Saskatchewan

Insulating Your House

While previous generations may have been content to live in drafty houses, most people now want comfortable warm houses. A healthy house today is well sealed, well insulated and properly ventilated.
A well-insulated house is a bit like dressing for the weather. A wool sweater will keep you warm if the wind is not blowing and it is not raining. On a windy, rainy day, wearing a nylon shell over your wool sweater helps keep you reasonably dry and warm. A house is similar. On the outside, underneath the brick or siding, there is an air barrier that does the same thing as the nylon - it keeps the wind from blowing through. Then there is the insulation (like your sweater) and a vapour barrier, which helps keep moisture away from the house structure where it can do damage.

Do you want to live more eco-friendly? There are plenty of ways to get started, and the best place to start is in your own Regina home. By following the tips and tricks listed below, you’ll be on your way to a greener life each and every day!

To Save Water and Keep Our Supply Clean:

• Never leave the tap running while brushing your teeth or shaving, and shorten your shower time to six minutes. For bath time, only fill the tub halfway.
• Don’t flush tissues, paper towels, cigarettes or other trash down the toilet - it wastes several gallons of water.
• Dispose of household chemicals at local drop-off centres, and cut down on the amount you use around your home.
• Choose biodegradable products whenever you can, and avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers in your yard and garden.
• Clean up paint, oil or gas (check your vehicle), or other chemical spills right away, and store garbage around your home properly.

To Save Energy:

• Only run your diswasher and clothes washer when it’s full, when possible wash in cold water, and use the air dry setting rather than drying with heat.
• When you purchase new appliances, choose Energy Star models - some municipalities will even offer rebates, if you do.
• Install a programmable thermostat and lower it at night or when you’re not home during the daytime.
• Caulk around doors and windows to prevent drafts and leaks.

To Improve Air Quality:

• Avoid scented products and air fresheners, which are rarely eco-friendly, and may contribute to asthma or other respiratory illnesses.
• Use detergent and water rather than harsh disinfectants that might have noxious fumes. Try using baking soda, vinegar, and castile soap - they often work better than commercial cleaning products.
• Try burning a few drops of natural essential oil in a clay infuser to scent the air, and eliminate the need to deodorize by taking out your trash every day (or more, if necessary).

To Cut Down on Garbage:

• Recycle plastics, glass, and newspaper, instead of throwing these things in the trash.
• Reuse grocery bags, or purchase a cloth reusable bag and bring it with you to the store.
• Buy high quality items that are durable to eliminate the need to replace them, and don’t buy anything you don’t need.
• Purchase items in bulk whenever possible and store bulk food in reusable containers.
• Get involved in composting, either in your own garden, or through your city’s composting program.

To get started, take this fun quiz and see your eco-impact, then get started living a greener life today!

Whether you are thinking about selling your Regina home or would like to find the perfect home here for you, let me, Clair Whittington, be your Regina real estate expert! Backed by Exit Realty Fusion, Saskatchewan’s first ecobroker, I’m well equipped to assist you in finding the most eco-friendly home that will benefit you and the environment! Give me a call today!

I was there on that chilly night in 1963 when Ron Lancaster guided the Saskatchewan Roughriders to an amazing playoff comeback victory over the Calgary Stampeders in the Western Football Conference semi-final, overcoming a more than three-touchdown deficit to win the total-points series by a single point. They dubbed it The Little Miracle of Taylor Field. The town and the province went crazy.

I was there at the last regular season game in Calgary in 1976 when Lancaster again led the Riders on an electrifying second-half comeback that had its Cinderella ending penned when Lancaster threw a last-minute pass to wide receiver Rhett Dawson in the dark of McMahon Stadium to seal a win that gave the Riders first place in the Western Conference. It was the first time in four tries that the Riders managed to beat the Edmonton Eskimos for first place. Home field was enough to give Saskatchewan the edge in the Western final over the hated Eskimos and send them to the Grey Cup. That Western final, played out on a field barren of grass, a game that featured dust flying from the cleats of those running the ball, bore a sad, tormented significance to it. It was the last time the Saskatchewan Roughriders would finish first in the Western Conference until . . .

Well, perhaps, until now. They beat Calgary in the last game of the season in Taylor Field, it’s theirs.

