in your new home.

Organize your plan selections Start a scrapbook that includes pictures and drawings of the styles of log home and features that appeal to you. Common features will start to appear in many of your selections. For example, if your scrapbook photos show mostly handcrafted log homes, you can concentrate your search on log home companies that specialize in handcrafted construction.

Start with a simple plan Draw a rough layout of individual rooms for your new home, with the rooms represented only by boxes. Use the dimensions of your old rooms as a reference. Arrange the boxes in the general pattern that you would want. Account for hallways, closets, and storage spaces. This will give you a good idea of not only your general floor plan, but also your overall home dimensions.

Use your computer as a design tool There are a variety of home design software products available that can make your planning easy and fun. Some are very simple and easy to use, although may not contain features that are specific to log homes. Others are more robust, more expensive, and more difficult to use. Use Google or other Internet search tools to find sources for this type of software.

Search for standard plans It's possible that there is already a home plan out there that closely meets your needs. The Internet is one of best resources. A seach for "log home plans" will result in a wide selection of plans, primarily from log home companies. Log home magazines are another good source for plans.

Modify standard plans Any log home floor plan can be modified to suit your needs. You don't have to choose one of the standard plans offered by log home companies. You can use the plan from one company as the basis for creating a plan to be used by another company. Plans for conventional homes can usually be adapted to log construction.

Your log home company can help Log home companies have in-house designers to help you create or modify a plan. They use sophisticated professional software for this purpose. Be aware that you may have to make a few compromises in your plans to accommodate certain log construction requirements.

Al Hearn is founder and operator of Log Home Advisor (LogHomeAdvisor.com), a popular and growing web site that provides information and advice for log home lovers.

What Is A Family Readiness Group

Writen by Tara Crooks

A Family Readiness Group (formerly know as Family Support Group), is an organization of family members, volunteers, and soldiers belonging to a unit, that together provide information and assistance to others in the group. According to DoD website, www.myarmylifetoo.com, "The Family Readiness Group (FRG) is an officially command-sponsored organization of family members, volunteers, and Soldiers belonging to a unit, that together provide an avenue of mutual support and assistance, and a network of communications among the family members, the chain of command, and community resources. FRGs help create a climate of mutual support within the unit and community. Basic FRG goals include supporting the military mission through provision of support, outreach, and information to family members."

That explains what the DoD classifies a FRG as, but what does that mean to you? A FRG is a group, usually made up of soldiers, spouses, and family members, which meet at specific times, to distribute information, to discuss support issues, to raise funds, and for friendship and community, amongst other reasons. It is a network that is formed because of its member's affiliation with the unit it represents. The Army focused sharply on family readiness as a result of lessons learned during the Gulf War. On 1 June 2000, the Department of the Army renamed it Family Readiness Group to emphasize the need for readiness and self-sufficiency among Army families in the modern Army.

The FRG is:
• An information conduit.
• A welcoming organization.
• A self-help, referral organization.
• A source of social support and group activities.
• A unit family dedicated to achieving social and military goals.
Source: Operation Ready FRG Handbook

Your role in a FRG depends on your relationship to the Army. If you are the family member or dependent, Unit FRGs are where you will gain information about the unit and military community. This is one of your "links" or contacts to the people in your Unit. If you are a Soldier, FRGs are there to provide family support, integrity of care, and foster open and honest communication.

The idea behind successful FRGs, is to enable dependents to develop a more positive attitude toward themselves and their military lifestyle. A successful FRG should also help dependents gain a better understanding of why deployments are necessary, and help them comprehend the Army's mission to maintain readiness. The goal is to foster trust and care of the soldier's family so that the soldier is ready and able to concentrate on the mission at hand, and have the emotional readiness to carry out that mission. FRGs are there to provide support of the soldiers' family members so that the soldier has confidence that a reliable support system is in place, should they not be available when their family needs them.

You may have some questions come up when faced with your first connection with a FRG. Those questions include:
• Who can be a part of the FRG?
• Do I have to formally join?
• Do I have to participate?
• Why should I join?
• Are meetings mandatory?
• Are FRG's open to all ranks?
• What kinds of activities does a FRG perform?

