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Perricone MDNeuropeptide Smoothing Facial Conformer
Shade Finder
You've got options!
Start with the foundation you currently use to find a matching shade from this brand.
✔ Normal
✔ Oily
✔ Combination
✔ Dry
✔ Sensitive
What it is:
A peptide-rich treatment that minimizes the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles while enhancing skin's suppleness and elasticity.
Solutions for:
- Loss of firmness and elasticity
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Dryness
If you want to know more…
Prepare to change how your skin looks, feels, and behaves with this age-defying and coveted antiaging essential. A highly advanced and proprietary treatment, the luxurious cream addresses loss of elasticity and minimizes the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles, while also reversing the signs of photo damage. Skin is revitalized and takes on a more youthful, smooth, supple appearance.
What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates
What else you need to know:
Dr. Perricone's proprietary neuropeptide technology activates the surface renewal of the skin and can help revive dullness, minimize discoloration, firm, and reduce the appearance of under-eye circles, fine lines, and wrinkles.
-Smooth over face and neck.
-Use daily, or two to three times per week, in place of both morning and evening treatments.
-Perform a patch test before use by dabbing a small amount on the neck or below the ear for three consecutive days.
-A tingling or warming sensation is normal.
-If extreme redness or irritation occurs, discontinue use.
-DMAE: Provides ultimate contouring benefits to skin beginning to lose elasticity and delivers a lifted, tightened, and toned appearance to the skin.
-Phospholipids (Phos E): Help repair and hydrate dry skin, mimicking the action of lipids naturally found in skin to ensure absorption.
Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethyl MEA (DMAE), Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Citric Acid, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Avena Sativa (Oat) Protein Extract, Cetyl Alcohol, Tribehenin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, PEG-8, Phenoxyethanol, Phosphatidylcholine, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Triethanolamine, L-Tyrosine, Carbomer, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceramide 2, PEG-10 Rapeseed Sterol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Magnesium Aspartate, Zinc Gluconate, Sorbic Acid, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Tocotrienols, Cetyl Hydroxyethylcellulose, Polysorbate 20, Rutin, Tocopherol, Copper Gluconate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide (Neuropeptide), Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 (Neuropeptide), Fragrance, Phaseolus Lunatus (Green Bean) Extract.
More than just a skincare line, Perricone MD is truly a brand that becomes a part of your life. Whether you're battling the inevitable signs of aging or preserving the skin you were born with, Perricone MD offers an intelligent and synergistic approach to achieving beautiful skin through simply and effectively maintaining its optimal health. Through years of research, Dr. Nicholas Perricone discovered an amazing revelation: we can control the way we age (wrinkles and all) by simply following an anti-inflammatory diet backed with nutritional supplements and antiaging topical skincare. Think of it as a prescription for beauty that comes from the inside out—as well as the outside in.
Get more information about
If you are not completely satisfied with an online purchase or gift, you may return your U.S.or Canadian purchase in stores or by mail. Restrictions apply for returns made outside the U.S.


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10 Delicious Herbs and Spices With Powerful Health Benefits
The use of herbs and spices has been incredibly important throughout history. Many were celebrated for their medicinal properties, well before culinary use. Modern science has now shown that many of them do indeed carry remarkable health benefits.
Here are 10 of the world's healthiest herbs and spices, supported by research.
1. Cinnamon Lowers Blood Sugar Levels and Has a Powerful Anti-Diabetic Effect
Cinnamon is a popular spice, found in all sorts of recipes and baked goods. It contains a compound called cinnamaldehyde, which is responsible for cinnamon's medicinal properties (1). Cinnamon has potent antioxidant activity, helps fight inflammation and has been shown to lower cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood (2, 3, 4). But where cinnamon really shines is in its effects on blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon can lower blood sugar by several mechanisms, including by slowing the breakdown of carbs in the digestive tract and improving insulin sensitivity (5, 6, 7, 8). Studies have shown that cinnamon can lower fasting blood sugars by 10-29% in diabetic patients, which is a significant amount (9, 10, 11). The effective dose is typically 0.5-2 teaspoons of cinnamon per day, or 1-6 grams.
You can read more about the impressive health benefits of cinnamon here.
Bottom Line: Cinnamon has numerous health benefits, and is particularly effective at lowering blood sugar levels.

subset: commoncrawl


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Albér BDS-256XL Battery Monitoring System
Battery monitoring system that continuously monitors and diagnoses all critical battery parameters for large UPS systems. It can monitor up to 256 cells per string. It identifies potential problems by continuously monitoring parameters such as cell voltage, overall string voltage, current and temperature. Tracking and reporting allow proactive action in replacing a bad battery before it affects others in the string.
Scans all pertinent battery parametersPerforms a scheduled resistance test and stores results for trendingAuto detects discharges and stores data for playbackSignals if a parameter is outside user-programmed limitsCommunicates with an external computer using USB, modem, RS-232 or LAN (RJ-45)Network compatible
Flexibility Windows-based software for real-time viewing, automatic data collection, data analysis, and report generating. Modular design easily expands to monitor an unlimited number of strings. Industry standard MODBUS protocol interfaces to third party building management systems via RS-232 and Ethernet.Communicates with an external computer via R-S232 or remotely through internal modem.Optional TCP/IP interface for network or Internet communication via MODBUS or SNMP. Higher Availability Can be used in conjunction with other Albér monitoring products to manage virtually all battery configurations with one software package.Scans pertinent battery parameters every 4 seconds, including total voltage, cell voltage, current and temperature. Automatic proactive internal DC resistance tests. Discharges are automatically detected and data saved for retrieval.Trend analysis provides the ability to analyze performance and aid in trouble shooting. Lowest Total Cost of Ownership Optimizes useful battery life -- Instead of waiting for an inevitable failure or replacing batteries prematurely to prevent problems, you can continue to utilize your batteries longer and with confidence by knowing their true internal condition.Ideally Suited For: Large UPS systems with up to 256 cells per string.


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There is an abundance of oil resources: oil resources known today dwarf the world's likely consumption of oil out to 2050 and beyond.
Global proved oil reserves have more than doubled over the past 35 years: for every barrel of oil consumed, over two new barrels have been discovered.
Technically recoverable oil – a broader category which aims to measure those resources that could be extracted using today's technology – is estimated to be around 2.6 trillion barrels. Around 1.7 trillion barrels (65%) of those resources are located in the Middle East, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and North America.
This abundance of oil resources contrasts with slowing growth of oil demand. Cumulative oil demand out to 2035 is expected to be around 0.7 trillion barrels, significantly less than recoverable oil in the Middle East alone.
Looking out further to 2050, under most scenarios, cumulative global oil demand amounts to less than half of today's technically recoverable oil resources.
Low-cost producers will benefit
The abundance of oil resources combined with the prospect of slowing oil demand may prompt a change in global oil supplies. In particular, low-cost producers may use their competitive advantage to increase market share.
Although costs vary significantly within resource categories, the majority of the lowest-cost resources are located in large, conventional onshore oilfields, particularly in the Middle East and Russia. This is followed by the best US tight-oil plays.
BP assumes the abundance of oil resources prompts a change in behaviour, such that production from Middle East OPEC, Russia and the US increases disproportionately over the period of the Energy Outlook, with its share growing from 56% today to 63% in 2035.
The extent to which global supply behaviour changes is a key source of uncertainty and depends on three factors:
- The cost and feasibility of low-cost producers increasing supply materially over the Outlook.
- The extent to which prices respond to increased supplies of low-cost oil and the implications this has on producers' economies.
- The ability of higher-cost producers to compete by varying their tax and royalty regimes.
Source: BP


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It is a well-known worldwide fact that Obesity and weight gain has grown to enormous proportion. We must get this problem under control. Children, Teens, and Adults of all ages face this ugly problem.
What sort of exercise gives you energy and do you enjoy? Is it yoga, aerobics with music, briskly walking with your dog? Create your exercise plan around the things you like the best.
Also cut down on the saturated fats and trans fatty acids you eat by replacing them with monosaturated fats (found in olive oil and other heart healthy oils) and omega 3 fish oils. Many of the processed foods that you eat now probably contain oils and preservatives that may cause undesirable long-term health problems. When looking for healthy ways to lose weight quickly you should eat a balanced nutritious diet. Reduce the serving size and not nutrition to take off those extra pounds.
Eating with a friend will help you focus less on food and more on conversation, which will typically help you to eat less. When you take in alone, you will tend to eat until your plate is empty since you also are so focused on what you do.
If you cannot stick to a diet Exactly as recommended without making extreme sacrifices, then just drop it. There is no point. Your ultimate success will come from sticking to something long term. Most people Will not stick to something it they are going way out of their way to follow it.
And while new diet plans and advices are always welcome, still there is nothing better than learning managing your diet alone. One effective way to do it, is by starting to track all your food habits in a journal.
Stick to any diet you attempt for a minimum of 30 days. I have usually found that the 30-day mark will give me a good idea of how my body is responding.


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Puppy Mama Stylish Wide Neck Sweatshirt - White (Wholesale Only)
Our sweatshirt is as cozy as it is stylish!
And, it will soon become your go-to sweatshirt from walking your pup, lounging around your home, to grabbing drinks with your friends.
About this Sweatshirt:
Feminine, cozy and versatile, this sweatshirt is designed with an exceptionally plush fabrication, in a classic pullover fit with a wide neck that can be worn pulled off the shoulder and long sleeves.
Features: Sideseamed. Relaxed fit. 1x1 rib neckline. Wide ribbed cuffs and waistband. Prelaundered sponge fleece.
Fabric: 60% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 40% poly, 32 single 6.5 oz.


