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The weather is getting warmer; it’s time to pull out the grill, call the pool cleaner back, and get those gardening tools out of the basement. It’s spring! But spring also means it’s time to look at how you can save the most energy and the most money.

Many Ways to Save

A lot of people can tolerate cold weather better than hot weather, which means, as the weather gets warmer and warmer, it will become increasingly difficult to fight the impulse to turn on the air conditioning and leave it on for hours. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to help keep your home cool without running up your energy bill.

  1. Take it easy on the thermostat:
    • Set the temperature as high as you can while still being comfortable. The smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your bill will be.
    • Keep the house warmer than usual when you are away, cool when you get home. Set “Away” and “Home” temperatures easily with a programmable thermostat.
    • Keep in mind: Your house will not cool any faster if you set the thermostat to a colder temperature than usual. In fact, this will likely result in unnecessary expense and excessive strain on the cooling system.
  2. Make the most out of your windows:
    • Prevent heat from getting in through the windows by installing window coverings such as blinds (interior and/or exterior), awnings, high-reflective films, draperies, shades, insulated panels, and shutters.
    • If you live in an area where it cools off at night, turn of your air conditioning and open your windows while you sleep. When you wake up, shut the windows and blinds to keep the cool air in, unless there’s still a cool breeze. You can still get some good cool air into the house in the early morning before the sun starts hitting your house/yard.
  3. Turn on those ceiling fans:
    • By using your ceiling fans in combination with air conditioning, you can actually set the thermostat four degrees higher but remember that fans cool people, not rooms. If you leave a room, turn off the fan.
    • Turn on your bathroom fan when taking a shower or bath to remove the humidity and heat.
  4. Drop the water temperature:
    • Your water heater uses 18 percent of your home’s energy-use. Turn the temperature down to 120 degrees F.
  5. Minimize appliance-use and artificial lighting:
    • Using the oven on hot days will make the house warmer and subsequently more difficult to cool. Stick to the stove, microwave, or grill outside.
    • Minimize using a computer or TV, running the dishwasher, or using hot devices like hair dryers.
    • Install efficient lighting that doesn’t release much heat.
  6. Seal leaks to keep the hot air out:
    • Seal cracks to keep warm out from leaking into the house.
    • Add weatherstripping or caulk to seal leaky windows and doors.
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  1. Create an indoor picnic with available props, ie, picnic tablecloth, paper goods. Share finger foods and favorite trees along with a glass of wine. Spice up "dessert." Enjoy your picnic on the living room floor or in bed. Play card games, board games, or make up your own.
  2. Decorate a unique-looking jar or box with craft items. Write numerous love notes on small pieces of paper and fill the jar with them. Present the jar to your sweetheart.
  3. There are many local and national Valentine's Day giveaway contests with great prizes. Enter as many as you can and maybe you'll get lucky.
  4. For young couples with kids, get them involved in an all-family fun Valentine's Day dinner at home. Mom can prepare a dessert for two and light the candles while dad puts the kids to bed.
  5. Since Valentine's Day is on a Saturday, celebrate with a day full of low-cost activities you both enjoy doing (depending upon your location and weather). Do something with your significant other that he / she rarely has time to do, but loves.
  6. Take a 2-hour, one-time salsa or tango dancing lesson together. Or, identify some other interest you share and find a place to give you one-time extended lesson on Valentine's Day.
  7. Gals … Make the entire day full of his favorites: the breakfast of his dreams, the dinner of his dreams, TV that is his favorite, his music, etc. Do not say anything about it, surprise him all day long.
  8. Take the person you love to experience something spectacular in nature: a sunset, a sunrise, the calm of the beach, share an evening walk gazing at the moon.
  9. Create a framed group of photos that put your relationship in chronological order of events, by months or years (depending on how long you've been together).
  10. Create a CD with songs that make you think of your sweetheart, and give it to him / her.
  11. Choose specialty foods, such as wine, cheese, fresh bread / dessert from a favorite bakery. Enjoy in front of your warm, toasty fireplace.
  12. Create an at-home spa day for your mate. Deliver the gift in a basket filled with inexpensive candles, bubble bath, rose petals, facial mask and scrub. Then give your mate time to enjoy it. When he / she is done, heat up towels in the dryer for drying off.
  13. Give each other long-lingering back rubs or head-to-toe body massages. Invest in luxurious lotion or oils.
  14. Create a favorite drink together. Try all kinds of ingredients. Enjoy taste-testing. Be sure to record the ingredients, so you can make the "your" drink again on Valentine's Day year after year.
  15. Watch an old movie at home together, with popcorn and soft drinks and candy – movie-theater style.
  16. Share a scrumptious dessert and latté at a local patisserie or bakery.
  17. Pick a few household chores your Valentine usually does and surprise them by doing it before they get a chance, ie, making the bed. It does not sound romantic, but
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Costa Rica, a small country in Central America, has gained a great deal of popularity, not also as a tourist destination, but also as a retirement paradise. The only type of gambling that is legal in Costa Rica is in casinos, of which there are over 30 in the country, the majority in San Jose, the capital. Costa Rica, or “rich coast” in Spanish, is considered the most politically stable country in Latin America, with perhaps the healthiest climate in the world, and one that welcomes over 1.5 million tourists a year. The abundant flora and fauna, the diverse scenery, and the lively excitement of the Costa Rica casinos have brought in billions of dollars to the economy.

