text:
News | E‑news | Brochures | Blog | Contact us
Dr Macmillan says...
Some of the cycling routes were fairly busy roads, so couldn't stop easily for photos or views. Understand the routes were to get to interesting places, ...
Read reviews »
This ten-night, self-guided cycling holiday provides a wonderful introduction to Sicily's south-east, a part of the island renowned for its beautiful, unspoilt coastline, spectacular Baroque architecture and sumptuous regional cuisine.
Your journey takes you along a mix of inland and coastal routes, starting amidst the Baroque splendour of Ragusa and Modica and ending in stunning Siracusa on the east coast. You'll cycle through lush valleys filled with olive trees, almond groves, vineyards and citrus orchards and patchwork puzzles of dry-stone-wall farms, as you cycle between UNESCO World Heritage Sites rebuilt in the typical late Baroque style after the famous 1693 earthquake. You'll take in plenty of Inspector Montalbano country - a treat for fans of the fictional detective series - including Scicli with its atmospheric streets and hilltop mausoleum and the charming fishing villages of Punta Secca and Sampieri. Following the scenic Mediterranean Route cycleway you'll head towards the sea, taking in sublime coastline punctuated by golden sandy beaches and picturesque fishing villages such as Portopalo di Capo Passero and pretty Marzamemi with its Arabic history. After passing through Nero D'Avola wine country your holiday finishes in beautiful Siracusa, an ancient Greek city whose 'historical heart' is the island of Ortigia, accessed by a bridge from the mainland. Ortigia's grand squares, narrow mediaeval streets and romantic palaces and castles are a delight to behold.
You'll stay in a wonderful mix of accommodation including a lovingly restored, hillside masseria surrounded by olive trees, a charming villa hotel boasting fabulous views over Noto from its outdoor pool and terrace, a minimalist design hotel in the centre of bustling Portopalo and a luxury ***** hotel set in acres of grounds, complete with two golf courses. Given the wonderful local cuisine on offer, including such Sicilian specialities as Pasta alla Norma and Pasta con le Sarde, we've included six evening meals on this holiday, leaving you free to dine out on the remaining nights.
Arrive at your luxury **** hotel in Ragusa. (Staying at the De Stefano Palace, Half Board)
You have two excellent choices today. We strongly recommend spending time in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ragusa Ibla - the simply stunning old town of Ragusa - rebuilt in 1693 after a huge earthquake and full of enchanting Baroque architecture, along with a number of tempting cafes and restaurants for lunch. Follow your visit with an undulating cycle through a rich, fertile valley of cacti and pomegranate orchards before freewheeling into the centre of Modica Bassa (the lower part of Modica City). Today's longer option climbs above Modica, skirting Modica Alta (the upper part of the city), before passing quaint, dry-stone-wall farms as you weave your way to Cava d'Ispica - a verdant gorge full of thousands of caves and grottoes, stretching for 13 kilometres between Modica and Ispica! (Staying at the Ferro Hotel, Breakfast only)
Oft-referred to as the Baroque capital of Sicily, the atmospheric city of Modica sits in a dramatic setting, perched between limestone cliffs. This UNESCO-listed city is home to an impressive 29 churches including two grand Baroque cathedrals, along with charming narrow streets peppered with cafes, restaurants and a number of tempting chocolate shops! Modica's chocolate is one of the Ragusa area's most famous products and to this day it's still made to ancient Aztec methods. Make sure you sample some at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, the oldest chocolate factory in Sicily! (Staying at the Ferro Hotel, Breakfast only)
Start today with a feel-good freewheel through a valley rich in pomegranates, cacti and quaint little farmsteads, on your way to the unmissable little town of Scicli. Overlooked by an imposing rock on which sits the magnificent Church of San Matteo, Scicli, like the other towns in the area, has been totally rebuilt in a pure Sicilian Baroque style following the 1693 earthquake. Wander its atmospheric streets and you'll feel like you're on the set of Inspector Montalbano - Via Mormino Penna is where you'll find the fictional police station from the TV show! Be sure to check out the impressive, hilltop cemetery, just out of town, full of mausoleums and surrounded by magnificent pines and tall cypress trees. Your last stop of the day is the lively town of Santa Croce Camerina, which you'll reach after a scenic cycle through a verdant valley, rich in olive groves. Enjoy a well-deserved drink in one of the piazzas before your final stretch to the ***** Donnafugata Golf Resort, your home for the next two nights. (Staying at the Donnafugata Golf Resort, Half Board)
You could be forgiven for holing up in your luxurious hotel today, enjoying a dip in the pool, a relaxing spa or perhaps a round of golf. There are also a number of pristine beaches nearby (we're particularly fond of the small fishing village of Scoglitti). If you're itching to get out and explore, we recommend following a 19km circular route to the striking Castello di Donnafugata ('the castle of the fugitive woman'), which sits atop a hill overlooking the glistening Mediterranean. The castle allegedly derives its name from the imprisonment of Queen Blanche of Navarre in the C15, who refused the amorous attentions of Count Bernardo Cabrera and was subsequently locked in the castle! Take some time to explore the formal gardens, full of exotic and Mediterranean plants, perhaps enjoying a traditional Sicilian lunch in one of the restaurants. (Staying at the Donnafugata Golf Resort, Half Board)
The unspoilt coastline beckons and today you'll follow an idyllic route along the Mediterranean, taking in a number of charming coastal towns. A real highlight is the small, sun-kissed fishing village of Punta Secca - the home of Inspector Montalbano and the perfect place to stop for a leisurely lunch overlooking the village's powder-soft sands and striking lighthouse. Die-hard fans of the TV detective can even enjoy a drink in the bar opposite his fictional house! Marina di Ragusa, Cava d'Aliga and Sampieri (one of Ragusa's most picturesque fishing villages and another of Montalbano's favoured locations) all offer beautiful sandy beaches where you can stop and take the weight off today. (Staying at the Torre Dantona, Half Board)
Hugging the coastline again you head to Pozzallo this morning, home to no less than four Blue Flag beaches - why not stop for a morning coffee and dip your toes in the Ionian Sea? Cutting inland you'll cycle through pantani, a series of saltwater lagoons rich in birdlife such as mallards, flamingos, herons and storks, on your way to today's highlight - the Isola delle Correnti (the 'Island of Stream'). The southernmost point of Sicily's mainland, this isolated, seemingly adrift island is also the point at which the Ionian and Mediterranean seas meet. It's quite a sight to behold! (Staying at the Portopalo Suite, Breakfast only)
Today's cycle takes you to the beautiful old fishing village of Marzamemi - one of Sicily's prettiest - with its colourful wooden boats, fishermen's houses and charming buildings such as the Baroque church of San Francesco di Paola. Marzamemi became the centre of Sicily's tuna fishing industry under its Arab influence and it keeps the tradition alive today, using artisanal fishing methods to produce a number of delicacies including canned tuna, smoked swordfish and marinated anchovies! Making your way to Noto you'll head inland on a virtually traffic-free road that winds its way through olive groves, vineyards, almond trees, sugar cane and beautifully perfumed citrus orchards - idyllic surroundings for a picnic lunch. (Staying at the Villa Favorita, Half Board)
Your hotel is located in a lovely courtyard setting with an outdoor pool and superb views over Noto. If you can tear yourself away from the **** luxury, you could cycle to the nearby seaside resort of Lido di Noto for a lazy day on the beach, or opt for our recommended cycle ride into atmospheric Noto itself. Perhaps the most beautiful of all the cities you visit on this holiday, Noto's current centre was rebuilt after the C17 earthquake and is considered a Baroque masterpiece as well as being an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander down the Corso Vittorio Emmanuele, overlooked by Noto's elegant cathedral, and explore the side streets filled with an array of fine architecture and cafes serving delicious local treats such as the savoury arancini and sweet cannoli. (Staying at the Villa Favorita, Half Board)
What a final day! You'll follow the coast to the stunning city of Siracusa, built on an ancient Greek settlement and boasting a treasure trove of temples, amphitheatres and an ancient castle. On the way you'll cycle through Avola - home of the famous Nero D'Avola red wine grape. You'll also enjoy views of the majestic Mount Etna, and discover Plemmirio, an important area for flora and fauna and whose waters are home to a number of species including tuna, sea urchins, dolphins and sperm whales. After passing the Murro di Porco Cape, a striking landmark in the 1943 Conquest of Sicily, a final stretch takes you along the Bay of Siracusa and into the city itself. (Staying at the Grand Albergo Alfeo, Breakfast only)
Transfer back to Catania airport, or maybe spend extra nights in the island's second city.
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking. If you'd like to keep your bikes with you for any extra nights we can arrange this for you for just £25 per adult per day.
To find out more call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347, use our live webchat or email email@example.com
NEARBY:In the centre of 'new' Ragusa, the De Stefano Palace is a perfect example of Neo-Classical Baroque architecture. The C19 residence has been restored to its original elegance complete with original frescoes. All the rooms have a lovely modern touch with refined decor, which fits in with the historic building. The hotel has a small spa, and bar area. The sister hotel Villa Del Lauro has a swimming pool, which can be used by guests staying at the De Stefano Palace.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:A modern design hotel just 10 minutes from the centre of charming Baroque Modica, overlooking the old train station. The hotel building was once a hostel for railworkers but has now been turned into a very good comfortable hotel with large rooms and bathrooms.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
The Donnafugata Golf Resort & Spa is set in acres of parkland and pastures surrounded by two golf courses, this luxury resorts with its small block of rooms is an oasis in the countryside. It has a large spa, outdoor pool, piano room and wine bar. The rooms have all mod cons and are of a good size, the main public areas are housed in original farmhouse buildings giving a nice feel to the place.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
|Deluxe Room
|05/04/2018 - 31/10/2018
All prices shown above are valid from 11/11/2017. Supplements are per person per night based on two people sharing.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:The Torre Dantona dates back to 1882 and is an old farm building in the middle of olive groves. The old buildings have been lovingly restored to create a peaceful oasis just kilometres from the coast. The rooms have been created from the old stables and lie in a row of terraces, inside they have been tastefully decorated with a modern touch.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
|Superior Room
|Deluxe Room
|05/04/2018 - 31/10/2018
All prices shown above are valid from 23/03/2018. Supplements are per person per night based on two people sharing.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:This charming 10-room boutique hotel is located in the centre of Portopalo di Capo Passero. The rooms have been created to a high standard and have a modern quirky design. The hotel has used many environmental materials in the renovation of the old apartment block, and it has philosophy of mixing nature, culture and activity.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades are not available at this hotel.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:Villa Noto is an old grand villa on a hill looking over to the magnificent Baroque town of Noto. Once the grand house of an olive oil producer, it is now a grand hotel with its own pretty courtyard and lovely outdoor pool. The rooms retain an old elegance to them but have the right modern amenities to make your stay a comfortable one.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
|Superior Room
|05/04/2018 - 31/10/2018
All prices shown above are valid from 12/04/2018. Supplements are per person per night based on two people sharing.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
NEARBY:The Grand Albergo Alfeo, is a **** hotel which was once a bank. The hotel building has been restored to a high standard and the rooms are large and airy. The hotel is just 300m from the enchanting island of Ortigia, the beating heart of Siracusa.
Find out more on the hotel website and read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
|Executive Room
|05/04/2018 - 31/10/2018
All prices shown above are valid from 23/03/2018. Prices are per person per night based on two people sharing.
Please contact us for extra night prices.
Please call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to arrange flights and connecting transfers to your hotel.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don't edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Some of the cycling routes were fairly busy roads, so couldn't stop easily for photos or views. Understand the routes were to get to interesting places, which they did. Latter half of the holiday, the cycling was more enjoyable.
A big climb on the first day but after that pleasant undulations. No control of the weather but the rain is warm and bikes were well up to cycling through lying water. Hotel greeted us with plenty of extra towels to help with the drying out! The sun shone most of the time.
The cycling routes were excellent on the whole, though the frequency with which we passed through large areas of plastic covered tomato fields spoiled the views somewhat. The local cycling rep was on holiday when we arrived and another rep, Filippo, had had to travel down from Palermo to Ragusa. Filippo was helpful but his English was poor. He did however manage to change our return journey to Catania from Syracuse, so that we travelled to a hotel in Catania rather than the airport.
Attractive baroque towns and some lovely hotels
Excellent, but a couple of mistakes on instructions this time. At Villa Favorita the food needs to be sorted out. Truly poor. Noticed that the owner does not eat the same food as the guests- this speaks volumes. The staff were pleasant and they were very helpful, but the evening meals were inedible. The pasta with tomatoes - which anyone can cook was ruined by the addition of vast amounts of sugar!@! Tuna turned to rubber, and they only had 4 of us to feed that night. Quite the most dreadful meal in 9 trips with Headwater.
Meal at Torre Dantona was brilliant as was their breakfast.
Must just thank Sonia at the Portapalo suites. What a lovely lady. Best breakfast of the trip, and so warm and friendly. The rooms were extremely clean too.
This was the very best cycling holiday we have had. Sicily was a fantastic venue with lots to wonder at.
Good mix of cycling and days off sightseeing around lovely Baroque towns-some of which feature in Montalbano.
We liked eating out in restaurants where we could eat typically Sicilian food.
Accommodation generally very good.
We went at the end of May which was hot enough during the day,especially when cycling, with much cooler evenings.
We are both fit and keen cyclists and enjoyed covering quite a large area in one trip.
The weather in late April was superb, most days 25 degrees with some windy rides which could prove to be tough going. It was a very varied trip with cultural interest in most of the destinations along with coastal scenic views mixed with agricultural landscapes. The wild flowers were in bloom but Sicilians have a habit of dumping roadside litter, which was a bit ugly at times. Montalbano was filming on location at Punta Secca, which was a stunning seaside location.
A lot of the absolute seaside bars and restaurants were seasonally closed in late April, so would advise to take picnics and pre purchase drinks before you set off.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday. Find out about The Headwater Price Promise to ensure you're getting the very best value for money.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
|Sep 2018
|Tour only
|20th Sep
|Check availability
|27th Sep
|Check availability
|Oct 2018
|Tour only
|4th Oct
|Check availability
|11th Oct
|Check availability
|18th Oct
|Check availability
The prices quoted for each individual departure supercede those published in our current brochures. Air prices are subject to change and we advise early booking to obtain the best prices. Please see our Planning your holiday and What's included in the price? pages for additional information.
Minimum group sizes
No minimum group size, however transfers are subject to at least 2 people (in total) booked on each departure.
This holiday is unsuitable for children.
Holiday type
Self-guided cycling Managed locally by Headwater appointed agent.
Selected Thursdays from 20th Sep 2018 to 18th Oct 2018, for 10 nights.
All continental breakfasts and 6 evening meals
Electric bikes
It is possible to hire electric bikes for this holiday at a supplement of £200 per person. As these are available on a first come first served basis, we recommend early booking to avoid disappointment. Please call us for further details.
Tour only
Transfers included from Catania airport at 11:30, and back to Catania airport at 18:30.
For further details, or to check availability, speak to our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form (we'll contact you at a time that's most convenient for you).
To enquire about this holiday, or for further information, call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 or complete our holiday enquiry form.
Due to the tailor-made nature of our holidays, we need a little more information in order for us to check availability for A Taste of Sicily Cycling. Simply complete the form below and a member of our sales team will contact you (when it's most convenient for you) to provide availability information, travel options and an accurate price. Of course there's no obligation, but if you do wish to proceed with a booking they will be on-hand to assist you throughout the process.
Alternatively, you can call our sales team on 1-800-267-3347 to discuss your requirements in more detail.
We've been creating high-quality relaxed activity holidays since 1985 and our wealth of experience means we're able to build the perfect tailor-made tour for you. Our 'Gold Trusted' rating on Feefo, the independent review site, underlines our exceptional levels of customer service, and our ATOL bonding and ABTA membership guarantees your holiday is safe with us.