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Many people are surprised to learn that winter is prime harvest time for many types of citrus. One look into our warehouse right now illustrates that season nicely. Our pantry orders are stocked with gorgeous citrus fruit!
Among the prime deliveries are easy-to-peel mandarin orange "cuties", which are perfect for kids' snacks at schools and after-school programs since they don't require an adult to slice them. In addition to the cuties, we have a good assortment of other hand-held fruit such as pears and apples.
More than half of all of the food we distribute is fresh produce. Even through seasonal fluctuations, we work hard to keep our orders balanced. Barbara Abbott, our Food Resources Manager explains, "We have a variety of winter vegetables right now – winter squash, potatoes onions, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, celery and carrots." Every Monday this month we will also receive a full truckload of lettuce products and fully prepped cut vegetables from Yuma County. This month, we also received three truckloads of purchased bulk oats, pinto beans and black beans which our volunteers will package into 1lb easy-to-transport bags for our program participants.
We are excited to provide people in need nutritious foods year-round, and work hard to make sure there are staples and produce available each month, no matter the season.
- 2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
- 1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and julienned
- 1/2 pound carrots, cut into chunks
- 1/2 pound turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup butter, cubed
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cook vegetables separately in water until tender; drain. Melt butter; stir in remaining ingredients. Combine the vegetables and butter mixture; toss to coat. Yield: 10-12 servings.
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Starkville Restaurant Week is almost here, and one of the things we're most excited about is showcasing our three Charity Finalists who have been nominated by the community. For the past four years, Cadence Bank, our Gold Charity Sponsor, has generously provided $5000 to the local charity receiving the most ballots during Restaurant Week. This money is applied to local programs which directly affect Starkville and Oktibbeha County through the work of the winning organization. Restaurant Week eaters play a huge role in continuing that tradition of community service. Every time you eat at one of our 29 participating restaurants, you will have the opportunity to vote on which charity you feel is most deserving of the prize!
This week, we will be sharing profiles of each of our three Charity Finalists so that you can learn more about their work and their impact on the community. Each profile also contains information about how you can support and join in the good work accomplished be each organization.
How long has your organization been in operation and how was it founded.
In the spring of 2012, a student at Starkville High School faithfully attended after school tutoring though it appeared to the teacher in charge that the young man really did not need to be there. When he asked the student why he was coming everyday, the student pulled out the snack he had been given and said, "this is my supper". When a Sunday School Class at Starkville First United Methodist Church heard this story, individuals decided to contact the Starkville School district nutrition director to see if she thought this was a problem that affected more students. She said that there was a problem of students coming to school on Monday mornings hungry. The Mississippi Food Network in Jackson, MS, was contacted and The Backpack Meals Program, which is part of Feed America, was explained. This is how The Backpack Meals Program in the Starkville Oktibbeha County School District began.
FUMC then partnered with the MFN and the SOCSD in a seven-week pilot program with 32- 3rd grade students later that spring. The Backpack Meals program has expanded each year and now in its fourth year provides meals for 192 students in grades K-8th. This program now impacts 136 families in Starkville.
Backpack Meals is a referral program, which identifies students who are not being fed properly on the weekends and come to school hungry on Monday morning. Studies have shown that children who have enough healthy food to eat perform better in school. A Backpack Meal bag consists of 2 breakfasts and 2 lunch/dinner meals. Fresh fruit is also given out weekly. The cost per meal bag is $5.00. Volunteers go to the schools each Friday and either pack meals to be distributed to the students by counselors or pack meals directly into the student's backpack as they leave for the bus or carpool. There are over 200 volunteers that help in different aspects of the Backpack Meals program each year.
This fall The Backpack Meals Program through a grant from the MFN began a Family Food Pantry once a month for Backpack families. Each Family receives a family meal box that contains 4 nutritious meals for a family of four and fresh produce. Students from the MSU Nutrition Department prepare an "on the spot meal" using items from the meal box along with the fresh produce that the family members can sample. Educational information is also distributed . College students from the MSU Wesley Hunger Pod along with other adult volunteers distribute the Family Meal Boxes.
What is your organization's on-going mission?
- To provide meals to hungry students on Fridays: Backpack Meals Program provides meals to all K through 8th grade students in 6 schools in the Starkville Oktibbeha School District- Sudduth Elementary (K-2nd), East Elementary (K-5th), West Elementary (K-5th), Ward Stewart Elementary (3rd-4th), Henderson Elementary (5th) and Armstrong Middle School (6th-8th).
- To bring the community together to stop hunger in Starkville: We are working with over 200 volunteers from 19 local organizations.
- To plant seeds of volunteerism and giving back to the community: We work with elementary children in a local Girl Scout group, a Jr. High and Sr. High youth group, MSU college students as well as adults of all ages to inspire volunteerism.
Our Backpack Meals Program Objective is to:
- Reduce hunger in the Starkville Octibbeha county School District by providing a referred student with 4 nutritious meals per weekend during the school year.
- Reduce obesity and promote better food selection.
- Improve school attendence.
- Improve grades.
- Improve attention spans.
- Improve behavior.
- Improve overall health.
- Improve disposition.
- Provide a situation for a student to feel cared about.
- Improve a students self-esteem.
Our goal for the 2016-2017 school year is to expand The Backpack Meals Program to Starkville High School (grades 9-12th).
Does your organization work with any other groups or non-profit organizations to accomplish its mission?
First United Methodist Church Partners with The Starkville Oktibbeha School District and the Mississippi Food Network to Operate the Backpack Meals Program with these supporters:
Starkville Junior Auxiliary
Starkville Church of Christ
Cornerstone Baptist Church
Knights of Columbus-St. Joseph's Catholic Church
The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection
Meadowview Baptist Church
Kiwanis Club
Rotary Club
MSU Interfraternity Council
MSU Future Educators Association
MSU Student Dietetic Association
MSU Food Science Department
MSU Lambda Sigma Honor Society
MSU Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
MSU Kappa Alpha Fraternity
MSU Wesley Foundation
Girl Scout Troop 320
FUMC Youth Group
Individual Donors
In what ways does your organization impact Starkville and the Golden Triangle area?
According to the 2014 US Census, the population of Oktibbeha County is 49,414. and the population for Starkville, MS, is 24,775. The per capita income in the county is $20,202 and for Starkville is $21,174. The persons below poverty level for the county is 33.7% and for Starkville is 32.6%. The Mississippi person below poverty level is 22.7%. The free and reduced lunch program in the Starkville Oktibbeha County School District for the 2014-2015 school year was 70%. The Starkville Oktibbeha County School District offers free breakfast and lunch on Monday-Friday to all school age students in the summer at two schools. There are 6 food pantries that serve Starkville, MS and Oktibbeha County. The Backpack Meals program is the only program operating in Oktibbeha County that provides meals specificially for K-8th grade students to have food over the weekend. Meals can be opened, and used by a kindergarten student without parent supervision. Refrigeration and heating is not needed. Students must attend school on Fridays to receive a Backpack Meal and student attendence has improved.
Can you briefly share one of your success stories?
Observation and feedback by the principal, teachers, counselors, school nurse and cafeteria managers in each school have seen student improvements in:
- Attendance
- Grades
- Classroom behavior
- Longer attention spans
- Happier disposition
The students look forward to getting their Backpack Meal on Friday and especially love seeing what kind of fresh fruit they receive.
Where can people go to learn more about your organization, and how can people get involved?
Interested individuals can go to the First United Methodist Church Website for Backpack Meals information or to make a donation to the program:
www.growasdisciples.com (and click on Backpack under ministries)
Individuals can also contact FUMC by phone at 662-323-5722 to be put in touch with Susan Tomlinson, the Backpack Meals Volunteer Coordinator.
Individuals can help The Backpack Meals Program by:
- Collecting items and packing meals
- Making a donation to purchase meals from MFN and fresh fruit
- Work with fundraising-The cost for meals is $1,000.00 per week
- Distributing meals into backpacks
- Moving meals to schools
- Assisting with The Family Food Pantry night
- Collecting canned food for The Family Food Pantry
You're one of our Top Three SRW Charities! Now tell us what it means to you to be included as part of Starkville Restaurant Week as one of the Top Three Charities.
Being one of the Top Three Charities in the Starkville Restaurant Week is really a reflection of the many volunteers that have supported The Backpack Meals Program for the last 4 years. It only takes each of us doing just a little to help others and we will make a big difference in our community. Making sure that there is not a single child in Starkville going to bed hungry at night is a goal worth being a part of. Thank you for supporting our children by voting for The Backpack Program during Starkville Restaurant Week.


