- Page 3 of 318 - Good food, good company, good advice from Grandma

Why Estate Planning is Essential for New Parents

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When you have children, your whole life changes. You are now responsible for the life and well-being of a child. It is your job to love, nurture, and provide for them for the next 18 years and beyond. Though every parent’s wish is to be able to be there for their children from birth to adulthood and beyond, realistically, it’s not always what happens.

Unfortunately, there are circumstances in life that prevent a parent from being able to raise their children to adults. Should something happen to you like an accident with severe disabilities, a life-threatening illness, or death, who will be there to raise and protect your children?

Estate planning is something that parents should be considering during pregnancy or just after their children are born. This is the process of deciding how your assets such as houses, cars, businesses, cash, clothes, jewelry, and other belongings will be transferred in the event of a serious mishap or your untimely death.

Working with an estate planning attorney will help you to select guardians for your minor children, ensure your assets are divided properly among your beneficiaries, and avoid paying too much in taxes and other fees. Here’s a more extensive look at how estate planning works to protect your family:

Create a Will

Believe it or not, most people don’t have a will. A will is a legally binding document designed to carry out your last wishes for your estate and family. Without one, your family could have a hard time securing the assets you’ve left behind for them. When no will is present, the state gets to decide how your assets are divided. Any property or money you’ve left behind for your minor children gets put into a conservatorship where a court-appointed representative becomes responsible for managing the finances for your children.

This isn’t what any parent wants. Knowing that dealing with your loss will already be hard enough on them, essentially you want to make the process of moving on as easy as possible. An estate planning attorney will make sure this happens by helping you to draft a will that keeps the court system out of your final affairs.

Selecting Guardians for Minor Children

Should you pass away when your children are small you’ll want to know that you have someone you can trust taking care of them. If you’re married and survive your spouse, obviously, the kids would be cared for by your spouse. However, should both of you pass away, if you have not appointed a guardian, the court will do it for you. They obviously don’t know the people in your life as well as you do, and, therefore, might select someone you wouldn’t want your children to be raised by.

If you have a solid estate plan and will in place, however, you avoid this chaos altogether. By planning these things now, you have the time to choose someone you know would raise the children just as you would.

Set Up Living Trusts

After your passing, allocating your assets to your loved ones can take months or even years without the right protections in place. They could end up spending hundreds if not thousands of dollars in court to fight for what they believe to be rightfully theirs. In some cases, they may even end up with nothing.

A living trust is a legal document that helps families to divide assets quickly and efficiently without the intervention of probate court. Basically, all of your assets are transferred into a trust while you’re living. Upon your death, the assets within the trust are then distributed to the rightful parties with the help of your designated trustee. This is someone you know and trust who will be responsible for locating and providing assets to your surviving relatives.

You’re a new parent now. You’re thinking about the lifetime of memories and times you’ll share as you raise your children to become upstanding adults. The last thing on your mind is something happening to you that renders you incapable of caring for your kids. Yet, the reality is that these kinds of things happen all the time. If you and your spouse have not properly prepared for the worst-case scenario, it can leave a lot of hard work and stress for your surviving loved ones to deal with. Take the time now to protect your kids by talking to an estate planning attorney about getting your final affairs in order now.

Rosacea Can Cause Eye Problems!

Karen · 2 Comments

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About eight years ago, I woke up with a rash on my face. It wasn’t itchy so much, but more burny, like a sunburn. Except that I had not been out in the sun. Fabgrandpa and I were camphosting at Payne Lake Campground in Alabama, in the Talladega National Forest. I had been to a doctor for some other things in Marion, Alabama, so I made an appointment and drove down to see him. His diagnosis was Rosacea. I had never had it before, but the medications he gave me for it worked, and made the rash go away and my face feel better. I never knew, though, that Rosacea can cause eye problems!

rosacea rash — The rash on my face in 2010

For the last three or four months, I have been having a hard time with my eyes. They feel gluey, sticky, and burn. They leak fluid from the outer corners, and form a crust that then feels like I have sticks and stones in them. I have just passed it off as having dry eyes, and have been using eye drops all day long. The eye drops have not helped. Lately, it has been very hard to keep my eyes open. I blink so much, and then my eyes feel tired long before the rest of me does. This morning, I could stand it no longer. I made an appointment with my eye doctor, Dr. Ortiz.

I was of course thinking all of the worst things, like can you have cancer in your eyes, or am I losing my eyesight to my diabetes, or am I allergic to the artificial lenses they put in when I had my cataract surgery. Yes, I am a worrier alright.

