Mattress Pad

Headphones have been there in the market for a very long time now. Today, the market is flooded with headphones of various kinds. Most of the headphones have been specifically designed for a particular purpose. Thus, there are headphones available for pilots, DJ’s and for normal usage. It should be noted that every kind of headphones comes along with specific features. Thus, picking up the one which best suits the purpose becomes very important. Most of the headphones out there in the market come along with pads making the hearing experience more comfortable and soothing. Today, most of the reputed companies like Technics, Sony and Sennheiser produce:

1. Technics: Velour Sky Blue: One of the most vibrant and attractive ear pad sets out there in the market; the master piece comes directly from the desk of Technics. The ear pad set has been designed for Technics RP DJ1210 and RP DJ1200 and can be mounted upon the headphone easily. The pads can be very helpful in providing the older headphones with a completely new look. The pads are very comfortable to wear even if it’s getting really hot.

2. Sony: Velour Purple: These pads are for the main purpose of personalizing the look of the headphone. Available in various colors, the pads are suitable for MDR V500 and MDR V700 versions of headphones produced by Sony. The pad not only provides a comfortable feel but also ensures that the great look of the professional headphone is not deteriorated.

3. Sennheiser: Velour Black: Suitable for headphones like HMEC25, HME25, HD25, HD25 SP, HD24 13 and HD 25 all from Sennheiser. The complete head pad sets comprises of 2 head pads and 2 ear pads. The pads promise to provide the earphones a completely new look and will certainly turn heads in gathering. The self adhesive head pads can be mounted upon the headphones without any trouble.

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Housekeeping is one of the departments in the hotel that has the most bulk expenses and consumable items. Items like bathroom amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, body lotion or moisturizer, eau de cologne, facial soap and body soap; bath towel, hand towel, face towel, bath mat, bathrobe, rubber mat; bed sheet, pillow, pillow case, throw pillow, neck pillow, mattress pad, blanket, duvet/ duvet insert, bed cover; toilet paper, facial tissue; coffee maker, coffee sachet, sugar condiments; ironing board, flat iron; alarm clock; cooking utensils, crockery’s and cutlery; give away toothbrush and toothpaste; printing materials, stationery, envelope, note pad, ball pen, folder, telephone directory, Bible or Holy Qur’an can have a substantial impact in the hotel’s overall expenses.

These are variable assets that when consumed, damaged, lost or become sub-standard are being discarded or removed from circulation, Once removed from circulation or consumed, the same quantities must be replenished or replaced with additional mark-up in order to maintain the high standard or quality of service in the hotel.

Fixed assets like the room’s furniture and fixtures such as beds, fridges, television sets, mirrors, sofas, easy chairs, reclining chairs, tables, telephones, lamps, headboards, air-conditioning/heating equipment etc. can be very costly when damaged or become sub-standard. These items are usually included in the Capital Expenditure Budget especially when refurbishment is required. But if its only one or two pieces, this amount can be allocated in the operating budget.

For the machine and equipment, Housekeeper’s cart and vacuum cleaners are the most important tool used in the overall cleaning and maintenance of the hotel guestrooms and public areas. Machines like carpet shampoo and water extraction machine, rotary machine for carpet shampoo, floor scrubber and floor polishing, wet and dry vacuum cleaner. hydraulic lift etc. are additional heavy duty machines that help in the overall cleaning requirements of the hotel. These too are included in the Capital Expenditure Budget.

For Laundry area there will be the laundry machine, washer, dryer, dry cleaning machine, laundry folding machine/ calendar, tables, carts, laundry sorter boxes, movable clothes hanger rails, guest laundry printer etc. are Capital Expenditure items, while detergent, bleach, stain remover, dry cleaning fluid, ph level water treatment solution etc. goes to the operational budget.

Listing all the detailed items involved in preparation of budget gives you an idea how intricate housekeeping budget preparation is.quote>

With the above numerous items, the consumable or fast moving items are the most important items in the preparation of budget. The consumable items are included in the operational budget. The fixed asset items are included in the Capital Expenditure Budget or CAPEX.

Operational Budget is being prepared annually and submitted to the Director of Finance for further study and to finalize the total amount in coordination with the department head. Operational Budget is always based on the next year’s forecasted occupancy percentage. For example:

Item: toilet roll @ $0.50/roll

2008 consumption @ 50% occupancy = 50,000 @ $0.50 =$25,000.00

2009 forecasted occupancy percentage is 75%

75%- 50% = 25% ( 25% of 50,000 =12,500)

(50% + 25%= 75%) = ( $25,000.00 +$12,500.00 = @37,500.00)

Remaining items are calculated in the same manner till all the items required are included in the next year’s budget.