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To all my current and past clients, thank-you so much for choosing me as your real estate agent. I value your opinion about what it was like to work with me and I think other prospective buyers and sellers would appreciate knowing what level of service they can expect from me.
There are many things I can say about the quality of service I provide, but probably none would be as credible as testimonials from my recent clients.
So please take a moment to read the following testimonials. Believable, genuine and honest reviews are worth their weight in gold. They help to outline my experience and integrity, as well as making it clear how much I enjoy helping my clients with their real estate needs.
"I was recommended to Mini by a family member which Mimi also helped to sell/buy their home. Our first encounter with her was a lasting one. She made my husband and I feel really welcomed. She was patient, caring and understandable. I also wanted to give kudos to her assistant Rebecca, She was awesome as well! They both took very good care of our needs. Thank you both for making our transition go so smoothly. I would definitely recommend A Better Way Home Realty to all my family and friends!" The Hawthornes, Fuquay Varina
"Mimi helped my mom sell her house and purchase her new home and helped me sell my first home in less than what I ever imagined. She is an amazing person to work with and will definitely recommend her and work with her again for my next home!"
Maria, Durham NC
"The best thing you can do for your move around the Raleigh area is call Mimi Francis! My wife and I made the decision to move to North Carolina from Florida. We were referred to Mimi by a friend in the real estate market in Florida and I'm so glad he did! Mimi made the entire process a breeze. She accommodated our travel schedule and set aside full days to show us around town and make us feel comfortable with our move to the area. After we went under contract, she was with us every step of the way. And as first time home buyers, of course we had tons of questions! Mimi was excellent in hearing all of our questions and providing us with the answers we needed.
Needless to say, Mimi will certainly be the first person we call for ANY future real estate endeavor.Thank you Mimi!"
The Kellys, Apex NC
"Mimi and her staff were extremely responsive (!), helpful, and professional throughout the entire process. The photographer highlighted all the best features of our home. Rebecca consistently called, texted, and emailed answers to our questions promptly and effectively. Mimi negotiated with our best interests in mind. We highly recommend A Better Way Homes!" The Guilliams, Raleigh NC
"Mimi is extremely knowledgeable in real estate and has vast experience. She is diligent and very insightful. I love her down to earth attitude and great personality. In the past 10 years she's helped me sell, buy and rent out our home in record time. She's also been successful in helping out family and friends. Her team is also wonderful. Rebecca goes out of her way to make all this process less stressful. Nikki was always there willing to answer questions 24/7. I highly recommend this firm." Cynthia, Morrisville NC
"Mimi was very patient and was very professional. We looked at a good number of houses located all over the triangle and Mimi was there. She is very good at negotiating and is knowledgeable about features and amenities on the houses we were looking at. We will use her again in the future.|"
Wicker, Wake Forest NC
"I was recommended to Mimi by two clients who spoke highly of her. Upon our initial meeting, not only did she help me find a home, she helped find a temporary apartment while house searching. Any time i felt lost or unsure of anything I knew I could contact Mimi or Rebecca to get my questions answered. Highly Recommended for you home buying needs"
Fredrick, Raleigh NC
"I loss my husband suddenly and knew I couldn't afford my house any longer. Mimi happened to be at a friend's house preparing to sell her home. Mimi came over and we talked at length. She listed my house and had it sold in 2 days with full price. Rebecca and Mimi both helped with all the ins and outs with the sale and closing. They both gave me so much support and never ignored me even when I called with my questions. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND her over and over. Thank you Mimi and Rebecca!"
Stinard, Fuquay Varina NC
"Mimi was amazing to work with! After meeting her and touring some houses, based on her thoroughness and great knowledge of the area, we quickly knew she was the realtor for us. I think she knew what neighborhood we'd end up in much before we did! When it came time for negotiation, we believe things went very well because she was serving as our representative. We have complete trust in her and can't recommend her enough."
Snusz, Holly Springs NC
"During one of the most stressful times of my life (like anyone buying or selling) I had the honor to be referred to Mimi Frances. I have worked with her personally and professionally and would not hesitate to refer her to anyone seeking a professional, knowledgeable agent. Not only would I recommend Mimi, I have several times. I've been so impressed with her knowledge, patients and skills in mutual negotiations, I even recommended my mother use her for the sale and purchase of her home, which she has and is also beyond pleased with Mimi. She is an amazing agent, extremely professional, down to earth and knows her business. SHE IS WONDERFUL and you would be a fool not to utilize her skills. Mrs. Pritchett - loyal customer for life"
Pritchett, Fuquay Varina NC
"Mimi is the absolute best! We probably met dozens of realtors during our house search and Mimi was by the far the most honest, easy to talk to, and hardworking! The best part about her is that she is extremely informative!! Home buying can be a very stressful process but Mimi made it as stress free and as fun as possible. I would never trust anyone else to help me purchase or sell any property ever again! Thank you Mimi - your the best!"
Sosa, Garner NC
"When I think of "value-add" relationships, realtors used to be at the bottom of my list, but Mimi Francis changed my mind. Mimi showed me what a true realtor ought to bring to the table when buying AND selling a home. Mimi understood the market, she knows the positive and negatives of every aspect of a home , and she assisted us in navigating through negotiations on both ends of the spectrum. She and Rebecca both worked tirelessly throughout the process to ensure we got the new home of our dreams! Thank you Mimi!"
The Clements, Angier NC
"I have had several past experiences with real estate agents which were lack luster to say the least. Mimi changed my perspective on what a real estate agent has to offer their clients. Her knowledge of houses, expertise in the field of real estate, excellent customer service skills and amazing team made her stand out from the crowd of real estate agents. Selling & Buying a house with Mimi and her team was an absolutely easy process and I would reach out to Mimi again without any hesitation should I be in the need for a real estate agent again."
The Sosas, Garner NC
"MIMI IS THE BEST! If anyone is looking for the best, she is it! Words cannot describe what Mimi has done for my family. Mimi is not your ordinary real estate agent. She took on a very challenging job when she agreed to list my parent's house and search for a new one. It was not just an ordinary listing. She was not dealing with an ordinary family situation. From the first day in speaking to her I felt that we were in good hands. I live 500 miles away and she always took extra time in the evening to keep me abreast of everything that was happening. The honesty she portrays is genuine. She is extremely professional while being compassionate of our situation. She is very knowledgeable in her field and went over and above in giving us added resources. Her assistant, Rebecca was beyond fabulous. The procedures they have in place kept the whole process running smoothly. It was not an easy job to do what Mimi & Rebecca did. After the closing, I felt as if I was saying good bye to a friend.
Beeses Raleigh NC
"Thank you so much for your knowledge, guidance and patience you extended to us as we went through the home buying process! We feel like it was just meant to be when we met Mimi at the open house. We are settling in and love the house even more than we imagined. We hope your holiday season is filled with love and joy!"
Lawrence, Fuquay Varina NC
"Yesterday I closed on my first home. While nervous and excited at the same time I'm beyond happy. Since this is my second house purchase but the first to call a home of my own. I always plan my life around my business to make sure it can be both multi use. This home here is the foundation of something greater. This home is the foundation of my future little family. Giving them a roof to live under and a sense of pride to myself to be able to do so. I'm beyond thankful for everyone around me who contributed to this through out the years; my parents, my work family and GAC's clients/friends. A big thank you to Mimi Francis for her superb customer service and guidance through all this. God bless!"
Amaya, Raleigh NC
"Without hesitation, we will recommend Mimi Francis to anyone in a heartbeat. She's dedicated, smart and she really know what she's doing as a realtor. We needed to find a home quickly in NC. She toured us around and looked to houses in a day and at night of that same day, we made an offer. Then Mimi finished all the paper works for us even it's after 9:30PM. And the next day, our offer was accepted by the seller and everything from there went quickly and smoothly. We moved into our new home in just 27 days from offer to closing. Mimi's closing coordinator, Rebecca is such an asset on her team. She work so hard coordinating with us about everything just to make sure that the entire process of our move will be flawless. Mimi and Rebecca never missed on responding to any questions that we have. They are very prompt and always on time and honestly, they made us feel that we're the only client they have because they are so focus on the things needed to be done for us during the process. Mimi and Rebecca… thank you for everything. You guys are such a great team and we did not sugarcoat anything that we stated in this review because you both deserve the best in life. You really made us feel very important by attending to all the details on the most stressful days of our moving and house hunting. WE LOVE OUR NEW HOME here in Raleigh and both of you made it possible."
