Real Estate by ray Newsletter  -  Issue #9

Word Of The Month…

Studies have shown that your income and wealth is directly related to the size and depth of your vocabulary.   Here is this month’s word, so you can impress your friends.  You may even be able to fatten your wallet!

gambol   \gam' bel\   (verb)

Meaning: to leap about playfully; frolic

Sample Sentence: The ring bearer and flower girl gamboled about at the wedding reception.

Fishing Tricks

Professional fisherman Tom Mann shared this advice with novice fishermen:

Ø Hold your rod nearly straight up.

Ø Let the hook catch the fish; don’t use a forceful jerk.

Ø Use rocks or pilings to block any swift currents.

Ø Use boat motors to scare small fish out of reeds.  These small fish will eventually entice bigger fish.

Ø Don’t feel like you have to go to deep waters to get big fish.  Eventually, they will come to the shallow waters to feed on the smaller fish.

Enough To Roll Your Eyes

What did the mayonnaise say to the refrigerator?

“Close the door, I’m dressing!”

What do you get from a pampered cow?

Spoiled milk

Quotes Of The Month…

Simple Savings Tip

Check your phone bill carefully. Many consumers are being charged for services like call waiting, voice messaging, or call forwarding when they don’t even use these options.  By canceling those unused services, you could save a few bucks each month.  That may not sound like a lot, but over the course of a year the little savings can add up to a bundle.

Golf Wisdom

“The best wood in most amateurs’ bags is the pencil.”

       Chi Chi Rodriguez

“He who has the fastest golf cart never has a bad lie.”

                             Mickey Mantle

“Tee your ball high…air offers less resistance than dirt.”  Jack Nicklaus

“Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle.”
                              Anonymous

 Fun New Web Site

A visit to terrafly.com can prove to be an interesting and educational experience.  This web site contains high-definition photographs of the entire United States.  The photos are taken from spy satellites.  The site allows you to zoom in and maneuver in all directions and provides detailed information about specific areas.  Try it!  I’m sure you will find it fascinating.

No More Wrinkles

If you’ve left your clothes sitting in the dryer too long and they have become wrinkled, try this trick.  Put a damp towel in with the dry clothes and run the dryer for about five minutes.  The wrinkles will be gone!

 

 

Is Your Exercise Program
Making You Un-Healthy?

      Are you committed to improving your health?  Then you probably already know that a successful exercise program is important.  Every healthy exercise program should have three basic components:  aerobic exercise, resistance training, and flexibility exercises.

1.      Aerobic Exercise uses large muscle groups.  Activities include walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling.  Remember to always warm-up and cool down when doing these exercises.

·   Frequency – 3-5 days per week.

·   Intensity – Try to start out at 50 percent of your maximum heart rate and then increase with time.  Never exceed 85 percent of your maximum heart rate or get so out of breath that you are unable to talk normally.  To figure your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220.  Then, to get your exercising heart rate take your pulse for 10 seconds and multiply it by six.  Remember you don’t need to exercise at high intensity to achieve significant health benefits.

·   Duration – 20-60 minutes each session.  This can be done either in one daily block or in several shorter blocks (ex. three 10-minute chunks).

2.   Resistance Training builds muscular strength, endurance and maintains strong bones.  Activities include all types of weight lifting.  Be sure you warm-up and cool down using aerobic exercises.

·   Frequency – 2-3 days per week with at least one day of rest between workouts.

·   Intensity – Start slowly and get a certified trainer to help you determine the appropriate weight for you to lift.  Increase weight slowly to avoid injury.

·         Duration – 1-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions is usually a good goal.  Be sure to evenly work your arms, legs, back, stomach, and chest.  Try to pattern your workout so you aren’t stressing one portion of your body continuously.  In other words, work your leg muscles, then your arm muscles, and then return to your legs.

 

3.   Flexibility improves the range of motion of your muscles and joints.  All types of stretching are included in this component

·   Frequency – 2-5 days per week

·   Intensity – Use gentle movements and avoid jerking or bouncing.  When you begin to feel the muscle stretch, hold it there and don’t go further.  This will help you avoid injury.  Overall intensity should stay in the low to moderate range.

·   Duration – As little as five minutes each day is beneficial.  Each stretch should be held for about 10 seconds.

      By incorporating these three components with proper nutrition, you can create a balanced program that will keep you healthy for years to come.  For more information, you can visit discoverfitness.com, or you can design a step-by-step plan at workoutplan.com.

Secrets For Staying Healthy

Are you tired of battling constant colds, flu, and earaches in your family?  Experts suggest some simple tips for avoiding some of those illnesses.

·   Keep your hands clean.  Stop the spread of germs by washing your hands after using the bathroom, going on an outing, or being at school.  Avoid using antibacterial soaps.  They are actually detrimental because they may increase germ strength. 

·   Drink water.  Adults should drink at least eight glasses of water each day and children should drink one cup per every 10 pounds they weigh.  Water cleanses toxins and improves the effectiveness of germ trapping membranes.

·   Eat lots of fruits and vegetables.  They are filled with antioxidants and vitamins.  Families should try to make a game out of trying a new fruit or vegetable each week.

·   Breathe moist air.  Use a humidifier to keep the humidity level at least          25 percent.  The moisture allows your germ trapping membranes to work better.

·   Get a good night’s sleep.  Keep a consistent schedule in order to maximize the effectiveness of your immune system.

      Also remember, common ailments such as occasional colds are actually making your family’s immune systems stronger.

Real Estate Corner…

Q.  We’re considering installing a pool and/or spa.  I am concerned about the resale value of this investment.  Can you help me make the best decision?

A.  The addition of a pool is not the best investment if you are only concerned about resale value.  Pools have notoriously low resale value.  In fact, pools only add about 33 percent of their cost to the value of the home.  So, if you spend $20,000 on a beautiful new pool, you will probably only recoup about $6,700 when you sell your home.  

In addition, some buyers view pools as safety hazards and maintenance burdens.  Many families with young children won’t consider homes with pools because of highly publicized drowning dangers. You also should consider the space constraints of your yard.  If the pool is going to take up the entire yard, it’s probably a bad idea for resale alone.

If you’ve decided you want a pool, consider the cost an investment in your enjoyment, not just in the resale value of your home.  If you are going to be purchasing a home in the near future it’s advisable to buy a home that already has a pool.  This eliminates the initial installation cost and resale risk, but gives you the enjoyment value.

      A spa may be a better option if you are only concerned with resale values.  Spas cost much less, averaging about $5,000 to purchase.  Try looking at home improvement centers or wholesale stores to find the best bargains.  Most spas only cost about $10 a month in additional electricity to run (depending on usage), but repair costs seem to be their biggest downfall.  Including a nice deck or patio will increase the value even more.