Capital Expenditure Budget is for specific items or project that needs to be replaced, made and built in the improvement of guest service or the hotel itself. For example:

The hotel management with the approval of the owner of the hotel would like to extend the Laundry service to non-hotel guest or outside customer. The project will be a “Laundry Shop”, therefore a quotation will be required from the contractor for the cost of building the Laundry Shop, the additional guest/customer laundry bag, laundry and dry cleaning list, and additional manpower for customer service etc. To sum up the amount of Construction of laundry shop = $35,000.00; additional laundry bags and lists = $5,000.00 and additional manpower = $9,000.00 annually.

The $35,000.00 will be included in the Capital Expenditure while the additional laundry bags/lists and manpower will be added in the operational and staffing budget.

Therefore, the operational budget is for the consumable items and Capital Expenditure is for special project or items that are costly. There are also certain items being shared by the Front Office and Housekeeping. The charges on these items are being split between the two departments. When it comes to Maintenance, Engineering Department charges the Housekeeping for any services rendered like maintenance of the machine wherein they have to supply machine parts and labor, so these are being coordinated with Engineering. It is important that housekeeping machines are handled with care to avoid such charges.

Monitoring the Operational budget is the most crucial part in the operation of business. With the modern technology and the computer software, daily updated total expenses against budgeted amount are made possible and easy to trace in order not to exceed the budgeted amount. Every end of the month, the Accounting Department distributes copies of last month’s budget outcome to the General Manager and the Department Heads in order for them to review and analyze where their budget is in line and where it is not. General Manager will require the department head that have exceeded their budget a reasonable report since he is accountable to the corporation as well as the owner of the hotel.

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Back pain will normally happen due to many reasons. These could be as a reason of pregnancy, old age, overworking or sudden injury or poor standing or sitting positions. These pains will normally be accompanied by chest pains. In this case, this could be read as back Rib Pain. The symptom to this pain is normally pain as one sneezes. Pain in the ribs is felt below the chest line which is also experienced with difficulty in breathing.

Causes of back rib pain are mainly poor sitting positions while working for long hours without a change in the daily routine. This is because so much pressure is exerted on the vertebrae around the ribs which will bring about pain in the ribs on the back. This could be treated in various ways. One way is through massages, hot and cold appliances and regular exercise.

A patient suffering from this condition should not be given too many drugs for temporal relief from pain. Pain killers have some side effects on the normal functioning of the human body. The best way to go about it is to first seek medical attention before taking any type of drugs.

A doctor’s test will help determine the cause of pain on the back, which will help in administering the type of treatment to be given. The magnitude of the pain will be determined after taking tests on the breathing system of the patient. A study of the patient’s working habits and postures while sitting or standing will be helpful in prescribing the type of medication to be given to a patient suffering from back rib pain.

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Dementia in the elderly can produce significant deficits in functional abilities, which can affect their ‘independence’ and ’safety’ living at home, especially if living alone. This can include: difficulty tending to basic self-care needs such as hygiene, bathing, dressing, etc.; difficulty with taking medications on schedule everyday; preparing and eating adequate meals; increased risk for falling due to incoordination, weakness and poor safety awareness; difficulty with communicating skills, etc. Dementia can also cause a change in personality, psychosis and delusional thinking; and a host of other problems, both subtle and obvious.

Although most people are familiar with Alzheimer’s Dementia (AD), there are also other forms of dementia that can affect older adults. This includes vascular dementia, multi-infarct dementia, Lewey body dementia, and Frontotemporal dementia. People with other primary disorders, such as Parkinson’s or stroke, may also develop some form of dementia at some point. Dementia is usually classified as mild, moderate or severe. When AD is diagnosed in someone who is younger, say 65 years of age, the progression tends to be quicker and more severe than in someone who is 80 years old and only recently diagnosed with the disorder. A CT scan can often reveal if there are any significant areas of atrophy in the brain, sometimes related to multi-infarct or vascular dementia.

It is important to know what type of dementia the person has and if they should be taking any medications for the disorder. Often, older adults at home will not seek out a physician or neurologist to get an accurate diagnosis and receive the proper medication, which can make living at home more difficult; both for the person and the caregiver, if there is one.