When I got to the doctor’s office, the assistant checked my eyes first. He asked me all the questions, then had me read out part of an eye chart. Part of it was blurry, but I could read the part he asked me to read. After he looked into my eyes, Dr. Ortiz came in. Dr. Ortiz used the light scope thing to look deep into the back of my eyes. He asked me if I had any seasonal allergies, which I do, and I told him so. I also told him I have four cats, and that I have Rosacea. Then he said, I could tell you have Rosacea because your face is red.

After the examination, Dr. Ortiz said that Rosacea can cause problems with your eyes. I did not know that. The rash can go all the way up to the bottom eyelid, and into the inside of the eye. Rosacea can cause your eyelids and your eyeball to become inflamed, itch, burn, and leak, just like my eyes have been doing. Then, he put some drops in my eyes that IMMEDIATELY made them feel better. He said they were numbing drops, and would wear off in a few hours. For the first time in months, I could see without blinking, blinking, blinking.

Dr. Ortiz sent two prescriptions to the pharmacy for me. The first one, an eye drop to help clear up my eyes. The second one, a low dose of doxycycline for the Rosacea. The eyedrops have helped a lot with the itchyness already.

If you have Rosacea, and also have itchy, burny eyes, go see your eye doctor! Because, yes, Rosacea can cause eye problems.

Upgrade Your Living Situation in Atlanta with Online Real Estate

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Online real estate Atlanta Georgia — The Atlanta skyline at night

Thousands of local residents browse houses for sale in Atlanta via online real estate listings everyday. With virtual tours, detailed listings, and larger real estate sites make house hunting a breeze. If you’re looking to sell your home in Atlanta and upgrade to a better one, now is a good time. The Atlanta real estate market is strong, with many different enclaves and rich, vibrant neighborhoods, such as Smyrna, East Point, and Chamblee.

Why Sell Your Home in Atlanta Online

With more and more business being conducted over the internet, selling your current house fast and upgrading to your forever home in the greater Atlanta metro area can be fairly seamless. Simply list your house with a reputable online seller. Once your home is listed, you’ll have offers that you may accept or decline.

Pre-Approved Cash Buyers

Many buyers are ready to buy your house as-is, without some of the complications and concessions that traditional home buyers ask for at closing. These all-cash buyers are pre-approved and will offer a fair price for your home. This is attractive to many people, as they don’t have to wait through months of having their house show-ready or make the dozens of small repairs that can add up fast. The entire process can easily be completed with a few quick clicks using online real estate.

Little to No House Listing Times

Selling your home can be a lengthy process if you list with a traditional realtor. Home showings, plenty of cleaning and lots of small maintenance projects to put your home in the best light can make the sales process nail-biting and stressful for homeowners. When you choose to sell your Atlanta home online to an all-cash buyer, you can skip the headaches of making our house show-piece ready and instead proceed right to closing.

You Don’t have to Hire a Realtor

Finding a realtor that protects your interests is sometimes hard to come by. Getting recommendations from friends and family doesn’t always serve your best interest. Some real estate agents are way too busy to give you the time and tips you need to sell your house. If you want to make the home selling process even longer, you can reach out to the local National Association of Realtors in the greater Atlanta metro area to help you find a great representative that will select homes for you. Or, you may choose the easier route of selling your house online to an iBuyer.

With these iBuyer companies, you can jump online and take virtual tours of homes for sale in Atlanta that you’re interested in purchasing once you sell. Once you’ve found the perfect home, you can then take a physical tour. Many iBuyer companies allow you to self-tour the properties without even having or hiring an agent.

Explore Competitive Mortgage Lenders

Many sellers prefer all-cash offers; however, if you aren’t in a position to buy your Atlanta house straight out (and many homebuyers aren’t), there are options that can help you be more competitive with all-cash buyers. Applying for a home loan can easily be done online. Most lenders have applications on their websites and allow you to upload relevant documents online, securely.

Online House Search Made Simple

Buying and selling – even a house – can be reduced to a simple transaction as long as you have the right team working for you. From lenders that are ready to give you the financing to a reputable iBuyer, much of the legwork of home buying can be done via internet. In fact, you can easily request an offer through online real estate companies by entering your address and a few more home details, generally within 24-48 hours you’ll get an email with a purchase offer ready to go for you. The new age of real estate is here, and you do not have to spend months listing your site through a realty company.

Selling your Atlanta home and upgrading your living situation can be simple, using the internet. Choose reputable iBuyers, request an offer, and sit back and wait for that email to pop up in your inbox.

