Clean Your Keyboard

Computer keyboards can hold more than 3,000 organisms per square inch. Yuck! Here’s how to keep it clean: 1. Cut the power by unplugging the keyboard or removing the batteries. 2. Remove dust using a small soft-bristled dusting brush, a small hand-held vacuum cleaner, or a can of air. 3. Gently remove keys and vacuum particles stuck to them. 4. Dampen a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol or an electronics-friendly disinfectant cleaner and run in between and the tops and sides of the keys.

Smart Refrigerator Storage

 Well-preserved foods (pickles, condiments) on the door (the warmest area).  Raw ingredients (eggs, meat) on a lower shelf (the coldest area).  Produce that is low moisture (apples, grapes, pears) in a crisper drawer with the window open (humidity control set to low) to slow down rot.  Produce that needs to retain moisture (lettuce, mushrooms, peppers) in a drawer with the window closed (humidity set to high) to prevent wilting.  Prepared foods and leftovers on the top shelf for easy access.  Bonus tip: Produce should be stored away from raw meat.

Pike Place Market Sign

The Pike Place Market has been a major draw for Seattleites and visitors since 1907! While it may be hard to believe the famous clock and sign have not always been there. The market was open for 30 years before the clock and sign were erected in 1937 and now we cannot imagine the market without it. Restoring the clock and sign is not a simple project. The sign is three stories tall, with fragile neon lights, and a challenging position. When you are trying to preserve the look of the sign and its intricate markings you need it done by hand. From the street the details don’t look like much but up close you can really appreciate them. This is not just another paint job! Fully restored the sign and clock will impress for many more years. Head down to the Market sometime soon and take a fresh look!

Long Commute

The average commute to work is around 25 minutes long. Get the most out of yours.  Experiment with the route. Leave 10 minutes earlier or later to see if the traffic patterns change.  Get the most bang for your buck. Do the math and find out if it makes sense to drive or take public transportation – or even a combination of the two.  Make it fun. Listen to an audiobook or podcast, or find a friend to share the ride.

The Power of Positivity

How you approach life can affect your health, according to several studies by medical professionals. Positive people tend to have fewer health problems and live longer lives than pessimists. The good news is if you’re not typically the bubbly type, you can learn an optimist’s skills to help improve your health and how you feel. How to do it: 1. First, determine the things that make you feel the happiest. It might be spending time with positive friends or favorite family members, walking the dog, or watching a funny TV show. Helping others tends to help you feel better too. 2. Next, schedule one of those things in every day’s agenda. Make it a necessary part of your day. 3. Focus on positive thoughts. When a negative thought arises, pause and find a way to spin it to the positive. Even if you don’t believe it at first, just thinking it or saying it aloud can affect your outlook. For example, change “No one wants to talk to me” to “I’ll find a way to talk to others at least once today.” 4. Make being healthier a priority. Exercise boosts your mood and has been proven to reduce stress, which can increase negativity in your life. A healthy diet makes your body and mind feel better, making it easier to be positive. 5. Avoid negative people. Nothing sidetracks a positive day like someone who always has something negative to say. It won’t happen overnight, but after practicing positivity for a few weeks you’re sure to have a better outlook.

Reduce Your Diabetes Risk

You may not be able to totally prevent type 2 diabetes, but there are steps you can take to lower your chances of getting the disease. • Talk to your doctor about your personal risk factors, such as age, weight, cholesterol level, blood pressure and family history. Make a personal lifestyle plan. • Choose healthier foods. Add these foods to your diet: broccoli, fish, blueberries, olive oil, spinach, walnuts, and dairy. For details, search for “Top 10 Super-foods For Type 2 Diabetes” at www.webmd.com. • Avoid sugary beverages, including soda and energy drinks. One 12-ounce can of regular soda has 150 calories and 40 grams of carbs. That’s the same amount of carbs in 10 teaspoons of sugar! • Exercise every day. Everything counts: walking, swimming, gardening. Just keep moving.