Who can be a part of the FRG?
Unit FRGs usually consist of all assigned and attached soldiers (married and single), their spouses, and children. However, modern day FRG's can include boyfriends and girlfriends, fiancés, friends and relatives, retired service members, or even members of the community.

Do I have to formally join?
No, your membership is automatic.

Do I have to participate?
No, participation is voluntary.

Why should I join?
A FRG is a great source of information and support. It is your connection to the Unit. To put it frankly, should anything ever happen to your family or your soldier, it is very helpful to you if Command knows how and where to reach you or your emergency contact. It doesn't hurt that they can put a name with a face, and they know who they are talking to either. In the end, you'll thank yourself for being involved.

Sure, there are other reasons too. Everyone has skills to offer - from creating the phone tree, to fundraising, to typing newsletters. Help your FRG become a success by staying involved. The best way to make sure the FRG meets your needs is to let people know what you want. If you don't like the way things are going, the power is in you to change it. A FRG relies on its members for direction, and it's only as successful as you make it. You are the FRG. So go out and make a difference.

Are meetings mandatory?
No meetings are not mandatory, but definitely encouraged. How else do you think you're going to know what's going on? Remember, it's just as much your FRG leaders responsibility to keep you informed as it is your responsibility to inform yourself. So take that into consideration the next time you want to say "well, she never even called me." Ask yourself, "Did I go to the meeting? Have I taken every opportunity to inform myself of what is going on?" Then, if the answer is yes, call your FRG leader and make sure you are on the notification list, and explain you were missed. There is an even easier way not to be missed, volunteer as a key-caller, and become an active participant in the notification process.

Are FRG's open to all ranks?
FRGs are open to personnel of all ranks. FRGs are organized and directed by their own members.

What kinds of activities does a FRG perform?
FRG events and activities can include things from telephone trees, to open house for the Unit, family days, fundraisers, trips, fitness activities, holiday celebrations, a newsletter, workshops or classes, and even community projects. The possibilities are virtually endless, and it all depends on where your FRG decides to focus its energy.

FRG Resources:
http://www.hooah4health.com/deployment/familymatters/FSGhandbook.htm The Commander's FRG Handbook
http://www.myarmylifetoo.com
http://www.militaryonesource.com
http://www.armyfrg.org

© 2006 Army Wife Talk Radio

Publishing Guidelines: Thank you for publishing this article in its entirety, including the resource box. Please make all links clickable within the text. Please notify me of publication by sending either a website link or a copy of the syndication upon publication via email info@armywifetalkradio.com.

Tara Crooks, or "Household 6″ in the Crooks' family, is best known for her ability to motivate and empower others. Tara's journey with the military began in 1998 when she and her husband PCS'd to their first duty station, Ft Hood. She currently owns and operates two highly successful websites, http://www.ArmyWifeTalkRadio.com and http://www.AdvertisingMoms.com. Featured in Military Spouse Magazine, Stars & Stripes Newspaper, Military.com, Army.com and more, Army Wife Talk Radio is the original internet talk radio program for military wives. The tagline, Our Life, Our Family, Our Soldier, says it all. Tara does a weekly internet talk radio broadcast from the website that features up to date information, tips, and empowerment for spouses. Advertising Moms is a network of work from home business owners that Tara mentors and coaches on a daily basis.

A New Type Of Home That Leaves Your Wallet Fatter And Your Life Easier To Manage

Writen by Harvey Juric

A home for the 21st Century is not about the latest in gadgets and wireless alarms, internet connections or top of the line intercom system. It is about strength, comfort and energy efficiency.

Baby Boomers are buying their last home and they know what they want.

Enter a new type of home. A home that stands up to fire, noise, sun, wind, rain, snow, bugs, mould and inevitable acts of God like, earthquakes and hurricanes; a home that gives you unprecedented comfort and a breath of fresh air 24 hours a day; a home that can resist hurricanes in Florida as well as sub artic temperatures in the Canadian North.

Imagine an airtight, steel reinforced concrete cube with about 3 inches of styrofoam insulation on both sides of the wall and body temperature heated floors.

