Well, it's true, flu season has arrived early this year. We have several in our office who are proof of that. I heard on the TV that the main reason for the early arrival has a lot to do with the stress and worry that people are currently experiencing. I have my own personal Top 10 list of things to do to relieve stress:
#10: Take a long walk. I'm not talking a marathon, just a stroll around the neighborhood. Chances are you will run into a neighbor and have a nice chat about the weather or how the high school football team is doing. Calories burned are optional.
#9: Read a good book: My current selection is Pieces of My Heart by Robert Wagner. Wow, what a good looking specimen, oops sorry. This book is laced with names of movie stars past and present. It will definitely take you away from today's gloom and doom.
#8: Work a crossword puzzle; the easier the better. Just fill in the blanks and let your mind wander to an isle or down the aisle or to wondering what in the world is an apis? I especially like to daydream about the lei and luau.
#7: Take a minute to read those funny emails you have been saving. Read, delete and don't forward, it's a freeing experience.
#6: Find a comfortable place to sit and enjoy a cool beverage of your choice. This is especially nice if you are out of doors with no man made noise; just you and nature. Just keep those *&%$# mosquitoes away from me.
#5: Saturday morning Garage Sales. Buying an item is not necessary, but you never know what treasure awaits you at the next driveway. Flea markets are also fun with less driving involved.
#4: Visit with a child. This could be your child, grandchild, niece, nephew or a neighbor. Take the time to really talk with them and you will find the stress flowing away. When a child is talking about their favorite toy, game or movie they give us a whole new insight into life. My personal favorites are the stories of Dinkerbell and Cinnerella. They always bring a smile to my face.
#3: Revisit those vacation pictures. I know everyone has a box of old pictures from vacations past. It is a blast to check out the styles, not only of clothes, but hair too. Memories are a wonderful way to escape, plus the joy of remembering family and friends, old and new.
#2: Eat an ice cream cone. Who can be stressed when you are licking an ice cream cone. It is an entirely different art form than eating ice cream out of a bowl. There is the whole ratio of how much ice cream to eat from each side as well as what to do when it runs down your arm. This makes me smile just thinking about it. Forget the calories, it's worth it. This is even better when combined with #4.
#1: TURN OFF THE TV. Quit listening to the media and all the gloom and doom talk about the election, the war, the economy. My cable system also has a wonderful assortment of music channels, just music no news or talk. If you don't want to wear your MP3 player or prefer the low tech way this is a great option to have beautiful music in your home. Try something new, maybe jazz or classical. My personal favorite here is the sing along 50's or show tunes, but only when I am home alone. For some reason my hubby doesn't enjoy my singing along as much as I do. Just throw your head back and sing along.
Remove some of the stress from your life and we will all come through this down time as better and happier citizens of the world.
Article by: Carol Hawkins
Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall to be in Willis this week-end (Oct 24 -26). Admission is Free and it is open 24 hours a day. "The Wall" will be located at Roark School, 605 N. Campbell in Willis. This is a wonderful opportunity to show your respect and honor all veterans, not just those from the Vietnam era. There will be events daily with several flyovers and a candlelight ceremony. Veterans Day is just around the corner (Nov. 11th) and too often it is a forgotten holiday, other than great sales and for some a long weekend. Let's bring home the real meaning of Veterans Day and go visit "The Wall"
Check out willishonorsvietnamvets.com for more information.
Article by: Carol Hawkins
You have finally made your decision to put your house on the market. Now, what do you do? There are many things that you can do that will help make your home marketable and attractive to future buyers.
One of the first things you should do is take a good hard and critical look at every room in your home. Survey the exterior of the home. It is always good to get a fresh set of eyes to do this with you. Because we live in our homes, often there are things we just don't see anymore that someone else can point out.
Take notes on items that need to be repaired, re-painted or just need sprucing up. If you have something that needs to be repaired, take care of it now. The more things that you can get in top notch condition the better chance you have of selling your home quickly and getting top dollar.
As you examine the interior of the home, go room by room and take out any and all clutter. Remember the rule that less is best! If in doubt, get it out! A home that is free of clutter makes rooms look larger. You want the focus to be on the home and not on your collections and other personal items.