4 Sleep Habits That Are Preventing You from Getting Enough Rest

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Sometimes it can feel that no matter how many hours of sleep you get at night, you still wake up feeling groggy. Why is this? Well, there are several sleep habits that can impact your sleep at night. You may not even realize it. The good thing is that these can be easily changed. They can have a huge impact on your sleep quality, and leave you feeling energized the next day.

Blue Light

Most of us are guilty for doing this, but if you watch TV, go on your phone or even have bright lights on before you go to bed, you are jeopardizing your chance of a good night’s sleep. This is due to blue light hues impacting the brain and essentially tricking it into waking up. This means that when you go to put your head down, your brain is now wide awake, and it can take ages to finally get off. The solution? Put your phone down and avoid TV at least an hour before bed if you can. Opt for reading a book under a low light instead. This allows your brain to slowly get tired, making it easier to fall asleep, and stay asleep.

Mouth Breathing

You may not even realize that you have this sleep habit, but if you breathe through your mouth at night, it can cause a few problems with your quality of sleep. Breathing through your mouth can impact your oral hygiene, as well as making you more likely to snore – and if you’re sharing a bed with your partner, this can cause problems for them too! Mouth strips keep your mouth closed while you sleep, meaning you naturally breathe through your nose, filtering the air you breathe: it benefits snorers and non-snorers alike. Somnifix strips work by preventing the tongue falling backwards and disrupting nose breathing. They may feel strange at first, but you will quickly adjust and feel the difference in sleep quality! Try them out and see how they can improve your sleep.

Bringing Work to Bed

If you have a couple of e-mails to reply to, or some work to finish off, you may be tempted to bring them to bed with you. If you do this, it may be affecting your sleep without even knowing. Doing work in bed prevents you from shutting off from work, meaning you don’t have time space to relax and de-stress from work. This can stop you from getting a deep sleep, and may even affect your dreams, particularly if you are stressed. Ensure you keep work and sleep separate to prevent stress induced insomnia.

Cool It

If you feel like you’ve tried everything yet still struggle to fall asleep at night, take a look at where you sleep. Is your bedroom cool enough? A reduction in body temperature can help you fall asleep, so consider sleeping with a window open to allow a cool breeze in. Get rid of layers of blankets and duvets, and even sleep naked if you don’t already. Having a warm shower an hour or two before bed allows a natural fall in temperature, allowing your body to cool down and have a deeper, better quality sleep. Smaller changes like these are sometimes all it takes to get more rest.

Try out some of these tips and see the difference it can make to your sleep quality. Although it may be hard to ditch the e-mails before bed, it will soon become a habit. After a few days you may well be surprised at how energized you feel!

Cityxen Uses Commodore 64 to Celebrate 4th of July

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My son, Seth, and some of his friends have started a YouTube channel called Cityxen. Their channel is about retro computers like the Commodore 64 and retro gaming.

I’m pretty sure this is my grandson. LOL

Here is what the description of their YouTube channel says:

Vintage Computing, Retro Gaming News and Commentary… We’re turning up the volume on retro… Regular Series – brought to you by Deadline, Xamfear, Exidor, Crash and xSurvivor7x Retrofit – Describing the latest new hardware for old machines Return – Programming tutorials Revision – Software announcements and reviews relevant to retro enthusiasts Reboot – Hardware repairs, modifications, and troubleshooting Random – is our series on… well random stuff Live Stream formats: Recap – News, Commentary, and maybe a guest or two, or hop on discord to talk with us Retro Garage Replay – Retro games and shenanigans for fun and profit Chill Chiptunes – We showcase our favorite artists and music on real machines.

Cricut Explore Used To Make A Stencil

Of course, because he is my son, I subscribed to his channel and have watched some of his videos. But to get ready for the 4th of July Celebration Video, Seth asked me to be involved in a couple of ways. First, he told me he had seen some videos about using gunpowder to burn designs on wood, using a stencil cut out with a Cricut machine. Since I just happen to have a Cricut, so it was easy enough for him to email me his Cityxen logo design. Then I cut out several different sizes of stencils for him, so he could practice before he used the larger one to actually make his sign. While I was at it, I also made an iron on if the stencil and made him a T-shirt.

The Cityxen logo stencil I cut using my Cricut

the t shirt I made for Cityzen — The T-shirt I made using the Cityxen logo.