Fresh air from the outside enters the house through a series of pipes buried 5 feet below the ground where there is always a constant temperature – 8 Degrees Celsius.

If you really wanted you could open high efficiency Low-E Argon filled windows, but why would you want to?

During the summer the incoming air is pre-cooled; during the winter it is pre-warmed. The flow is strictly controlled, pre-conditioned and filtered for a breath of fresh air - 24 hours a day.

Computer modeling of this type of air pre-conditioning shows that just this one idea saves 11% on heating and cooling costs comparable to conventional venting system.

This new type of luxury home is built as a combination of some of the newest technologies in modern home building: Insulated Concrete Form (ICFs), radiant floor heating, a tank-less water heater and a low energy consumption air conditioning system (that that you may need to use but very rarely).

The outside walls, which are built out of steel reinforced concrete make this home wind and fire resistant, bug and mould resistant and provide excellent protection from hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.

Outside voices, traffic noises and police sirens are muffled by the walls thickness which allows you to sleep soundly every night. Gone are floor squeaks, drafts and the rattling of glass in your china cabinet.

Because of the exceptional insulation of insulated concrete forms, there is significant ongoing savings in energy costs and greatly increased comfort levels for the homeowner. The savings are anywhere from 35% to 60% depending mostly on the style of home and the size and type of windows.

Features, such as a high (92%) efficiency tank-less water heater heats the whole home, while providing an endless supply of potable hot water. It turns itself on when you turn your hot water tap, therefore there are no standby losses as with a conventional hot water heater. This equals approximately 25% of energy savings just to heat your hot water.

It is also easy to incorporate a full solar heating, so you can achieve a complete independence from the grid.

This type of home costs only about 10% more than a comparable wood framed home and considering a long term savings, comfort and security why would anyone build homes differently is a merited question.

If you are thinking of building, or simply want to see for yourself what all the fuss is about, the model home can be viewed on Jan 15, and every Saturday after that until the month of April. It is located on 252 Pearson St. by the golf course in Meaford, Ontario.

Harvey Juric CEO of ICFhome.ca has been building Insulated Concrete Form custom homes in Ontario since 1994. They are considered an authority in this type of construction. For more information about the model home, Insulated Concrete Forms or Radiant Floor Heating contact ICFhome.ca by telephone 519 843-7612, e-mailm info@icfhome.ca, or visit their web site at Ontario Home Builder or Luxury Home

Hiring A San Francisco Moving Company What To Consider

Writen by Ted Garvin

Moving is becoming a fact of life. This is because a large number of individuals make the decision to move, each year. If you are planning on relocating now or in the near future, you may want to think about using a professional moving company. If you are planning on moving to or from the San Francisco area, you may want to hire the services of a San Francisco moving company.

When it comes to hiring the services of a San Francisco moving company, it is easier said than done. Unfortunately, there are too many individuals who feel that it is easy to hire a professional mover. While this may be true, you should not hire the first San Francisco moving company that you come across. Instead, you are advised to examine all of your available options. This includes researching and examining a number of different San Francisco moving companies. This research may take some time, but, in most cases, you will find that it pay offs in the end.

When it comes to researching and examining San Francisco moving companies, there are a number of different methods that you could use. One of those methods involves contacting the San Francisco moving company that you would like more information. This can easily be done by contacting the moving company directly. To do this, you will need to acquire the moving company's contact information. Once you have obtained that information, you are advised to place a phone call to their main office.

In addition to directly contacting the office of a San Francisco moving company, you should also be able to research and examine that company by visiting their online website, if they have one. To find the website of a professional moving company, you will want to perform a standard internet search. If that company has an online website, that website should appear in your search results. Once you are at the website of a San Francisco moving company, you should be able to find important information. If you have any additional questions, you should be able to email or call the moving company for answers.

When examining a San Francisco moving company, you will want to determine exactly how much their service will cost. To obtain the exact cost of service, you may need to offer a little bit of information. That information should include how much stuff you have to move and where you plan on moving to. If you do not know how much you are bringing with you or where you plan on moving to yet, you may want to wait until you have that information. Without this detailed information, you may only be provided with an inaccurate estimate.

