Ingredients
• 1 or 2 Corned Beef depending on weight
• 3 to 8 medium onions
• 1 lb baby carrots
• 1 med head of cabbage, quartered
• 3 lbs of potatoes (5 lbs if you plan to make corned beef hash)

Directions
Place Corned Beef in a Dutch oven, cover with cold water, add onions peeled and quartered. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 2 to 3 hours. Set aside. Prepare potatoes as you would normally to boil or mash them. In a separate pan add cabbage, bring to a boil, add onions and carrots, cook until tender.

When preparing a Corned Beef Dinner plan on 1/2 a pound of Beef per person. Leftovers are always popular you can make sandwiches, Reuben’s, or corned beef hash.

Corned Beef Glaze
I like to take 1/4 cup Yellow Mustard and 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, spreading them equally over the top of the Corned Beef , place in the over at 350 degrees for 10 minutess or until melted.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls, and looks like work.

~ Thomas S. Edison

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for long talks beside the fire; it’s time for being HOME.”
by- Edith Sitwell

Forget Rednecks…

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you live in New England.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don’t work there, you live in New England.

If you’ve worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in New England.

If you’ve had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in New England.

If ‘Vacation’ means going anywhere south of New York City for the weekend, you live in New England.

If you measure distance in hours, you live in New England.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in New England.

If you have switched from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ in the same day and back again, you live in New England.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in New England.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave your doors unlocked, you live in New England.

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in New England.

If you design your kid’s Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in New England.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph - you’re going 75 and everybody is passing you, you live in New England.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in New England.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you live in New England.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in New England.

If you find 10 degrees ‘a little chilly’, you live in New England.

If there’s a Dunkin Donuts on every corner, you live in New England.

“Let go of the past and go for the future. Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you imagined.” - Henry David Thoreau

Migraines
Migraines are headaches caused by constriction or dilation of the blood vessels in the brain. Pain generally occurs on one side of the face or head. Sufferers sometimes feel nausea and sensitivity to light or sound. Triggers include stress, hormonal fluctuations, certain types of food and weather.

According to research by the New England Center for Headache, as many as half of all migraines are triggered by weather. Many migraine sufferers single out cold, dry weather as the culprit, though almost any weather change can be a problem. Some doctors suggest that patients keep a detailed headache journal, so they can anticipate weather changes and take preventative medication, if necessary.

Sinus Headaches
Sinuses are the air cavities in the bones around your nasal passages. When sinuses become clogged or infected, the resulting pressure can cause a headache. Symptoms include pain in the front of the head and around the eyes, yellow or green nasal discharge and perhaps a fever. It’s believed that barometric pressure changes may bring on headaches, if the sinus cavities are slow to equalize air pressure. Damp, cold weather can intensify sinus pain.

It’s tangible, it’s solid, it’s

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- Donald Trump

We undoubtedly are going to have another beautiful white Christmas. Growing up in New Hampshire I can remember waking up to blankets of white snow covering the trees and lawns.
It wasn’t unheard of to have 2 feet of snow in one storm, a little hard to get around but not unheard of.

Have a safe a happy holiday for all the staff at Alpine Lakes Real Estate.

“The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.” — Maureen Dowd

I love holidays and any other reason to slow down to celebrate life. I was remembering how discouraged I felt when renting an apartment for a couple years before I bought my second house. It was frustrating enough knowing that each month I was paying $600.00 to my landlord instead of paying that money to a bank toward a mortgage on my own home but more than that it bothered me that I was so restricted in how I lived my life. I didn’t have enough room for all my big, tropical plants; I couldn’t find a place that would allow me to bring my 10 year old cat that I had since he was a kitten; and no one would allow me to keep my Golden Retriever that I had paid $700.00 for just six months ago. In some ways renting felt like I still lived at home with mom and dad - the only difference was I had a landlord telling me what I can and can not do under his roof. Do you ever feel like your landlord is your parent? Renting really inhibited me from feeling like an independant adult.

When I moved into my second home I was able to invite as many friends/family over as I wanted to. The first summer in my home I invited around 50 people over to celebrate my birthday with me. I was never able to do that when I was in my apartment - there wouldn’t have even been enough parking paces. We hired a band from Boston and enjoyed a BBQ on the deck, playing horseshoes, etc. I love filling my home with family and friends. Holidays are ment to be celebrated with loved ones… the more the merrier. I guess it’s a good thing I bought a 2000 square foot Victorian so I can fit them all in the dining room for Thanksgiving and around the tree at Christmas time

Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to spend the holidays in your NEW home?