Add More Space In Your Closet

Is your clothes closet (or your teenager’s closet) a “hot mess”? Try these ideas to make it more functional. This is a great time to work on it with winter weather coming in just a few more weeks. • First things first: Empty out your closet and donate or consign everything you haven’t worn in the last two years. • Install closet organizing products available at stores such as the Container Store. Save time by inviting a friend to help! • Neatly stack folded clothes on shelves using inexpensive shelf dividers (see stores above). Stack no higher than 10 inches. • Hang scarves/belts/purses on shower curtain rings attached to a wooden hanger. • Get piles of shoes off the floor. Try an under-the-bed container. • For a quick fix, buy a small dresser or a bookcase from a garage sale or thrift shop and put it inside your closet.

Stocker Farms Fall Festival

As the temperatures begin cool it is the time to plan your family pumpkin patch visit. There are over 30 attractions this year including the Pumpkin Barn Photo Booth, Hay Rides, Candy Cannon & Pumpkin Cannon, Saturday Night Fireworks, and quality food trucks. This year Stocker Farms is partnering with the Seattle Kraken for the 2022 Corn Maze with proceeds benefiting the Ronald McDonald House. They have created the ultimate family outing for you to enjoy this fall! Have Fun! October 1st – 31st from 10am-6pm / Saturday fireworks at 7:30pm. $15. Weekdays and $20. Weekends. stockerfarms.com

Ways To Save Money On Your Grocery Bill

Groceries are a necessary expense but are you spending money that could be put towards a vacation or home-improvement project? Here are 5 ways to save on your grocery bill: 1. Make a meal plan before going to the grocery store and only buy items on the list 2. Never go to the grocery store hungry — you’ll buy way more items. 3. Look for cheap cuts of meat, like stewing meat, that can be made into soups and stews and bulked out with veggies. 4. Consider switching protein sources to chicken and beans/legumes, which are cheaper than red meat. 5. Make bulk recipes. For inspiration check out Bon Appetit’s website of cheap to make recipes: www.bonappetit.com/gallery/cheap-recipes for inspiration.

Woodinville Wine Country

If you love good food and good wine, you know that one of the great joys of traveling is sampling dishes and vintages that are unique to the country or city you’re visiting. You don’t need to go far to experience the joy and exploration of Washington’s growing wine and culinary industry. The Woodinville Visitor Center is the perfect place to begin your journey. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff are eager to help you find just what you are looking for and offer personalized recommendations to meet your allotted time and your budget. Enjoy! woodinvillewinecountry.com

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The first inauguration of F.D.R was held on Saturday March the 4th 1933. Broadcast nationwide on several radio networks, the speech was heard by tens of millions of Americans and set the stage for Roosevelt’s urgent efforts to respond to the unprecedented crisis of the time. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself – nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has been met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit. The withered leaves of industrial enterprise lie on every side; farmers find no market for their produce; the savings of many years in the thousands of families are gone. More important, a host of unemployed citizens face a grim problem of existence, an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. We face the arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of the national unity; with the clear consciousness of old and precious moral values; with the clean satisfaction that comes from stern performance of duty by old and young alike. We aim at the assurance of a rounded and permanent national life. I will return the courage and devotion that benefit the time. I can do no less. In this dedication of a Nation we humbly ask the blessing of God. May He protect each and every one of us. May He guide me in the days to come.

Highline Heritage Museum

Their mission is to collect, preserve and tell the stories of the Highline region and its people. A few of their major exhibits include; Southcenter Mall development, Normandy Park, Three Tree Point, Latinos in Highline, Hard Times during the Great Depression, area schools, the effects of the airport and our early immigrant settlers. It was great to see Jerry Robinson’s contribution of the Highline Times; I purchased many ads early in my real estate career. The Heritage Museum received funding to construct a new building from local residents, WA Capital Heritage, and a $1M grant from the Kingdome bonds. In 1987 the legislature agreed any surplus bond money would go to support heritage projects. I sure enjoyed visiting the museum and plan to return soon! Thu-Sun 1-5 ----Current Special Exihibit - The Ambaum Family - 819 SW 152nd St / 206-246-6354 / highlinehistory.org