The Roughriders have endured much and enjoyed much since that 1976 first-place finish. They went through fitful years when the product on the field and diminishing attendance in games at the Old Grey Lady on 10th Avenue threatened their very existence. Their hope was renewed when they won the Grey Cup in 1989, in a game many felt was the most exciting Grey Cup ever played, the 43-40 win over Hamilton. The icing came when Saskatchewan boys Roger Aldag and Bob Poley brought the Grey Cup into Taylor Field and hoisted it to the heavens on a cold November night, 24 hours after the game. They enjoyed moments when they found a way to the Grey Cup in 1997, where they lost to Doug Flutie and the Toronto Argonauts. They revelled in sheer joy when they won a Grey Cup in 2007, only the third in their history.

All those moments, and more, have galvanized the Rider fans, the Loyal Disorder of Rider Priders as I have called them on occasion.

But never, not ever, in all the years, make that decades, that I have followed this team have I ever seen anything like this season. In so many ways, this season has been a capsule of all the seasons that have gone before in the 100-year history of the Roughriders. It’s been The Good, The Bad and, Hey, They Can Finish First!

There have been the moments this year when the team seemed a wretched bunch, rudderless because they surely needed a quarterback capable of taking them to the Promised Land that is first place and the Grey Cup. Darian Durant, many sniffed, was not the answer. He was beginning to remind the Loyal Disorder more of Joe (747) Adams than he was of Ron Lancaster. And even coach Ken Miller seemed to feed that by yanking Durant from games and replacing him with whoever was standing next to him on the sideline. The fans turned snarly, but continued to pour themselves into Taylor Field.

The season turned when Miller quickly back-tracked on a quote that indicated he would pull Durant from any game that he wasn’t performing in. It was as if Miller decided that if the Riders were going to go anywhere, then they would have to hitch their wagon to Darian Durant. And, you know what? He answered the call. He has developed to the point where he is now seriously being considered as a strong choice to be named the Canadian Football League’s most outstanding player.

And, like Lancaster was his whole career, he has become a master of the improbable comeback. Nowhere has this been more evident than in the 44-44 overtime tie in Calgary and the 33-30 overtime win against B.C. in Regina. He was, to put it simply, simply amazing. In the Calgary game, with the teams heading into a boiling overtime session, Durant was seen sitting on the bench smiling and totally enjoying himself. He seemed drinking up the pressure as if it was a fine wine.

“That’s a great thing, when you see that,” Al Ford would tell me. Ford is the only Roughrider to win a Grey Cup ring in Saskatchewan as a player (1966) and general manager (1989). “He was having fun, loving it, and obviously couldn’t wait to get back on the field, no matter what was going on. That’s great, and everbody feeds off of it.”

The Roughriders are now one win away from clinching first place. A lot of it is because of Darian Durant and his evolution to a bonafide starter. A lot of it is because of the talent general manager Eric Tillman and scout Joe Womack have brought in. A lot of it is how Ken Miller has moulded the team and got the players to play for him.

But, most of it is because of the job team president and CEO Jim Hopson has done. When Hopson, a former Rider who played in the 1976 Grey Cup game, was named to head up the organization, there was a lot of head-wagging. He had been an educator for all of his working life. What could he possibly know about running a football team? Lots, apparently. After all, I’ve mentioned, he is a north-ender.

Under Hopson’s stewardship, the Riders have become the most successful franchise in the CFL, something they never achieved before. Under Jim, they just succeed. They make the playoffs. They’ve won a Grey Cup. They sell more merchandise than any team in the league. They sell out virtually every home game. They have become Canada’s Team in virtually every way possible. They are so successful, it is astounding. A few weeks ago, they opened a merchandise store in Saskatoon. People were lined up to get into the place.

And, they are getting back to the “old ways” of Riderville, when many of the players stayed here the year round, got jobs, became part of the community. Why, one of them is offensive lineman Marc Parenteau, who works at Exit Realty Fusion in Regina as a realtor.

The Riders of 2009 were never out of hunt in the early moments of the season. But, they never really seemed capable of leading the pack. And the finger of blame kept pointing at Durant. Once he took charge, once the coach gave him his head, the rest, as they say, is history.