I remember buying my first home in Concord, NH, back when I was 21. We had looked at houses daily for 3 weeks until we finally found the one that met our search criteria. It was a 1,500 square foot New Englander on a quiet one-way street with a big living room that had a fireplace. We were prepared to do everything in our power to close early enough to spend Thanksgiving in our new house. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to move in by Thanksgiving but we were able to enjoy Christmas in our new home! Those are memories I’ll cherish forever.

We spent 10 amazing Christmas holidays in that house. It was wonderful being able to host Christmas Eve dinners for the whole family and tree decorating parties with our friends each year.

It’s not too late to find your new house and have you “Home for the Holidays.” Make this year a memorable one.

It was an inspiration to read the Realtor.com article “2007 Good Neighbor Awards.” There was 300+ Real Estate Agents that were nominated for the Good Neighbor Awards program last year for going above and beyond to help their community. Out of the over 300 nominees there were five winners, who raised millions of dollars for their causes by volunteered nearly 8,000 hours — that’s an average of 30 hours a week for each one of them! If they can selflessly volunteer that much of their time it made me realize I could help too. Good Neighbors believe that one person can make a difference.

This time of the year always remind me how lucky I am to have such caring friends, to have a beautiful home, to work with a wonderful group of people, and to have my health. There are so many people less fortunate. I may not be in a position where I can give to charity organizations financially, but there are other ways to help our community.

That’s why this Thanksgiving I have offered my time as a volunteer at a local Soup Kitchen/Food Pantry to give back the only way I can. If you’re able to give (in any way) to those less fortunate this holiday season I’m sure it will be appreciated and you will know what it’s like to be part of the true gift of the holiday spirit.

Here is a list of some organizations you can contact for more information:

People enjoy going into their favorite stores rather it’s Marshalls or Wal-Mart for example. For many people there is something wonderfully familiar about going inside a business vs. browsing on-line. There’s something about the face-to-face customer service and support, being able to touch the products and just getting out of the house. Thankfully e-commerce will never be able to compete with the traditional retail businesses. It would be sad to give up all that socializing.

From this day further we’ll always be together,
We’ll watch the sun rise,
We’ll watch the sun set in the horizon.
Together, in those cool spring evening,
Hands in hands we’ll walk down those magical places,
Places only the both of us would know.
In the summer evening,
We’ll hold each other and close our eyes,
We’ll watch the stars far above,
We’ll think about tomorrow as the fireflies spread their wings and fly,
Fly into that freedom sky.
In the winter,
It’ll just be me and you in the warmth of the evening,
We’ll walk on the snow,
Make imprints that’ll last forever.
Just hold me in those cold winter nights,
And I’ll be right there to hold you,
We’ll watch the falling snow,
We’ll sit before the fire and cherish the moments we’re having together,
In the silent of the nights,
We’ll always be together forever.
Don’t be sad because I’ll always be here with you,
Don’t be sad because I’ll always be there no matter where you are,
And I know you’ll love me and be there like I’d be for you.
Through the cool springs, warm summers, and cold winters,
We’ll always be together no matter what happens.
Just close your eyes and dream of tomorrow,
Because we’ll always be together.
And if one day one of us shall no longer be here,
Just once again think of those spring, summer, and winter nights,
Close our eyes and let the fireflies lead us back to once again be with each other.

“You can discover more about a person in a hour of play than in a year of conversation.” - Annonymous

“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.” - by General George S. Patton

“Five enemies of peace inhabit with us — avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.” - Petrarch

“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” - Japanese Proverb

“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” - Mary Kay Ash

I found some interesting excerpts from the book, “The Abs Diet” by David Zinczenko so I wanted to share them with our readers:

You probably already know that stress can raise your blood pressure, diminish your sex drive, and cause excessive horn-blowing in traffic. But did you know it is also one of the biggest factors in determining your weight?

Stress Changes Your Body
Stress isn’t just something you feel in your head. It’s something that trickles throughout your body. Under stress, your body produces two hormones: adrenaline and cortisol (adrenaline is like lighter fluid and cortisol is like charcoal). Adrenaline quickly burns off the immediately available sugar in your blood, so you can fight or flee whatever is stressing you. Cortisol continues to fuel the fire, pumping more sugar into your blood so you have energy to burn. The problem is made to be burned off quickly as you either escape or attack. When the stress comes in—like a pressing deadline or a stack of bills—you can’t fight back or flee. And without that burst of physical activity, you don’t have the chance to burn off that extra blood sugar. Instead, it gets stored in your belly as fat. In a recent study at Yale, women who were most susceptible to stress had both higher levels of cortisol and greater abdominal fat than non-stressed women. And ladies exhibiting stress stored fat primarily in one place: their bellies.

