Staying Close to Extended Family

Ever since I was born I have spent a great deal of time with family- all kinds of family. Both Mom and Dad had a couple of siblings and they had children. Both of their parents were living and they were really involved in our lives. We had cousins everywhere and we spent as much time together as possible. I have some wonderful and not so wonderful memories of growing up that include all the branches of our family tree. I would not trade one memory because regardless of whether it was good times or bad these memories bond us together and make us even closer.

I am a big proponent of spending time with extended family if you did not already gather that in the first paragraph. There are times I question why but I always go back for more and I am very thankful to have so much love in my life and it is continuing through the lives of my children and their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents as well. It is not always easy getting together with extended family if they do not live near by and sometimes it is not easy getting along with them when they do live nearby. I believe that the good far outweighs the bad and that it is worth all the extra time and effort to keep family close.

When I was very young we lived in the same town as my Mom’s family. She has a brother and a sister who were married with children and her Mom, Step-Dad, and her Grandmother lived there as well. We spent a lot of time with all of them separately and many times the whole group would gather. If you have an extended family of your own you can imagine what it was like to have all the cousins together in the same place. There were seven of us all total during that time and we were not a quiet group.

We were always getting in trouble for something, mostly just getting on the adults nerves. One particular occasion stands out in my mind. We were over at my Aunt and Uncle’s house and we had been told to go down and play in the basement. They had a nice basement for playing games and running around. One thing led to another as they often do and my brother, the oldest, somehow caused one of the cousins to cry, which he often did. Then it seemed to be a chain reaction from one to two and even three.

Well, the first one to come bounding down the stairs was Uncle Mike who was the easy going uncle who danced with you in the kitchen and always had a smile. We told him we would be good and all was well, no worries. After he left we did okay for a while and then things started up again. This time it was Uncle Bill, who quite frankly, could go either way but he was in good form and gave us all a cheery tone and a smile so we again assured that we would be better. We did alright for a short time and the noise level again went up but this time it was my Dad. My Dad did not often get up at all and if he was going to get up he was going to take care of business and everyone knew it. When my Dad came down the stairs everyone scattered and there was not a peep to be heard. I do recall that my Brother did not fair too well that evening and we finally got the message. We all laugh about it today but at the time it was no laughing matter. Good times.

Another occasion comes to mind and this one is a real doozy. My Grandparents were having a home built on a cul-de-sac which was being built on a sort of hill. They lived right in the middle of the cul-de-sac circle at the top of the hill in such a way that you could drive right up the street and dead end right in their driveway. There were many houses being built on this particular street and there was still one vacant lot down the street. All the adults went into the partially built house to look around; the windows were not even installed as yet. They left all of the cousins in the car except one who was an infant and stayed in my Aunt’s arms. I am thinking my oldest Brother was like seven or eight, myself and one cousin were five or six, and there was one four and one three year old. We were just hanging out in the car waiting, watching our folks look around. They were not but about ten feet away so they were keeping an eye on us off and on. Well, big Brother of mine was fooling with the gear shift and keep in mind this was in the very early sixties. Somehow he got it into neutral and we start to back out of the driveway, slowly at first but then we really began to gain momentum. When someone finally turned around to look I will never forget the looks on their faces. I felt no fear; I had no idea what was going on. I do however think my Brother had a clue because he was busy trying to get the gear shift back where it was and had an awfully panicked look on his face. All three men came bounding out the windows and running at full force after the car as it headed for an eight lane highway at the end of this street. We would have made it too except the good Lord was looking out for us and the car began to turn and we turned in to the only vacant lot on the street and came to a stop. To this day I am not sure if my brother turned the wheel or an angel did it but either way it was the Lord.

That same brother, as a teenager, ended up sticking all of us cousins in a crawl space under a house we moved to later that did not have a basement. A tornado siren went off and he was in charge. There was a small light and lots of bugs. He somehow locked us in and went back up to the house and had a nice little party with some of his friends while the moms and dads were gone. Ah, memories. And no, he did not end up in prison; he actually makes a wonderful living with four children of his own. And he just can not understand why they are all so rebellious as teens! Life sure goes around and comes right back to where it started.

