MAKE A NOTE!! -- August 7th, 2002
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A Free Twice Monthly (1st and 3d Wednesday of each month) Ezine with (Hopefully) Useful Info on a Wide Variety of Topics
NEXT ISSUE TO BE PUBLISHED ON/ABOUT AUGUST 21ST, 2002
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NOTE: Each entry has a suggested "POST IT..." location at the end. We recommend that you print out the ezine, cut out each entry, & post it in these locations to make it easier for you to find when you need it. And if you like what you read, be sure to pass it on to someone else who can use it.
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VCR/DVD Combo Players
They did it to us with the record players, then the 8-tracks, and now it is only a matter of time before cassettes and video tapes will go the way of the dinosaurs. But, like our family, you may need some transition time or have a lot of videos on tape. What I didn't know until recently was that in the last couple of years manufacturers have put out a few VHS/DVD Combo players. They are usually only slightly larger than a regular VCR. So if it is getting more & more difficult to find a new VHS tape at your video store, you might want to give this a try. Since they are really too new for their reliability to be known, it might be safer to stick with brands listed as being reliable for the individual VHS OR DVD players. Check Consumer Reports for reliability reports.
POST IT...on your shopping list, or on the calendar near a loved one's birthday if they like to rent videos. Be sure to keep an eye out for those sales too.
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Video Store Alternative
Now if you do have or acquire a DVD player and are tired of paying late fees at your video store, here's a new business that seems to be headed in the right direction. While we don't use it (yet) ourselves, I have spoken with a friend whose family uses the service & has been very pleased with it. Here's how it works...for $19.95/month (charged to your credit card) you can rent as many DVD movies a month as you want, although only 3 may be in your possession at any one time. They have over 11,500 DVD titles available. You make a list of the movies that you want to see, in the order you want to see them, you add to your list whenever you want. They send you 3 movies to start, when you return one (postage paid envelopes provided), then they will send you the next one on your list. They have the latest titles, along with a lot of classics that might be hard to find at your local rental store. No late fees (keep as long as you want) and you can cancel at any time. This service sounds like it would be ideal for those who pay a lot of late fees, and/or those who watch a lot of videos throughout the month, considering most stores now charge close to $4/rental. To see if it might be for you, go to http://www.netflix.com
POST IT...near your computer and/or DVD player.
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Extension of Job Related Health Insurance
If you or someone you know has lost a job, remember that in some cases you can continue to benefit from the group health insurance. Unfortunately the details are too numerous for the space available in this ezine, but you can go to a wonderful article in the Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38906-2002Aug3.html If you don't have online access, try calling the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration toll free at 866-275-7922. POST IT...where you keep your pay check info, just in case.
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Amusement Park Trips
Summer is almost over & the kids haven't let you forget that you promised them that trip to the local (or distant :-) amusement park before school starts up again. Of course, now we are in the hottest part of the summer for most locations. But being true to your word you pick a date & resolve yourself to the wilting heat. Here are some tips to make the trip cheaper, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. First, scour the internet, local papers, and clubs for coupons or special offers for the park. Try to wear loose, light colored, and light weight clothes that cover up as much of your skin as possible to avoid those sunburns & help keep the heat off. Long, light weight pants can often be much cooler than shorts. Wear comfortable shoes. Wear a bandana around your neck, not only to keep the sun off, but also to wet down at drinking fountains to help keep your neck cool and maybe wipe your face with some cool water. If you're really hot, you might also consider dousing other clothing items to help keep cool. You can wet down your bandana or a paper towel and press it against your shirt or pants, the back of a shirt would probably do the most good. Wear a hat with a brim. Have the family wear bright colored clothes that might make it easier to spot in a crowd. Teach the children to go to the nearest employee if they become lost. If they are older try to select a central location in the park to gather if the group becomes separated. Buy a Camelbak water bag ( http://www.camelbak.com ) and fill it to the top with ice and then with water. These water bags are in insulated pouches, cool on your back when iced, and will save you a ton of money in drinks at the park. Practically every time I refilled it at a drinking fountain I had people asking where they could buy one. The large ones hold up to a quart of water. Most parks don't want you bringing in outside food or drink, but most don't mind water bottles, and many don't enforce their food rules. Try to visit a park that has a water park section (like King's Dominion in VA) and try to spend the hottest part of the day there. If you have a pet, check to see if the park has kennels on site. Many do and charge extremely low fees ($5/day at one park) for the service. Check with the local vet hospital to see if they have heard anything good or bad about the park's kennel care. Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer to help avoid germs, and use periodically. Find one of the restaurants to eat meals in, you tend to get a little more for your money than at the food stands, and if it has an inside eating area it will give you a chance to cool off. You also might be able to get more nutritious choices. If you are prone to nausea on the wilder rides, don't be afraid to say "no" to a ride. Heat tends to make nausea worse, so this is not the time of year to take a chance on reliving your childhood. Take some hard candies to suck on in case nausea becomes a problem. Try to limit what you are carrying by using pants' pockets, or small fanny packs, believe me, that backpack or purse you usually carry will feel like it has doubled in weight by the end of the day. Tell the kids right up front that they are allowed only one souvenir and stick to that. While advertised as "one admission includes all" parks, it seems like they have expensive extras at every turn. Try to get there right when the park opens, but leave no later than about an hour before the park closes to avoid the rush in the parking lot. If you are a long drive from home, consider staying in a motel near the park, you may not feel like driving home after a long day. Many motels close to parks will offer you a package deal that can save you a lot of money. While some of the above ideas are for summer travel only, some ideas are good for any time of the year. Ideally you'd really want to try to hit the parks in the off season. If you have the luxury of going at some other time of the year, you should check with the park to make sure they aren't having a huge group coming in for your planned weekend. Be sure to ask if there are any UNOFFICIAL groups coming during that time; some parks will tell you about the groups, while others may not. Because of some of these UNOFFICIAL gatherings, many families prefer to avoid DisneyLAND during the 1st weekend in October, Disney WORLD during the 1st weekend in June, Key West around Halloween, and Spring Break in Florida/certain Mexican resorts. During these particular gatherings there may be "public displays of affection" that may not be for the kiddies, and the parks will not refund your money if you decide to leave. For our French readers, you probably already know that May is not usually the best month to hit Disney Paris because of increased thefts. These are just examples of what to watch for, check with local groups for info on your destination.
POST IT...in your phone book under "amusement parks", and with your travel maps.
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Recipe: Chow Mein Hotdish
Mix 1 lb browned ground beef (remember to rinse w/hot water to get rid of additional grease), 1 lg chopped onion (about 1C), 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 can chicken & rice soup, 1 can chow mein w/chicken, and 2 1/2C chow mein noodles. Place in greased casserole dish. Cover top with diced celery, then mix in. Bake uncovered for 1-1 1/2 hrs at 350F.
POST IT...in your recipe box.
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Back Issue Treasure: August 15th, 1998 Issue (Christmas Countdown Checklist...yes, CHRISTMAS! :-)
Yes, it is that time of year again. Time to pull out our ever popular Christmas Countdown Checklist. Our readers who have followed the checklist have told us how nice it was to spread things out and to have everything done by Thanksgiving. Even those who partially followed it, have said that it helped. So go to this back issue to get the list. Or if you would like a less cluttered version, you can go straight to our web site, click on "Bonus Page", and then scroll down to the list. In the back issue, you can also get info on how to nominate your Sunday School teacher for an annual award. For all this and more...click HERE
POST IT...by your computer.
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Final Words
JOKE (From Ruby)
An archaeologist was digging in the Negev Desert in Israel and came upon a casket containing a mummy. After examining it, he called the curator of a prestigious natural-history museum. "I've just discovered a 3,000 year-old mummy of a man who died of heart failure!" the excited scientist exclaimed. To which the curator replied, "Bring him in. We'll check it out." A week later, the amazed curator called the archaeologist. "You were right about the mummy's age and cause of death. How in the world did you know?" "Easy. There was a piece of paper in his hand that said, '10,000 Shekels on Goliath'."
QUOTE (From Buster)
"It takes more grace than I can tell to play the 'second fiddle' well."
--Anonymous
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