Stress Incites Your Cravings
You know the kid in school who always egged you on to do the things you didn’t want to do - throw spitballs, trip the math-club president in the cafeteria, or touch your tongue to the frozen street sign? That’s what stress is: “the instigator.” It goads you to do things you know aren’t good for you, and under pressure, you cave in and do them anyway. Researchers at the University of California have identified a biochemical feedback system that could explain our stress/craving connection. In their study they determined that stress stimulated a flood of hormones that prompts the pleasure-seeking behaviors like eating high-calorie foods. Another study done at Yale University found that people with higher stress-induced cortisol levels ate more food—including more sweets—than people with lower cortisol levels.

Stress Keeps You — And Your Weight — Up
A University of Chicago study showed that men who slept only 4 hours a night had cortisol levels 37% higher than men who got a full 8 hours. Men who stayed awake the whole night had levels 45% higher than the well-rested guys. And remember, increased cortisol equals more fat stored in your belly. Another study tracked the work habits and weights of nearly 1,800 men over a 12-month period and found that those who regularly logged late hours were 36% more likely to tip the scales at above-normal weights than the 9-to-5 workers. That’s another reason why letting go of stress is an important step toward letting go of pounds. Another University of Chicago study showed that men who were relaxed enough to get deep (quality sleep) secreted almost 65% more human growth hormone (HGH) than men who didn’t sleep well.

Stress Changes Your Decisions
Sure, you have every intention of eating right. But when dinner is something that can be considered only in the 15 seconds of free time you have each evening, it’s awfully tempting to swing through the drive-thru and pick up something that’s ready faster than you can say, “I’ll have fries with that.”

Relationships are different than they were 20 years ago. More than 50% of all marriages fail - for one reason or another. Just thinking about that makes “commitment” scary. It seems that when relationships are faced with challenges, people quit. Dating is more like a marathon, trying to date as many people as possible, instead of taking time to get to know someone at a deep level. For married couples, divorce is not biased. Whether married for thirty years or eight months, the outcome can be the same. The fact is that relationships are hard. Things do not always go perfectly, fighting does occur, and it takes a 100% commitment from both parties to make it. Often when people break off a relationship, they feel as though something is missing. The “spark” has gone, leaving one or both people feeling inadequate and unfulfilled.

However, even though the odds are not good, a healthy and long-lasting relationship is possible and proven by many people. Look at Paul Newman and Joanne Woodard, Danny Devito and Rhea Perlman, or Nancy and Ronald Regan. What secrets do they possess? The answer is that they all work hard at their relationship. They made a decision of choosing to love their mate rather than relying on the “warm and fuzzy” feelings, which fades. By making love a choice you are making a decision that even in the bad times, you stick together.

Think of it like choosing a car. You pick out the make, model, year, color, and features that you believe are best for you. After driving your car for a couple of months, you realize that perhaps you should have purchased a larger car, or that maybe the leather seats would have been better, or on hot sunny days, a sunroof would have been nice. However, it is now too late so you choose to keep your car. It is the same for marriage. Not everything will be perfect, and there will be obstacles to overcome, but you have made your decision and now you must choose to make it work.

We are sisters
I love you,
And I know you love me

We’re not always together,
Life sometimes keeps us apart.
But we’re never separated
We’re in each other’s heart.

Now I know we’ve had our troubles,
But we always get thru.
The real message is you love me,
And I also love you.

We have had lots of good times
That we’ll never forget
Sometimes we worry
And sometimes we fret

But if God ever gave me
Something special you see,
It might have been the blessing of,
sisters are we.

The Lord above has gave me lots
Of happiness and glee
But the most special thing he did was
was make us sisters.

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. - Robert Browning

The romantic comedy “Failure to Launch,” where Matthew McConaughey played a young man who is intelligent, good-looking and completely unmotivated. He still lives at home and seems to have no ambitions beyond playing video games, hanging out with his buddies and girls-girls-girls. In desperation, his parents hire a professional motivation consultant, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, who pretends to fall in love with McConaughey’s character in the hope that a romantic relationship will motivate him to move out of his parents’ home and get his own life.

What’s Happen to Boys? They go off to college for 2-4 years, wastes thousands of dollars of their parents’ money, then gets bored and comes home to take up residence in their old room, the same bedroom where he lived when he was in high school. Now he’ll only work part-time (15-20 hours a week). I can understand why parents start pulling their hair out. This phenomenon cuts across all demographics. You’ll find it in families both rich and poor; black, white, Asian and Hispanic; urban, suburban and rural. According to the Census Bureau, fully one-third of young men ages 21 to 35 are still living at home with their parents - a 100% increase in the past 20 years.