text:
Our Story
(The following story was written in 2004 in response to a request for a book that was to be published. It has been included in Help for Hurting Families by Russ Fox and Widow's Might by Keith Blake)
In 1978, I entered Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri, for my freshman year. I knew that God wanted me in the ministry, and I was very serious about getting into the ministry as soon as I could. I had dated a number of girls through high school, but things were different when I got to Bible college. Preparing for ministry gave me a whole new perspective on dating.
One night during devotions in our dorm, a speaker made a statement that I have never forgotten, though I don't remember who he was or the topic he was sharing. "When looking for a wife," he said, "look for the young lady that is already preparing herself to be the best she can be for Christ. That's the kind of girl that will make the best wife for a life together in ministry."
That statement brought to my mind a girl I had met on the first day of classes. Melanie Evans was from Texas, and though it seemed that all the freshmen were a little anxious about the whole college thing, I noticed that she was different. She was meeting people, putting them at ease with her smile and pleasant Texas accent. Then I saw her at the church I was visiting, again doing the same thing, making people welcome, even though she was new to the church as well.
Twenty-one months later, we were married, and on our way to what was intended to be a summer job at my home church in Titusville, Florida. The summer job turned into a full time position, and we loved it! A year and half later, in February of 1982, our son, Benjamin, was born. Mel had some back pain during the pregnancy, and after delivery we began taking her to a chiropractor, but the pain didn't subside. On our vacation that summer, we went back to her hometown, where she visited her family doctor and then a specialist, who gave us the dreaded news – cancer -a rare form, a tumor inside of her spinal cord.
Surgery was quickly arranged, followed by chemo and radiation. Melanie and the baby stayed in Texas for those follow up treatments while I returned to Florida. When she came home, she was walking with a cane, the result of a loss of feeling in her leg and foot from the surgery, which did irreparable damage to the spinal cord.
Two years later, we had moved to her hometown where I was serving as youth pastor in Mel's home church. Melanie gave birth to our second son, Shadrach, who was born with a heart defect known as a VSD. Six weeks after Shad was born, Melanie's neurosurgeon gave us the news that the tumor was back in her spinal cord. He made arrangements for her to go to New York City, where Melanie stayed for four and a half months. The surgery had caused her to lose the use of both her legs, and Melanie was to face life in a wheelchair.
It was during this time that Melanie sat me down for the first time to tell me about a specific meeting she had had with the Lord. She was not asking what I thought, or asking me to pray about something, but telling me what she and her Friend had come to an agreement about. "I have asked the Lord to let me live long enough to see Ben and Shad be able to take care of themselves. They need to be able to dress and feed themselves, and even take care of some of things to help you around the house. The Lord has let me know that He will let me live long enough to see that happen."
I did not want to hear about that conversation. Nothing like that had even entered my mind, and I scolded her for letting it enter hers. Boy was that the wrong thing to do!
I must stop the narrative here to say that during that time, Melanie's outlook was amazing through both surgeries. Her confidence was completely in the Lord. We didn't cry about her condition. Where I should have been comforting her, her walk with the Lord and her simple trust in the One who gives us our very breath gave me comfort. Looking back on it now, that was probably the first time in my life that I experienced the "peace that passes all understanding" because of the supernatural grace of God. It was all new ground in our walk with the Lord. As twenty-four year olds, we didn't have much experience with the kinds of realities we had been facing. But our God was experienced in helping His children, and His love and care for us never diminished.
One incident of God's care for us stands out in my mind from the Christmas after Melanie came home from the NY hospital in September. Obviously things had been tight financially that year. New baby with a heart problem, trips to New York City for Melanie and a couple of times for me, all the things Melanie needed now for a life in a wheelchair – all had taken their toll our youth pastor's salary. We had agreed that Christmas presents would be very modest, and mostly things for Ben and Shad. Late one Wednesday evening after church, a bearded man knocked on our door and introduced himself as the pastor of a small, rural church from a town nearby that I had never even heard of. He then handed me a check and told me that someone in his church had heard about us, and that the Lord impressed upon his church that evening to bring us an offering. I understand that God's care for us is far greater than our finances, but God couldn't have proven in any greater way His care for us that night if he had sent an angel with a bucketful of gold!
Shad had open heart surgery in June of 1985, when he was sixteen months old. Melanie and I knew that he was in the Lord's hands, and His grace sustained us. Shad's surgery was a success, and that little baby is now 19, played basketball and football in high school, and is healthy as a horse!
We moved to Winter Haven, Florida, and life was great! Our ministry was flourishing. Melanie was so comfortable with her life in the chair that, while she didn't drive, she could roll down the sidewalks in our neighborhood, and send her little preschool boys to knock on the doors to welcome folks to the neighborhood, delivering homemade cookies and inviting folks to church. A number of families were touched by her efforts, and came to our church, and eventually trusted Christ as their Savior.
We were experiencing the grace of God every day. Melanie had lost control of her bladder early on, and while we were in Winter Haven, we changed a lot of adult diapers and bed sheets as well. She was so independent, that she cried from time to time when I had to help her with those things. God taught me some lessons through those days. One of the biggest was that it was a privilege for me to do those things for her. I never thought of it as "me taking care of her." It was "we are taking care of each other."
In August of 1990, we discovered a lump in Melanie's side. We went to the doctor, who cut it out in his office, pronounced that it was nothing, but he would send it out for pathology reports anyway. It came back as another tumor, and we were sent to the Tampa for further examination. During this time I was called as pastor of a small church, Park Street Baptist, in Saint Petersburg, FL. After the church called us to come, but before we moved to St. Pete, we got devastating news: Melanie had numerous tumors in both lungs, and the tumor in her spinal cord was back, but growing upwards toward the brain stem rather than downward, as it had the two times before. Melanie was going to die. The doctor's gave her a year.
I will never forget the hour's drive back from Tampa. I couldn't talk. Tears flowed all the way home.
I called the men of Park Street and gave them the news, and told them that we would understand if they wanted to call another pastor. They still wanted us to come. As we prayed about what to do, Melanie said, "God knew about this when He led us to the church." That was it. We moved to Saint Pete.
Melanie only got to attend one service at the church after we moved there during the last week of December, 1990. She was either in the Moffit Cancer Center in Tampa, or at home in a hospital bed for the next five months. She quickly lost the use of her hands and began to lose other functions as well. The seizures were the most difficult for all of us to endure. Her mom and mine alternated staying with us for a month at a time. God was preparing us all.
Melanie and I began our own grief process during this time. She talked about dying and I didn't want to hear it. God was still able to heal her. She knew that wasn't His plan, and I guess deep down, while I didn't admit it, I knew it, too. She talked about us, the boys, and her dreams for them. She even made a video for Ben and Shad, telling them about when they were born, and how much she loved them, and that she wanted their lives to count for the Lord. Those last few weeks, Melanie began to tell me I would need to get married again, that Ben and Shad would need a mom. I resisted this talk completely, but she kept telling me anyway. Looking back, it was an amazing act of grace for her to release me in that way.
The Saturday before Mother's Day, 1991, Melanie's mom and dad took the boys, who were now 9 and 7 years old, to see their mom in the hospital. They took her things that that had made for her for Mother's Day. It was a sweet time for them, and they came back home with Melanie's mom, while her dad stayed the night with her.
Mother's Day started for me with a phone call just before 7 a.m. Melanie had gone home to be with the Lord. I cried when I got then news. I didn't know how I would tell Ben and Shad, so I said a little prayer, then woke them up to sit with me on my bed. All I can say is that God's grace once again was sufficient. "Today is Mother's Day," I told them. "Mom has gotten the best Mother's Day present ever. She got to go to heaven." I can still see their faces, at first puzzled, then understanding. We cried a little together, and I answered their questions the best I could. They seemed satisfied with my answers.
I preached Melanie's funeral two days later. Again, the grace of God was manifested in both my private times with him and through the love of family and friends. An evangelist who had also lost his wife took me aside one day and gave me some worthwhile advice. It was a divine appointment. He told me some things to do to help with my grief and with the boy's grief as well.
"Go to all the places that were special to you both, and tell the boys all about it." We did exactly that and it was so bittersweet. We laughed on that trip and we cried a little, too.
The other thing he warned me was that there would come a time when the Lord would take the hurt away and loneliness would set in like a cloud. He said that when it did, I should wait through the next set of holidays (Thanksgiving through New Year's) before I did anything about it, because that is prime time to find out if there are any "ghosts" left to deal with.
My friend was right, and God took the hurt away. And loneliness did take a powerful grip on me. But, once again the Lord proved in my life the truth of His word:
2 Cor. 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
The holidays came and went and it was obvious that Ben and Shad were adjusting amazingly well. God's grace had been wonderfully realized in their lives as we as mine. I waited for the right time, and we sat down, my 8 and 10 year old boys and I, and had a conversation that went something like this. Holding my breath, I asked, "Boys, what would you think if started looking for you guys a new mom?"
"Of course, Dad, we knew you were going to do that." "How'd you know that?"
"Mom told us you would." This was unbelievable to me, and it took me totally by surprise. Ben said it as if I should have known that this was what I was expected to do, just as they expected me to take them to school each morning, or prepare dinner each evening. So I asked them to explain.
"Remember the times when mom was at home in the hospital bed and you'd go to work, and it would just be the three of us? As soon as you left she would call us to climb up onto her bed, and she would tell us that God had chosen her to be our first mom, to give birth to us and to teach us some very important things. And she told us that, after she went to heaven, that you would find our second mom, that God had made her special for us, too, and that she would be just as much God' s choice to be our mom as mom was, and we are supposed to love her and take care of her just the way we had taken care of mom."
I had no idea these conversations had ever taken place. What wonderful grace the Lord had extended to Melanie during those last days! What might be an even greater miracle is that my young boys understood what she had taught them and took it to heart, so much so that living it was as natural as breathing to them.
Here's what I mean. A friend told me about a single young lady school teacher who was serving the Lord faithfully in her dad's church. Being a pastor, I thought that a pastor's daughter might understand the ministry and be able to adapt to life as a mother and a pastor's wife. Being a teacher, I reasoned, she probably is good with kids as well.
I called Jana Adams on the 25th of March, and the Lord knit our hearts in such an awesome way that when we met face to face (she was living 1200 miles from where I was) just a few weeks later, we had talked so much on the phone that it was like meeting an old friend. Oh, she was nervous, and so was I, but it was obvious that the Lord was doing a great thing in our hearts. We talked and walked and prayed together. I spent the next couple of days telling her about all the bad things I had ever done so she wouldn't ever have any surprises. After Jana had met my boys and my folks, I asked her to marry me on the porch swing. Even though we had only been in each other's physical presence for just a couple of days, we knew what the Lord was doing. After getting the approval of both of our parents and the blessing of Melanie's mom and dad (without any of their approval, we would have waited), Jana and I were married on May 22nd.
Immediately, the boys began calling Jana "Mom." We never told them to do so. It just seemed that the Lord had answered Melanie's prayer. Jana is amazing! She took those boys and has loved them so. As of this writing, Ben and Shad are 21 and 19 respectively, and they have never called her their "step mom." We had our times of difficulty, just as any family does, but there was never a time when "You're not my mother" or "Dennis, do something with your boys" or any variation of that theme was ever spoken in our home.
Jana's godly influence is evident in all three of our lives. She has taught us to pray about everything, things like lost keys and broken hearts. She continued to teach the boys to fall in love with Christ, to read His word, and to serve Him faithfully. And both boys still would rather talk to mom rather than dad about matters of the heart.
When I think back to where God has led me and what he has done in my life, I am amazed. Jana is an exciting, beautiful, wonderful mate! We didn't see God's plan unfolding all at once in our lives, but God has been faithful to make His will the best place for us to live.
God has given me a down payment on a truth that will be fully realized when I join Him in eternity:
Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Over the years, Jana and I have come to realize what the Lord meant when He said:
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. [5] Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Business Marketing
Salesforce.com is company website that aims to provide solution for those business who wants to upgrade their marketing strategy into new level.
Post Grad
6 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid Of The Freelance Life
Finding a job post grad can be difficult. For millennials, it can be even harder to land that "dream job."
Post Grad
How to Adjust To A Full-Time Work Schedule
After my first job, it took me forever to get adjusted to a full-time work schedule.I was working at a talent agency and I started at 8AM and sometimes didn't leave until after 8PM.
Career Fashion Post Grad
8 Things to Pack the Perfect Work Bag
If you follow me on YouTube you know that my most popular video is about How to Pack the Perfect Work Bag. So today I wanted to expand a little more on the subject. Packing the proper items in your work bag can set up your whole day to either be very productive or very stressful. Seriously there is nothing worse than forgetting your phone charger at home.
What's In My Suitcase?
Everyone is always asking about my travel essentials, and sometimes it varies from trip to trip.I've been on the road for two weeks this time around – and each stop has been on the east coast with somewhat warm or rainy weather. My travel essentials really depend on the purpose of the trip – this trip was for business but we had some downtime, some vacation time, and some friend time wrapped into it.
I Am My Own Boss. How I Manage Myself.
I'm often asked how I manage myself as a CEO and Entrepreneur. Here are the ways that I manage myself and make sure I get things done:
Post Grad
6 Pieces of Advice for Students Attending or Considering Grad School
Over the past few weeks, we've published a few different blogs related to the grad school experience. Last week, we posted How Should You Decide Where to Go to Grad School?And a few weeks back we posted a blog called; Grad School: Should I Go Now or Wait.
How I Hustle…
Everyone always asks, "how do you do what you do?"I thought about that question this morning and tried to breakdown exactly how I do what I do and how I make things happen.
When to Decline the Job Offer
In a tough economy and as a recent graduate, you may be tempted to accept the first job offer you get — even if you sense it may be a bad fit.Although you may feel excited and lucky that you were offered a position, there are times when it is better to say no.