One of the hallmarks of AD is the difficulty with language and communication skills. Those with AD may have difficulty expressing themselves and communicating with others. Withdrawal and decreased socialization may occur. They may become depressed due to a recognition that their mental abilities have diminished. Sometimes the physician will prescribe an anti-depressant that may also alleviate some of the symptoms of their dementia.

Some of the cognitive components required to perform functional tasks include: adequate long and short term memory, appropriate insight and safety awareness, sequencing skills, ability to stay focused on a task, sufficient judgment and problem solving abilities, and higher level ‘executive function’ abilities. Executive function refers to our ability to plan and execute a series of tasks in order to produce a desired outcome. It is a complex mental ability which integrates the various cognitive skills; which people with dementia have difficulty with. For example, baking a cake requires the ability to preheat the oven, gather and mix all the ingredients in the proper amount, know when the oven is hot enough, know when the cake is done, and safely removing it from the oven at the correct time. Someone with dementia may have difficulty with many of the functional components required to do all of these steps in the correct order to produce the desired outcome.

When mental abilities have diminished, seniors are at a greater risk for declining physical health. Declining physical health related to cognitive deficits can occur due to poor eating habits and malnutrition, poor hygiene and self care skills, a greater risk for falling, not taking prescribed medications daily, not monitoring blood sugar levels – if diabetic, and a host of other health-related problems.

Some basic home adaptations for safety can include: hand rails on the stairs, well light rooms and stairwells, grab bars in the tub/shower, keeping toxic items out of reach or locked up, no throw rugs, low profile carpeting, no clutter in the walking paths of the home, limit carrying of items up and down stairs – such as laundry, taking away car keys to prevent them from driving if that is an issue (this is often a difficult issue to address for those with dementia), obtaining an ID bracelet if they are prone to wandering, a gate to prevent them from going down into the basement, and other adaptations as needed.

For those with mild to moderate dementia who live at home, here are some tips that may be helpful for the individual and the family / caregiver (the level of care will be dictated by the severity of the dementia):

It is important that the individual receive a proper diagnosis, which can be obtained from a neurologist, and that sufficient medication is provided. It is vital that a caregiver look after them and insure that medications are taken daily. If there is no family who can help, then maybe someone from their church or local senior center can be entrusted to help. Also, the local Agency On Aging can have someone look into their well being if there is no family member who is responsible for them.
Have medications dispensed from a daily pill organizer. This way a caregiver can make sure that each day’s medications are taken. Daily phone calls from someone familiar with the person can then check up on them and remind them, if they live alone.
Have meals-on-wheels provide at least one hot meal each day. This may not always be sufficient, but it can help insure that some nutrition is provided.
A local home care agency can provide a ‘house sitter’ to stay with the person each day and help out with daily chores. They are available for as many hours as needed. This can sometimes be expensive, but a lower rate can sometimes be given when they are employed for a certain amount of hours each week.
If the person is becoming incontinent, have them wear snug fitting disposable briefs with elastic leg bands. This will prevent accidents from ruining clothing. Have them on a toileting schedule of every two to three hours during the day. At night, a wet alarm on the mattress can be used to remind the person to change out of wet clothing.
Provide plenty of physical activities, such as daily walks. This is not only for their physical well being, but it has been shown that daily walks provide mental stimulation as well.
Have the person participate in mentally stimulating activities daily, such as board games, card games, etc.; tasks that require interaction and a bit of problem solving. Watching television is the least stimulating for those with dementia, but sometimes that is all they wish to do. The problem with television is there is no interaction or response required from the viewer, which is the same issue with young children. The person needs to be engaged with the environment in order for it to be sufficient as mental stimulation.
Allow the person to do as much of their own self-care, as possible; such as washing, grooming, etc. Some people with dementia enjoy using their hands and holding items; things that can be manipulated, etc. For a retired mechanic, maybe nuts and bolts could be used, for a housewife who enjoyed sewing or knitting, maybe a ball of yarn could be used. There is no limit to what can be tried; as long as the items are not sharp, could be swallowed easily, breakable, etc.
Be aware that those with moderate dementia often become more agitated in the late afternoon, and they should not be over-stimulated during this time frame. Sometimes a nap will help calm them. Even a change in medication intervals may help keep them calm in late afternoon.
Be aware that medications can affect their level of arousal. Let the physician know about any side affects which are affecting the person’s ability to function. Cognitive medications need to be at a certain level (titrated) in order to be effective. Too little medication will not help them and too much may produce undesired side affects.
Consider joining the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. They are a great resource for the client and family/caregiver.