It is also important to consider the services that are offered by the San Francisco moving company of your choice and the amount of time it will take them to move you. These factors are all important, especially when it comes to finding a reputable San Francisco moving company to do business with.

Ted Garvin is a writer for Froggy Moving.com where you can find the best San Francisco Moving Company around, and other related information.

Lost Relatives And Ancestors A Beginners Guide

Writen by Tom LeBaron

"Collecting Dead Relatives and Sometimes a Live Cousin" and "My Family Tree is Lost in the Forest" are just some of the catchy slogans found printed on the shirts of genealogy enthusiasts. These avid researchers are looking to fill the holes in their family trees. It's work that most have been at for decades.

My wife and I wanted to get started finding our lost relatives, but we didn't know where to begin. She had a binder full of information that one of her relatives had put together, but other than that, we were the ones who were lost.

We started by going to the Genealogy library at Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library, but you can also do this online.

The first step to finding your lost relatives is to download all the information that has already been compiled. We did this by using the Ancestral File database that is indexed at the world's largest genealogy library, The Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. We remotely accessed the database and first found my wife's records. We saw on her pedigree chart that some relatives had already compiled information on her mother's line, but her father's line was empty. After downloading my wife's pedigree chart onto a GEDCOM file, we did some research on her father's line. The family history consultant told us that it's possible that there has been work done on her father's line, but it just hasn't been connected to my wife's file.

By typing in her paternal grandfather's name into the search, we were able to find much more information. The consultant told us that we needed to download his pedigree chart, take it home to our computer and merge his file with my wife's file. That would associate all his information with my wife's.

The best computer program for compiling Family History information is Personal Ancestral File (PAF) which is currently in the 5.2 release. The software is free, so you should be able to find it in any search engine.

Check back again for the next installment which will deal with doing your own research.

Tom LeBaron is a marketing representative of DNA Bioscience, a DNA laboratory that specializes in verifying lost relatives through an affordable DNA test.

Tom LeBaron is a marketing representative of DNA Bioscience, a DNA laboratory that specializes in verifying lost relatives through an affordable DNA test.

Some General Camp Counseling Tips

Writen by Dave Kramer

Here are a couple tips I came up with. Just keep in mind that I worked with 7-year-old boys at a day camp so these may not apply to everyone.