text:
Alfred Station Restaurants
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain - Advertise your foodie place for free in the town of Alfred Station.
Alfred Station, NY has one of the widest choices of restaurants, of a region its size, in the whole of the United States. Just about half of the restaurants in Alfred Station are full-service restaurants with 75% of the others offering some degree of assistance. The additional restaurants inAlfred Station are predominantly drinking places and caterers that present selected in-house foodstuff.
Full-service restaurants in Alfred Station have a tendency to recommend a number of menu kinds, together with appetizers, salads, side orders, desserts, and beverages, with quite a few choices contained by each kind. Chefs and cooks will make ready the items to buy, starting from grilling a hamburger to invent an additional intricate and erudite menu item. Waiters and waitresses proffer table service in comfy surroundings. Regulars increasingly like dining at mid-size or children friendly restaurants, typically run by a large franchise. Contrastingly, clients at the top Alfred Station dining places tend to seek out a fine tone with proficiently prepared cuisine and relaxing, professional service. Although franchises are a valuable portion of the restaurant trade, many clients in Alfred Station have a preference for dining in unchained owned as well as locally operated restaurants.
The most common form of a limited-service restaurant in Alfred Station, NY is a franchised firm of a nationwide restaurant group selling fast food. Like every else, these restaurants in Alfred Station includes a set menu, the nonexistence of waitresses and waiters and an stress on spotlessness and a professional service. Menu choices will present limited variety and are made ready by people with negligible cooking or food-handling skills. Foodstuff typically is served in disposable take-out cartons that retain the food's warmth, allowing restaurants to prime orders in advance of customers' needs. A mounting number of fast-food restaurants in Alfred Station, NY are now providing drive-through and walk-up services.
Restaurants are the most extensive and familiar industry in the United States. The greatest restaurants, especially the finest restaurants in Alfred Station, NY propose
- Freshly prepared food focused on local favourites
- Menu choices with the intention of suiting each person in the family
- Competent and motivated staff that smile!
- Hygiene
- Each and every one of the above at a reasonable price!
Inhabitants of Alfred Station are renowned for liking restaurants with the intention of offering something that alternative restaurants do not possess and they like restaurants where the staff working in attendance sincerely like what they are doing.
People in Alfred Station are looking for restaurants with the purpose of making you feel great subsequent to eating there.
The clientele attracted to restaurants in Alfred Station diverge according to numerous factors, including the style of food delivered, prices, position and the market sector the restaurant is targeted at.
To attract clients in Alfred Station, NY you be obliged to focus on
- High-earning individuals or families with a considerable quantity of disposable earnings however not enough period in which to expend it. This patron unit includes the developing number of solo householders, as well as dual-earnings household groups.
- Business people on cost accounts to boost lunchtime business as well as evening meals. The importance of this market often tends to go along the wider fluctuations in regional companies.
- Holidaymakers are vital for loads of restaurants in the area. Bear in mind that visitor numbers to Alfred Station come and go according to the seasons, and winter, in particular, may possibly see poorer trading.
- Kids. The affect of family has formed a hefty market set that impacts on family choice for meals. This has been cheerfully chosen by the sizeable conglomerates who, led by the burger chains, target kids through their marketing.
- Grazers. As lifestyles have changed, the customary 3 meals a day have been replaced by a propensity to graze or eat on the hoof. Convenience plays a large amount in this group's choice of venue.
- The emergence of a sizeable ensemble of retired populace with a higher level of disposable income and improved leisure time. Study indicates that this group tends to eat out during the day as a leisure pursuit.
- Working women. Married women undertake more than 60% of all household errands, subsequently easy access to meals is welcomed as one fewer task to undertake. Cost tends to be an important issue affecting the choice of this company, along with the excellence of the food.
If you are starting a restaurant in Alfred Station, NY you should
- Ascertain the superlative site in order to pull towards you footfall. Unless you are planning to rely by word alone and shape your business over a very time-consuming period, locality will play a crucial component in the eventual triumph of your establishment.
- Settle into your routine (and make sure your workforce are relaxed with their jobs!) and then invite reviewers from the Alfred Station media to carry out a restaurant assessment - a superior assessment is liable to boost regional awareness in your company.
- Make absolutely you are listed in resident food and restaurant handbooks. This will involve enrolling with the Alfred Station holiday handbooks and this will also rally round folk from outside of the immediate locale.
- Publicize in newspapers perused by your intended listeners. Alfred Stationbusiness magazines and newspapers commonly proffer sensibly priced marketing space.
- Stand out from your competitors by choosing an special illustration or theme and applying it to your furnishings, workforce uniforms, crockery and cutlery, and menus.
- Advertise several audiences depending on the time of the day or season of the year. Both daytime and evening menus might be provided, with on a daily basis exclusives on hand to change the routine bill of fare.
- Use special offers to increase business during loose periods, with mid-afternoon discounts for students and elderly diners, and special kid's menus obtainable to catch the attention of families. Christmas is a significant point in time for most restaurants, because it offers the prospect to expand business through corporate parties and can be a preamble to your restaurant for likely new customers who could come back again all through the rest of the year.
As word-of-mouth public relations is of the utmost significance for Alfred Station restaurants, it is crucial that your consumer service should always be conscientious, timely and polite!
Alfred Station Restaurant Newsletter
Want to know more about restaurants and food establishments in the USA. Sign up to our newsletter now - don't be shy!


