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Healthy &
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News
JAN/FEB 2013
FUN NEWS FOR CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA HOME OWNERS!
717. 737 . 8100
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Still Mad at Your Home?
I enjoyed lunch with a peer the other
day, and in his quiet way described
the year ahead.
It seems as though a lot of people
are putting off home improvements and
upgrades – just making the necessary
repairs and shying away from the
usual upgrades like new furnaces, new
lighting, bathroom remodeling, new
kitchen and bath faucets, etc.
We agreed that we are lucky to be
able to offer a wide variety of products and services that
are viewed as practical and functional, while a host of
retailers are only in the luxury or wish-list lines and are
suffering the slow economy.
“I think people were mad at the homes” he said. I asked him
to explain.
“They were mad at their homes
for losing value. They worked
hard to fix them up, keep them
in great condition.” When the
market “corrected”, the value of
homes, even the well-kept homes,
decreased.
“That’s tough to argue with”, I
said. “So, do you think they are
over being mad?”
We do see plenty of signs of it. We are just completing
another residential solar installation, this one with
battery back-up to enable the homeowner to be “off-grid”.
We’ve been adding Home Generators, Sliding Glass Doors,
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Fun News for Central Pennsylvania Home Owners!
JAN/FEB 2013
Winter Traveling Tips
If you’re planning on taking some time during
the remaining weeks of winter to visit family or
head to a fun location, we suggest you take a
few easy measures to ensure the trip begins
and ends on a happy note.
1. Pack lightly, especially if you’re traveling by air. Generally
speaking, we rarely wear or use everything we bring.
2. Remember to take all your medications with you. (If you’re flying
overseas, ensure that you have any documentation necessary for
prescriptions, if applicable.)
3. Take simple, nutritious snacks with you; one of the worst feelings
is to be stuck in traffic or at an airport without anything good to eat.
4. Ask someone you trust to check on your house regularly and bring
in your mail. Turn down the thermostat, and leave cabinet doors
under sinks open (to protect against frozen pipes.)
5. Buy a device that allows you to time when lights turn on/off in your
living areas. That way, your residence will look occupied from the
outside.
6. If you’re relying on public transportation (e.g., trains, airplanes,
buses), get to the station or gate as early as is possible.
7. Drink lots of water on your journey. Dehydration can lead to poor
judgment, exhaustion and illness.
Safe travels!
from page 1
new High Efficiency Heat Pumps,
Geothermal Heat Pumps, and
putting projects on the board
for the earliest sign of Spring!
Yes, I think most people
are over it. We all realize
that our homes are our prized
possession. Taking care of our
homes builds pride as well as,
reliable shelter. Folks in New
York & New Jersey who suffered
the devastation from Hurricane
Sandy will certainly attest to
it. It might be a while before
all the market value comes
back, but until that time, our
homes will be good to us and
continue to take care of us, if
we take care of it! After all,
home ownership is the American
dream!
6 English Muffins, split
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 Tablespoons mayo
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup red pepper, chopped into
small pieces
1 (6-1/2 oz.) can crabmeat, rinsed and drained
1 (5 oz.) jar Kraft Old English Cheese Spread
1/4 teaspoon Old Bay
Arrange split muffins on ungreased cookie sheet.
Combine remaining ingredients in a mixing
bowl; spread mixture evenly on muffin halves.
Cut muffins into quarters. Broil until puffed and
golden, approximately 10 minutes. Serve hot.
"Make a batch ahead of time and
freeze them- they make a great snack!"
Step aside Zumba… make room, P90X… there are hot fitness trends
in town! Although not all are destined for stardom, they’re each
fighting for the chance to come to a home, gym, club or recreation
center near you.
If your workout routine has gone stale, check these alternatives out
and get your heart, mind and soul pumping again:
CrossFit – This high-intensity program that combines conditioning and strength training
has been used by the military, and it’s being offered by gyms and trainers. Its fast pace
keeps the exerciser from becoming bored.
HITT (High-Intensity Interval Training) – Want to really get moving and grooving?
HITT promises to keep your heart rate super-high for short intervals. Over time, these
“blasts” (courtesy of swimming, track drills, push-ups, kettle bells, etc.), have been
proven to reduce fat and build lean muscle.
Weight Training – Sure, it’s old-fashioned, but many exercisers haven’t focused on weight
training (especially using heavier weights) for several seasons. Therefore, while this may
seem like a back-to-basics fitness phenomenon, it’s going to feel brand new for a lot of people.
Chief Innovation Officer
Healthy
Ingredients
Hot Fitness Trends for 2013
Barry Kindt
2
Savannah's
Crab Meltaways
&
Happy Home
Of course, the most important element to any fitness trend is your commitment to overall
health and wellness. Get moving and start feeling better than ever!
News
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Life Lessons From the
JAN/FEB 2012
Doghouse
Mistakes. We all make them, even the smartest, cuddliest canines. (You should see what that goofy terrier,
Pinocchio, did with his owner’s iPad… suffice it to say he won’t be getting any treats for a long time.)