Velarde Raleigh NC
"Mimi was great through the whole process. Mimi knowledge is off the charts compared to the other realtors we interviewed. The other realtors didn't know what to price our house because of all the extra's. They were going to sell it for 28,500 less than Mimi. Mimi assistant Rebecca is the best!
Rebecca is a asset to her company and makes everything so seamless. Five star experience!"
The Kings, Willow Spring NC
"Mimi and Rebecca are the best at what they know and do. There was never a time that our questions were not answered or a time where we felt neglected. Mimi and Rebecca were more than our realtor, they became our friends."
Donald and Janiece, Dunn NC
"As first time home buyers, my husband and I were nervous about purchasing our first home. However, Mimi made us feel at ease with her thorough knowledge about the home buying process. It actually turned out to be a much easier process than we originally thought! Mimi couldn't have done it all without Rebecca whom was AWESOME! The two things I value most about Mimi and Rebecca is that they kept our best interests first and they were always available to answer our questions. I highly recommend A Better Way Homes Realty to aid anyone in the home buying/selling process."
The Everetts, Zebulon NC
"Mimi and Rebecca are outstanding! Every question was answered timely no matter how trivial. Great advice and outstanding understanding of the marketplace. You cannot go wrong chosen them as your real estate team."
The Langleys, Holly Springs NC
"Thanks for being the best realtors anyone could ask for! There were many bumps in the road, but y'all went above and beyond and we couldn't have done it without you. We're loving the new house - it's perfect for us. Please don't ever stop doing what you do, because we're going to need you again someday and we can't imagine doing it without you! PS. Thanks for the address labels!"
Hannah & Jennifer, Durham NC
"Mimi and Rebecca are the best in the business! They know their stuff and are so responsive and attentive! I had no idea where to begin in selling a home! Not only did they get the ball rolling, but they never dropped it! from beginning to end these ladies were an absolute joy to work with--I trusted them completely and they didn't disappoint! My house sold in 2 days and the entire experience was so amazing ! My only regret is not being able to use them to buy my new house!! ( i moved out of state) I recommend A Better Way Homes to anyone who wants the job done right!"
The St Clairs, Fuquay Varina NC
"As the old saying goes "You don't know what you don't know", well there was a lot we didn't know! So thank God for Mimi Francis and her team!
Her knowledge during the sell of our home and the purchase of our new home was both priceless and assuring. Mimi is awesome and sits the bar high for others in her field. Her experience and wealth of knowledge benefited us greatly on both ends. We really enjoyed working with her and would recommended her to anyone and everyone!"
The Barretts, Apex NC
"We were in over our heads on a new build, and Mimi come to our rescue! We were first time homebuyers and had no idea how exhausting building/buying a home could be. Mimi worked so hard for us, and always responded to our numerous questions with haste. She's fierce and she did an exceptional job negotiating various items for us. Every interaction with her and Rebecca (the closing coordinator) was pleasant. If you are going to participate in a real estate transaction, don't dare enter one alone. And don't dare do it with any realtor other than Mimi."
The Meders, Garner NC
"Mimi was great. She stuck with us as we honed our definition of what we wanted - helped us do that by asking the right questions. Great with pros and cons of homes. She knows a lot about spotting signs of good or not so good construction. Excellent business advice while negotiating. And she's a pleasure to work with. Not to mention her great support team. Highly recommend Mimi and her team."
The Allisons, Clayton NC
"We met Mimi back in 2010 and we were just killing time looking at a nice neighborhood. There were some open houses going on and so we took a look. Met Mimi at one of the houses and knew that I would one day do business with her. By chance Mimi ended up being a customer of mine. Fast forward to 2014 and when we were ready to buy our first home the first number I dialed was Mimi's. She was there for us from before the beginning and after then end. Mimi and her team have been great to work with. I have recommended Mimi before this process and still do now. Our entire subdivision may not have fences if not for Mimi's negotiation skills. Amazing professional, team leader and an amazing person."
Lawrence Wilson, Garner NC
"I love Mimi! She displays professionalism throughout the entire home buying process. When you don't understand a step in the process, she will take the time to explain it. Mimi also has wonderful staff members working with her to ensure a painless transition into home ownership. With all of her expertise and knowledge in the industry, you will just adore her. Whenever I meet someone that is looking to buy a home, I always recommend Mimi - the best realtor in NC!!! She helped my 26 year old son purchase his first home in June 2015. (That was a task within itself) but she got him through it. Thank you Mimi :)"
Jacque Floyd, Raleigh NC
"Mimi and her team exceed my expectation!!! They make the process of selling and buying my house so easy. Mimi is the right person to contact if you want to sell or buy your house. While I was on vacation Mimi took care of meeting the carpet cleaning company since I have a delay in my flight; that avoid delay in my closing. While I was in the look for my new home, they were very helpful finding the right place for me. Mimi explained the process of buying the house so well that I have no problems understanding the process and she was there at all time."
Maria, Holly Springs NC
"Mimi quickly determined what we were looking for and helped us get into our dream home! We love her and her entire team. They are very efficient and professional and a pleasure to work with."
The Browns, Willow Springs NC
"Mimi and her team are the dream team. Above and beyond what I expected. I highly recommend A Better Way Homes Realty"
Tonya Mangum, Knightdale NC
"I just wanted to take the time to tell you what a pleasure it has been working with you while searching for my new home. I have purchased several homes over the last ten years but you have been by far the most dynamic, energetic and knowledgeable agent I have worked with! From our conversations, you were able to pick out homes that fit my budget and quality of lifestyle, right up until we found the perfect home for my family!
Once again, I want to thank you for all your hard work and dedication in helping me find my new home, Mimi. Keep up the good work!"
Kendall, Morrisville NC
"We wanted to Thank you so much for all the great work you did for us! You made selling our home a very pleasant experience and in today's market, I believe that is really saying something. We will always recommend you to anyone thinking of buying or selling their home. Your work ethic, diligence and accessibility were exactly what we were needing in a Realtor. Thank you for making this experience a great one. You have been a pleasure to work with!"
Grace & Joel, Fuquay Varina NC
"Hi, Mimi. I can't thank you enough for helping me find the perfect home for my family. I really appreciate all the time and attention you put in making our dreams come true. You are truly appreciated and a wonderful person! I can not begin to express how happy we are and its all because of you! Again, "THANK YOU" from the bottom of my heart."
Michlelle, Holly Springs NC
"We tried 'For Sale by Owner' and using discount brokers - the result was we were on the market for over a year and still waiting for a buyer. then we came across Mimi - she didn't sound like other real estate brokers, she seemed to actually have a plan and we decided to list with her. The result? Sold within 100 days!! We were extremely pleased with her services and would urge others to trust her ability to sell their home."
Terry & Marge, Holly Springs NC
"Thanks to our Realtor, Mimi Francis, we were able to sell our house in one month. In the current tough economy, the extra services that Mimi provided can really make a difference from initial marketing to guiding us all the way through the closing process. We recommend the professional approach and experience that Mimi brings to all her buyers and sellers."
Bob & Amy, Raleigh NC
"Hey there. We had our annual homeowners meeting last night. It was 2 hours of "confirmation" that I had the right realtor. So many people complained about not knowing certain things before they bought their house, and every time I thought... you should've had a realtor. And even better yet, my realtor."
The Wilsons, Garner NC
"Mimi strengths are: honesty and integrity, listened to what I asked for and answered questions, took my ideas / suggestions as well. We would refer her to others we know looking to buy or sell"
Mike & Beth, Apex NC
"Don't know what our family would have done without your knowledge and assistance - thanks, 'Real Estate Mimi'!"
Teish and Samad, Raleigh NC
"Mimi Francis has been a pleasure to interact with. Her understanding ways and pleasant personality always shine through. Through her help in finding our home, our family has dubbed her, "Our Guardian Angel." We've bought and sold quite a few houses but we've never had a real estate agent as capable and caring as Mimi!"
Kat & Bill, Apex NC
"Thanks, Mimi - You Rock! No wonder they call you 'Real Estate Mimi'!"
Jim & Kim, Apex NC