text:
Available ebook formats: epub mobi pdf rtf lrf pdb txt html
E.J. Stevens is the bestselling, award-winning author of the IVY GRANGER, PSYCHIC DETECTIVE urban fantasy series, the SPIRIT GUIDE young adult series, the HUNTERS' GUILD urban fantasy series, and the WHITECHAPEL PARANORMAL SOCIETY Victorian Gothic horror series. She is known for filling pages with quirky characters, bloodsucking vampires, psychotic faeries, and snarky, kick-butt heroines. Her novels are available worldwide in multiple languages.
BTS Red Carpet Award winner for Best Novel, Raven Award finalist for Best Urban Fantasy, SYAE finalist for Best Paranormal Series, Best Novella, and Best Horror, winner of the PRG Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Paranormal Fantasy Novel, Best Young Adult Paranormal Series, Best Urban Fantasy Novel, and finalist for Best Young Adult Paranormal Novel and Best Urban Fantasy Series.
When E.J. isn't at her writing desk, she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles. E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.
Connect with E.J. on Twitter @EJStevensAuthor. For more, including a list of her books, freebies, and upcoming events visit www.EJStevensAuthor.com.
Review by:
Kym Hare
on Aug. 02, 2011 :
Alrighty after spending a few days in bed sick and not been well enough to read or do anything I finally got to finish Spirit Storm. I am loving this series and Spirit Storm picks up perfectly where She Smells The Dead finished. I realised one of the reasons I am loving this series so much is because so far there are no messy love triangles, no I love you but can't be with you because I am too dangerous talk. Yuki and Cal are simply in love and nothing else matters, plus they have two awesome sidekicks in Emma and Simon.
Yuki is preparing herself for Samhain, a night where all the spirits are going to be coming to town and looking for her. Yuki is not ready for this and needs to find a way to survive. This is a task in itself but when one werewolf turns up dead and another goes missing the gang need to find out who is targeting the werewolves and put a stop to it. Danger and trouble is around every corner in this story and keeps you wanting more and more. The ending was gorgeous and now I just have to begin my not so patient wait until October.
(reviewed 64 days after purchase)