• Participation is key. The more you participate, the friendlier you become with your kids. Even if it means running around a playground, do it. If they ask you to join in, you should join in. Don't think about how stupid you'll look. Do it for the kids, and not for yourself.
• If you see a kid's really bad at an activity, encourage them. Don't make fun of them. I know it may be tempting to do, but don't do it. Because if you do, you may have a crying kid on your hands, and that's never fun to deal with.
• A good rule of thumb is to spend at least 5 minutes with each kid every day. Obviously you'll be spending more, but be sure you get at least that much time in.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you're in a difficult situation, don't be afraid to ask your senior counselor for advice. They may get annoyed but it'll benefit both of you. You'll learn something new and they'll learn what areas of camp counseling you need to improve on.
• A very important tip is to make sacrifices, no matter how small (and no, not human sacrifices). What I mean is, for example, let's say it's lunch. There's one pizza bagel left at your table before you have to go up to get more. You grab it and one of your kids starts whining and says he/she wants it. Give it to him/her. It's little things like this that will make your kids like you more. If you decide not to give it to him/her, that kid will remember and they'll hold a grudge (silent treatment, guilt, etc.).
• If one of your kids is crying or is having a bad day, talk with them. Make them feel better. If the kid is crying because he/she got out in a game or something like that, remind them that it's just a game and that there will always be another game. Obviously if the kid is crying because he/she is hurt, take them to the nurse. If the kid is having a bad day and isn't enthusiastic or happy, talk with him/her. Tell them how much fun you'll be having and that when you're at camp you're supposed to have fun and be happy. Make sure your kids are having a good time, all the time.
• Have patience! These kids aren't stupid. They know that if they want something, all they have to do is keep annoying you until they get it. Most of the time, the first time you tell a kid to do something, odds are they won't do it. Don't get mad at them though. Remember that they're a lot younger than you. Ask them again. Try not to raise your voice too much.
• Don't raise your voice. Only do this in an emergency. This may scare your campers, or if you do this a lot they may just ignore it.
• Campers hear everything, and I mean everything. So if you want to tell your friend something, first think about if you want a little kid to hear it. The bad part about kids hearing what you say is that they never remember it accurately. They'll tell their parents and often exaggerate what you said (which usually has a negative effect) .
• Find a positive trait for each of your campers, and emphasize on that. Don't emphasize on the negative. If one of your campers is good at kickball, every time you head to kickball, tell that camper how excited you are to see him/her kick the ball really far or run the bases really fast. And be sure to tell the other campers that he/she is good at kickball so everyone will want him/her on their team. This will make that camper feel wanted and part of the group. This works especially well with shy/quiet campers.
• Leave all negativity at home! If you come in to camp with a bad mood, this will hurt your campers' days. Even if you had a horrible night, come in with a smile. If you feel you might feel below par, talk to your division head or a superior prior to camp.
• Take breaks! If your camp offers you breaks, use them. Otherwise you may get worn out.
• If you notice two campers conflict often, don't wait until a fist fight breaks out to do something about it. As soon as you notice some questionable behavior, work it out with the campers as well as your superiors. The sooner you work things out, the easier your job will be.
• Respect your campers and they'll respect you. They'll behave better if you respect them. Just because you're in charge doesn't mean you can yell at them and boss them around. If a camper doesn't want to participate in an activity, don't force them. Instead, respect their feelings and talk it out. Ask them why they don't want to participate. Be fair. Some other easy examples of respect include: smiling, greeting your campers when they first see you in the morning, treating everyone fairly, and giving them appropriate pats and touches (such as a pat on the back, or placing your hands on their shoulders when talking to them).
• Show the kids you have fun with them! Don't sit out of every activity. Participate with them. Let your inner kid come loose in camp (to an extent). This will show the campers that you really care about them, and this will make them feel better.
• Let your campers know when they do something good. If a camper doesn't want to participate in an activity but decides to anyway, tell them when the activity is over that they did really well.
• Teach your campers good behavior. An good example of this was what our cooking instructor did this past summer. She'd tell the kids that before we could make anything or eat anything that everyone had to wash their hands. She'd tell them to put soap on their hands and scrub while singing Happy Birthday to themselves. Then rinse and dry. When they came back to the table, they'd have to keep their hands in the air and couldn't touch any parts of their bodies.

Dave Kramer is the webmaster of the online camp staff resource TalkCamp.com. Talk Camp is a website for camp staff to talk about camp.

The Wedding Gift

Writen by Sharon Lauer

No matter if the wedding is grand or simple, the event is almost always marked with a wedding gift for the special couple. In times past, the gift was usually a household item. Embarking on their new life together meant buying their first house and living as a family. Linen, china and small kitchen appliances were given to help the couple set up their new house.

Today we find many couples living together before they have a wedding. At the time of their wedding their house is already set up. Which leads to the question, "What do we give the special couple to celebrate their vows to each other?"

For some, gifts have shifted from household items to personal items. Spa packages and pampering products are seen being given to the bride and sports tickets and sports equipment to the groom. Sometimes a special event package is added on to the honeymoon or plane tickets are upgraded to first class. Most resorts and cruise lines have fruit, flower and gourmet gift baskets that can be purchased and placed in the newlywed's room for you.

For far away friends and family the gift search can be even more of a challenge. Gift cards although less than personal are, as they say, always the right size. Hiring a maid for the new couple to clean for a few months is a nice idea. Gift baskets filled with tasty delicacies the couple wouldn't normally treat themselves to can be a delicious surprise. There is a wide variety of gift baskets to choose from containing everything from caviar and sparkling cider to brownies and muffins. A breakfast basket containing everything necessary for a wonderful gourmet breakfast might be just the unique gift you're looking for.