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|Leaves neatly nibbled.
Saw some evidence of deer browsing, though it tended to be alongside the little deer trails across the hillside, most of the trees are doing well.
|Leaves neatly nibbled.
|A pensive Ben and John look on as Tania is amused and Hap enjoys his cake. Do the alders heavy with berries suggest a harsh winter ahead?
|'The belt'


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LAPD literally trying to execute Christopher Dorner while endangering LA citizens with random 'shoot to kill' gunfire…"This is getting so bad I'm actually starting to become an advocate of gun control… for the POLICE!"
by Mike Adams
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
I've never seen a police force look as pathetic and weak as the LAPD does right now. The entire police force has been thrust into a state of complete terror by the actions of one police officer named Christopher Dorner who allegedly has gone on a cop-killing rampage. According to The Telegraph, "Around 50 LAPD officers and their families remain under protection at their homes amid fears Dorner would come out of hiding to target them…"
Question: do these other cops not know how to fire a gun themselves? Do they not have a shotgun at home for self defense? Can you imagine how pathetic and weak these people are to have fifty police families huddled in their homes, barricading their doors and windows, fearing for their lives because of one mortal man running around?
This is total proof that the LAPD has become a culture of pathetic weaklings who apparently have to cry for their mommas instead of manning up and packing heat. It's not like there's an entire terror cell of people armed with AK-47s coming after them. This is one friggin' lone guy with a gun. This problem is not that difficult to deal with if you actually know how to handle a firearm.
The Rest…HERE


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Questions? Call Mod Experts at 714-582-3330 Mon-Fri: 8am - 6pm / Sat: 8am - 5pm
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The M-Performance Black Kidney Grilles for your 4 series use OEM parts and paint for a perfect match. 51712336813/51712336814
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$40.12 $53.49
A great way to preserve the memory of a loved one forever...this is a 18 year-old's print in fine silver clay. Because it is an older child the print came out especially nice! Children younger then 3 often have faint lines in their thumbs, but it still is beautiful.
These necklaces can be made for all family members. If you are doing more then one necklace, please convo me and I will provide a discounted custom listing.
Just order the print and the kit will be mailed to you. The kit can be used for 4 or 5 impressions. The price includes the kit, and one necklace with one print. Additional prints may be ordered. Please send request for price. (It will be less after the first print is ordered.)
Use the kit as soon as it is mailed to you...because it has a 2 month shelf life.
Mail it back to me and I will make your impression. If you want a name and date or year stamped on back please specify.
Sterling silver chain included 16 inches adjustable to 17 inches. (Picture 5 shows shiny silver with no antiquing)
Allow 2-3 weeks...if you need it rushed please let me know!
I accept Paypal, Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. I request payment upon purchase to simplify both our lives. If payment is not made within 3 days of purchase, item will be relisted.
PayPal is preferred because shipping will happen faster if the PayPal address and Etsy mailing address are the same. ORDERS SHIP to PAYPAL ADDRESS. If there is a different shipping address, please leave a message in "Notes to Seller" to inform of different address.
Items are shipped via USPS within 48 hours. Multiple orders will receive combined shipping rates.
SHIPPING DOES NOT INCLUDE INSURANCE. If you would like to add insurance for quicker shipping, please contact me for options and pricing before submitting your payment through PayPal. I will provide you with options and adjust your invoice . Items are packaged with maximum protection. Charmed is not responsible for lost or damaged packages without purchase of insurance. If you live outside the US, please let me know so that I can provide options for both shipping and insurance. International buyers are responsible for all customs/duties fees in their respective countries.
$1.70 for $00.01 to $50
$2.15 for $50.01 to $100
$2.60 for $100.01 to $200
$4.60 for $200.01 to $300
$5.55 for $300.01 to $400
$6.50 for $400.01 to $500
$7.45 for $500.01 to $600
Please confirm that you have received your items...I would love to hear from you!
Gift wrap is available and I would be happy to send a pretty, little note. Please provide this information during checkout.
First and foremost, I want you to love your purchase!
Custom made charms and cufflinks, once completed are a FINAL SALE. Keep in mind, the mold that you send back to me, is the mold that I use to make the charm and that is exactly the image that will be transferred to the fine silver.
If you are unsatisfied, for any reason, please contact me and I will try to resolve the situation with an adjustment of the piece, and exchange or refund. Refunds are accepted within 10 days of purchase, less shipping costs. Items must be in the same condition as when purchased and received by Charmed Jewelry no less then 14 days after purchase.
Custom orders are welcome...please contact me to dream up something beautiful.
I would love to make a matching bracelet or earring to complete a set.
I love and appreciate referrals. Please let me know when you refer a friend to recieve a discount on your next order!