No such change has occurred with regard to young women. Why? My friend and colleague Judy Kleinfeld, a professor at the University of Alaska, has spent many years studying this growing phenomenon. She points out that while some young women live at home nowadays as well, those young women usually have a definite plan. They’re working toward a college degree, or they’re saving money to open their own business and if you come back 3 years later, you’ll find that in most cases those young women have achieved their goal… earned their degree, opened their business, etc.

“The girls are driven; the boys have no direction,” is the way Kleinfeld summarizes her findings. Kleinfeld is organizing a national Boys Project, with a board composed of leading researchers and writers such as Sandra Stotsky, Michael Thompson and Richard Whitmire, to figure out what’s going wrong with boys. Maybe it has to do with environmental toxins that affect boys differently than girls. Maybe it has to do with changes in the workforce, with fewer blue-collar jobs and more emphasis on the service industry. Maybe it’s some combination of the above or other factors we haven’t yet identified.

The romantic comedy “Failure to Launch,” where Matthew McConaughey played a young man who is intelligent, good-looking and completely unmotivated. He still lives at home and seems to have no ambitions beyond playing video games, hanging out with his buddies and girls-girls-girls. In desperation, his parents hire a professional motivation consultant, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, who pretends to fall in love with McConaughey’s character in the hope that a romantic relationship will motivate him to move out of his parents’ home and get his own life.

REMEMBER: It can be a little frightening moving out on your own but it’s also very empowering to be responsible for your own life.

Work is a regular routine for thousands of people. You get up, you go to work, and you go home. But what effect could a desk job have on your health?
Despite the view that working in an office means that you have an easy life, sitting at a desk all day can actually be very tiring. Remember to take regular breaks to stretch your legs. Go talk to a colleague instead of emailing them to take a break away from your computer screen. Always eat a healthy lunch such as salad, baked potato, or a sandwich on brown or granary bread. Make sure you drink water throughout the day.

Another office health hazard is sitting still. When you are concentrating on your work, you may be working hard and being mentally active, but unfortunately, your are glued to the chair all day. Lack of physical exercise means that many office workers put on weight and aren’t as fit and healthy as they could be. Although your performance review may be good, your physical/fitness review might need improvement. So why not do something about it? Go for a walk before/after work, take a walk on your break time, etc. Fitting exercise into a work schedule is not easy but it is important. Around 30 minutes a day will reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Plus, it’ll help give you extra energy!

Sitting at a desk typing all day can cause back pain, and develop into permanent back problems. It is important that you sit properly at your desk. Studies show that the best seating position is leaning back slightly, making sure your back is supported, and facing your screen directly so that your back and body are aligned and you don’t have to twist around to see the screen/monitor. Your arms should be at a height where you can comfortably rest them on the desk as you type. Remember too, that your screen should be at eye level and at a distance away from you where you can easily see without straining your eyes. You shouldn’t have to crane your neck upwards or downwards, lean forward, or squint while you work.

Sometimes a long day at work can be broken up with coffee breaks. Office workers tend to drink lots of caffeine, seeing it as a quick fix to supply them with the energy they need to get their work done and make it to 5pm! Just remember that too much caffeine can put you at risk of high blood pressure.
It is suggest not to have more than 3 cups of coffee a day. It is always suggested that instead of coffee/tea that you drink plenty of water (many offices provide water coolers).

Snack on low-fat snacks, yoghurts, or better still fruit, nuts and seeds. You can nibble away to your heart’s content, and know that you waistline and your health will be all the better for it.

You may not realize it, but office lighting could also be causing you trouble. Lights that are too bright or too dim can cause headaches as your eyes struggle to adjust and work in less than perfect conditions. Consider that you may well be in the office for 35-40 hours a week, and suddenly it doesn’t seem like such a minor worry. Constant headaches can lead to poor performance at work, tiredness and problems sleeping. Talk to the office manager to see what can be done; chances are you won’t be the only one suffering.

Air conditioned rooms provides the perfect environment for the spread of viruses such as colds and flu. Scientists believe that ventilation systems harbors germs and pump them around offices. So, chances are if one of you is sneezing on Monday, by Friday half the workforce will be shivering, coughing and clutching a cup of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup.

What better day to be talking about making your own luck than TODAY. Every day can be a lucky day if you think it is. If you think you’re lucky and believe it, you will be. By keeping your mind focused on only positive things coming your way, you will be lucky.

As the old saying goes, you are the only one who is responsible for making your own happiness and your own luck. It is your expectation of good things happening for you that forces luck to come your way. Whatever it is you intend or want to achieve, expectation makes intentions manifest. If you intend for something to happen and continually focus about it and visualize it happening, it will. This is how you make your own luck. What ever you think about habitually comes to you whether wanted or unwanted, so keep your mind only on what you wanted and that is what you will get.

The good news is you can change your luck when ever you decide to change your thoughts. As you begin to think more positively, you will see a turn in your luck and the rest is up to you to keep it there.