If you still want to stick with the more traditional gifts like gifts for their home, there's still some ideas out there. A personalized quilt is a unique idea and will be appreciated for many years to come. You could get the happy couple an upgraded appliance or a set of holiday dinnerware. A plaque for outside their home with their house number or name is a nice touch they may not have. A security system is a great idea for everyone's home and a gift they will remember each time they close the door or turn off the light. A set of the finest sheets is something they may not treat themselves to but would definitely enjoy.

Although the social circumstances of marriages may have changed, our desire to celebrate the giving of vows has not. Adjusting our gift ideas can be challenging. Be careful to consider your newlyweds and what might mean the most to them when choosing their gift. Give from the heart and you can't go wrong.

Sharon Lauer is the marketing director for www.simplythebestbaskets.com.

Impacting My Life

Writen by Jan Verhoeff

There is another cup of cold coffee sitting on the back of my desk, and yet another page of math waiting before me to grade. The phone just rang with another job to be completed day before yesterday and here I sit with writer's block, again. While I can think of many things I could write about - none of them fit within the realm of business topic - or even home office information that would serve as an article for one of the trade magazines I write for regularly. My deadline is tomorrow. Of the list of topics that I keep at the ready (in the event of writer's block), none of them seem particularly appealing on this day, because I'm more interested in writing about something close to my heart. I have this unbidden desire to write about someone or something that will change the course of my life, or at the very least have a significant impact.

As I watch my sons play WCW on the trampoline outside my front window - it slowly dawns on me, that what I really want to do is record this moment in time. I want to share the joy that wells up inside of me when one of my children accomplishes something. I want to scream to the mountain tops that I have somehow accomplished something wonderful - through God's gentle blessing, I have created a child that is providing for me mountains of joyful moments.

It isn't the big - purple ribbon award - moments that I get the most out of. It is the unusual moments that just kind of happen, like the spelling test that was passed with all the words except one correct, and that was Really hard, Mom. It's the moment when my four-year-old first ties his shoes and gives everyone else a hug because he is so thrilled. It's the moment that my fourteen-year-old realizes that it is okay if she doesn't dress just like all the other kids, because she looks better in another style. It's the moment that my kids realize they are individuals and capable of the next step toward maturity.

A conversation that gives me insight into the mind of a five-year-old child, and understanding that he actually did comprehend the meaning of a story told in Sunday School, or during our weekly history lessons becomes one of the most joyful moments of my day. It is amazing how these moments are even more critical to my esteem than a purple ribbon award moment in my career.

It is significant that this realization happened while I was sitting in front of the computer attempting to pound out a required article, that may further my career as a business writer. The simple fact that I was in career mode when I had the realization says to me that, as important as my career is - my family is more important, on a baser level. It says that even if I'm at work, it is my family that motivates me on to greater things. It implies that there is hope of turning around what is becoming the song of loss in America - the LOSS of the FAMILY.

I believe that as parents it is our responsibility to maintain a relationship with our children, the kind of relationship that allows them freedom to choose within limitations that we provide. We should give our children honor, and honor our parents, so that our children see honorable relationships working for the good of all concerned. I choose to home school my children, because I want them to enjoy the time we spend together and to enjoy the time they spend with each other. I commend the education system for the job they are doing with students. I realize that home education would not work in every family, nor should it, this is America and we have a choice.

Is there someone or something out there that will change my life or impact my life? The answer is a resounding YES!!! There are four little some bodies out there who impact and change my life daily. I call them by name, scream at them, yell at them, encourage them, love them, and guide them, sometimes right and sometimes wrong - but always with the realization that I am building the future leaders of my country, members of the next generation. As a parent, it gives me great pleasure, and even greater honor, to see my children solve their own problems and grow slowly, daily, and much too quickly toward the independence of adulthood. I'm not alone in this realization, parents everywhere realize that all too soon their children are no longer within their control or influence.

Besides the fact that our children have an impact on our lives, it is our responsibility to make an impact on their lives. We must first give our children the strength of a foundation to build upon, then with unwavering joy, we must set them free to fly independently into the future. We must realize that we are influencing the choices of the next generation and set out in faith and love to do justice to the opportunity we have been given.