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Sleep is a Necessity, Not a Luxury

Millions of people suffer from chronic and pervasive sleep disorders. But what you are about to read is not about traditional sleep disorders like insomnia, sleep apnea, night terrors, restless leg syndrome, or narcolepsy. For information on those conditions, I ask you to check with a professional source in that area. What I am providing for you here is the most preventable type of sleep disorder and problem; self-imposed sleep deprivation.

What happened to us? When did things begin to change regarding one of our most basic and necessary functions for health and wellness? When did sleep become frowned upon and why? Was it the Industrial revolution? Was it the Technology age? Who did the brainwashing?

When did sleep become a bad habit, a sign of laziness and, pardon me, a luxury?

Well, finally the research is out. But sadly, it seems that no matter how much information is put out there with statistics and fancy research results, many people are NOT heeding the call to sleep. The worst of it is that we are not listening to our own intuition and biological clocks. Well this is your “wake-up” call asking you to sleep more and sleep better.

How Sleep Deprivation Harms You

Did you ever hear or say the phrase “I’ll sleep when die”? Well, guess what? Lack of sleep will catch up to you and cause you overall and long-term harm which could actually lead to premature death, or at least have you looking like a zombie!

Here below are the most common effects of the lack of proper sleep:

Fatigue and exhaustion.
Irritability and foul mood.
Your physical appearance is affected adversely, meaning people who don’t sleep enough look unhealthy, sunken in, older than their physical age-have you heard of beauty sleep?
Increased risk of diabetes.
Increased risk of cardio-vascular disease.
Pre-mature aging.
Weight gain.
And possible increased cancer risk.

Purpose of Sleep and Its Benefits-From Sleeping Beauty to Beauty Sleep

Sleep is most assuredly a biological, mental, emotional and spiritual necessity. Just like we need air to breathe and food for sustenance to survive, sleep is a required activity, and not an optional habit. Here are some of the documented benefits of sleep:

Biological: While you sleep, there is restoration and recovery of your cells, muscles and organs, including your biggest organ-your skin. Human Growth Hormone and Melatonin are released while you sleep and that is essential to healthy skin, hair, nail growth and anti-aging benefits. There is also the release of antioxidants and increased immune system strength. With enough sleep there is increased energy, and we can all use more of that during our waking life.
Mental: With more sleep, you can expect a sharper mind, better concentration, and increased memory. A more intelligent world is a better world.
Emotional: Forget being crabby. With restorative sleep you will have better and balanced mood, less irritability, higher optimism.
Spiritual: Two of my favorite reasons to sleep are to “work things out” and increase in natural intuition. We are only beginning to understand and explore both the physical and the metaphysical benefits of sleep. From personal experience and the research I have conducted, I can tell you that when you sleep at your body’s optimal level, your intuition and psychic ability are increased. You may also tend to remember your dreams more clearly and with more detail and that provides invaluable insight into your life issues, challenges and desires.
Physical: Sleeping works above and below. The result is literally increased beauty by increasing your overall health and giving you a refreshed appearance everyone will notice.

Your Sleep Process

How many hours do you sleep? Do you feel it is more productive to sleep less and work more? Are you feeling vital and energetic?

I say “your sleep process” because each person’s sleep cycle is. There is no cookie-cutter sleep recipe. The amount of sleep you need varies from anyone else’s in your life. Even if you sleep the same amount of sleep as someone you know, the way you drift off, your style of sleeping, the sleep position in your bed, your dream life, kind mattress or pillow you need, etc. is all your own. But more often than not, the amount you need to feel refreshed, alert and healthy will be somewhere between 7 and 9 hours. There are also factors like your age, phase of life and general health condition that affect how much sleep you need. However some people need less and some, like me, need as much as 11 or 12 hours sometimes to feel rested.

Most people do not get nearly as much sleep as they need out of guilt or the conditioned belief that sleep is a bad habit. But in the process of sleep certain biological, mental and spiritual necessary processes occur. It may take time to find the amount of sleep that works for your highest health benefit. So make that time for yourself-you are worth it.

What the Heck is Sleep Hygiene-Creating a Sleep Conducive Environment and Banishing Sleep guilt

I don’t know who came up with the term “Sleep Hygiene” but it sounds like, cleaning your sheets, or a showering before bed kind of thing. That is obviously not what it means. I believe the term does not accurately represent what it is trying to portray which is what I call, creating a Sleep Conducive Space (SCS).