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- September 14, 1937 - December 1, 2017
- Palmyra, Pennsylvania
of Francis' Passing
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Memories & CandlesPrevious
"I know I was always your favorite!! Love you & Miss you Uncle Fran!
1 of 10 | Posted by: Michelle Walmer (Nace) - PA
"RIP Uncle FranYou will be miss! Love you!!There's, Steve, Erikka & Lindsay
2 of 10 | Posted by: Theresa Bashore - Lebanon, PA
"Rest In Peace Fran, we will miss you dearly! Love you!!❤❤
3 of 10 | Posted by: Beverly Gingrich - Lebanon, PA
"Condolences to the Family, my husband and I worked with Fran at The Box Factory which turned into Lebanon Packaging. He will be missed.
4 of 10 | Posted by: Craig/ Karen Miller - Lebanon, PA
"I am sorry to hear of my brother Franny's passing. Our prayers are with his family. He was my youngest brother. We look forward to our reunion in...Read More »
5 of 10 | Posted by: Floyd Reichard - Brigham City, UT
"Uncle FranI will always remember you, seeing you at we is and always a smile on your face. You always made me smile. I love you and I will miss you....Read More »
6 of 10 | Posted by: Jessica DiScuillo-Torres - Galax, VA
"it was such a pleasure to be able to take care of Fran every day, and get to know him and sandy on a personal level. You two became like family to me...Read More »
7 of 10 | Posted by: Bre Huyett - Stevens, PA - Friend
"Dear Uncle Franny,We were all deeply saddened by your passing. You were a very kind and gentle man and my brother, Bob I enjoyed talking with you...Read More »
8 of 10 | Posted by: Beth Atkins - Carlisle, PA
"Fran. May you rest in peace my love!! I will remember all the good times we had together and I will never forget all your crazy faces you use...Read More »
9 of 10 | Posted by: Sandra Reichard - Palmyra, PA
"Franny may you rest in piece. You were a great brother and friend and I really enjoyed talking to you when I got back to Lebanon.You will be...Read More »
10 of 10 | Posted by: Carl Reichard - Brigham City, UT
Francis Gordon "Fran" Reichard, 80, of Palmyra, passed away Friday, December 1, 2017 at his residence. He was the husband of Sandra L. Nace Reichard whom he married June 12, 1971. Fran was born in Lebanon on September 14, 1937, son of the late Claude L. and Jennie Nye Reichard.
Fran had been employed as a mechanic at Lebanon Packaging. He enjoyed watching sports, especially Penn State.
He is survived in addition to his wife Sandra, by daughters, Cynthia Boeshore of Lebanon, Lisa, wife of Brad Spotts of Cornelius, NC, 3 granddaughters, 2 great grandsons, 2 brothers and 3 sisters. Fran was preceded in death by several additional brothers and sisters.
In keeping with Fran's wishes, services will be private.


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Linconceivable! Knicks Win 5 In A Row
The Jeremy Lin legend continues to grow.
The "Linderella'' story grew again as Jeremy Lin sank a game-winning free throw with 4.9 seconds left that capped a wild Knicks comeback and an improbable 100-98 stunner over the Timberwolves at Target Center.
The win extended the Knicks' "Linning streak'' to a season-high five games and capped a Saturday-to-Saturday stretch that's one of the greatest in Knicks history.
With the score tied at 98, an exhausted Lin tore down the lane one last time, got crunched by two Timberwolves, picking up the foul and won the game from the free-throw line. He also had the key pass on the game's biggest basket — a game-tying 3-pointer from Steve Novak with 36.2 seconds left.
Original Photos blindgossip, bleacherreport


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With Weeks Building Group's 3D visualiser, you are able to create your personal masterpiece in the comfort of your own home. And don't forget to share your custom creations to your friends and family!


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Saturday, April 25, 2009
A New Start
Now don't get me wrong. Millie is a very cute cat, and I love to have her snuggle onto my lap, and to admire her delicate features - but I just don't think our house is very cat-friendly. It is too easy for a cat to escape out the front or back door (don't ask me how I know that, just think of me imagining the phone call to my sister that her daughters' cat is lost! Then imagine my relief a few minutes later when we found her).
I haven't been able to iron, or get much cleaning done, as Millie wants to be in on the act. The girls have kept their bedroom door closed so that Millie doesn't get permanently lost among their mess. Each day I've gone in about 5pm and cleared a path to their beds. We're looking forward to doing a big clean-up and makeover of their room soon, but this was not the week. On top of that the girls were going a bit stir-crazy being inside all the time (like the cat) and we've had some ... ummm ... moments.
On Tuesday night I was privileged to hear Annemarie Ezzo speak on the topic of quiet times, and their importance. I'm looking forward to a more normal routine starting up again in the next few days, with some more tidying of the house, some quiet times, and some exercise.
So with all these feelings in mind yesterday afternoon it was perfect to see this beautiful rainbow right over our house yesterday afternoon.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Cozy Days
We have been having such a cozy time here. The weather has been grey and rainy, and the temperature good for snuggling. Steve is home from work so we are all feeling relaxed. I've had a mild tummy bug, enough to sit down for most of the day rather than stand, but not enough to make me feel miserable.
Yesterday I did some sewing, first some mending (pockets with holes, elastic to replace, darning some jeans – it's amazing what you can do when you actually get out the sewing machine), then with that out of the way I felt inspired to return to a project I started last year – a "tapestry" from the Tilda Sew Pretty Homestyle book (although it's really a wall quilt, I'd say).
I'm not making it exactly her way, but very much inspired by her. Instead of appliquéing the shapes I'm embroidering them with a quick running stitch. Not so fancy, but quicker and more homey-looking.
Yesterday I got nearly all the blank rectangles stitched, just one more to do when I decide on the design, and then I'll be ready to think about borders and binding. It would be lovely to have a little stripe as the binding, if I can find something.
My purpose in making this quilt was to use up a lot of pale fabrics, some new and some from my very early patchwork days in the early 90s, I still love them but I find it hard to use them with some modern fabrics. And besides, I have much too much fabric to use up, and I'm determined to use it! So far I haven't bought anything for this quilt, but I'll have to buy wadding, at least, and perhaps the backing. I thought of hanging this quilt on the wall, but it might become a lap quilt …
A couple of years ago I bought two rug-hooking kits for the girls, and put them away until the girls were ready for them. Today the time seemed right, so I taught them to hook and they began.
I expected they would do a little, and put it aside for the next 3 years (their usual habit), but instead they are loving it, Laura has already done about 1/3 of the little pattern! I think they are addicted. They didn't want to stop during dinner or at bedtime!
The plan then is to make them into cushions.
So we sat cozily, stitching, hooking and dozing, listening to soothing music - and the one thing needed to make the picture complete – a cat slept on a lap!
This week we are minding my nieces' cat Millie while they holiday. She is a Burmese and has settled right into our family. We have never had a pet so this is a new experience for us (Steve grew up with cats and dogs, but I only had fish – not so interactive).
The girls are loving her and we are all enjoying her taking turns on our laps. (Laura wore her dressing gown over her clothes all day so that Millie would like to sit on her lap!) Steve makes the most mischief with her and we all keep out of her way when she goes a bit psycho now and then. We will miss her when she's gone.
So … sewing, reading, music, hooking, dozing and cat-napping while the rain comes and goes outside … some good days for us ahead.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Mountain Beauty
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Mountain Hideaway
This was the dining room, with a 12-seater dining table and a smaller 4-seater. It was lovely to eat breakfast among the trees and sunshine.
Unfortunately the kitchen and pantry were located downstairs from the dining room, which made for lots of stair-climbing.
The house was filled with vintage and reproduction furniture and lighting, lovely brass fittings and ornate plaster mouldings.
As you can see, the accommodation was pretty luxurious, courtesy of my parents. We all helped with the food and the little cousins all had a great time together.
I enjoyed doing lots of walking in the cool mountain air. I had hoped I might have lost some weight, but I guess I ate too many holiday goodies for that ... and those yummy bacon and egg breakfasts ...
More photos to come of the beautiful mountain scenery ...
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Easter Weekend
And Easter seems like an anti-climax. Actually it should be more meaningful than Christmas, since the whole basis of my faith is that Christ died and rose again, but it always seems to be a last-minute thought on my part, not such a festival as Christmas and with the family at home not much time for bible reading and thought, although I did sit and read the bible on Sunday night in the twilight, which was good (until the mosquitoes got me).
Friday I posted about already, we had our nice afternoon tea. Saturday I went out briefly to the shops (which were crazy full) to buy a few things, then we tidied and cooked for my parents and brother to come for lunch on Sunday. (Baked Moroccan Chicken, Meatballs, Chocolate Pudding and Easter Eggs - yum!). Monday we shopped again for some clothes the girls needed, and spent the day at home, getting ready for a few days at the mountains.
In amongst tidying, cooking, and living, I've done lots of scrapbooking, actually finishing my 2006 album at long last (finished the 2007 album a while back), and we've played quite a few games of teeball in the front yard, tucked in between trees and bushes. We played with Grandma and Grandad on Easter Day, lots of fun.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Afternoon Tea on Good Friday
I used the old tablecloth that I have just mended, and some old Meakin china that belonged to my Nanna. Although orange is not my favourite colour this pattern has just grown on me, and I love it.
The teapot is only about 10 years old, but coordinates well with the china.
I won't be posting the recipe for this lemon cake, as it didn't turn out that well! I used my usual quick butter cake recipe, adding lemon rind and juice, and pouring hot lemon syrup over it when it came out of the oven. But it was a bit of a disaster coming out of the silicon mould (maybe too soon?) and although delicious in flavour it was a bit bland in texture, like a very average sponge cake. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow. But we still enjoyed it.
Emily has started a Thursday TeaTime carnival, so why don't you join in here?
Autumn Afternoon
It was a lovely mild afternoon and the girls were playing in the front yard, so I finally tackled some things in my sewing/mending pile. First I hemmed Steve's good trousers, then darned an old tablecloth, trying to make new holes look like part of the cutwork design.
Next I finished this teatowel (pattern here) which I started at Christmas time, it only had a couple of stitches left, so I'm not sure why I didn't finish it earlier! My other mending will need the sewing machine, so I'll do that another time. Some of my mending has been sitting in that pile way too long!
It was so pleasant sitting there, with a perfect temperature, some sunshine (but not too much) and the sounds of happy children playing, while I sat in comfort and sewed a fine seam. I felt as if I had travelled back in time. Well, the happy sounds didn't really last, and to put a bit of reality back into this idyllic (but productive !?) scene let's look at what I saw when the girls had both stomped inside, after whining prolifically ...
... just part of the 21st C mess that had spread itself over the yard and verandah in that short time!
With a sigh I went inside to deal with the grumpiness in there. But I baked a cake and we had afternoon tea together happily (but you have to wait for the next post for that!)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Turning Japanese with Hero Arts
I am considering myself "on holidays" at the moment (just one more piano lesson to teach tomorrow) and my first moments of freedom yesterday were spent at the stamp shop - first locating the dolls, and then finding Japanese-y looking flowers and a butterfly to go with them.
And since then? Well, I've made 5 cards with them so far, in amongst some Stampin' Up! cards, and these are my first three. I'm loving mixing colours I might not normally mix, together with origami papers and flowers and gemstones ... lots of fun.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Finding a new rhythm
This year the end of daylight savings coincided nicely with the beginning of cooler weather, so suddenly it feels like Autumn.
On Sunday we stayed home from church, since we were all pretty tired, and with a long free day to fill in the girls dug out Steve's old train set and set it up in their bedroom (complete with giant dog).
Later on they played Cathedral, one of our favourite games.
We have just two more days of school and then over 2 weeks of holidays, Steve will be home, so I guess there will be lots more board games played!
As for me I'm looking forward to snuggling in cool weather, reading and playing games, but am also hoping to start doing more exercise each week now that the heat and humidity have gone.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Dad's 70th
With the retirement on 31st March of so many stamp sets from Stampin' Up!, I had decided to restrain myself and let them go unpurchased by me ... but as the time drew close I looked at a few sets and succumbed after all on the evening of the 31st (nothing like cutting it fine) and they arrived on the 3rd! So I used the Brocade Basics set to make this card for Dad. I love the colours and designs, the scrapbook paper is gorgeous too. Such a shame it is all retired ...
My other project for the party was to display some photos on the wall. I didn't want to use any adhesive on these precious photos so I blu-tacked some black ribbon to the wall and attached the photos with little bulldog clips. They looked really cute, I should have taken a photo. Anyway, I'm sure my dad wouldn't mind me posting this cute photo of him as a baby:
This was the earliest photo of him, at 7 months. I couldn't figure out why part of the dress was hand-drawn with pencil, until my mum pointed out a ghostly outline of my nanna holding him upright, which they then somewhat obscured in the photo. The hand-drawn sections must be covering up where Nanna's hands were. My, how times have changed photography!
We had a fun party for Dad, including a little concert, games, a quiz, and way too much food, some of the leftovers of which we were trying to eat through today. It's a hard job, but someone has to do it!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
A Night Out
On Friday night I and some friends attended a huge fundraising event for a friend's sister, who has cancer. It was a mix of sad and happy, but everyone had fun dressing up and thousands of dollars must have been raised through the tickets for 850 guests and auctions and raffles and so on. The photo above shows the silent auction viewing area with hundreds of "mystery balloons" for purchase, each naming a generous donated prize. Inside the ballroom were 85 tables, each decorated with a stunning tall vase of submerged tulips.
The dress for the evening was "cocktail with a touch of pink" and, having nothing suitable, I was forced (LOL) to go out and buy something. So I bought a mostly-black dress, and borrowed my mum's hot pink pashmena, bought some low heels, stockings and jewellery, and was set. I wanted to have my haircut, but ran out of time. (Oh, and I wanted to lose 5kg, but that just didn't happen ... somehow ...)
It's so long since I dressed up for anything. And since I ended up half-decent I thought it was time for another appearance on the blog ...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Papercutting for a party - a tutorial
My Dad turns 70 this weekend, and Mum asked me to make something saying "70" for the party, to sit on the buffet in the dining room. I took a few days to think of something the right size and materials, something not too expensive but still effective ...
Ladies and gentlemen ... I present to you ... the art of papercutting. (Sometimes known as scherenschnitte, but mine is not so finely cut ...)
2 12x12 sheets of Bazzill cardstock
white chalk pencil
kneadable eraser (or other)
1 craft knife with a fine blade
1 self-healing cutting mat
Also you need about 2 hours & good light.
1. Print out a large 7 and 0 using Word Art in Word, cut out.
2. Trace lightly onto the card. I used a chalk pencil as it writes lightly and is easy to rub out, but you could use a soft lead pencil if you had to.
3. Around the numbers draw some stylized leaf and grass shapes, add an insect or two. Make sure you create lots of "bridges" between the shapes so it can all hold together.
4. When you are happy with your design, start cutting in the centre, small shapes before large shapes. Turn the card as needed and cut towards yourself. Cut out sharp points carefully to avoid tears when punching out shapes.
5. Stop every now and then and look out at a distant object, to rest your eyes and neck. It is a wet day here.
6. When you are finished cutting, admire your finished work against the window.
Unfortunately the party is at night so I am going to mount this on another colour for strength so it can stand on an easel.
8. Adhere to another piece of card in a different colour (although white on white would be spectacular)
9. Admire again, this time with your work on an easel. Enjoy the light and shadows.
10. Have a few stretches and go for a walk.
11. Make sure you remember to take it to the party.