Furnace Tune-up Season

This is the time of year when you fire up the furnace and get ready for cold fall and winter days. A quality furnace should last more than 20yrs if you properly maintain it. A standard service is a couple hundred dollars and takes about an hour. Glendale Heating is the company I trust and have been recommending for many years. Glendale Heating will get your furnace ready for the season! 206-243-7700

Coffee Is Good For You

Studies show that black coffee – in moderation (no more than 5 cups a day) – can be good for your health. Here are four benefits you probably haven’t considered: 1. Coffee contains nutrients and antioxidants such as riboflavin, pantothenic acid, manganese, potassium, magnesium and niacin. These are all things your body needs to function well. 2. It also contains caffeine. Caffeine speeds up your metabolism and aids in fat burning. Health.com says it may protect brain cells from damage that contributes to the development of Parkinson’s, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Avoid it, however, at least four hours before bedtime, or if you have caffeine sensitivity. 3. Drinking one or two cups per day can reduce your risk of cardiovascular and liver disease, as well as lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. 4. Coffee may fight depression and make you happier. But, seriously, try to hold off on the venti white chocolate mocha lattes.

Bottled Water

You’ve likely heard that bottled water has major environmental consequences, but how bad is the problem? Here are a few facts from thewaterproject.org that illustrate the severity of the situation: • Approximately 80% of single-use water bottles in the U.S. become “litter,” and one bottle takes more than 1,000 years to bio-degrade. • U.S. landfills have two million tons of discarded water bottles in them. • It takes three liters of water to package one liter of bottled water. In response to the bottled water problem, some cities and businesses have banned it, but what can you do? • Skip the single-use water bottle, and invest in a reusable water bottle. If you forget it, buy multiples to keep in vehicles, the office, and your gym bag. • Drink tap water. Several studies have been done to show municipal tap water is usually just as safe as bottled water. • Refrigerate water. Cooling tap water helps remove the chlorine taste many people feel is in tap water. • Boil water if you are concerned water might be contaminated.

Money Advise

Here are some words of so-called “wisdom” that still get trotted out from time to time but that it might be best for you to ignore. 1. “Cancel credit cards you’re not using.” Having a few credit cards isn’t necessarily bad for your credit score, and it can be good. If you’ve had a card for a long time with a history of on-time payments, consider keeping it even if you’re not using it anymore. Check your terms though, because some companies will cancel inactive cards. 2. “Don’t spend money on little luxuries.” Deprivation isn’t always the answer, even if you’re working hard to save money. Your time is worth something, too—paying someone to take care of things like mowing your lawn means you’ll have more time for, say, investment research or starting your own business. 3. “Get the most house your bank allows.” When you get pre-approved for a home loan, it may be tempting to buy a house for the maximum the bank will give you. But just because the bank will lend you the money doesn’t mean that’s within your budget. Calculate how much of your paycheck would go to your mortgage every month—and also how much more you’d have for other investments and expenses if you bought a less expensive house. 4. “Contribute the maximum to your 401(K) every year.” If you have an employer match on 401(K) contributions you make, you should definitely contribute that amount. Paying more than the amount your employer matches, however, may not be the best option if you could invest extra money elsewhere for things like an emergency fund.

Eliminate House Smells

Smell: Musty or “old home.” Problem: Mold that may be due to poor ventilation in rooms, leaking plumbing, or condensation buildup on windows. Solution: Small amounts of mold can be cleaned with soap and water. Smell: Smoke, sour milk, pet urine, and similar smells. Problem: A variety of smells become absorbed by carpets and paint. Solution: Deep clean carpets and walls. Consider repainting walls. Replace air filters on a frequent basis. Smell: Rotting animal. Problem: Common areas in the home where animals may have snuck in and died are in the attic, wall, or chimney, or under the house. Solution: Remove the carcass yourself or call a pest control company (follow your city’s sanitation guidelines). Use a commercial product to help eliminate lingering odors.