Some sleep experts claim to restrict your bedroom, (assuming you sleep in a traditional bedroom) to sleep and sex only. But this is simply not realistic. But what is doable is to create the most conducive environment for yourself as possible. This process begins outside and into your bed. General useful considerations are:

Watch your caffeine intake, alcohol intake or medications.
Do something that lowers the temperature of your room to the cooler side.
Gentle stretching and certain gentle yoga poses.
Darken your environment (whether or not you are a day or night person).
Quiet a restless mind by having note pad and pen and list quickly all that’s on your mind to deal with another time then RELEASE it.
Try to use soft and pleasant scents like lavender sleep sprays.
Try soft nature sounds, or you respond to silence and there is a lot of noise around you use a white sound machine to block out unpleasant noise.
Ask a doctor or other professional about supplements like Melatonin, or Valerian root etc.

In the end, the way you choose to create a sleep conducive space, will again, be unique and customized to you. If you do the research, reacquaint yourself with your natural biological clock, and trust your intuition, you will no longer succumb to the myth the less sleep is better. You can count on being on your way to better overall health. For a healthier, youthful and more beautiful you, go ahead, slumber Away.

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I love Thanksgiving.  It’s a wonderful time of year to just step back and think about the things in our lives that we should be thankful to have.  It’s also a good time for good memories and good food.  Traditional Thanksgiving recipes are usually pretty identifiable, and they are always something to cherish.  However, if you are feeling creative on your family holidays and want to consider some fresh ideas on some old fashioned favorites, here’s a Thanksgiving dinner menu that takes the proverbial cake, or pumpkin pie we might say.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Plan:

Pumpkin Soup From a Crockpot

Cranberry Glazed Pork Chops

Squash Puff With Mandarin Oranges

Caramelized Onions on Cornmeal

Pecan Clouds With Hot, Sugar Free Cocoa or Hot Apple Cider

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Recipes:

Pumpkin Soup From a Crockpot

1-29 oz. can pumpkin pie filling

2-32 oz. chicken broth

1 Tablespoon corn starch

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and white pepper to taste

4 oz. heavy cream

Stir cornstarch into ½ cup of room-temperature chicken broth.  Whisk until dissolved.

Pour remaining chicken broth into slow cooker and blend with pumpkin pie filling.

Add broth/cornstarch mixture and rest of ingredients except for cream, and cook on low for 4 hours.

When ready to serve, add heavy cream.

Cranberry Glazed Pork Chops

6 boneless, thin cut pork chops (Turkey cutlets work well too)

1 ½  Tablespoon olive oil

1-16 oz. can whole cranberry

¾ cup French salad dressing

4 teaspoon onion soup mix

Saute pork chops on both sides in oil in a large skillet for 10 minutes or until juices run clear.

Combine cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and soup mix in a microwaveable bowl.  Cover and microwave on high for about 2 minutes, until heated through.

Serve cranberry mixture over pork chops.

Squash Puff With Mandarin Oranges

2-10oz pkgs. Frozen cooked winter squash, thawed

½ cup brown sugar, packed

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 egg, beaten

½ cup light cream

½ cup mandarin oranges

1 ½ cup mini marshmallows

¼ cup finely chopped pecans

1/3 cup honey

Mix the first 9 ingredients together and pour into a 3-quart casserole dish.

Bake for 25 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with marshmallows.

Return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Caramelized Onions on Cornmeal

1 ½ cup cornmeal

Fine grain sea salt

4 cups yellow onions (about 3 medium onions), finely chopped

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup Parmesan cheese

3 cups water or vegetable broth (divided)

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

Butter and flour a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal with 1 ½ cup water and ½ teaspoon salt.  Stir and set aside.

To caramelize onions, heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet with a pinch of salt.  Cook over high heat, stirring occasionally but more often as onions get increasingly brown.  Continue cooking until the onions turn deep brown in color.  Remove from skillet, and set aside.

Bring 1/1/2 cups water or broth to a boil in another medium sized saucepan, add the water and cornmeal mixture, and bring back to a boil, stirring until it is thicker than frosting, about five minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in cheese and 2/3 of the onions.

Spoon mixture into the prepared pan, spreading evenly, and drizzle with approximately 3 Tablespoons olive oil.

Bake about 50 minutes or until bottom is golden and cornmeal begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Serve topped with the remaining onions and more grated cheese if desired.

Pecan Clouds

2 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla

¾ cup brown sugar

2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks.

Gradually add sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks.