We talk about these episodes frequently when we see each other and the folks have never forgotten either. We all wonder how my brother made it through childhood. All the times we spent together brought us closer, even the bad ones. We had lots of great times too but it always seems when we get together that these are the topics we end up talking about.

It is a wonderful feeling to have people close to you to connect with outside of your immediate family. They are not just cousins but they are also friends and because we are connected by blood it creates an even greater bond. I believe we need family around to encourage us, to protect us, and to make memories with. I believe our children need to experience this as well. That is why I do my best to meet with extended family once or twice a year and I also do my best to connect to my nieces and nephews. Sometimes young people need someone to talk to that is an adult they trust but is not mom and dad. I would like that to be me and not a stranger. It is a family thing, it is a love thing.

Author Bio:

Ken holds a master’s in business leadership from Upper Iowa University and multiple bachelor degrees from Grand View College.  As president of  morningsidenannies.com, Ken’s focus is helping Houston-based parents find the right childcare provider for their family. When he isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his three children and his wife.

Read more...

Shimla-Let’s Play with Ice!!

/image:en.wikipedia.org/

Shimla is the hottest tourist sport in north India, a large amount of tourist from all over the world came here to enjoy the natural beauty of Shimla. Shimla is known as the queen of hills, since it is a hills station it is situated in between the hills most of the time these hills are completely covered with the sheet of snow, there are dense forest of deodar and pine trees so we can say in Shimla we can get rich natural habitat. There are many things which can bind you in Shimla during the season of snowfall the beauty, grace and charm all these are at the top. it is the capital of the state situated in the north India Himachal Pradesh.  People came with their family to enjoy this, there are many other spots in Shimla some are:

The Market:

The mall is the major market of Shimla everything which we need is available here, most of the local people as well as tourist came here for shopping. In this mall there are many restaurants, bars, banks and many other things are situated which make sure that you can have everything at the same place. most of the people use this mall as there meeting place they meet here eat here do gossips and they came back to their home in this way they use to celebrate their social life.

The old Christ Church:

Shimla is one of the most famous destinations in North India one of the reason is the architecture, the wooden houses beautiful hotels and wonderful churches. There exists second oldest church in whole North India. Where thousands of pilgrims came every year, this place has its own effect people who came here just forget there all stress and tensions which they have to face in there day to day life. This church has very unique interior each thing symbolize hope, charity, patience, faith and humility.

The historic State Museum

Museum is the place where all the unique things which are first or last piece of their kind are placed. Shimla state Museum was opened in 1974 after independence, with the concept that knowledge of history is very much important for the bright future. This Museum is filled with cultural wealth and many unique articles related to art, archaeology.

Summer Hill and Annandale:

Summer hill is the place where Mahatma Gandhi lived at the time of independence when he visited here .it is 5Kms away from the town at the height of 6,500 ft. on the Shimla-Kalka railway line. This place is nowadays developed as a playground where people of all age groups use to play there is favorite sport is cricket. This ground is filled with people always; many of them came here just to spend some time in open air.

So Shimla is the complete mixture of art, snow, rich heritage as well as natural beauty so I suggest you should visit here at least ones you will definitely come here again , so just contact your tourism advisor get your ticket booked and enjoy your holidays here. It is very easy to reach here by any mode train, bus plane each facility is available here.

Read more...

Tips on Boosting Safety in Your Neighbourhood

Whether you live in the middle of a bustling city or a quiet village, we all want and have the right to feel safe within our homes and, by extension, our neighbourhoods. Clearly, everyone should do everything they can to maximise the security of their own property, and one really effective way of boosting security in your community is to create a neighbourhood watch scheme.

/image:dcso.com/

 

As the saying goes, there is safety in numbers and, by establishing this kind of programme, you and your neighbours can help make the entire local community a better place to live. So, if you're looking to make your area safer, how do you go about it?

The first step is to obtain some evidence about the level of crime in your neighbourhood. After all, you don't know the exact nature of the problem - or problems - that you face, how can you expect to tackle it/them effectively? This can be achieved by doing something as simple as going door-to-door on your street and asking your neighbours what their views on crime are and what they feel should be done about it. Bear in mind, however, that some people's opinions may not be based on facts.