Commodore 64 Programmed to Ignite Fireworks

The second way I was involved was that they all came out to my house to film a fireworks display. So, when he asked me if they could come and do this, I thought to myself, ok, it’s going to be a bunch of bottle rockets and firecrackers. I did not expect what really happened. They arrived with gear in tow: two tables, a Commodore 64 computer, some other computer equipment, three cameras on tripods, and tons of fireworks. As soon as they arrived, they set to work getting things ready for when darkness fell:

commodore 64 retro computer ignites fireworks — The setup. That’s the Commodore 64 computer on the left.

Commodore 64 computer — Part of the fireworks that would go off at dark.

All of those fireworks were wired together in a very professional looking way. I don’t know how they figured out how to do it, but it didn’t take them long to get it set up. Then it was an hour or so of visiting, talking, laughing, and of course, setting off bottle rockets, because, they are still boys.

And The Fireworks Begin!

Commodore 64 4th of July — Oooooo! Ahhhhh! Fireworks!

When it got dark enough for the fireworks display to begin, someone pressed the button on the joystick that was connected to the Commodore 64 computer. That started the program that sent the command to the igniter to start. And then? One of the best amature fireworks displays I have ever seen! All started by a retro computer. I was very impressed. You can see the fireworks in their YouTube video here:

If you are a fan of retro computers, Commodore 64, Amiga, or others, please subscribe to the Cityxen YouTube Channel. I am sure there will be plenty of more videos coming.

Oh, yeah! Here is the sign my son made with the Cricut stencil I made using gunpowder to burn the wood:

Cityzen — The Cityxen logo was burned on the wood using the Cricut stencil and gunpowder.

A Weekend Trip From Austin To South Texas

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From 2002 thru 2005, Fabgrandpa and I were managers of an RV resort in south Texas. This resort had 1188 spaces for RV’s, a ballroom, a dining room, a 9 hole golf course, a 10 room activities building, and a wood working shop for guests to use. The resort was located in Pharr, Texas, just eight miles from the Mexican border. Pharr is a four hour drive from Austin, which would make it a great place to go for a weekend trip. There is plenty to do in the area, or you can just relax.

Crossing the Mexican Border with friends in 2003

There was always something to do at the resort. you could take lessons for round dancing, square dancing, painting, wood working, and more. There were bingo games twice a week, dances every Saturday night, dinners, lunches, etc. The activity calendar included shuffleboard, tennis, bicycling, golf, swimming, water volleyball, baseball, and more. If you couldn’t find something you liked to do, you weren’t looking very hard.

Outside of the resort, there were many restaurants, from pizza joints, all the chain restaurants, and several very good local Mexican restaurants. We had our favorites, and went out to eat several times a week. Las Margaritas was our most favorite place. They had the best soups I have ever eaten. The Tlalpeno Soup is mad with chicken, rice, squash, carrots, potatoes, onion and celery. It is served with some queso in the bottom of the bowl, an adobo pepper, and some sliced avocado on top. The other soup I liked was their seafood soup. It had a tomato base, and was made with shrimp and white fish.

While we lived and worked in south Texas, we went on several trips. We went home to Georgia twice for a week each time. We headed west once all the way to San Diego, California for a week. A weekend trip to Austin to go to a concert was a lot of fun. We went to San Antonio for a few days once as well. I took a trip to Reno, Nevada with some of the guests at the resort. It was fun to play the slots and just hand out with the girls while I was away.

Shopping for fabric in Reynosa, Mexico in 2002.

Since the resort was only eight miles from Mexico, we went over the border as often as possible. I had a lot of dental work done in Progresso. Once you crossed the bridge over the Rio Grande, there were many shops that catered to Americans. You could buy prescription medications at a fraction of the cost of what they cost here. Liquor was a bargain that many of the Winter Texans took advantage of on their trips to Mexico. The streets were crowded with vendors selling Mexican wares such as tiles, mirrors, tinware, leather good, souvenirs, glassware, and more.

If you want to take a great day trip from Austin, it would be well worth the drive to go down to the border. There is lots to do on either side, and good food everywhere.

Common Plumbing Issues Discovered During a Home Renovation

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Home renovation shows make it seem fairly simple to upgrade your home. You simply hire the contractors, consult with an interior designer, set the budget, and wait for the magic to happen. While it would be nice if it were that smooth all the time, the truth is, there are often bumps in the road during a renovation. Contractors run into problems on occasion that stalls progress until the matter is addressed. Of all the things that could be discovered during a home renovation, plumbing issues are often the most common. As the plumbing is within the walls and ceilings of the property, homeowners often take an out of sight, out of mind approach. It isn’t until demolition and installations begin that these issues are discovered.