Stir in vanilla and pecans.

Drop in rounded spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake one hour in the preheated oven.

Turn off heat.

Turning the oven off but keeping the oven door shut, keep cookies in oven at least another hour or overnight.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Plan

Cook Pecan Clouds the night before Thanksgiving, removing in the morning.

Begin Pumpkin Soup in Crockpot 5 to 6 hours before dinner, keeping hot pumpkin in crockpot on warm setting until needed.

Set up table settings and décor early in the day as much as possible to have this step completed before you start your final cooking steps.  (See below for some contemporary Thanksgiving decoration ideas.)

Mix glaze portion of Cranberry Glazed Pork Chops, and set aside to microwave when dinner is almost ready to serve.

Assemble then bake cornmeal crust of Caramelized Onions on Cornmeal recipe and then Squash Puff With Mandarin Oranges recipe, baking both in same oven.  (Squash Puff will be removed for a few minutes to add marshmallows before baking final 10 minutes.)

Cook pork chops and complete recipe.

Remove casseroles from oven, and place all food on the table.

Contemporary Thanksgiving Dinner Menu Ideas

For a more contemporary Thanksgiving look, add small, polished black stones to the bottom of cylinder, glass jars, and place an orange candle on top of the stones, making sure the rocks are level and the candle is sturdy.  Add a little water in the bottom of each vase to keep the vases cool and magnify the rocks.  Place candles of various heights and sizes in various locations around the room.

Top a gold charger with a white plate and a burgundy red toile fabric napkin, then top that with a very small cluster of fake red berries on top of the burgundy red toile napkin, or use beige, brown, and off white dinnerware and incorporate corn husks or wheat shocks and dried corn on the cob.

Table runners are fast and easy ways to add color and style to any dining area plus it is easy to get them just about anywhere to match any theme or color combination.

The Perfect Thanksgiving Dinner Menu for Your Family

Upon a closer look at the Thanksgiving dinner menu I provided above, you can see I considered traditional Thanksgiving menu foods and generated new ways to use timely ingredients in different and sometimes surprising ways.  Corn came to the table in the form of cornmeal topped with caramelized onions.  Pumpkin soup took the place of pumpkin pie.  I planned for pork chops to be completely avant-garde, but using turkey cutlets would work to be different yet traditional as well. Sweet potatoes did move to the side for squash, but the overall color, substance, and taste of the squash casserole was certainly comparable to sweet potatoes and seems a good substitute.  I also omitted rolls, noodles, and dressings, watching our carbohydrate intake, plus I would use Splenda or Splenda brown sugar substitute when sugars are called for just because that is what we do in our home usually.  The point is though, that you can take traditional Thanksgiving food items and, with a little creativity and then a little modification, if necessary, to fit your family’s health style or concerns, you can generate the perfect Thanksgiving dinner menu that is both new and exciting yet traditional and memorable for those Thanksgiving family holidays you spend with those you love and enjoy this world with.

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Lazyboy recliners have a worldwide reputation for comfort, style, durability and quality. However, as in all furniture, everyday use (and misuse) can wear your favorite, overused chair out. Even if you swore by taking care and maintaining your Lazyboy, time will come when your recliner will need professional repair and maintenance.

When your Lazyboy recliner starts to fail you, it is very important that you promptly attend to it and have it checked as soon as possible. Just leaving it as is, and assuming that it will not worsen, can lead your chair prone to more damage. As you know, more damage means more repair costs.

When this happens, how do you get your Lazyboy recliner repaired? Below are some useful tips.

Check the warranty coverage.
If you have just recently bought your Lazyboy brand new, your recliner may still be entitled to a warranty. Most Lazyboy recliners have limited lifetime warranty on many mechanisms and certain parts, while most other parts are covered for at least a year for repair and service. If your recliner acts up and it is not your fault, you can have it repaired for free under the warranty conditions. Bear in mind though that this warranty is not covered if your recliner was damaged due to improper handling, and if it shows signs of abnormal use such as excessive soiling. Moreover, the warranty does not pay for freight charges for transport and handling.

Consult with your dealer.
If your warranty coverage is expired, your next option is to contact your dealer or the furniture shop where you bought your Lazyboy recliner from. If you have bought your recliner from a reliable authorized Lazyboy dealer, they should be able to assist you with your repair needs. They will surely have the experience in recliner repair and would know what to suggest. They might even have in house repair staff that can do the repairs for you. If your original dealer is inaccessible, you can check for nearby authorized dealers. You can check out the Lazyboy website for a list of local dealers in your area.