Copyright © 2001 – Jan Verhoeff Printed in the USA

Jan Verhoeff is a business consultant who specializes in the development of new businesses throughout the Greater Great Plains States. She educates business owners in the process of developing business and marketing plans for their businesses that will encourage them to set and meet productive business goals. She is the author of a variety of articles published in a variety of business and trade publications throughout the USA. Visit my blog at http://homeschool101.blogspot.com She may be reached by phone at 719-336-4036 or by email at: janverhoeff@yahoo.com.

Choosing Birthday Invitations The Most Popular Childrens Themes

Writen by Gail Leino

Children's parties are probably the easiest to plan, with birthday invitations and all the birthday supplies surrounding one central theme. Of course, there is the problem of having too many different themes from which to choose. Children have so many different themes and characters they follow that it makes it difficult for a parent or other party planner to decide the theme that the child would like most.

When looking for birthday invitations to go with a central theme for a children's party, it might be a good idea to ask the child what kind of a party he or she would like to have in order to save time trying to figure out the current favorite theme. Children today have so many themes from which to choose: Blues Clues, SpongeBob, Teletubbies, Winnie the Pooh, Dora the Explorer, and of course a great deal more including the traditional themes that have abounded for years such as Mickey Mouse and Looney Tunes.

The best part of children's parties is that if you choose to create your own computer-generated invitations, you can usually count on the most popular themes being included in your software package. Even if you don't have a software package that includes it, an Internet search will bring up online places where you can create and print your own party invitations.

Another good part about children's party themes is that children are so easy to please. Maybe your child wanted Blue Clues, but you couldn't find it, so you did SpongeBob or Care Bears depending on the gender; he or she is still happy, and that makes Mom happy, right? Of course, it makes them happier when we use the exact theme they want, but as long as it's within the scope of something they enjoy, they are quite adaptable little characters.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Party Invitations, etiquette, free party games, party planning tips to help complete your celebration.

My Grandfather Quotthe Junk Manquot

Writen by Linda Meckler

For my grandfather a junk man meant driving around in his truck knocking on doors collecting junk. He would then place the junk in the back of his truck. When he had a full load, he would drive to the local junk dealer and sell the items he had collected. On this money he supported his family.

As a child, I remember standing outside in my yard waiting for my grandfather's battered truck with beat up wooden sides to come rumbling down the street. My sister and I, along with my two cousins that lived across the street, would scream for joy to see my grandparents.

Immediately, after the truck was parked safely in our driveway we all climbed up into the back of my grandfather's truck. It was always loaded with unusual items such as toilets, sinks and lots of bathtubs. We never knew what we would find when we went exploring. It was a child's dream.

Obviously, some of my toys came directly from the back of my grandfather's truck. As a child, I loved to read books. I had a field day sifting through all the books that were thrown in the back of the truck. My grandfather did not read English, consequently; he did not know the content of the books.

I would sneak books I knew my parents would never approve of into my bedroom. My mother always found them and threw them out.

Climbing up into the back of my grandfather's truck has been a memory that has stayed strong with me to this day. Its given me the love to browse through junk stores and yard sales looking for good books. Even today I have retained the love of reading books.

My grandparents came from Wilno, Lithuania. They never spoke of there past life even though I asked them. They both lost there families in the holocaust and speaking about them was too painful.

I have always been interested in family history. My grandfather came alone to this country on a cattle boat before the First World War approximately in 1911.

My grandfather later sent for my grandmother and then they were married. The funny part of the story is they were first cousins and never betrothed. My grandfather was supposed to marry my grandmothers sister but she had an eye infection and did not pass the custom's physical, therefore, the family sent my grandmother instead.

They were married for about seventy-five years. They may have had their differences but I never witnessed serious fighting or arguing between them. I could feel the deep love and affection they had for each other. They both lived way into there nineties.

It takes a lot of courage to come to a strange country, not knowing the customs or the language. My grandfather kept a roof over his family of two children and his wife. He also kept food on the table which was not easy at times. My grandfather learned enough of the English language to squeeze by and managed to support his family.

My grandfather performed all the family errands including the grocery shopping. He would shop by the color and design on the labels. If a label was changed on the can he wanted to purchase who knows what he would end up with.