Costa Rica casinos feature all the popular international games including mini baccarat (rummy 9), Let It Ride (tute accion), roulette, blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, craps, pai gow, slots, and video gaming machines. Club Colonial Casino with 45 slots and 12 table games, the Garden Court Fiesta Casino Alajuela with 200 slots and 84 table games, and the Gran Hotel Costa Rica Casino, with 57 slots and five table games, are all located in downtown San Jose. In addition, there are other Costa Rica casinos in small towns and suburbs of San Jose including Cabo Velas Santa Cruz, Cariari, and El Roble. Hotel Coco Verde Casino in Playas del Coco has 20 slots and four table games.

The largest Costa Rica casino is the Irazu Best Western Casino Concorde in La Uruca, with 166 slots and video gaming machines and eight table games. There is a large casino in Goicoechea, a suburb of San Jose, the Radisson Hotel and Casino Europa, which has 219 slots and 13 table games.

A number of gaming expositions and international conferences are held here, including the annual poker industry conference. This event will take place in Costa Rica in December of 2006 at the Marriott Hotel in San Jose. In conjunction with the conference, there will be a poker tournament at the Fiesta Casino for industry executive and professional poker players, who will demonstrate their strategies and skills.

Costa Rica has become a major gambling destination in Latin America and further development of Costa Rica casinos by domestic and international investors is ongoing. The large corporation of Thunderbird Tres Rios is planning construction of a hotel resort, casino, spa, and residential complex that will attract more of the middle and upper class sections of eastern San Jose.…

Shih Chon is a dog that is a cross between a Bichon Frise and a Shih Tzu. Shih Chon is a great companion and a perfect dog to keep around the house and are medium size dogs and usually do not get much bigger than a big cat.

Thus, they are not suitable for outside. Make sure someone from the family is with them when the dog is outside. The dog should be provided nice fenced backyard to play. This would help them to keep safe from other dogs. These dogs are perfect family dogs and mix up easily. They are excellent companion with kids, and they are very loving. Shih Chon is a lap dog and needs to be attended every time. They are keen to sit on your lap always. Generally they sit on the lap quietly however sometimes they like to jump up and sit in the head of the households lap. So you need to watch out, it is going to want to sit in your lap.

The Shih Chon usually weigh about 8 to 15 pounds, thus, the dog is small and can be easily made sit on lap and you do not have to worry about them getting too big. The dog is pretty calm and if you want to scale their calmness then on a scale from one to ten (ten being the highest), they range about a 3. Although the dog is small in size then too sometime it show wild behavior. As the Shih Chon is gentle and is not very active, it makes a great dog for the retired people. The dog if properly trained can even will sit and watch TV with you or sit next to you when you are playing video games; this is the dog for you. At times the dog will not sleep and only watch you doing things and will company you till late night.

The Shih Chon watch fast moving things eagerly and most of the time they will watches your hands, because they move fast. As the dog is medium size and has a single coat it sheds less hair or no shedding. So the Shih Chon is perfect dog for those who hates matting or are allergic to dog hairs. Let’s thanks to these designer dogs, like the Shih Chon, now you can own your own dog. One should give this a try. The dog has a well built body and has great personality. Shih Chon is not a independent dog.