Contact your local repairman.
If your warranty has expired, or if the repairs to be done are not covered by the warranty, you will shoulder all the repair costs. Repair costs are generally heavy on the pocket, so you might find it more affordable to ask the help of your local repairman. Find a repairman who already had experience in repairing recliners. Should the repair need spare parts, your local repairman should be able to assist you in finding them. Ask around for recommendations for a good repairman in your area.

Check your manual.
There are simple Lazyboy problems that you can fix yourself, and they are all listed in the manual that came with your purchase. The manual also gives you tips and suggestions for taking care of your Lazyboy recliner. But, never try to do it yourself if the repairs needs professional handling to do. A recliner is not a wooden chair so unless you know its intricate details, ask for the help of someone who does.

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Unfortunately, a urine stained mattress is not an uncommon sight. Young children and pets often have accidents in the most inconvenient places imaginable, and those accidents can leave behind unsightly stains and unpleasant smells.

Urine on a Mattress

Most parents and pet owners have at one time or another been faced with the unpleasant task of trying to remove urine from a mattress. It’s important to keep in mind that actually cleaning the urine stain is important. Since bacteria is found in urine, leaving a stain untreated for an extended period can result in the growth of fungus and mold in the mattress. In some cases, this can completely ruin a mattress.

Tips & Tricks to Remove Urine from a Mattress

While some products sold commercially are designed for removing urine smells from most furniture, there are several household tips and products that can work just as effectively as those expensive sprays and products.

1. Vinegar:

Many parents and pet owners report that vinegar works wonders in removing the smell of urine from a mattress. Pour a moderate amount of vinegar on the soiled area, and absorb excess liquid with a large towel or wet vacuum. Keep in mind that this method is designed to remove the smell and kill bacteria, so spot treating the actual stain will be necessary to lift or fade the urine stain.

2. Alcohol:

Rubbing alcohol and other grain alcohols often have the same effect as vinegar. Like vinegar, though, alcohol may not remove the stain, so other methods for stain fighting should be used.

3. Shampoo:

Liquid Laundry Detergent: For new urine stains, many mattress owners have found that simply using detergent or shampoo and a small amount of water will remove the stain. This is often less effective for stains that have set for some period of time, and may not be completely effective in removing the smells.

4. Steam Cleaning:

Whenever possible, consider using a hot steam cleaner on mattresses with urine stains. Used with a cleansing agent, steam cleaning is usually quite effective at removing the physical stain, eliminating the smell of urine, and killing bacteria that may otherwise grow and spread.

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Microfiber is used in so many ways that we hear the word often when speaking of bedding, apparel, fabrics and furniture.

Microfiber bedding is a newer fabric and is very, very popular these days- but have you every wondered what this microfiber truly is?

To the layman who doesn’t want a bunch of technical data, the fiber is microscopically thin..1/100th the diameter of a human hair.

Microfiber bedding, as a result is wonderfully soft to the touch.

Products made from microfibers like nylon and polyester are created with fibers that are also strong and extremely thin. These fibers are even thinner than the most luxurious than natural fibers, such as silk. And get this- microfiber can even be made to feel like suede, cotton or silk! How cool is that?

Fabric created from microfiber that is then used to create your bedding means that you will have products that are lighter, more comfortable, long lasting, breathable and even easier to clean. And it doesn’t come with a high pricetag either.

Products created from these fibers are also great for allergy sufferers.

Dust mites can live in such places as comforters, pillows and mattresses, microfiber can be woven into dense covers that do not allow the dust mites to escape and bother the allergy sufferer. Microfiber is an invention that has made a big difference in the lives of those with allergies. Zip on pillow covers, quality mattress pads, duvets to cover comforters and even comforters made with microfiber exteriors have reduced the problems for those allergic to dust mites significantly.

But these products are not just for those with allergies.

Let’s look at some of the great bedding you can find made from microfiber:

The Bolder Peak Comforter by Columbia is a great example of the use of microfiber to create practical bedding at low prices.

This reversible comforter has an exterior shell made of 250 thread count microfiber and 100% polyester filling. The comforter is labeled machine washable. Color combinations are navy/camel, black/blue and Berry/China Berry. Practical as bedding choices for dorm rooms, guest rooms, master bedrooms and every bedroom in your house, you’ll love the prices you’ll find on these microfiber comforters by Columbia.

Dockers doesn’t just make clothing anymore.