When you see people who seem to have all the luck, they’re simply getting what it is they expected to get. You’e lucky because you think you’re lucky. The same thing goes for the opposite, if you believe you are an unlucky person, you will draw unlucky circumstances into your life. REMEMBER: You are a magnet to what you draw into your life.

“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can’t, you’re right.” - Mary Kay Ash

“My country is the world to me and my religion is to do good.” - Thomas Paine

It basically means that you will be accountable for everything you think about and the more you think about something in particular the sooner you will notice that particular thing appearing in your life.

If thoughts become things it means you can change almost any circumstance in your life. I say almost anything because there are some things you cannot change, for example you could probably never be able to breathe underwater no matter how much you thought about it. However, when it comes to external life situation like attaining wealth even though you have always been poor, this is a situation which is entirely possible if you change your thoughts about wealth or becoming wealthy.

You are thinking everyday and although your thoughts seem to wander and change constantly by habit. When you change your thoughts you begin changing your subconscious mind and by doing so you can change your life. If you think you have no way out to a better life, that’s what will happen. If you think things are getting better and your life is improving then that is what will happen. As you notice things getting better and you keep your thoughts focused on this, more and more positive events will come. Often people change their thinking habits to a more positive mindset and as they notice improvements occurring in their lives, they begin to say things like; “this can’t last” and then it stops. You will get what you think about, wanted or unwanted so if you have been getting what you do not want, now you now know why.

Whenever I had gone through rough patches in my life it was always when I had been thinking negatively. The same thing went for happy times in my life, when my thoughts were positive good things happen. I changed my thoughts and my life changed for the better I kept expecting more good things to come my way and that is exactly what has happened. If I ever catch myself thinking negatively I have a special saying that I use that pops in my mind and I refocus my thoughts on what I want. That special saying can be anything that works for you, it is just a trigger to help you refocus and remember that your thoughts become things so you must concentrate on what things you want to create. The more you become accustomed to refocusing the more often you can expect your thoughts to remain habitually positive and you will bring positive those events into your life.

“The ability to convert ideas to things is the secret of outward success.” - by Henry Ward Beecher

Here are 10 tips to help you improving your rapport and become a better co-worker:
1. Keep it down. Whether it’s singing to the radio, or slamming file drawers, reduce the volume of noises.

2. Don’t your burn bridges. The single most important thing to remember is to be considerate. If you think about how your behavior impacts others, you will understand how to behave courteously.

3. Avoid office politics (Part I). When the resident gossip “confides” insider information to you and is waiting to hear your reaction and rebuttal, don’t bite no matter how tempting. “You won’t believe what the receptionist told me…” Scandalous scuttlebutt flourishes on the office grapevine and you don’t want it to come back to haunt you.

4. Clean up after yourself. Make sure you clear the kitchen, bathroom, don’t leave food in the fridge, etc.

5. Silence. Avoid annoying phone ring tones or computer sound effects. While you may enjoy hearing “It’s a Small World After All” over and over every time your BlackBerry rings, you can bet you’re the only one.

6. Cut clutter. Make sure your thriving collection of plants doesn’t cascade over into adjoining areas.

7. Avoid office politics (Part I). Today’s politically polarized environment makes discussing even the most innocuous issue a potential touchstone for office controversy. So keep your opinions of politics and religion under your hat.

8. Temper your toxicity. Try not to let your personal life affect your office professionalism. Co-workers will cringe at your ability to put a negative spin on things.

9. Good hygiene. Oftentimes, you’re with colleagues at the office than you are with your family at home. That doesn’t mean you should become complacent in your grooming. Your co-workers will always appreciate your use of shampoo, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, etc. Spraying cologne/perfume doesn’t help you smell fresh/clean.

10. Short breaks. By all means share a quick story at the coffeemaker that will brighten someones day. But don’t run out and kill an hour smoking while the boss is away.

The best environments to work in are those where people get along and have built friendships. It is in both your best interest and the best interest of the company to maintain a cooperative, friendly work environment.

It’s hard to believe I’m getting ready to celebrate our 20th reunion… from high school. I know age is only a number but I certainly don’t feel like I’m in my 30’s and there are times when I hope I don’t act it. I’m glad I don’t feel like that awkward teenager or that unsure 20 year old anymore, at least one good thing about turning 30 is how confident you become with who you are.

I grew up in Boscawen, New Hampshire, where I went to Merrimack Valley. I got my first job working at Wendy’s in Concord, NH (the state’s capital) where I met my high school sweetheart, Andre. Andre went to Pembroke Academy (about 15 minutes south of Concord). A few years after graduation Andre and I married, we got in touch with a friend of mine that was a real estate agent for Century 21 and we bought our first home (a New Englander) in Penacook, NH.