As such, it's also worth looking online or asking your local police force for crime statistics to back up your initial findings. Once you've gathered all the evidence that you need, you can start to tackle the specific problems you face.

If your neighbourhood is blighted by vandals, for example, it's worth setting up a group of 'window watchers' - namely those who will keep an eye out through their window for any unusual incidents or signs of trouble. By having this network in place, you can be sure that someone is keeping a watchful eye on the street, particularly during times when the majority of residents are at work or school.

Running self-defence classes, particularly for women and older people, can also help residents to feel more secure. With one important caveat - even if you enjoy practising martial arts in your spare time or fancy yourself as the next Batman, you should never actively seek physical confrontation with criminals. It is, of course, a job best left to the police.

Asking people in the area with DIY skills to help less able residents repair fencing and install outdoor lighting can also improve the overall safety of your neighbourhood, while your group could also seek financial assistance from nearby businesses to clean and improve public areas. When approaching such companies for help, you should not only point out the obvious benefits of having a safer and more secure community, but remind them that providing funds for such work will raise their profile in the local area.

Whatever steps you take, however, you should hold regular meetings to help people get to know each other - doing so can often eliminate any misconceptions neighbours have of one another - and to establish the success of any initiatives you are running.

At your regular neighbourhood watch meetings, consider distributing promotional products such as personalised cups and mugs. Although these items may not initially sound like they can do much to improve security in your area, they could help generate a sense of community and togetherness among neighbours. Make sure your slogan and contact details of the neighbourhood watch scheme are printed on these products - that way, people will know exactly who to get in touch with should they have any concerns about safety or wish to report an incident.

Are you looking to improve safety in your neighbourhood? Please leave a comment below and tell us the steps you're taking to achieve this.

Read more...

Tips to Ensure Your Air Conditioner Provides More Cooling

As the mercury soars during the summers, you may find yourself more and prone to fatigue and bodily discomfort. Not only is there the excruciating heat that saps all your energy, and will to work, but to make matters worse, the moisture content of the weather can make even the sturdiest of people lose their cool. Thankfully, an AC, a Wilson Bryant Air Conditioning device, to be precise, can make your life easy.

As long as you have an AC in your home, you will keep the hot outdoor air at bay. Yet, for some people, their AC does not provide them with optimal cooling. Such home Air conditioners do not cool the air, as much as it is intended to. If your AC has been such a symptom, of late, then the following pointers may rectify it.

1. Ensure the Electrical Circuits Are Functioning Smoothly

Sometimes, if an AC is not working optimally, it might be owing to an insufficient power supply to the device. If your AC is connected to a weak electrical outlet, there is a case of broken wires, or there is a case of a poor fuse or circuit breaker, then the AC will not get enough electricity to run optimally.

Thus, you should repair such problems, as soon as possible, to restore the optimal cooling power of the AC. In fact, problems in the electrical circuit of the AC can even lead to more dangerous explosions, if you do not rectify them. Therefore, you are doubly recommended to get rid of such problems.

2. Readjust Existing Temperature Settings of the AC

An AC is programmed to cool a room, in response to the ambient temperature. This means that if your thermostat is switched to a point that is warmer than the outdoor temperature, then your AC will not work properly.

To avert this problem, you should make sure that your thermostat setting is ‘Auto’ enabled. In this way, your AC will automatically gauge the outside temperature, and set itself to a point that is cooler than the external degree of temperature.

3. Move the Furniture Around

If the furniture of your room is placed in a manner that blocks the air that is produced by your AC, then you will not enjoy its optimum cooling services. Thus, you should remove items from the natural passage of the AC air.

4. Clean the AC Filter

Over time, your AC filter may gather dust and grime that foils the device’s ability to cool a room, adequately. Therefore, you must remove the filter, and clean it of such deterrents, with water and special soap. Once the filter is dried, you may place it back inside the body of the AC.

In case, your AC comes with throwaway filter, then changing such filters is necessary, in accordance to the time prescribed by the manufacturers. If your AC does not work properly, even after making the above changes, then getting in touch with a certified hvac repairs company is essential.

Read more...