The famous Dockers label can now be found on bedding- including a reversible comforter set that comes with matching bed skirt and shams.

The microfiber polyester outer shell holds 100% polyester filling to create a lightweight but cozy comforter. Stain Defender technology means that spills and stains will be few and easy to remove because they will not bond with the fabric. Amethyst, black, navy and other colors are combined to provide lots of color choices in the reversible comforter. The pillow shams and bed skirt match one side of the comforter and coordinate with the other side. This microfiber choice is a great way to stretch your bedding dollar.

Microsuede and microfiber combine to create a great comforter from the J.C. Penny line of bedding.

One side of the reversible comforter is microfiber polyester, the other side is polyester microsuede, providing variation in textures. The hypoallergenic 100% polyester filling makes this machine washable comforter a great choice. Available with matching cotton/polyester blend pillow shams. Colors are black/tarragon, navy/wedgewood and thyme/tarragon.

If you want a comforter that feels like real down, you’ll want to know about Camden’s Reversible Down-Like Comforter. This bedding is filled with microgel, a down-like product that is allergy resistant and has that luxurious down feel. The outer shell is polyester microfiber and ten reversible color combinations are available. If you love down but don’t love the weight of down, you’ll love this down-like microgel filling inside the lightweight microfiber shell.

If you prefer blankets to comforters, Biederlack has created the Aurora Microfiber Bed Blanket that is light weight yet warm and cozy. The soft feel of the microfiber makes this bedding choice perfect in any and every one of the nine beautiful colors available. All common sizes are also available. You’ll want to add several to your bedding collection because they are reasonably priced yet high quality and fully machine washable.

Remember to read and follow the care labels on your bedding created from microfiber. Most microfiber should not be left in a hot dryer for prolonged periods of time. The material dries quickly because of the tiny fibers in the bedding.

Microfiber- A new favorite in the world of bedding.

Diapers AeroBed

Getting into a smooth clean comfortable bed is one of the joys of staying in a top class hotel. Why not recreate that experience every night at home.

1. Choose a quality mattress

Hotels would not survive for long if their beds had the reputation for giving guests backache. A firm mattress is best. If you prefer a softer mattress add a mattress pad which molds itself to your body for comfort.

2. Keep Your Mattress in Good Condition

If you have a good mattress but it hasn’t been flipped or cleaned in a while then now is a good time to do that. To clean the mattress sprinkle it liberally with baking soda (you may need more than one pot) leave for a few hours and then vacuum up the baking soda. Spray the bed with fabric freshener to freshen it up too.

Flip your mattress every few months so that it wears evenly. Mattresses are designed to last about 10 years – but not if you leave them on one side all the time.

To protect your mattress and keep it clean get a mattress cover – they are quite cheap to buy and can be laundered in the washing machine (far easier than cleaning your mattress).

3. Smooth Clean Sheets

Most hotels don’t go in for fancy bedding ensembles but they always have quality sheets. These are the kind made of super fine cotton with a high thread count which feels smooth to the touch. Only quality sheets can survive the high temperatures of commercial laundries and come out looking good wash after wash.

Make sure your sheets are fresh, crisp and smooth – launder as soon as they lose their crisp fresh feel and make sure you iron them nice and smooth.

Plain white will give you the authentic hotel feeling. Colors don’t survive the rigors of the hotel laundry either.

4. Plump Pillows

If your pillows have seen better days, and are stained and lumpy, replace them. If they are just a bit flat, running them through the tumble drier with a dryer sheet to freshen them and plump them up a bit may help. (Check the care instructions first). If all else fails try two pillows in one pillow sham to give a plumper look.

Pillow shams like sheets need to be smooth crisp and clean. Just imagine your cheek laying down on that cool smooth surface as you sink into a great night’s sleep.

5. Duvet or Comforter

A duvet placed in a washable crisp cover to match the sheets (i.e. pure white) is all you need to keep you warm and cosy. Alternatively a crisp top sheet and comforter will do the same job.

6. Top Cover

Cover the bed with a decorative cover that you remove before you get into bed – this will mean that the cover does not need to be constantly laundered. Some hotels do not use a top cover for hygiene reasons – there is no time to launder between guests – and just leave the bed with a pure crisp white look. If that suits your room décor than that’s great too.

So those are the elements that make a bed in a top class hotel so comfortable. Now all you need is someone to turn back the sheets before you get into bed and leave a chocolate on your pillow. Sweet dreams!

Clinique Cream S&p 500 Funds