So much changes in 20 years… Andre and I stayed married for 10 years then parted as friends. He now lives in Pembroke, NH, where he did a great job renovating him Memes house into his home. I now live in the Squam Lakes Region, where I bought a historical 100 year old Victorian. It took 5 years remodeling it into what is now a lovely home.

It’ll be nice to see some old friends from high school again. It’s hard to keep in touch with everyone when our busy lives come between you and them. I have one friend from school that I have remained friends with since 5th grade, Laura. Over the years she has become more like family. After Andre and I sold our home I moved into Laura’s Cape and her and I lived together as roommates for a couple years - it was great! I probably would have lived with her forever if I hadn’t found a Bank Auction/Foreclosure deal that was just too good to pass up. (I even gave up my trip to Mexico so I could do the closing sooner.) I figured since I got such a good deal on buying the house from the bank that I would just renovate it then flip this house and buy another one like they do on tv. It was a good idea, however, now that all the renovations are done I like the house too much to sell it.

We are planning to hold our 20-Year re-union up at the Gunstock Mountain Resort located in Gilford - the heart of the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. I’m glad the reunion is being held at Gunstock, this area is known for its spectacular lake and mountain views. Now everyone will understand why I moved from the hustle and bustle of Concord up to the beautiful White Mountain area.

I don’t have any kids of my own, so it’s always nice when I have a chance to spend time with my niece, Bailey and nephew, Ben. (Bailey is 7 and Ben is 4.) It amazes me how smart kids are now days.

Bailey and Ben came over last weekend and Ben was asking me about what movies I’d seen lately. I couldn’t help but giggle when he asked me; “Aunt Bobi have you seen all the Super Man episodes yet?” What 4 year old speak so proper, using words like “episodes”? I just shook my head and laughed no, not yet.

Later Bailey asked me; “Aunt Bobi are you rich?” Now, that really made me giggle! Why would you ask me that, you know I’m not. She said, because you have a big house, a landscaper, a housekeeper, a Jacuzzi, and you make us use our manners. LOL… It’s funny what kids idea of being rich is.

No financially I may not be “rich.” However, Bailey is right I am rich in many ways. I do have a wonderful home, a nice family and wonderful friends.

“Ninety percent of the world’s woe comes from people not knowing themselves, thier abilities, their frailties and even their real virtues. Most of us go almost all the way through life as complete strangers to ourselves.” - Sydney J. Harris

Spend some time by yourself getting to really know who YOU are. You may just realize how much you enjoy your YOU time.

I saw something in my quaint little town of Ashland that I had never seen before and it brought me back to my childhood… it was an ICE CREAM TRUCK!

I can remember as a child, growing up in Boscawen, NH, we’d hear the sound of the Ice Cream truck while it was still a block away, and that would give my sister, brother and I enough time to ask my mom’s permission to get an ice cream. Mom would always tell us to go see if dad has any money.

Poor dad, just imagine 3 kids running at you screaming “the ICE CREAM TRUCK is coming” at the top of their lungs. While dad is saying I don’t have any money we would already have our little arms halfway into his pockets pulling out change. My father would get exhausted trying to fight off all 3 of us so he always gave in just as the Ice Cream truck got to our house.

Everyone had their favorite… my favorite was the Chocolate Bar (that was like a Strawberry Shortcake) it had a piece of chocolate fudge/candy inside the ice cream.

I don’t know for sure what exactly happened to all the Ice Cream trucks but I have a theory… I think all the dads in the neighborhood might have gotten together and ran the Ice Cream men out of town in an attempt to save their change and avoid being attached by their kids each weekend - LOL

“Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.” - Abraham Lincoln

Aries (March 21 - April 20)
Represented by the Ram Aries are brave, competitive and desire to control/lead. You like to do your own thing and constantly need to start new projects (finishing them is the hard part). Being the 1st sign of the zodiac, you have a “me first” attitude. You are assertive and full of energy which can result in headstrong/impulsive behaviors. You have great enthusiasm for life.
Element: Fire
Motto: ‘I Am’

Taurus (April 21 - May 21)
Represented by the Bull Taurus tend to have a stubborn streak. You are emotional/sensitive but your love of ease and a reluctance to take risks can make you lazy and untrusting. You like to create beautiful surroundings for yourself and have a liking for all things luxurious, particularly food/drink.
Element: Earth
Motto: ‘I Have’

Gemini (May 22 - June 21)
Represented by the Twins Gemini like to “have their cake and eat it too” as you seek variety in life. They are inquisitive, intelligent, optimistic, lively and versatile. You can also have a childlike mischievous streak. Ruled by your conscious mind you follow your head rather than heart. Because you are able to see both sides of situations this makes them the perfect devil’s advocate.
Element: Air
Motto ‘I Communicate’