There are only three more steps to be taken, albeit giant steps. The first will be the final game of the schedule against Calgary. Then, comes the Western final. And, finally, the Grey Cup game. And can there be a better place for the Grey Cup to be played in 2009 than in Calgary. Why, it will seem like a home game for Canada’s Team. And those who work at Exit Realty Fusion can hardly wait until the day Marc Parenteau comes through the front door waving the Grey Cup. Odds are, it’s going to happen sooner than later.

All of us have heard people talk about the benefits of organization, and when it comes to our homes, many of us here in Regina in say we could use more. While often considered a lofty goal, decluttering our homes is more than simply creating coloured labels on boxes. Instead, organization can be a crucial first step to living a whole, complete life.

How does a little organization lead to a more relaxed and fulfilled life? So many of us get caught up in the lie that the more we own, the happier we’ll be. It's really quite the opposite - our level of happiness in life is determined by the quality of our relationships, not the quantity of our belongings.

Many people blur the lines between stuff and life - believing that losing some of your stuff translates into losing part of your life. Ask yourself if holding on to that trophy from high school really enriches your life, and if getting rid of it will truly diminish those fond memories. And, do you really need to keep that punch bowl you haven’t used in years just because someday you might need it?

Recognizing the connection between physical clutter and emotional clutter will go a long way toward freeing you up to be more effective, efficient, and happy. Eliminating clutter and getting organized removes the stuff that is standing between you and the best life you could be living.

If you’re ready to tackle the clutter in your home, start with these tips:

1. Start by doing a thorough inventory of things rarely used (how many times in the past year?) and take a second look at your available space. Get rid of things you haven’t used in the past year - chances are, you don’t need them anyway.
2. Invest in furniture that doubles as storage space (like an ottoman with wheels, which can be used as a stool, seat, tray, and storage).
3. Rearrange kitchen shelves and counter space so healthier foods and cooking utensils are more accessible and put fine china on top shelves or pack them away to make room for the dishes you regularly use.
4. Declutter your home office - clear your desk of unnecessary papers (throw them away or file them). An uncluttered work space maximizes your efficiency - you’ll get more done in less time.
5. Clean out your garage by removing broken or unused items and install a wall unit or another storage system to protect what you must keep.

More ideas can be found in this online article and the book It’s All Too Much, by Peter Walsh.

If you take inventory and realize you need to buy a home that better fits your needs, I’d be thrilled to be your real estate expert! Give me, Clair Whittington, a call! In the meantime, visit my website for more tips on home buying. I look forward to working with you to find your perfect home and enrich your life!

There is plenty to do and see in the city of Regina, which is also the capital of the province. Whether you’re entertaining visitors to our lovely town, or are looking to learn more about the rich history of the RCMP, the Heritage Centre is for you!

Using state of the art exhibits, multimedia technologies, and engaging programming, the Centre tells the story of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police including the Force's role in the development of Canada, the role of the RCMP in policing over 200 communities across Canada, the challenges of serving as Canada's Federal Police Force, and the role the RCMP plays internationally.

The RCMP Heritage Centre has completed construction in May 2007, development of 10,000 sq.ft. of exhibits, a 27-minute multimedia show, a 2,000 sq.ft. temporary exhibit gallery and a 2,800 sq. ft. community programming room. An additional 8,000 sq.ft of exhibits will be developed which includes three new exhibits: The RCMP Musical Ride; The RCMP in Popular Culture; and Stories from the RCMP, implementing a series of outdoor interpretive elements, including enhanced educational and public programming, and also completing several architecture elements intended to enhance the visitor experience.

The RCMP Heritage Centre is located at 5907 Dewdney Avenue (Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada) on the historic grounds of the RCMP Academy, ‘Depot' Division, and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Price of admission for adults is $12, and children 2 and under are free. For more information about the RCMP Heritage Centre, visit their website.

Whether you’re new to the area, or a Canadian native, there is always something to do in Regina that is new and exciting. If you’re considering a move to our city or want to find the best Regina home for your needs, let me, Clair Whittington, show you around and help you find the perfect home for you. Backed by the full weight of Exit Realty Fusion, I’m ready and able to provide the most professional and knowledgeable real estate service possible. I look forward to hearing from you!