text:
Attention Parents! You are vital…
Rachel McCumber
I ran across the headline: "For LGBT teens, acceptance is critical." I have always been interested in the struggle of LGBT teens because I see many parallels with Aspies. They are differentiated by something that they are born with and yet many people see as a personal choice or failure – something they can control.
The basic message of the article was that regardless of how much bullying a LGBT teen might be subjected to the way the adults in there world respond to their sexuality has a greater affect on their mental health and self esteem. Family acceptance of LGBT youth predicts positive outcomes in mental health, self esteem
This does not surprise me. As much as teens put up a front of not caring about or needing the approval of adults, individually, they still look to adult world to get their bearings.
All Aspie parents, the story you are giving your Aspie teen is vital to how they will make it through the struggles of transitioning from child to adult.
Are you embarrassed of your child?
Are they "Too much to handle?"
Are they "broken"?
I have been learning that changing my story, my perspective has a huge impact on how my son views himself. Here are my personal keys:
* Daniel isn't flawed. His inability to fit into "norms" is neither good nor bad. It has benefits (a different view on the world) and challenges (communicating those views effectively). My job is to help him overcome the challenges and promote the benefits. I don't want to change him I want to teach him to be bi-lingual – speaking both his native language and NT language.
* Daniel doesn't need to be normal. He needs to learn to self-advocate effectively through learning to communicate with people who are different then him – don't we all.
* Different is good.
* Daniel's shadow side is no different then all of our shadow side and like all of us, Daniel must learn healthy ways to address his shadow side. Asperger's doesn't give him a free pass for hurtful behavior – it just makes it easier for all of us to see and help him address.
* Authenticity is a treasure – even if it presents in a package we didn't expect.
I realize, that Daniel's high functioning makes bridging the gap with the NT world easier. However, I believe that no matter what level of functioning a child/person can obtain, who they are individually is a good thing and they have something to offer – even if the challenges are great. I also believe that one of the many challenges as a special needs parent is sometimes my own perspective.
Courtesy of AspergerMom
To share your personal stories of how autism has affected your life, your family's struggles and triumphs, email them to firstname.lastname@example.com to have them shared here
Related Articles
It's not all pizza and fairy tales
The title is a shot John Lennon took at Paul McCartney, slamming him for being so optimistic. Sometimes I thin ..
Autism obsession: Hot Wheels & Storyland
Hot Wheels and Storyland. For two and half years, that's all we've heard from Howie. All he talks about a ..
"Community" and autism
The word community can mean many things. It can be the neighborhood in which you live. It can be the school ..


text:
Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred Auction
I went to the Mid Atlantic Thoroughbred auction the other day. I had never been and it was amazing! It was all you would expect from an auction where horses were going for the tens of thousand dollars. It had the podium where the auctioneers were doing there thing, the stage where the handlers would bring out the horses one by one and the spotters in the audience who would call back bids to the auctioneers. Two TV screens with the horses hip number and the ever rising dollar amount. Considering the amount of money changing hands it was a very relaxed atmosphere. I will chalk that up to racetrack people. They are their own breed and were a pretty friendly crowd. Everyone was nice from security to horse handlers. Might because in a crowd like that were everyone is wearing barn clothes and is just getting in from working at the farm you really cant tell who has the big bucks and who doesn't. As a result everyone gets treated like they could be the next person to bid a high dollar amount.
Mostly it was broodmares, almost all knocked up though there were a few broodmare prospects. The Damn of Declan's Moon was on sale and went for 62K but you could get a really nice horse in foal to a nice stallion for as little as 1k. A few never even sold. I wanted to take them all home with me. Especially the ones that didn't sell. Hell some broodmares went for less then the stud fees for the baby horses growing inside them. Then they brought out the weanlings! The cutest things ever. All feisty and adorable. Some clearly had not been handled much but my favorite a chestnut weanling colt who was raised by the University of Maryland clearly had manners. This guy was big for a weanling and my guess is that he will grow up to be a monster of a horse! His handler could see me eyeballing him and graciously posed for some pictures for me. He went for a respectable 7+K.
You have to be registered to bid so i was in the clear for accidentally buying a brood mare or baby horse. Which i found out when i got home that a friend of a friend did, accidentally bought a broodmare. However next year i might just go get one of my own. You can go out early several days and look at the horses. Trot them out, have a vet look at them whatever you need to do besides ride them. So i'm formulating a plan for getting one. Taking a few grand, making a long list of picks taking the trailer and seeing what happens. Yes the wheels are turning.
The days of winter
Stuff has been happening even things besides me bitching about the cold a tradition with me as soon as it gets below 40 on a regular basis. Interesting stuff, boring stuff and of course the daily grind stuff. Rep was hauled back up to New Bolton for his eyeball recheck and the results were giant big two thumbs up! He is healing great and that makes me very happy. My better half is happy too because hes been unmounted since Rep's eye took a turn for the worse right when they were of course really doing well cantering around and doing walk trot transitions and poles. In a couple weeks Rep can get back into work and begin to be brought back after his time off. We hauled him up in my brand new shinny trailer (woot!) Im so happy i bought it because it sure makes life easier. Let me tell you theres nothing like traveling with kids. Adorable as they are they are bottomless pits when it comes to food and they have to stop every 45 mins for potty breaks. Our trip was long but it was worth it.
A new horse came into the barn for training. Rigby! Hes a 10 year old OTTB. He's real easy to handle so far and went out on his first training ride with Sammy. Hes pretty out of shape as he's been sitting in a field for a while but hes real cute and i predict that hes gonna aces in no time flat. He's a high withered fella and after 3 saddles tries (his is still back at his old barn) we got the collegiate sr event saddle on him with a half pad. So now we have to geldings and two mares (pony Luna moved to a different barn on the property) My girls are very interested in the Rigster and have been making googley eyes at him over the fence. Well Jez has as Circe is a lesbian horse. For reals! Jez though is boy crazy and she thinks Rigby is handsome. Probably because hes an Argentinian OTTB and those Latin types all all swoon worthy.
The working student is really starting to shape up and shes been riding Circe (Jez is still on a break) She took her on a hack and rode her in a lesson the other day. It was fun to watch Circe be a lesson pony. She did really good, well the both did good. I'm looking forward to more time with the working student, she seems to fit right in with the team. Michelle's been giving Circe some time too which is great because the red-head needs to get back into shape. Id like to get her back to where she was before her feet exploded by the end of the winter. Totally an attainable goal. Circe prefers to ride outside shes not all that thrilled with the indoor right now because there are jumps in it for the winter and her brain can not comprehend WHY there are jumps in the indoor! They do not belong there! So on weather permitting days she rides outside and on bad weather days shes going to have to get over the whole jumps in the indoor thing. I'm sure she will, just in time for spring and they jumps to go back outside.
Spending all my money
When I make a decision, things happen. I don't mess around. I decided after the stress of trying to get Rep to New Bolton in an emergency situation without owning a trailer, that I needed to just go out and buy one. So I did. I am now the proud owner of a Featherlite 2 horse, straight load with a dressing room. Its a pretty awesome trailer. Its a couple years old but was barely used and its in amazing like new condition. My SUV though rated to pull it with one horse in it is having issues with the whole getting the hitch installed (Mercedes wtf!) As a result Sammy is going to get her hitch upgraded and then we can pull one horse locally or for emergencies until I can get a truck which will probably be in the spring because … I just spent all my money on a trailer!
The blahs
Circe got kicked and has a sore muscle and is off. Jez is still off from the mystery leg scrapes and her possible extensor tendon strain. She just finished her course of SMZs. Reps is getting his around the clock meds at home (every four hours, yo!) The only horse without issues in the barn right now is Luna, the pony. Its been cold as hell and I cant find my base layers that I packed away over the summer and I need more smart wool socks. I've been looking for excuses not to go to the barn cuz well winter… I hate it.
The good news is we have an official working student and shes great and I love her already.
Rep is home!
Rep is home. He came home last night. His eye is sutured shut and medications will be administered though a subpalpebral lavage. He will need meds every few hours for about a week. Sammy and I meet up today to coordinate schedules to make sure Rep is covered and gets his meds on schedule. He will go back to New Bolton in a couple weeks to get everything removed. Right now i'm just happy hes home and that the surgery to save his eye went really well. It is also mad crazy expensive. Sammy set up a GoFundMe so please pass it around to all your rich friends!
Friday night emergency
The vet was scheduled for a Friday at 1:30pm She was scheduled for Rep my trainers horse who has been battling any eye issue. The right eye has had issues for the last couple of years. Usually its controllable, this time not so much. The vet has been out several times trying to figure out why hes not getting better. Turns out along with his chronic problem Rep also has a strange bacterial infection that eye and the regular antibiotics were not fixing the problem. Add to that a new ulcer and day after day the eye got worse. On Friday the vet said he needed more specialized care and he needed it now! Then the race to get Rep to New Bolton began.
We don't have a trailer and a truck. Theres about 20 of them at my farm but on a Friday end of the day before a big show weekend we couldn't find much help at the farm. I started making calls going down the list trying to get us to New Bolton before 6pm about 1.5 hours away in PA. ( I'm in MD) My friend Stacy was able to hook me up with a rig. She's got a truck and uses her neighbors trailer and calls were made and we could borrow it. We raced to her house to hook everything up and pick up the rig. Talk about coming though, Stacy is a life saver! We hauled ass back to the barn and got ready to get on the road. Loaded up 2 kids, 1 dog, phone chargers, snacks from the vending machine all while getting Rep ready for travel and bringing in the other horses feeding them, etc. It was super chaotic but we got it all done and got on the road only 1 hour late. Which wouldn't have made us too late if we hadn't been given wrong info on the travel time. Turns out its a 2 hour ride to New Bolton.
We kept Stacy informed as to out progress though text and New Bolton in the loops as to out ETA. We got there with out incident. If you've never been to a horse hospital of this caliber let me tell you it's impressive. Super impressive. We pulled around and followed signs to emergency and finally saw someone walking among the many beautiful rows barns. "Can you tell us where emergency is" His response, "Are you the eye case? let me call the admitting nurse" and from there it was a whirlwind of activity. We signed in the horse, they unloaded him, weighed him on the scale next to the barn. We all got to come in and see him being examined in a horse sized exam room in a heated barn. It was a freezing 25 degrees outside. Rep was a trouper and Sammy was holding it together but i could tell she was distraught. The plan was try to save the eye. We had 3 options. Treat medically, treat surgically, take the eye out. All of course at much expense. After listening to the DR the decision was made to treat medically though the weekend, see what happened then go from there. The DR said not only did Rep have a ulcer, rare bacterial infection but it looked like a fungus as well. We all kissed Rep good bye, left him there with a flurry of doctors working on him and then took the long drive back home to MD only stopping to shovel food in our faces for 20 minutes like hungry wolves. I got home well after midnight.
Sat and Sun no change to Rep. He was comfortable but around the clock medications were not fixing him. Surgery began to be discussed yesterday and thats probably what will happen today. This is not going to be cheap, not by a long shot but he DR thinks this is the best way to go to save the eye. He can come home a day or two after surgery is done. Rep is an amazing horse, hes an event horse thats gone training, Sammy has had him since he was only 2 years old. He's the horse my better half rides. Hes a sweet guy with a lot of personality. I feel terrible this is happening to him and that Sammy has to go though this with him but i'm really hopeful he will get better and then its just figuring out how to pay for it all. Why wasn't i born with a trust fund!
This whole experience has taught me a lot though. Among a few other lessons is i need a trailer of my own.The stress of a sick horse and then having scramble to get a ride from him on a Friday evening was almost unbearable. A trailer is imperative. So thats what i'm doing, i'm buying a trailer. I've been looking at options all weekend. Never again will i be in a position to not be able to get the animals in my life i love where they need to be in an emergency. That will not happen again. Thank goodness for Stacy for stepping up and helping us get there or id be writing today about Rep having one eye.
Wordless Wednesday: New Pooch
Colder weather
Its getting colder so the ponies are coming inside some nights, though theres not a strict schedule were trying to give them as much turn out as possible. Weather permitting the are outside night time. The weather decides the turn out, not some arbitrary schedule. (which is awesome!) Soon it will be too cold for overnight turnout for but for now they are outside at night while we can. On cold nights though they know they come in and wait by the gate.
Fall horse maintenance
It was that time of year again, fall shots. I also had my vet float the girls teeth. My vet does a hand float and though i was thinking id use a dentist this time around seems "horse dentist" in this area is synonymous with "never return voice mails" Since my vet does a bang up job and she was out for shots anyways i decided to go with her. Jez did almost all of her float with no sedation, we only had to use a little bit to get the way far back. Seems my girl has a narrow but highly arched palette. Which might facilitate a bit change for her in the future, well see how she goes over the next couple of weeks.
Circe needed more work and we didn't even attempt to do her with out being dosed. I had had her teeth done soon after i got her and at that time my previous vet thought maybe her teeth had never been floated. We did what we could at the time with an eye toward she would need to be done probably sooner then later. Skip ahead a year and yeah she needed a lot of work again. I don't know if she just has fast growth or not. Her front teeth, yanno the cribbing teeth, were in much better shape then my vet expected. Thats good news cuz when crib face is an old lady horse you know i'll be mixing her up a mash to eat with her toothless mouth.The longer i can put that off the better. We'll check her again at spring shots and maybe she will get a second float in 6 months. She was good for the float but only because she was drugged. Her tail was flapping like an angry beast. Her pet girl held her lead rope the whole time so Circe knew she was safe and in good hands.
Both girls got their shots including the botulism shot cuz round bales will be fed here. Side note the girls still have grass in their field so the longer we can wait on the round bales the better for everyone. Both girls got the day off and sent out into the paddock after their vet visit. It was unusually warm for this time of year with the low only expected to be 46 so they stayed out. I fed them in the field put their sheets on and got myself home by 7pm. My days at the barn are getting longer and longer. With Winter just around the corner its hard for me to get my work done and spend my days at the barn. Its always like this in winter. I have to be more resolute in my schedule and its hard because i hate the cold and all i want to do is drink hot coffee drinks, stay warm and pay with ponies when im not freezing. However i cant because someone needs to pay for said ponies. The life of a freelancer y'all.
My vet also cleared Circe for regular work (walk, trot and canter) which is great. Shes not fit so shes still being eased into it but we can get back on track with her. I think ill have Michelle take her for a hack on Weds. Circe will like that.
Eric Smiley Clinic
Eric Smiley was coming to town. He's a very sought after clinician and also an Olympian. I just missed him last spring when he was teaching in this area and really none of my horses would have been prepared for a clinic at that level last spring anyways. I personally think its important to be prepared. To make sure your not wasting anyones time (your instructor) or your hard earned money as these clinics are not exactly cheap. Sammy decided to ride Jezebel both days in two jump lessons. One was private the other was a semi private.
Being as the clinics were being held at my farm i had the opportunity to audit sans big piles of cash both flat and jumping lessons. It was really great to see riding at that level. I saw a 3 star horse and rider working on their canter half pass, (amazing) a Jr rider at training level with her new horse working on the flat and i even saw one person make a total ass out of themselves by showing up with a horse that clearly wasn't ready to work at that level. It was a really fascinating couple of days with both inspiration and cautionary tales.
Day one with Jezebel is was raining in the morning but right before the lesson the skies were miraculously clear. Jezebel was ready to work and both her and Sammy had their game faces on. Eric has a keen way of keying into the team before him and giving them the direction they need, all with a very positive outlook and he's very encouraging and positive. They worked on ride-a-bility to the fences. Eric would give them direction, they would make whatever adjustments he asked for and then they would do the exercise correctly. Jez has the tendency to rush fences, she gets very excited and they worked on exercises to help correct that. One being a canter circle where the fence just happened to be there and it was no big deal to jump it. Lots of emphasis on the trade of responsibility riding fences between rider and horse. Where the rider was responsible and where the horse was responsible. It was great stuff and both my horse and my trainer did a really great job. In fact they were rewarded with the compliment that Jez was very business like. Ha! She really is blossoming into quite the show pony.
Day two the Jez and Sammy team shared the ring with a women and her beautiful, huge, chestnut, warm blood mare. This horse made my 16H Jezebel look like a pony. The rider was a jumper so it was a good mix since thats the direction we are headed in. It was the novice level lesson but they were jumping a 3 foot oxer at one point (go Jez!). Again Jez did pretty much whatever was asked of her with only a little rushing. Sammy's job was to keep her mind quiet and focused and when they were in lock step it was really beautiful to watch. Jezebel is a very brave girl. Lots of great direction and lots of great exercises. I could see the improvement happen before my eyes. Sammy and Jez are really coming together as a team, its lovely to see.
Eric comes back in the Spring and i'm hoping he will see lots of improvement next time as we spend the fall and winter working on the things he outlined. Hes got a great manor and so much knowledge to share. I can really see why he's so popular to clinic with.