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Snowdrop community plant
Become a part of our beautiful gardens and plant one of our 50,000 snowdrops to create a blanket of winter blooms for visitors to enjoy in years to come.
Plant a snowdrop
Over two weeks in March we will be planting 50,000 snowdrops to create a beautiful snowdrop walk and we are inviting you to help.
In the last two years we have planted over 20,000 snowdrops. You can see some of the previous year's poking their heads out around the gardens now.
How you can get involved
Plant one of our snowdrops on 6, 8 and 13 March, 11am to 2pm.
Upon arrival at Visitor's Reception, you will be guided towards the best area for planting, which will be determined by our gardeners on the day. The snowdrop planting will be led by our volunteers who will be able to provide guidance and give tools and materials needed.
On each day of planting, we will also be accepting donations for the restoration of one of the biggest features here at Dyffryn Gardens.
*Dates will be confirmed shortly, as the bulbs need to be planted 'in the green' the weather effects the growth rate therefore when they will be ready to be planted.


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The latest edition of our brochure offers a comprehensive guide to our extensive product range, which includes handmade, wirecut and pressed bricks, brick slips, pavers, specials, lime mortar and brick weathering tints, along with relevant technical data for each product.
Our brochure also highlights the extensive range of support services we offer, such as expert brick matching, bespoke weathering and creating custom blends, in addition to showcasing some of the diverse projects we have supplied.
View the Imperial Bricks brochure below with our online viewer, or you can download it here (PDF 12MB).
Would you like to receive a copy of our brochure by post?
Please complete the online brochure request form or send an email with your full address details to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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10 Tips To Overcome Bad Thoughts
Do you ever find yourself thinking bad thoughts about someone else? Do you ever think bad thoughts about yourself? Here is an easier question: "Are You Human?" If your answer to this one is YES, then you can honestly answer YES to the first two questions. Bad thoughts are human but we should not let … Continue reading
A New Year's Wish For Leaders
"Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbours, and let every New Year find you a better man or woman." ~Benjamin Franklin Oh, if we could all just follow Benjamin Franklin's advice, what a wonderful world it would be. Why must we all find fault with each other while carrying anger and … Continue reading
Hey Leaders: "Life Is A Balancing Act"
Do you have some amazingly energetic, hard working, loyal employees who work long hours and never complain? Do any of your staff members handle additional roles in the community, on non-profit boards, or with service clubs in addition to juggling work and family duties? Do you have some folks working for you who never want … Continue reading
Can A Woman Be A Great Leader Of Men?
If we are going to have an intelligent discussion about women in leadership positions firstly we must accept that women and men do not, and should not lead in the same fashion. Women think differently than men and their natural tendencies are driven by different motives than men. In short, women and men are different! … Continue reading
I Love My Levi's And I Will Not Change!
When I was a teenager, I became very attached to Levi's jeans. Most of my friends wore Levi's Red Tab jeans and we all thought we looked pretty darned cool! In those days Levi's were made of heavy, dark blue denim that eventually faded to a very pleasant lighter indigo hue. The pungent odour of the … Continue reading
Top Ten Ways To Be A Bad Leader – Video
Check out this video on YouTube here: http://youtu.be/hYeuH39U5bw
I am a man in his fifties who spent the majority of his career as a manager of people. During that time I have managed Boomers, Generation "X", Generation "Y" and even a few Traditionals. (Traditionals are people now in their late sixties to early nineties). Of all the age or generation groups I had the privilege … Continue reading
Ten Ways To Make Your Employees Adore You
Please do not confuse adoration with lovability or even likeability. Effective leaders have a mystique about them that sets them apart from other mortals. They have an ability to garner respect, admiration, reverence, and generally high regard wherever they go. Those are the elements of adoration that we will be dealing with in this article. No … Continue reading
It Takes A Hurricane
While watching the drama of Hurricane Irene unfold as she made her way up the east coast of North America, I was impressed by the good humour, co-operation, camaraderie, and overall humanity of the folks who reside in the path of the storm front. The media did a great job of televising scenes of people … Continue reading
Leadership Can Be An Unpopular Business
Watch this short video on how leaders must make unpopular decisions here: http://motivationalkehl.blogspot.com/2011/08/leadership-can-be-unpopular-business.html Throughout my career in leadership I had to accept this one major truth: I will not always make decisions that will make me universally popular. When leading, we must always put our followers first; we must always do our best for our … Continue reading
What Is Leadership?
With a title like that you might think I bit off a little more than I can chew. You might be right, but because there are literally thousands of articles, blogs and websites dedicated to discussions of leadership, I wanted to offer a logical definition of it in a thousand words or less. Here goes… … Continue reading
Are You Living An Authentic Life?
Wayne Kehl talks about living an authentic life in this short video message: http://motivationalkehl.blogspot.com/2011/08/are-you-living-authentic-life.html There is nothing sadder than the death of someone who has never lived! Here is a quote from the late rocker, Jimi Hendrix: "I'm the one who's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me … Continue reading
The Value Of Honesty
As children, most of us had parents who tried to convince us that cheaters never prosper and liars will not go to heaven. The theory is of course a great one, but almost every day in the news I hear about business leaders being charged and convicted for a variety of commercial crimes. Sadly, I … Continue reading
Stop Being Selfish! Find Happiness and True Success…
Click this link to watch a short video about the value of not being selfish: http://motivationalkehl.blogspot.com/2011/07/stop-being-selfish-find-happiness-and.html If you want to get along with more people start thinking about someone other than yourself. If you have problems with relationships it is probably largely to do with your own actions and the fact that you are thinking … Continue reading
How To Deal With Water Cooler Talk
Water cooler talks are those nasty, backstabbing, grumble sessions that employees like to have from time to time at work. During those discussions negativity takes the lead and gossip rules the day. Nothing good ever comes from it and yet it is a very popular pastime in a lot of workplaces. "I like to refer … Continue reading
What makes a Superstar employee?
Find out here: http://www.ilstv.com/superstar-employees/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyNewsletter
Take Your Business Back!
I often hear from managers that employees have more power than their bosses. Studies have shown that the majority of workers in North America do not want to move into a management role. The current trend toward servant leadership and participative management has created a lot of very good results, but in many cases it has … Continue reading
Ego and Success
Winners, losers and survivors exist all around us. The world is full of people who become famous through excellent results alongside those who gain notoriety because of poor performance. Interestingly, mediocrity is much more common than success or failure in most areas of human endeavour. Most people get by, but seldom excel despite the fact … Continue reading
Are You A Servant Leader Or A Leadership Warrior?
I have called upon the leaders of the world to start a LEADERSHIP REVOLUTION. In order to make my dream become a reality, we need to employ some proactive, aggressive action right away. One of the most common terms used for good leadership these days is SERVANT LEADERSHIP. Although I am a proponent of that … Continue reading
Every Revolution Needs A Cause
How to start a Leadership Revolution Before we can begin to create a culture of effective and powerful leadership, we must have a cause that everyone can rally around. Throughout history, every revolution came about as a result of the failure of leaders to understand or empathize with what the people wanted. When it became … Continue reading
Find Out How Anger Can Harm You
CLICK ON THIS LINK: http://www.ilstv.com/anger/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyNewsletter
Who Needs Wisdom?
This is my favourite definition of wisdom: "Good sense; the ability to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience." Note that good sense requires personal knowledge and experience in order to be effective. Wisdom cannot grow and flourish in isolation. When one operates with poor or potentially harmful personal knowledge or … Continue reading
What's Up With Generation "Y"?
Have a listen to this short video on Generation "Y" http://www.ilstv.com/generation-y/
Social Media Etiquette?
Click here to listen to a short video on social media etiquette: http://www.ilstv.com/electronic-hit-and-run-2/
Positive Passion Leads To Success
"Genuine leaders never pursue or expect adulation or "star" status. When they receive it, they accept it graciously and move on to the next challenge. Leadership is not about personal victory. It is about winning through teamwork and positive energy by and for every member of the team." ∞Wayne Kehl∞ My book, "A … Continue reading
Easter Is For Leaders
Easter is a holiday celebrated each spring in many countries throughout the world. It is essentially a Christian religious celebration based on the scriptures which indicate that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Each year we celebrate the resurrection on Easter Sunday. Interestingly, Easter can be considered a moveable feast … Continue reading
Harassment…A Leadership Dilemma
The world of business and industry has improved dramatically for women over the past two decades but we are still hearing a lot about male chauvinism, glass ceilings and gender discrimination. Despite the positive efforts of business leaders, I personally believe that there is a diminished but definite level of unfair and unfounded gender discrimination … Continue reading
Are You Willing To Risk Your Life?
On Remembrance Day and Veteran's Day it is important for us all to reflect on the sacrifice and devotion to duty shown by so many of our brave men and women all over the world. But, what does the observation of past and present wars mean to you? November 11th is not about poppies, … Continue reading
You Only Have One Life to Live!
"Good Times; Bad Times; You know I had my share…" Led Zeppelin 1968 The above line from Led Zeppelin was written by the famous rockers 42 years ago and yet, it still has meaning today. I am a fan of Led Zeppelin partly because of my age and my love of screaming guitars, but chiefly … Continue reading
Success Through People…Surviving Beyond a Down Economy
The key to more with less is with your current employees. Become an open, honest employer with a transparent management plan. Let your people in on what you are doing, where you are going, and where you stand right now. More than ever in the history of North American business, employees want inclusion and a say in how their workplace runs. Give it to them! Stop hanging on to the old ways of doing business and start giving your employees what they want, no matter how difficult letting go of your old principles might be.
A Big Ego is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
People with strong egos like a pat on the back. They need to be acknowledged for their good work. The feeling of satisfaction they derive from praise is like a drug to them…the more they get…the more they want. The more praise they receive, the more likely it is that they will perform at exponentially higher levels. However, if people with big egos are ignored or criticized for their work, they will no longer derive a sense of satisfaction from their work and performance will probably decrease in quality and quantity.
Getting Along With People Is Easy
"Getting Along With People Is Easy" As I kneeled to thin out the dead stalks in the rose bushes near my back gate today, I felt a twinge in my back. As I stood up to shake off the twinge, I felt a pain in my right thigh and stiffness in both knees. At that moment, … Continue reading


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Fortunately for us, we were young. Any damage we caused by going from zero to sixty while doing sits ups on a concrete surface were erased by the benefits of youth. Unfortunately, this model of exercise, like the memories of that fateful day have stuck with us. We hear our doctors talk about it, hear it on the news, that one really fit friend tells us " Core strength is important". The obvious choice is to start doing those crunches and get stronger. This is in itself not a problem, but allow me to help you make an informed choice about your exercise.
Let me start by saying if you have ever experienced low back pain to any extent or are currently in pain crunches do exactly what the name implies, it crunches your back and is almost certainly making things worse. If you have a strong core and perfect form crunches are effective, but we live in an imperfect world. The weak core gives out but we keep pushing, form breaks down and we start using compensatory muscles. The majority of the pressure ends up being carried by your spine, oops!
Allow me to introduce you to another grade school favorite (if you were a boy, maybe much more so) The Dead Bug.
Everyone is right by the way, a strong core helps support the spine and prevents early onset arthritis and degeneration that can lead to debilitating issues later in life. But next time you try to strengthen those core muscles, keep your spine in mind.


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A.2 Introductions
Please tell us a little bit about yourself here
Cloud created by:
Andreia Inamorato Dos Santos
3 December 2009
This is a space for introductions:
- about yourself
- what you do and your teaching/research interests
- your institution
- your experience with OER
- anything else you wish to share with us
Extra content
- Discussion (6)
- Links (0)
- Academic References (0)
Comment 1 by Andreia Inamorato Dos Santos
Andreia Inamorato Dos Santos
8:35pm 6 December 2009 (Edited 9:49am 7 December 2009) Permalink
I think it's a good idea to introduce ourselves because we have a few guests attending this workshop.
I am Andreia Santos and I work for OLnet as a research associate. I have been at the OU since 2002, and have previously worked for the OpenLearn initiative for 2.5 years as a research fellow.
My job as a research associate at OLnet involves finding out about the use and reuse of OER for both formal and informal learning. I am also very much interested in understanding how online communities on OER can be supported and fostered, with the aim to increase the sharing of content and experiences.
By the end of this week I expect to have had:
- plenty of opportunities for sharing ideas about OER in general and about the OLnet;
- a chance to test out different technologies and formats to deliver virtual workshops;
- the opportunity to learn more about my colleagues' research interests and views.
Comment 2 by Patrick McAndrew
Patrick McAndrew
9:02am 7 December 2009 Permalink
I am Patrick McAndrew. I have worked at The Open University for 10 years where I am Associate Director of Learning and Teaching in the Institute of Educational Technology, and also Director of OLnet.
I became involved in OER through working (along with Andreia) on the OU's OpenLearn initiiative that made content and an environment available for free access to learning materials.
I see this week as a chance to pause and look around at what other people are doing and to test out ways we can go beyond boundaries in a virtual workshop.
Comment 3 by Giota Alevizou
Giota Alevizou
9:32am 7 December 2009 (Edited 11:56am 7 December 2009) Permalink
I am Giota (also known as Panagiota) Alevizou. I joined the Open University in July 2009 and have since been working on the Olnet project as a research associate.
I became involved in OERs through my research in encyclopaedias, in general and open content communities, in particular - the most popular of which is Wikipedia. I experimented with open resources and open pedagogies when teaching postgraduate courses in media and communications at the universities of Sussex and LSE.
Since I joined Olnet, I have been looking at a number of cases and interviewed a number of participants from the international OER community to develop evaluative approaches and a working framework on the nature of openess and collaboration in OERs, and to address the opportunities as well as challenges relating to awareness, adoption and (re)use, participatory interfaces, emerging pedagogies.
I too see this week as an opportunity to learn from, and through, my collegues' work and interests. I hope that this week will be the start of an dialogue on the ways in which we can research and support learning within an OER context.
Comment 4 by Andy Lane
I am Andy Lane and I have been at the Open University for 26 years. I have undertaken many roles during that time but the most relevant to this week has been as Director of OpenLearn until recently. So I have to take some responsibility for what OpenLearn has turned out like although I had a large and talented team to help me!
Throughout my time as Director of OpenLearn I have been studying its relevance to the OU and to teaching and learning practice and I am continuing to do so as a Senior Fellow in SCORE (Support Centre for Open Resources in Education).
I see this week as another opportunity to test out my understandings of OER and their significance fro education in general.
Comment 5 by Giselle Ferreira
Giselle Ferreira
11:24am 7 December 2009 Permalink
Hi all - I'm Giselle Ferreira and I've been at the OU for 11 years, when I've done a number of things including course development and research (as a central academic), student support (as an AL in various courses) and some other bits (at the Nottingham Region and on campus). I worked with Andreia, Patrick and Andy on OpenLearn, and I'm an OLnet Associate currently working with Tina Wilson on a project funded by the Higher Education Academy.
I'm interested in all things related to OER, with a special interest in issues related to engagement with these resources. I carried out some research on this whilst working on OpenLearn, and I ended up with many questions concerning what strikes me as the blurring of boundaries between 'teacher' and 'student' and the need to re-evaluate the relationship between 'teaching' and 'learning - stuff of potentially enormous impact on education as a whole.
I see this week as an opportunity to 'take stock', reconnect with people I know and connect with people I'm hoping to meet!
Comment 6 by Karen Cropper
Karen Cropper
2:17pm 7 December 2009 Permalink
I am Karen Cropper. I am the Project and Liaison Manager for the OLnet project. I have been working for the Open University for nearly two years and have been in my current role since the middle of September 2009. Prior to working at the OU I have spent many years working both in and with the voluntary sector and local government.
I see this week as an opportunity to try out the different tools we have available and find out more about the views and perspectives of the OLnet team members and other outside participants in this pilot exercise in relation to the world of OERs.
Contribute to the discussion
Please log in to post a comment. Register here if you haven't signed up yet.