The dog hates to be alone and if left for long period can be a victim of separate anxiety. However, if proper care of the dog is taken they can outlive most big dogs, but fall short of outliving the smaller dogs. Generally, the dog is healthy however; it does have some health problems like skin infections, cushing syndrome, dental disease, patellar luxation, bladder and kidney stones. The average life span of the dog is 12 years.…

History does not belong in a relationship that is present

My friend, Jack Rafferty, the famous Man-Woman Coach, used to say "do not clean the clean" referring of course to relationship. What he meant by that was once you have gotten angry, argued, and "effectively deal with" something that happened that hurt your feelings, be done with it. Do not keep bringing it up like dirty laundry. Once you have forgiven someone for something, it's history. . The conflict, resistance to new concepts, stored resentment and revenge for old hurts, that happens in most relationships relating back to those three words "effectively deal with", which unfortunately in most cases, is not what happens.

For most couples, the barometer for intimate relationships is sex. If your sex life is hot and exciting and fun, chances are you have a pretty clean relationship. When there is trouble in the bedroom, usually it's an indication that there are a lot of cobwebs and dirt stuck in the corners of your intimate relationship and that you or your partner have shut down some avenues of communication.

What do I mean?

Let's say your partner does not show up for a date with you. You manage to get through the evening and get home to find him / her home, relaxing, having absolutely forgotten that he / she was to have met you somewhere. You get into a heated argument about his / her lack of consideration and a lot of I'm sorry's are exchanged.

Was that effectively dealing with the situation? Hardly.

The resentment still exists on both sides. What do I mean both sides? Well, this is my theory. The person who did not show up was already carrying resentment and unconsciously, carried out revenge in a passive aggressive manner by missing the appointment. The person who got stuck up never got satisfaction in the resolution and now carries his / her own resentment, which will surface again at another time. This couple does not have a clean relationship.

Payback goes on in every relationship at some time or another. It is comparable to the accumulation of junk in your house. Just as spring cleaning gets rid of dust bunnies under the bed and cobwebs behind the bookcases, periodic cleansing sessions in your relationships will restore freshness and vitality to your love. Few couples understand this or know what to do about it. Some religious organizations have retreats for married couples where they do some of the work I am about to suggest, however, the catastrophic divorce rate in our country indicates that very little of this kind of work is attempted or completed by married couples. Even highly enlightened, aware couples require some nudging to maintain the level of squeaky clean communication that I am referring to.

Here is a suggestion for a process that can be used to clean house.

Relationship Spring Cleaning.

  1. Reserve a weekend where the two of you can be alone and undisturbed for 48 hours.
  2. You can
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Before you start your detox, have a couple of meat free days and try and stick to fresh salads, fruit and raw veggies. Eat as little cooked food as possible and drink plenty of fresh, pure water.

This will enable your body to prepare itself and you will find that procedures like the salt water flush will be a lot smoother in a shorter period of time.

If you prepare your body for a few days, it already has the chance to expel a lot of the built up waste that can sometimes block a salt water flush from working within the first couple of days.

Many people are tempted to binge before starting their detox as they won’t be eating for 10 days (or however many days you choose to detox for) but this won’t do you any favors at all.

If you are starting your detox on a Monday, then pencil the start of your detox in for the preceding Friday. This will give you the weekend to gently prepare your body for the detox and it will make life a lot easier for yourself.

Think of these few days as the start of your detox, don’t focus on the Monday as the beginning of your cleanse. This was a mistake I made in my first cleanse and I think that it hampered me at the start. I didn’t binge before I started and I didn’t drink for a few days prior either but this was because mentally I was so longing to start, that my body was already ‘going off’ junk in anticipation of what was to come.

But I didn’t stick to a raw food diet and I didn’t cut back on caffeine – man, I wish I’d cut back on caffeine! Why didn’t someone tell me to cut back on the caffeine? But you live and learn and thankfully by reading this article, you are better prepared than I ever was!

So, to recap, lay off the cooked and processed foods, try to eat 80-90% raw if you can’t manage 100%, cut out alcohol and start to radically reduce your intake of caffeine.

If you have a high intake of caffeine – over 3 cups of tea or coffee a day, then I would highly suggest that you start to cut back for a period of at least a week prior to starting the cleanse. Trust me, you’ll thank me for this nugget of advice because come day 3, when your body is really succumbing to the cleanse, your caffeine withdrawal headache is going to feel like a marching band in your head.