text:
|Online store:
|Computer service:
Members of the FFA (Future Farmers of America) from Homer, MI visited the Williamston Corporate office on November 7 to tour the facilities. They were educated on how the operation works and the great efforts it takes in the parts, sales and service departments to run an efficient business. John Deere recently posted a video on new features they are looking to launch in the future and the students were shown where technology in agriculture is headed. Lora Finch, the Agriscience Instructor and FFA Advisor thought the visit was beneficial for the students in saying, "I cannot thank you (D&G) enough for the wonderful tour of you facility, the video, visiting with the kids and the hats! The students were very interested in the whole operation and impressed with how professional it was ran. It was a true learning experience that opened their eyes to another part of the ag industry."
Before coming to D&G Equipment, the Homer FFA students went to Munsells Poultry facility where they received special instruction on how to grade, butcher, and seperate a chicken that they personally raised on their own. The trip educated them on the steps that must be taken from hatching their own chick, to seeing it processed at the poultry processor.
To view the John Deere video, visit the link below
New Computer Store Joins the D&G Family in Williamston
Grand River location open for business
D&G Equipment Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
D&G Equipment Inc. opens Williamston Industrial Way Site
Grand Opening Of D&G Equipment Helps Food Bank
To apply online for a position with D&G Equipment click hereRead more
AMS Consultant position is available in Williamston.Read more
Lawn & Garden Mechanic positions are available in Mason, Howell, Highland and Williamston locations.Read more
Agricultural Mechanic positions are available in Mason, Williamston, Corunna, and Rives Junction.Read more
Service Clerk/Writer position is available in Mason.Read more
Positions are open for internships available April-August at all D&G locations. Please apply and specify which department you are most interested in working with.Read more