And that includes Yours Truly.
I don’t want to bore you with the details, but let’s just say that the contents from a fresh basket of laundry look really cool when scattered around a yard. (I thought of it as artwork; Rembrandt would never have been treated as unfairly as I have!)
As a public service announcement (and perhaps penance), I want to share with you some life lessons I’ve learned while in The Doghouse.
#1. Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Especially when that “something” is eating the sizzling steak your foolish
owner left sitting on the coffee table right at his starving pooch’s snout level.
#2. Dead critters are not welcome in houses. Yeah, I know – it surprises me, too. I mean, it was a gift, after all! Who would have thought a
human could scream so loudly and for so long? Live and learn.
#3. Crayons are edible, but disgusting. Those darn things looked like yummy sticks of candy, I swear!
#4. The hallway carpet is not an acceptable replacement for a bathroom. Even if you have to go really, really, really badly.
#5. Gum isn’t meant for dogs. Do you know how many days my jaws ached after that pack of Hubba Bubba? Although I did manage to blow a
nice bubble or two!
#6. Dogs aren’t allowed to dig in gardens. On the other hand, humans ARE allowed to dig there. What sense does that make? They’re hardly
efficient!
#7. Skunks can’t be your friends. After watching Thumper and Bambi frolic, I was sure I could be best buddies with Stinker down the street.
Instead, all I got was a drenching squirt and a few tomato juice baths.
#8. At the end of the day, all will be forgiven by your family. No matter how many times you
track mud into the house, drink from the toilet bowl or howl for no good reason at 3 a.m.,
you can still count on a cuddle and a walk. Maybe a bone, too.
Here’s hoping your doghouse days are few… I’m going to see whether or not I can open the
refrigerator door on my own… I have a hankerin’ for some Reddi-wip…
Parent's SCENE
Turning Bored Kids into Board Kids
“I’m bored!” That simple declaration becomes the bane of a parent’s existence; after
all, it implies that mom or dad has the answer to the age old “what to do” question.
Ironically, the answer may be one that has kept boys and girls entertained without
wires, fuss or muss for generations: Board games.
For kiddos weaned on computers and technology, Monopoly, Parcheesi and Risk can
open doors to unusual ways of thinking, conversing, learning and playing. Interestingly,
board games seem to be enjoying a renaissance of sorts, as families everywhere are rediscovering the joys of “game night”. In the United States, some store owners are reporting up to a 40 percent increase in sales of board games. Across the pond in Great
Britain, board game sales in 2011 were 20 percent higher than they were in 2010.
Top Selling
Board Games
January 1, 2013...
One piece of advice: When introducing your brood to a board game, make sure it’s
one that everyone can enjoy. That way, every person has some kind of involvement.
(Checkers and chess are fabulous, but only two players can be involved at a time.) You
don’t have to spend tons of money, either. Unlike the vast majority of video games,
board games can be dirt cheap, many priced under $20.
Rory's
Story Cubes
Spot It
HedBanz
Game
Qwirkle
Ticket
To Ride
Bananagrams
Perplexus
Maze Game
Angry Birds
Knock on
Wood Game
Tada! Bored no more, thanks to the board!
Healthy
&
Happy Home
News
5
1111 Primrose Avenue
Camp Hill, PA 17011
717. 737. 8100
TO:
"What Kind of
Dog is a Cat's
Best Friend?
A. Palmation!
Skates into the
Record Books
As any Pittsburgh Penguins
fan knows, Sidney Crosby is
one talented ice hockey
player. He’s also the holder
of a Guinness World Record.
On March 10, 2007, at the
Mellon Arena, Sid the Kid made NHL history by
becoming the youngest player with two
100-point seasons. At the time, Crosby was 19
years and 215 days old. (As an FYI, the Penguins won the game in overtime against the New
York Rangers with a final score of 3-2.)
6
Healthy
&
Happy Home
News
“Smart” Gloves: Keep Your
Scrolling Digits Warm
C
hances are good that you have a
smar t phone or tablet, which means
you rely on your fingers to navigate.
That’s dandy when you’re indoors or the
temperature is moderate outside… but
what do you do when it’s freezing?
G
love makers, namely Isotoner, have
an app… er, rather, an answer for
that: the “smar t” glove. (The big bonus is
that they’re great for keeping your hands warm, too!)
Y
es, these gloves are touted to keep your digits toasty
while allowing you to use your smar test devices to scroll,
type and download. Reviews of these gloves (which have
conductive threads at the finger tip) are generally favorable.
Most users found that they worked best when precision wasn’t
needed; texting could be difficult and cumbersome.
I
f you’re tired of taking your gloves on and off to work your
iPhone or other touch screen device, tr y a pair. Just make
sure they’re a good fit; if they are too large, they won’t work
as well.
PA5766
Sid the Kid