Ever had a really bad migraine? This is worse and you can’t take any tablets as they are off limits! I spent day 3 in bed wanting to cut my head off! You won’t have to!

**TIP**

Make sure you have some soluble aspirin in the house. Your digestive system won’t have to break it down and if your headache is totally …

Not so very long ago, it was always possible to grab a holiday or flight bargain by waiting until the last day or two before departure. Now the game has changed. Here is an outline of the factors which have caused the change.

The main driver for holiday costs up to the 1980’s / early 1990s has been the cost of airline seats. Tour operators had the choice to use scheduled carriers with special IT rates or group rates: but they also had the choice of chartered flights. In both scenarios, they had to make a commitment to a seasonal programme, and built their prices around seasonal yield. Especially in the case of charter flight series, an empty seat on the day of travel was a loss of value.

A well-managed programme allowed a certain number of empty seats (especially in low season) to be an acceptable loss – and one which could be mitigated by seat sales at any price the market would allow. Thus cheap flights, and the holidays which formed part of the packages, were available days before departure for those with a flexible attitude to destination and dates.

As bigger operators took control of all elements of the holiday package, “in-house” airlines took the management of this cost balance to a different level. Their pricing policies – or “yield management” equations – could be handled in the context of overall profit margins of the holiday company as a whole. But it is how these in-house airlines are run which pinpoints a major difference in those policies.

The rise of the so called “no frills” airlines has overturned the old pricing models. They no longer discount the day before you fly. Ryanair and easyJet amongst many others now use a pricing model first mooted by US carrier Southwest Airlines. And holiday company “in-house” airlines have followed suit.

What Southwest realised is that once you introduce an uncertainty about whether the price will fall at a later date, many people will delay buying. The “no frills” carriers, under the guise of offering absurdly low, loss-leading fares, have the advantage of controlling all their own sales through phone sales and online. Thus they can change the price every minute, based on “yield management” algorithms. They use that control to manage expectations of the buying public. They have chosen to ensure that prices continue to rise until take off – so if you resist buying early, you will never again see the price as low.

This policy – now taken up by in-house holiday airlines, encourages commitment to a specific flight (and also holiday) as early as possible. Cheap, last-minute bargains have largely been replaced by “early bird” offers and “points” cards to generate sales for slow trade periods or low season capacity – without unduly reducing the price the airlines and holiday companies can command for the last-minute traveller.…

A home putting green is quite useful. It'll make your game better without having the need to visit the golf course regularly. It also enables you to invite friends over for a round of mini golf. Because of this, having one in your own home is considered useful by many golfers. This is especially true for beginners who want to improve their game play.

3 Advantages Of A Synthetic Putting Green

Doubles As A Landscape

If the woman of the house is not too eager about the putting green because it would take up her garden space in the backyard, you can have your putting green double as a landscape. There are companies that install ornamental plants and fountains to make it also look like a landscape. The positioning and styling of the landscape is strategically done so that you can still practice your game on your green while having space for the garden.

This will get rid of the rivalry of spouses on who will have the right to use the backyard and turn it into a garden or a putting green. Also, this will make the house much more attractive. By having a backyard that is both useful and beautiful, you will make your home even more eye-catching. This will also make your practice nicer – because of the ambiance that the flowering plants and the fountain would give on your putting green.

Easier To Install

Because a synthetic green is often manufactured according to the specifications of the buyer, it is easier to install. You will not need any gardening supplies just to install it in your backyard because the grass is synthetic. You only have to have the synthetic turf installed according to your specifications and designs. You can also install the turf on your own. Just purchase artificial turf at the store of your choice and you can easily have your own in your backyard. Better yet, buy one online.

Requires Little To No Maintenance

A synthetic green requires very little maintenance because the grass does not grow. You do not need to mow it because the grass is synthetic and will not grow even a bit. It would also never require fertilizers and other stuff that natural grass would need to stay healthy and beautiful.

There are also zero chances of getting pests because insects and pests will not get attracted on the grass that they can not eat or make as their home. Because of this, you will have less headaches.