text:
Decision-making tool for ballast water management systems
Master thesis
Permanent lenkehttp://hdl.handle.net/11250/189186
MetadataVis full innførsel
- Master's theses (IMT) [888]
The International Maritime Organizations ballast water convention is expected to be ratified in 2012. As a result of this, the shipping industry will need to adjust their vessels to meet the new requirements. The industry (ship-owners) will need to consider aspects related to installing appropriate ballast water management systems in their fleets. At present there is limited knowledge and experience in the industry in relation to installing and using treatment technology for ballast water. Therefore, a decision-making tool covering these aspects would be useful. The purpose of this thesis is to produce a model that will assist ship-owners in finding the most suitable or optimal treatment system by focusing on meeting the critical and less critical operative patterns of the vessel. The output of the model is a scoring system, which shows the degree of harmonization and provides a transparent comparison between the ship-owner's needs and the characteristics of some of the leading systems on the market today. The result was accomplished by conducting an objective comparison of ballast water management systems based on pre-defined criteria relevant for their intended use onboard ships. The decision-making tool should be able to cover the needs of a majority of the vessel classes, both newly built and retrofits, which will be required to treat ballast water. The decision-making tool is based on a four step process: Qualification, Weighting, Matching and Visualization. Before matching treatment systems and needs, a qualification stage is conducted to discard systems that fail to meet essential requirements. Only systems with no critical mismatches make it through to the matching phase. Furthermore, a weighting stage provides the information needed to ascertain the degree of harmony and the transparency between the needs of the ship-owner and the characteristics of each qualified treatment system. Calculations are done, and a summary of how the ship-owner has weight the five categories will be presented. The score value is based on the average weighting, by the ship-owner, of each criterion in a category. Configurations of the weighting are produced until the summarized category values represent the desired priorities. The defined system characteristics are weighted in this thesis with a weighting support tool attached to each criterion, justified and explained in this study. This is done by acquiring information about the systems and the core technology behind the treatment method. The core technologies used for ballast water treatment are: UV radiation, electro-chlorination, ozone, advanced oxidation processes, deoxygenation and filtration. Their strengths and weaknesses are described in this thesis. The decision-making tool will provide the ship-owner with knowledge of how he values different categories of criteria related to ballast water treatment and what systems on today's market will provide the best match for his needs. The study concludes with the fact that it is possible to design a tool that will apply to the needs of vessels with different ballast water arrangements, operative routines and size of ballast tanks. The next stage of the process should be verification of the model.
The thesis presented is a central part of the technical master program in water technology at UMB – University of Life Science. It represents work equivalent to 30 ECS credits or one semester of work. The work presented should include central parts of the skills the student should be expected to have acquired after 5 years of technology studies at university level.


text:
My name is Jen. I have a contagiously funny husband, three awesomely gorgeous daughters, a knack for design, a love for writing, an obsession with kids fashion, a secret desire to be a photographer and a curfew of 10 pm. WHO'S WITH ME?
My peeps!
Sign up for email notifications
#31daymarch BLOG CHALLENGE- Days 8-10 (Don't worry- I've abridged)
Playing a little catch-up here. I promise to not make your eyes bleed and keep each day short and to the point. Plus, Charlotte keeps dropping trou and it's only a matter of minutes before last night's dinner ends up in a nicely packaged pile on the living room floor, so speediness is a necessity this morning.
Day 8: Pet Peeves
- Grammar abusers. (I know that makes me sound like a snob, but it hurts my soul.)
- Captcha
- My kids' incessant need to eat 24 hours a day. We're one apple away from a padlock on the fridge. (And by one apple, I mean that they've each already eaten 3 before noon. In addition to the entire week's groceries.)
- Anyone physically hanging on me. Whether it be the kids, my husband or Ryan Gosling. (I can't even pretend that last part is true.)
- People who litter.
- The words, "totes," and "adorbs." Although, shockingly, "LOL" doesn't phase me in the least. A piece of me is still 19.
- Anyone who attempts to parent my kids when I'm standing right next to them. (I'm looking at you, lady in the aisle of Christmas Tree Shop.)
- The MOTHER EFFIN BINKIE. (Post age 2. I am also, at the same time, a 100% advocate for the binkie. It's the relationship I now have with it as we try to get my strong-willed almost 4-year old middle child off of it. I'm equating the process to what it would have been like to give birth out of my ass.)
Day 9: Bucket List
I feel the same way about buckets lists as I do about New Year's resolutions. The more pressure you put on following through every item on a list, the more upsetting it is if you don't get it done. I know that sounds awfully dramatic for a question that is simply asking me what I would like to do in this world before I die, but I'm nothing if not dramatic on a Saturday morning before a second cup of coffee.
I suppose I would love to eat a baguette in Paris or dive the great barrier reef or make it through a week without losing my shit once, but these are lofty aspirations, so I refrain from the pressure. I already have enough to worry about– like how I'm going to get tax prep done by the end of today. I will say that it would be stellar to someday take a cross-country road trip with my husband and girls and hit up every theme park (and restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) along the way. You know, for when I eat carbs again.
Day 10: Daily Routine
Last summer, I wrote a post on Providence Monthly about what a typical summer day's routine is like with kids. Instead of writing another one, I'll just refer to that one. Feel free to place any season in the equation. It all works the same.
Are you following along with the Blog Challenge? Link up over at Fabulous Finds by Tiffany.
12 Comments
Audrey - Mom Generations March 10, 2013
I SO agree on the bucket list!
Your pet peeves made me laugh!!
So funny.
Tami March 10, 2013
OMG that list is hysterical and so true it hurts!
Kim March 10, 2013
Hate to play worse case scenerio with you, but just wait until you have teenagers. I don't even bother to put away the groceries - I just throw them on the kitchen table and let them graze. Of course, I have boys. I hear girls are different.
Now after seeing so many people with Captcha on thier list, I'm going to make sure I don't have it turned on. It's been so long since I set it up ...
Trinity March 10, 2013
You made me laugh with these, which is difficult to do with two wild children and a cranky husband screaching in the background. Thanks for brightening my day. Now following along.
Trinity March 10, 2013
You made me laugh with these, which is difficult to do with two wild children and a cranky husband screeching in the background. Thanks for brightening my day. Now following along.
Laura March 10, 2013
We definitely share a lot of the same pet peeves!
Candice March 10, 2013
You crack me up. Your pet peeves are a big ditto for me. I literally laughed out loud.
megan @ ababymakesfour March 10, 2013
Hysterical! I agree with all of your pet peeves, especially the food (I go to bjs and the next day I have no food in the house. How is that even possible??) and the random people who try to parent my kids. So annoying !
Kristin Wheeler (Mama Luvs Books) March 10, 2013
I agree with SOOOO many of your pet peeves! I hate the word knapsack! LOL! Also, have you tried the "Paci Fairy" yet? You probably have but just thought I would throw that out there. Worked for both of my kids on their 3rd b-days!
Chelley / AisForAdelaide March 10, 2013
I'm trying to not spit out my wine (I don't have the money to get more this week... MUST SAVOR!)/not laugh so hard I wake the baby.
You're amazing! THANK YOU FOR THIS POST! :)
Heather @ Kraus House Mom March 11, 2013
I actually bought a lock for the fridge but it wouldn't stay on, imagine my colorful language as 3 kids were trying to get into it.
סושי June 28, 2013
I have read so many articles or reviews regarding the blogger lovers except this article is in fact a fastidious piece of writing, keep it up.


text:
Many pubs are in desperate need of more support.
Now parliamentary candidates from the Portsmouth area have pledged to do what they can for locals and ensure the government does more to help.
They have signed up to support well-run pubs, promote breweries and represent pub goers ahead of the general election on May 7.
Portsmouth North candidates Councillor John Ferrett, of the Labour Party, and Michael Fitzgerald, of Ukip, are involved.
In Portsmouth South, Flick Drummond, running for the Tories and Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, of the Lib Dems, want to make a difference.
They are joined by Miles Grindey, Green candidate for Fareham, and Dave Alexander, who is hoping to win Meon Valley for Ukip.
Five hundred candidates across 350 constituences are backing the initative.
It comes after the Campaign for Real Ale challenged parties to continue lobbying for changes in the pub trade.
Cllr Ferrett said he has pledged his support given pubs are important meeting places and there is only one left in the Paulsgrove ward he represents – The Cross Keys.
'I talk from a ward in the city that has only one pub left, so the lack of community institutions and social institutions where people can meet is a real issue,' he said.
'So we should be doing everything we can to try and preserve these institutions.'
It comes ahead of the chancellor's budget on Wednesday, which campaigners hope will provide further assistance for pubs.
The government has already agreed to draw up legislation ensuring pubs on a 'community value' list are not demolished or redeveloped unless planning permission is granted. Tim Page, Camra's chief executive, said: 'Camra is delighted that 500 general election candidates have committed to back real ale and community pubs.
'It's looking like a three horse race to win the title of 'Most Pro-Pub Party' with Labour, Conservatives and the Lib Dems all having over 100 candidates signed up already.
'This overwhelming response from candidates is great news for beer drinkers and pub goers alike and will be crucial to Camra delivering yet more successful campaigns over the next five years.'
Stuart Ainsworth, landlord of The Leopold Tavern, in Albert Road, Southsea, said he hopes politicians will back up their words with action.
'Any parliamentarian who wants to help save the pubs and actually do something has got my full support. What I don't like is when they try to do this to get votes.'