Cancer (June 22 - July 22)
Represented by the Crab Cancer is prone to mood swings. You have an instinctive nurturing ability. You are protective of those close to you and always put your family first.
Element: Water
Motto: ‘I Feel’

Leo (July 23 - August 23)
Represented by the Lion Leo makes an excellent “leader of the pack.” You have confidence in yourself and are able to inspire others. You are a natural performer and are at your best when you are the centre of attention. Being loyal, generous and in no way aggressive makes you an excellent partner/friend.
Element: Fire
Motto: ‘I Create’

Virgo (August 24 - September 22)
Represented by the Virgin Virgo are introverts by nature, although can be talkative/lively when in company, making the ideal companion. You care for all living things and like to be with other people as you are interested in their opinions. You can be critical of other people’s behavior. You are a very hard worker and are content to work behind the scenes to serve others in a quiet/efficient manner.
Element: Earth
Motto: ‘I Serve’

Libra (September 23 - October 23)
Represented by the Scales Libra dislike injustice making you a natural peacemaker. With your charm and/or humor you are able to cheer up any difficult situation which your need for harmony compels you to do. You may seem lazy as you would rather do nothing to avoid making a decision. You are very tolerant and affectionate with a strong need to please others.
Element: Air
Motto: ‘I Weigh’

Scorpio (October 24 - November 22)
Represented by the Scorpion Scorpio are capable of great destruction and can be very sarcastic. You hide your inner turmoil so well that on the surface everything looks normal but you have strong emotions and jealous nature. You are very extreme with your likes/dislikes. You have a powerful magnetism that makes you very popular and attractive.
Element: Water
Motto: ‘I Control’

Sagittarius (November 23 - December 21)
Represented by the Centaur Archer (half man & half horse) aiming his arrow to the sky Sagittarius aims high with their goals. You are honest and outspoken with a thirst for knowledge with a quest for the truth. You need to share knowledge with others and this makes you a natural teacher. You also want independence so by teaching others you give them the means to be independent as well. You don’t let setbacks get in your way as you are optimistic and naturally lucky. You set high standards for yourself and expect others to live up to them even if you don’t manage to yourself. You do like to lay down the law but you hate to take orders.
Element: Fire
Motto: ‘I Philosophise’

Capricorn (December 22 - January 20)
Represented by the Goat Capricorn is sure-footedly which makes its way to the top of any terrain. In all areas of your life you take your duties very seriously and make a dependable/loyal friend. You will not make snap decisions or take risks but prefer to plan everything and you do not appreciate change. At work you have a hard professional image but in private you tend to be shy and sensitive.
Element: Earth
Motto: ‘I Master’

Aquarius (January 21 - February 18)
Represented by the Water Bearer Aquarius you will do what is best for mankind even if it means you have to break the rules. You want to be friends with everyone and make an excellent team member, especially in a large group, but at the same time you also need to be individual and independent.
Element: Air
Motto: ‘I Universalise’

Pisces (February 19 - March 20)
Represented by the Fishes Pisces you live in your own world (dreamer). You are romantic and sensitive with a very powerful imagination. When things get tough you will disappear into your own fantasy world. You are difficult to understand even for yourself because of your changing moods and chameleon-like character.
Element: Water
Motto: ‘I Believe’

A good friend called to surprise me with tickets to the Rick Springfield concert. I wasn’t feeling very well but since he already bought the tickets I decided to go. I hadn’t seen Rick Springfield in concert in 20 years (yes I was an 80’s child). When I was getting ready I decided to dress for an 80’s concert so I found my silver hooped earrings. I was standing in front of the mirror taking my gold earrings out and putting my silver earrings in when I notices the irony. I guess I didn’t need to put in my silver hoops in after all… I noticed a silver stand of hair instead. That’s something I’m sure I didn’t have when I went to see Rick Springfield 20 years ago. Back then I remember riding to the concert in with a friend in his 1980’s Formula. Now 20 years later I find myself riding to the concert with a friend in his car-a-van. LOL… my how times have changed.

Meadowbrook which is located on the shores of beautiful Lake Winnipesaukee, in Gilford, New Hampshire, started as a vision on a grass field in the middle of a tree farm. My friend had never been to any of the out-door concerts here. He lives in Concord and I live in Ashland so it’s just a 30 minute drive for each of us to meet there.