Take down all personal pictures. Although this is tough for most homeowners, you have to remember that you are now packaging a product to sell. You decorated your home while you lived in it and now you have to market the home to sell.
Worn or torn furniture can be remedied inexpensively by purchasing a slip cover in a solid color. Better yet, remove any large pieces of furniture that you can do without. You may want to rent a storage space to put excess furniture and accessories while you are selling your home.
Lastly, your home must be sparkling clean! Wipe down cabinets and baseboards. Touch up paint wherever necessary. Clean out closets and cabinets. Scrub tile grout, bathtubs and showers. Shampoo carpets and rugs if they are spotted or dirty. Clean all of your windows inside and out. Knock down spider webs and hornet nests around the outside of the home. Basically, get your home cleaner than it has ever been!
Sound like a lot of work? They payoff will be in receiving top dollar for you home! If you want, you can even hire a professional home stager to get your home propped and ready for selling. Your real estate professional can help you find a good home stager and local contractors.
Despite all of the negativity about the national economy, just taking a look around Montgomery County makes one take pause and ask some questions. Anyone who has taken a drive from the southern part of the county up through the northern corridor sees a great deal of activity and growth.
The workforce is strong in Montgomery County and our area is very diverse and strong. The number of new businesses that have chosen this area continues to show positive growth. Thankfully, Montgomery County is truly a great place to live and to work. A very strong educational system continues to support many families and attracts many others to move to this area.
Of course we have all felt the effects of the national economic crisis. Montgomery County I believe will make it through this period much stronger and better. We continue to create jobs and attract families.
The commercial real estate industry in Montgomery County is ever increasing in the number of commercial listings and sales. What an exciting time! Commercial real estate has changed the way Montgomery County looks. Wherever you drive, there is evidence of new growth and new businesses.
The Montgomery County airport is a great indicator of positive commercial growth. Take a drive out to this wonderful gem here in Montgomery County. The airport is experiencing tremendous growth with the number of executives using the airport at an ever increasing rate.
One of the most surprising growth areas of the county is happening over in far east Montgomery County. There are some very exciting business ventures going on. Calls are coming in daily inquiring about the development in east county.
If you take a good hard look at the entire county as a whole, growth is positive and bountiful. South County continues to build a very strong commerce in The Woodlands. The Conroe area has been showing tremendous growth in single family developments and new businesses. The western end of the county has shown steady positive growth for well over the past 10 years with many new schools being built in both Montgomery and Magnolia School Districts. And finally, the northern sector of the county is booming.
So yes, the national economic crisis has us all sitting up and paying attention. This is not the time to panic. Rather it is a time to be smart and learn from the mistakes made on a national level. Business needs to continue on towards a positive path. Each one of us here in Montgomery County can help keep our local economy strong. Take a look around and be thankful to live in such a great place.
HOGS in Heels
Members of the Cut-N-Shoot, Texas Harley Owners Group, HOGS, donned high heels to support the "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event to raise awareness of domestic violence. These manly men roared into The Woodlands' Central Park dressed in their finest leathers and traded their boots for petite (?) high heels. 10 of the 60+ members were brave enough to trade in their dignity and strut their stuff carrying a banner encouraging the end of domestic violence. The event was sponsored by Montgomery County Women's Center and Verizon Wireless.
There are more than 11,000 reported cases of domestic abuse annually in Montgomery County. This includes approximately 1,000 hot line calls. Statistics show that one in every three women are victims of domestic violence or sexual assault, including one in every four teenage girls in the county.
As for our HOGS, they say it really hurt and while they were having fun they were also very serious about the cause.
Ex-presidents tour Galveston and Bolivar Peninsula
Former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton visited Galveston to see the damage from Hurricane Ike first hand. This is the second time the former presidents have joined forces to help raise money and awareness. While the nation is focused on the financial crisis, Clinton said he and Bush are hoping that Americans don't forget and will donate to the fund to help communities come back quicker. The fund started last month to help Texas and Louisiana communities rebuild and recover from Hurricanes Ike and Gustav. The combined damage from these storms totaled over $47 Billion, that's billion with a great big capital "B". The former presidents toured by helicopter. "What we are seeing is abject devastation and determination to come back," said Bush. "We're going to do our best to try to help."
Article by: Carol Hawkins
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