Many people believe that owning a home putting green demands too much effort because of maintenance. This could be quite true if the one in your own home is not a synthetic one. A natural green in your backyard may take up a lot of time because it needs constant maintenance. But if your home putting green is a synthetic one, it will save you a lot of time and resources. …

A whole lot of change and plenty of adjustments have to be made around the house if you and your partner are expecting a child. A room has to be turned into a nursery, the entire house should be baby-proofed and some areas have to be rearranged to welcome the baby. While this change can be both exciting and overwhelming for parents-to-be, keep in mind that your pet dog is going through it, too. He, too, must be prepared for the arrival of the baby.

Such a huge change can be confusing to a pet – here’s how you can help them transition easier:

Plan ahead

Will the dog be allowed in the nursery? Can he go near and kiss the baby? Although it may seem trivial, these are questions that need to be addressed beforehand. Getting your dog ready for the arrival of your baby may also require a refresher on basic training such as SIT and STAY. It helps to list down what needs to be worked on, when to start training and who will train the dog.

Work on manners

Aside from refreshing basic commands, it is also important to fix some behavior issues that your pet may have before the baby arrives. This could be consistent barking, jumping up on people or simply not being obedient. Behavior like this re not ideal for new parents taking care of a newborn. Work on these issues as early as possible so that they are improved by the time the baby comes.

Familiarize them with new smells

Familiarize your furry friend with things that he can associate with the baby like baby powder, cologne and wash. Once he gets used to these new scents, it will be easier for him to recognize and welcome the newborn. You can also let him sniff some of the baby’s toys and teach him that they aren’t for him to play, chew on or take.

Practice with your dog

A few weeks before your baby arrives, show your dog what is to come. It is ideal to practice using a doll – change its diapers, rock it to sleep or feed it to help your dog get used to these kinds of scenarios. If your dog starts barking or getting uneasy, it is ideal to correct these behaviours so that he’s better prepared when the real thing comes.

Doing these simple things will help your pet dog prepare for the arrival of your newborn baby!…

For those who are planning a tropical getaway, Lanzarote is an ideal choice. It is one of the major landmasses amongst the Canary Islands, Spain and is situated about 120kms away from Africa. There are ninety different beaches on this island, thus the Mediterranean Sea plays a predominant role in attracting tourists from around the world, to this exquisite island. Since Lanzarote is only a four hour flight away from UK and Ireland, it receives a fair share of tourists from these places.

Holiday homes, villas, resorts and beachfront condos are some of the most common and widely popular forms of accommodation available in Lanzarote. Puerto Del Carmen, Villa Vista Ventura and Vista Atlantica are a few luxury holiday homes available at Lanzarote. Similarly, there are places like Mirador Del Rio, Jameos Del Agua and Timanfaya National Park, which are considered to be crucial site seeing spots of this island.

Holiday Villas provide privacy, freedom and vast space to the travellers, thereby acting as a home away from home. Particularly, holiday accommodation with a beach view are like hot cakes, therefore they find tremendous demand throughout the year. These villas are equipped with all the latest amenities like water heaters, television set, air conditioners, hot tubs, refrigerators and a loaded kitchen. Some luxury vacation villas at Lanzarote even offer a private pool. Furthermore, most vacation villas are located in close proximity to shopping centers and local attractions.

The entire lodging is furnished and neatly maintained by the staff or owner, in order to woo the guests. Many guests are smitten by the unimpeachable services and amicable nature of the locales, which makes them yearn to pay another visit in future.

Even if you plan to travel with your kids, you need not bother to impose stringent rules on such a joy-filled vacation. Holiday villas are usually armed with a helper, who can look after the servicing of the entire villa and at the same time lends a helping hand in performing the daily chores. But, you need to be aware of the extra prices (if any) incurred in appointing such a helper. Some extravagant holiday homes do not charge for a helper separately; everything is included in the package itself.

Holiday Villas in Lanzarote is the right place for you, in case you have been searching for a reliable guide and agent for leasing or hiring a holiday villa at Lanzarote. They are known to have a solid reputation in providing excellent services to all their clients, irrespective of their nationality. Holiday rentals in Lanzarote is one site where you can find abundant choices of holiday homes. Their listing ranges from a budget condo to a luxury holiday villa. Hence, you have plenty of choices to choose from and get a value for money package. Just log onto their site to go through the available options and make sure you pick the right holiday home. Apart from holiday home solutions, Holiday Villas in Lanzarote also manages your trip by booking …