text:
With the issue of funding for Alpine having raised the eyebrows and caused consternation amongst the fans of the discipline, the news that a modest increase in funding for the top Delancey British Alpine Team racers is positive and significant news. This is something that the BSS (British Ski and Snowboard) should be applauded for fighting for and arranging. …
Dave Ryding and Alex Tilley, the top two British Alpine athletes in terms of World rankings, have been handed central contracts and a slight increase in funding. Ryding, who scored two top twenty results and three more top thirty results in World Cup Slalom's last season, and Tilley who scored two six point results that will see her start just outside the top thirty in World Cup Giant Slaloms this season, have both risen to the challenge set out by UK Sport in terms of searching for funding. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. Ryding and Tilley will both receive Band A funding from the BSS.
Ryding starts the new season ranked 30th in the World Cup Start List standings though should he drop out of the top 30 in this list, his FIS point standing will see him drop down the start list such is the complex way that the World Cup start list is compiled.
Charlie Guest, Jack Gower and Charlie Raposo have all met the criteria for Band B funding, bursaries, on the announced criteria. The amount each athlete in the two bands receives has been kept private by the BSS but the BSS declared "Direct athlete funding, either through programmes or bursaries, has been increased on a like-for-like basis from just over £140,000 to around £178,000. This is an increase of 27% for the current year and an increase of nearly 70% over a two year period." This is to be applauded and they quite rightly thank their principle sponsor, Delancey for the help in achieving this.
In the wake of the collapse of the old Snowsport GB in 2010, athletes taking part in the many summer camps across the UK and out in Europe are now able to see that if they make the criteria set out, the support from the BSS will be forthcoming.
With a third level of funding also announced, this will give hope to those athletes coming up through the ranks that there is support available for them, should they make the grade. The likes of Max Baggio and Cara Brown, the Overall British Champions for Men and Women, will be looking to meet the top 200 in the wide criteria mark. Baggio currently is in the top 500 in all four disciplines with a best of 286 in Downhill though his slalom points show best with 30.49. Brown is ranked 200th in Giant Slalom. Brown will be looking to add to her World Cup starts this season having taken 36th in the Super G in Val d'Isere last season.
The future is bright and with this announcement, there is hope and encouragement for the alpine athletes. The BSS explained they 'would like to provide more funding, there have been modest improvements to funding, they wish they could provide even more support.'
Results talk!
To read the full BSS article click here
Picture: Dave Ryding – Copyright Racer Ready – all rights reserved


text:
Norwegian Epic
7 Night Western Caribbean (Miami Roundtrip)
Sail Date: April 05, 2015
Ship: Norwegian Epic
Cabin Type: Balcony
Cabin Number: 11221
Traveled As: Couple
Reviewed: 3 years ago
Review Summary
This cruise was for my honeymoon! It was pityful! Bland entertainment, 5000+ people on board with only 4 sets of elevators, bland food, all services were an upsale, not all inclusive at all, adult areas were not enforced, overcharged for excursions, just to name a few issues with it. Not to mention that my balcony stateroom was smaller than the interior stateroom on my last cruise. All this on what they said was the 4th largest cruise ship in the world. What a waste!!!!
Ship Experiences
Food and Dining
Onboard Activities
Service and Staff
Ship Quality
Cabin / Stateroom
Ship Tip
Pick another ship, or even better another cruise line.
Ports Of Call
2 Comments
massicae 3 years ago
honestly, there are 16 elevators, 8 on front and 8 on back of ship. and dinner service does open at 5:30pm, but there is plenty of food until before the time they close to prepare for dinner, so, its up to you to make sure you eat, and O'sheehans is open 24 hours, fyi. the complimentary dining options are not only 2, there are 5 dining options plus room service that are COMPLIMENTARY! the freestyle newsletter you receive each evening in your cabin has activities for the entire day, there are so many great activities, you don't even have enough time to do them all, which is why there are 3 days at sea to enjoy the ship.
staceyyancey22 3 years ago
If you would read, you would see that I said 4 SETS of elevators, and yes, O'Sheehan's is open 24/7 but their menu is minimal at best, and multiples of the same restaurant with dif names doesn't count as more. Room service is not a restaurant. As far as activities go, if you mean Bingo or The Dating Game, you can't do them all because they are usually happening at the same time, lol If you enjoyed yourself on an NCL Epic cruise, I'm happy for you, but I am use to much better accommodations, entertainment and food on other cruise lines I've been on!!!!! And obviously most other traellers aboard agree with me, just check the review beside these comments!
Leave A Comment
Remember: Be polite and respectful. Our diverse community is home to members with different opinions and a broad range of cruise experiences.


text:
Wayland Tri-M Chapter 6693 Website
WHS inducted new members on January 11, 2018.
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and to inspire other students to excel at music and leadership.
Through more than 5,500 chartered chapters, Tri-M has helped thousands of young people provide years of service through music in schools throughout the world. Tri-M is a program of the National Association for Music Education.
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is an international honor society for music students that was started in 1952.
The three M logo stands for "Modern Music Masters". The lyre and the scroll represent music accomplishment and service of its members. The five lines of the music staff indicate the five criteria upon which members are selected:
scholarship, character, cooperation, leadership, and service.
Be rewarded for your music accomplishments and service activities. Share your love of music.
Wayland High School Tri-M Music Society Membership Criteria
- A student must maintain an unweighted B average with no term grade lower than a C for all high school courses to date, and have music performing ensemble grades of A- or above.
- A student must also have completed or be in the second full year of enrollment in a curricular performance music class at Wayland High School (grade 10-12). Support for your application is needed from a WHS music teacher. Please speak to this teacher to confirm support before submitting this application.
- Applicant should have demonstrated leadership, service and character in his/her activities.
- The applicant must have auditioned for Senior District in the application year.
- The applicant must submit a recording performing the proposed recital selection.
- The induction ceremony will include a performance by all incoming members of an approved composition.
- To maintain membership, student must be an active member in good standing of a WHS curricular performing ensemble.
For more information, visit Tri-M Music Honor Society.


text:
American Girl Crafts® Cecile Rey & Marie-Grace Gardner Paper Flower Wreath KitSpring 2012 Toys
This is a one-time craft kit to make a wreath of paper flowers. According to the box, the craft is inspired by paper flowers that the American Girl characters Cecile and Marie-Grace made in 1853 to raise money for children orphaned by Yellow Fever. The paper flower wreath that the kit produces is very pretty, and the colors are vibrant purples and pinks.
The kit contains most of what you need - tissue paper, cardstock, felt, glue, ribbon, buttons, an underlying wreath ring. It requires newspaper, a stapler, scissors and tape from home. The instructions say kids should get a parent's help for stapling, but that probably won't be necessary for kids 8 and up (the recommended ages.)
The instructions are quite clear and have a lot of photographss. They demonstrate how to make 3 different styles of paper flowers that can be used on the wreath. Children enjoyed completing this project. The American Girl connection is minor, but the instruction booklet does contain some French vocabulary words for kids to learn.


text:
Mayor makes a pit stop to relaunch Team Karting
Date published: 13 November 2017
Mayor and Mayoress Ian and Christine Duckworth with Matty Street from Team Karting
The Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale, Ian and Christine Duckworth, took pole position at the relaunch of Team Karting under the new management of professional karting ace Matty Street, on Thursday 9 November.
Staff, friends and the local community joined in the celebrations as Mayor Duckworth cut a giant bow to mark the official opening.
Mayor and Mayoress both enjoyed a spin around the track in Team Karting's new karts - also launched on the same day.
Mayor Duckworth said: 'We had a really good day.
"Team Karting is such a professional outfit and it is more than just a karting track, they are giving back to the community, especially working with people on the autistic spectrum and war veterans.
"I am really pleased and wish you well for the future.
"We have really enjoyed our day."
Joining the Mayoral party were Tony Williams (Team Brit) and stunt driver Salvo Cachia along with the children and families from the TK Extra Team.
Nine-year-old Team Karting protégé Sandro Ballesteros, winner of the 2017 Autism Hero awards, for Outstanding Achievement in Sport also enjoyed the day. He believes Team Karting has 'helped him just be himself'.
New owner Matty Street, 21, was diagnosed at the age of 12 with dyslexia, dyspraxia and Asperger's syndrome. Today he enjoys reaching his greatest achievement to date, "a dream job with a dream team" and winner of the Leaders in Business at the 2017 Autism Hero awards in London.
He said: "It was a real honour to have the Mayor and Mayoress open Team Karting for a fresh new start to exciting times ahead. It was a great fun day and they really were good sports."
Do you have a story for us?
Let us know by emailing firstname.lastname@example.com
All contact will be treated in confidence.
Most Viewed News Stories
To contact the Rochdale Online news desk, email email@example.com or visit our news submission page.
To get the latest news on your desktop or mobile, follow Rochdale Online on Twitter and Facebook.


text:
MOTOCROSSTIME - NEWS FROM Red Bull KTM Factory Racing
Red Bull KTM Factory Racing´s Matthias Walkner secured a well-deserved victory at the 2017 OiLibya Rally, which marked the fifth and final round of the 2017 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship.
Second to the Dakar in terms of size, the Moroccan rally is one of the toughest on the championship calendar. This year, the final race before the Dakar Rally holds even more surprises for the participants due to tricky weather conditions with heavy rain.
Matthias Walkner, former MX3 Motocross World Champion, Cross-Country Rallies World Champion 2015 and runner-up on the 2017 Dakar edition, put the KTM 450 RALLY on the ultimate test before returning to action at the 2018 Dakar Rally in January.
"It's been a long event and I'm really happy that I won it. During the last few days we were faced with overflowing rivers, long stages with tricky navigation and a series of other things that could have completely changed the outcome of the event. The victory feels good."
"The new bike has given me a lot of confidence to push and take my riding into a new level. I'm happy with my performance here in Morocco and this is very important heading into the Dakar Rally now. It makes the next three months a lot easier for me. The team have done an awesome job and we are all looking forward to the Dakar Rally."
Source : Red Bull KTM Factory Racing


text:
Our casual and comfortable Victoria vacation rentals are perfectly designed for entertaining you and your guests. A large renovation has made this two bedroom home the ideal place to stay. The Oak Bay Marina, which features fine dining at the Marina Restaurant is only steps away. The Victoria lf Club and Ocean access is only a short distance away from the property as well. The shops in Oak Bay Village are 15 minutes walking distance.
<< Back // More photos >>