I can’t believe Rick Springfield is 50+ years old (born on Aug 23, 1949, in Sydney, Australia). Some singers from the 80’s look their age, but not Rick Springfield - has aged like a fine wine. He did a great job at the concert, he was so full of energy and interacted with the crowd. He sang; “Jessie’s Girl,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” and “Affair of the Heart.” Seeing Rick perform was great. He seemed to enjoy himself as much as the crowd! He played some new material, a few covers and some familiar 80’s tunes. Nice venue –easy to see the stage-the only drawback was some older people behind us who wanted us to sit down so they could see. It was great when the whole crowd finally got on their feet -that’s what you’re supposed to do at a concert!

“You’ve got to be very careful, if you don’t know where you are going because you might not get there.” - Yogi Berra

How true is that? I know from experience that it’s all too easy to just drift through life aimlessly, without any real direction and yet feel disappointed when you wake up one morning and realize your 30 years old and you still don’t know what you want to do when you grow up. It’s hard to hit your mark if you don’t know what you’re aiming for. Don’t be afraid to set a goal - even a little one and move one baby step at a time toward what’s important to you.

I was getting dressed for work this morning, putting on a blue & aqua checkered shirt to go with my navy-blue suit. As I looked into the mirror I asked myself; “is this shirt too country for Campton?” The words “too country for Campton” resinated in my head for a moment before a laugh burst out loud. Everything about Campton screams COUNTRY and I was worried about a plaid shirt being a little over the top.

I’ve lived in the Squam Lakes Region since 2000 and I’ve worked in the Waterville Valley Region since 2006, yet every morning on the way to work and every evening on the way home it still grabs me. I am still in awgh of the beautiful lakes and rivers and the breath-taking views of the mountains that some people may just take for granted or that some people don’t have the privilege of seeing at all. Thankfully, even after 7 years in the Grafton County I still see my ride to and from work as scenes from beautiful postcards.

When I first moved up north from Concord, NH, I was surprised to find out that Ashland is geographically the “Center of New Hampshire.” So in fact, I wasn’t moving north at all. I was moving into the pivot-point of NH. Although I had always thought of myself as more of a city girl than country, I feel like I have the best of both worlds (and as a Gemini that’s always important), I have all the amenities/necessities that a city offers with all of the beauty and serenity that you can only get from a town.

“
The best friend on earth to man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on earth.”
- Frank Lloyd Wright

“Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” - H. L. Hunt

It may sound like the Lindsay Lohan song “I Decide” but the truth is your life is up to you and only you can be responsible for your happiness and the decisions you make. Don’t blame - change.

Trust your hopes, not your fears. - David Mahoney

“You must first clearly see a thing in your mind before you can do it.” - Alex Morrison

I’m a very visual person. Therefore, I made a Goals Poster that I hung in my den. On it I have picture of a home, a boat, a Caribbean island vacation, a family, fine art, etc. As I sit at my desk and look at this poster from my beautifully furnished Victorian Home, I can see my 20-foot boat sitting in my driveway. Although, I haven’t been on vacation yet this year, I have a photo album filled with pictures from Bahamas, Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominic. I look at my Goal Poster and I realize this really does work for me. If you want something badly enough ’see it’ in your mind and if you need to do like I do… see it on paper too. You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you soon need to do a new Goal Poster because you’ve fulfilled everything on your 1st one.

Cargill Construction out of Campton, NH, has been renovating our executive office suits on the 2nd floor for the past three (3) months. Their contractor, Joe, is doing an amazing job installing multiple different hardwood flooring, wainscoting, custom cabinets & countertops, etc. In a word… WOW! They hired Impressions to paint all the new offices, file room, and display area using Benjamin Moore and have not had any problems until… MY office. I want a serene shad that reflected a soft energy so I chose “Rose Silk” as my wall color and it came out way too PINK. So we (a mutual decision in the office) decided to change the color and went with “Bermuda Sand” for a more neutral color. Well as you may have guessed my office has to be the difficult one so once again the color turned out very PINK. Without loosing all optimism I remembered “the third time is a charm.” I finally picked “Just Beige” in hopes to escape the PINK hues. Something as simple as painting an office is taking longer than installing a custom tile floor. I don’t understand what went wrong… Is it that the paint never really matches the color pallets they give you or does the fault lie with the hardware store that isn’t mixing the paint correctly?

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, Live as if you’ll die today.” - James Dean

“Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” - Harold R. McAlindon

When I was 20 years old & newly engaged to my high-school sweetheart we decided to start looking for a home together. Immediately our families were telling us we were too young to buy a house so we should just find a condo to rent. We almost believed all the negative feedback from our loved ones until I stumbled upon this quote by “Harold R. McAlindon.” It made me realized I am the only one in charge of my life. It didn’t matter how old we were, our determination outweighed our lack of credit. A few months later we become 1st time home owners and proudly moved into our 1500SF New Englander in Concord, NH. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something. If you want it badly enough - go get it.