While there isn’t much you can do other than have the issue repaired, being knowledgeable of what to expect during your renovation is recommended. Below, is a brief look at some of the most common plumbing issues.

Inefficient Flow or Temperature

When renovating parts of the home like the kitchen or bathroom where plumbing is present, contractors often turn the water off and on to test the plumbing system and new devices being installed. During these tests, if the flow or temperature of the water is off the issue has to be addressed.

Low-flowing water could mean you have an issue with your hot water heater pressure. This, coupled with issues keeping hot water steamy are telltale signs that you need a hot water heater replacement. There are plenty of efficient and cost-effective options for you to consider.

Hidden Leaks

Leaky pipes aren’t always easy to spot. However, when walls are exposed and torn down in a renovation, they become visible. It is during this time that contractors discover hidden leaks. Dripping water, damp spots, and the presence of mold are all signs that there is a leak.

Fortunately, leaks can easily be fixed by a plumbing professional. Depending on the cause and severity of the leak, they can simply replace outdated plumbing parts, tighten loose pipes, or seal the holes and cracks.

Slow Drains

Efficient plumbing systems are designed to bring clean water into the home and transport waste out. Without maintenance, however, this process becomes complicated. A buildup of metal, rust, minerals, and other debris in the pipes and poorly managed systems prevents waste from exiting the house properly. If your water isn’t draining properly, it could mean that your pipes are clogged or your septic tank is backed up.

Though one issue is worse than the other, a plumbing professional can diagnose the problem quickly. Using tools such as a plumbing snake, they can dig deep into the pipes to try and loosen up anything clogging it. If a clog isn’t the issue, they can immediately schedule to have your tank flushed.

Outdated Plumbing

If you reside in an older home it is very possible that your plumbing system is outdated. One sign of this include the types of materials and metals the system is comprised of. If it is discovered that your pipes have lead in them, for example, you’d need to have them replaced as lead is very dangerous – especially for small children. Other signs include multiple leaks or cracks, strange sounds, discolored, or smelly water.

If it is determined during your renovation that your plumbing system is outdated, you’ll want to have this serviced above all else. Though there may be other options, ignoring the problem or patching it up could lead to serious damage in the future including leaks, water damage, mold exposure, or structural damage. Replacing your plumbing can be expensive, but in the end, is worth it. There are lots of new efficient and affordable options to consider upgrading to.

Undertaking a home renovation project is huge. The idea is to create a home that looks like it came right out of a magazine. Yet, getting from point a to point b isn’t always as easy as it’s made to appear. The truth is, there can be bumps in the road along the way. That’s why it’s always best to work with plumbing professionals throughout the course of your renovation to ensure your home is not only aesthetically appealing but safe and healthy.

4 Things To Do In Louisville, Kentucky Besides The Kentucky Derby

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Want to spend a day in Louisville, Kentucky? It’s not the right time of year of the Kentucky Derby, but you can still find something fun and interesting to do there. Here are four things to do that you’ll love.

The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory

Every Little League baseball player knows the name Louisville Slugger. The Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory is 16,000 square feet of exhibition space with a section where you can learn about the production of bats. Located along “Museum Row” in downtown Louisville, it has many historical bats on display, including the one that Babe Ruth used to hit his last home run with the New York Yankees.

Take A River Cruise

The Belle of Louisville was built in 1914, by James Rees & Sons Company, Pittsburgh, PA, named Idlewild. It is the oldest steam powered paddle boat in the U.S. Two hour cruises are offered for sightseeing or buffet for brunch, lunch, dinner, Harbor History, Dance, Moonshine, Craft Beer and many more Special Events. Check the website for times and rates for tickets.

Go To The Zoo

The Louisville Zoo exhibits more than 1,100 animals on 134 acres of natural settings representing zoogeographical areas, specific habitat types or special education areas including: Glacier Run, Africa, Islands, New World Exhibits (North, Central and South America), Australian Outback, the HerpAquarium and the Metazoo Education Center. The Zoo’s award-winning Islands, Gorilla Forest and Glacier Run exhibits have been recognized by AZA for their excellence and innovation. You can see polar bears, or ride a camel!

Colonel Sanders Mini Museum

Located at 301 S 4th Street, this mini museum is dedicated to the man who started Kentucky Fried Chicken with his 11 secret herbs and spices. Take a selfie with a wax figure of Sanders, read a timeline of his life, and see some of the suits he wore. On display is one of his original pressure cookers, and some of the commercials for the company. What a fun place!