My grandmother spoke a little English but she mainly stayed home, kept house and raised the children. I remember watching her boil their clothes in a big pot on the stove stirring it with a large wooden paddle. Then she would rinse them in the sink, ring them out, and rub them on a board.

Not speaking the language and not knowing the customs kept my grandmother trapped in her home. When I was older, I asked my mother about this. She said her mother was happy and why should she rock the boat.

My grandmother was happy with her life, I never heard her complain about staying home and taking care of the kids. If my grandmother needed a dress or shoes for a special occasion my mother would go shopping and make the purchase.

I, personally, do not believe in making life so easy for your loved ones that they do not make the effort to self improve and become more independent. Everybody should try to become independent. But that was then and this is now and things were so different back in the, "Turn of the Century".

Obviously, we need to look back at the past to move forward to the future. We can not forget our family history, since we are the product of our past.

I hope you have enjoyed this article of delving into my past memories. I was lucky, I had grandparents in my life. Today so many children come from broken homes and the grandparents get separated from their grandchildren.

My own children did not get to spend much time with their grandparents since we lived across the country. I think back now and I should have made more effort to keep our east coast and west coast families connected.

I would have made the extra effort to visit more often. Grandparents and family are the foundation in which we want to establish in our children's hearts.

If you have a child or a grandchild and you don't see them often, call them and say, "I love you."

If you manage to see them in person give them a big hug and kiss and say, "I love you." A little love goes a long way.

There seems to be now more violence in this world then love. I definitely feel that this should be reversed. I am talking real love, family love, and family unity.

If you enjoyed this article feel free to check out my other articles.

Copyright 2006 Linda Meckler

Linda was very lucky she had the love of her grandparent's throughout her lifetime. Currently she is the author of "Ghost Kids Trilogy," three books in one book. CHRISTY 12, AND HER BROTHER BRAD, 16 MOVE INTO AN OLD HOUSE ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN AND MEET TWO GHOST KIDS. Meet a Magical Blue Vase. Join Christy and Brad on a Pirates' Treasure Hunt. ADVENTURE/MYSTERY Love, Family Values and Charity burst off the pages. Visit my website at http://www.lmeckler.com my email lmecky@tns.net. Order my book at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.buybooksontheweb.com With an order of 5 books = 40% discount. An order of 20 books free shipping and handling. ISBN 0-7414-2273-5.

Air Mattresses Need A Lift

Writen by Mike Lowe

Air mattresses are often times used for short term circumstances such as vacationing, or spending the night at your friends house after being kicked out by your girlfriend for forgetting your special day. Coincidentally, they are not necessarily thought to be the ideal of comfort and health- but in specific cases they certainly do provide a lot of pluses.

Post graduate students who are short on funds may select for air mattresses for an extended time because they provide good value with a rather top notch night's sleep. The difficulty is air mattresses tend to be fragile, so while you are lugging it around be cautious not to scrape the sides of the air mattress, or else it will not remain a bed but rather covers for the ground you will be sleeping on.

Perhaps you are going on a road trip and/or vacationing. Air mattresses are certainly a nice option to have when you are on the road in general so that at least you will have a nice cushion to rest on after a long day's hike.

If you are looking to buy an air mattress (it's good to have one in storage in case you need it), there are a multitude of online sites that will allow you to compare prices, and read other people's assessments based on their own experiences.

Typically speaking, these types of mattresses can fit into a minute area (probably the size of a medium to large-sized duffel bag), and are very light (once the air is released of course). Even with the air fully pumped into the air mattress, it's still fairly easy to carry. Just don't jump on it or allow your pet to play around or near it.

The cheaper air mattresses probably don't come with their own electric pump. In which case you will need to use a separate air pump such as the one you use for your tire or recreational sports balls like basketballs and soccer balls. Usually it takes 2 minutes to 7 minutes depending on the mattress brand, and your own power levels.

Taking good care of your air mattress is vital if you want to increase it's lifetime value to you. However you will find that after using most to any air mattress for a while, they will eventually tire out and deflate frequently. The common place air mattress should last you at least 6 months to a year and much longer depending on how well you take good care of it.

Great adjustable air mattresses guides and articles can be gotten from our website.