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Contact Us
The Regatta Hotel
543 Coronation Drive Toowong Qld 4064
Phone: (07) 3051 7617
If you would like to make an enquiry via email, please choose from our list below or fill out our general feedback form below:
For all restaurant enquiries, please email email@example.com
For all function and special events enquiries, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
For all marketing or media enquiries, please email the marketing team
For all general enquiries, please email firstname.lastname@example.com
Our Location
Check out these links to get the best driving directions to the Regatta Hotel:
Getting Here
The Regatta is a central landmark. There's limited parking at the rear of this classic hotel, so it's best to get a cab, or there's plenty of public transport too. We even have our own CityCat ferry stop just across the road. The CityCat timetable can be found here. For more information call Translink for details on 13 12 30 or visit their website.


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If skin problems are affecting your child, then the Harley Street Dermatology Clinic is here to help. We know that an unhappy child can make for sleepless nights – not only for the little one, but for mum and dad too.
All our consultants are trained in paediatric (childrens) dermatology and will provide expert treatment of your childs skin disease. An accurate diagnosis and treatment should quickly improve life for you and the whole family.
There is no need for your child's skin disease to cause unnecessary suffering. Get in touch and let our paediatric dermatologists do the rest.
There are many different conditions found in children that are not found in adults and many that are. Treatments might vary depending on the age of a patient so seeing an expert in childrens skin disease is important.
Common conditions that we see in children include scabies, eczema, psoriasis, vitiligo, acne, warts, molluscum and birthmarks.
Examples of some of these conditions are shown above with further information on the treatment of eczema, psoriasis, scabies, warts and acne available by clicking.
Did you know?
Accreditations & Awards


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Will it be Gravity or 12 Years a Slave? We keep looking for clarity, but this year's award season is not forthcoming.
The BAFTA awards — think of them as the British Oscars — are considered a major Academy Award indicators, and this year 12 Years a Slave won Best Film. But … Gravity claimed the award for "Outstanding British Film" (since it was mostly produced there.)
So there.
Exactly what makes Gravity — from a Mexican director and writer, featuring two American stars — a British film is the source of much jest at the moment, but whatever the justification, it claimed one of two feature filmmaking prizes from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. It also won Best Director for Alfonso Cuaron, among four others: Original Score, Sound, Visual Effects and Cinematography.
12 Years a Slave was mostly shut out, but collected Best Actor for Chiwetel Ejiofor (Oscar frontrunner Matthew McConaughey wasn't nominated) and then — at the last moment — seized the top prize — a repeat of what happened at the Golden Globes. (Meanwhile, the chatter that Leonardo DiCaprio is the stealth frontrunner for Best Actor has evaporated. I suspected that was just spin and/or wishful thinking anyway, and here he had a chance to win a BAFTA with the McConaissance ensconced elsewhere, and didn't.)
Overall, it was a hard night for 12 Years, until that last minute reprieve. Even Lupita Nyong'o, the newcomer who claimed the SAG Award for supporting actress, along with the Broadcast Film Critics honor and a host of other critics group prizes, fell short for the first time since the Globes — with American Hustle's Jennifer Lawrence victorious this time.
What does all this mean for the Oscars? Basically, what we already knew: Best Picture will be a very close race between Gravity and 12 Years a Slave. The two tied at the Producers Guild Awards, another excellent Oscar bellwether, and I would argue that the BAFTAs turned out to be another split decision.
Giving Gravity the award for "Outstanding British Film" gave BAFTA voters a chance to cast ballots for both movies, handing the overall Best Film award to 12 Years a Slave. We can only speculate how things might have turned out if Gravity had competed in only one category, but the dual opportunities to vote for it eliminated any Sophie's Choice-ing that might have had to occur.
At the Oscars, unlike most other awards events, they don't just give the prize to the film that tallies the most No. 1 votes. If a majority of the Academy doesn't side with one film in that first round, the accountants at PricewaterhouseCoopers start tabulating No. 2 votes, then No. 3, and so on.
On the surface, this is a disadvantage to a challenging, disturbing, or divisive film, which may have many passionate supporters but also a fair number of detractors (or those who are too intimidated to see it.) And it favors any movie that has more broad appeal, is inoffensive, and ranks fairly high on voters' lists even if it isn't their top pick.
My theory: if you count only No. 1 ballots, 12 Years a Slave would win — narrowly. But Gravity will close the gap with those runner-up votes.
When I talked to Academy voters this week, I found many who assumed 12 Years a Slave would win, even though they and others they knew were voting for Gravity. I only occasionally hit a 12 Years voter — which surprised me. The rest were leading mainly with American Hustle, and in some cases Nebraska, or Her. (I'm still not picking up many enthusiasts for The Wolf of Wall Street, but this isn't a scientific way to survey.) For those who weren't choosing either as their favorite, Gravity tended to rank higher than 12 Years in the lower tiers.
All this gives me a stomachache. My gut tells me 12 Years will win — it is emotionally powerful, and focuses on a meaningful chapter of history in an uncompromising way, renewing interest in an American hero who had been lost for ages to everyone except academics. But what I'm hearing from anecdotal samples of voters — and picking the brains of strategists who do the same — suggests that the Academy has deep respect for 12 Years, but they love Gravity.
What we see from BAFTA is that, given the option, voters will pick both.
Only a few hundred BAFTA voters cross over with the Academy, so we shouldn't overstate their influence. Last year, when Amour's Emmanuelle Riva won Best Actress, there was a panic among Oscar journalists, and many began shifting their picks away from the previous favorite, Silver Linings Playbook's Jennifer Lawrence. Remember how that turned out?
This year, Lawrence was the beneficiary — winning supporting actress over perceived frontrunner Lupita Nyong'o.
Bad tidings for Nyong'o? Ask Riva. I still think Nyong'o's searing, indomitable performance as the field slave Patsey will be the victor on Oscar night, but I also don't think she's as far ahead as we may have thought.
The BAFTAs are tricky — they do well when its an easy call, but when things are close they can't be counted on. This was the group that gave Best Film to Brokeback Mountain — a worthy choice that looks very wise now — but then Crash went on to win the Oscar.
In recent years they got Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker, The King's Speech, The Artist, and Argo correct — but who didn't? The only one of those that was at all a question, arguably, was The King's Speech. Before that, the BAFTAs had a long streak of choosing "wrong" (at least as far as matching the Oscars), honoring Atonement (instead of No Country For Old Men), The Queen (instead of The Departed), and in the two closest races of the past decade: Brokeback Mountain (instead of Crash), and The Aviator (instead of Million Dollar Baby.)
The two groups share some members, but nowhere near the same point of view.
For more Oscar news:


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13-18 January 2020
Check out this years' poster here:
We at the Taranaki Classical Guitar Summer School are very excited to invite you back to Taranaki, New Zealand for another plucking good time with mentors, colleagues and friends (or people who are about to become your new friends).
This not for profit family-friendly event celebrates the classical guitar community of New Zealand by creating a central place of learning in New Zealand. The Taranaki Classical Guitar Summer School is jam packed with workshops, masterclasses and ensembles designed to improve both your guitar playing and appreciation. This week is perfect for any guitarist from a Grade 2 level of playing and up, and is not suitable for the absolute beginner.
In addition to teaching, the beautiful New Plymouth will come alive to the sounds of a diverse line-up of entertainment featuring the best of the national and international classical guitar.


text: I accidentally placed the California small HOV sticker on my front bumper instead of my rear bumper. Any tips on how to remove it from the front bumper? It's my understanding that it is designed so that when you take it off, you can't take it off in one piece so I'll call the DMV tomorrow to get another one, but in the meantime, anyone know what's the best way to remove the sticker from the front bumper?