Just for Fun

Did You Know July 26th is Aunts & Uncles Day?Among all of the holidays in the world, July 26 honors some special relatives with Aunts & Uncles Day.  Aunts and Uncles do deserve thanks, as well as recognition and a day of their own. Call up an Aunt or Uncle on July 26 and surprise them by saying “Happy Aunt’s Day” or “Happy Uncles Day.” Send an e-card. Post a heartfelt thank you note on that loved ones’ Facebook or Instagram page.Then remember to put July 26, Aunts & Uncles Day on the calendar for next year, too.Thanks for reading "Happy Aunts and Uncles Day July 26". 07/26/2020

  The Elkins Home Selling Team with Elite Realty Group provides services with Morristown TN Real Estate For Sale and Morristown TN Homes For Sale to home buyers and home sellers in Morristown Tennessee, Whitesburg, Talbott, Russellville, Sevierville, Bean Station, Dandridge, Pigeon Forge and surrounding communities.We specialize in working with Home Sellers in getting their homes listed and sold. We utilize the latest and most up to date marketing materials in assuring the job gets done quickly and with the least amount of hassle. Our homes are listed on over 32 different Real Estate web sites including realtor.com, yahoo.com, trulia.com and many others. Each office independently owned and operated. Elite Realty Group is a full service real estate company serving Morristown TN Real Esta... 07/27/2020

Whoa so the 2019-2020 school year ended quite differently than any of us expected. My son was in 1st grade and had to quickly learn how to adjust to distance learning for the last two months of the year. I also have a younger brother who graduated from high school and sadly, we had to watch from home. Now as we approach the new 2020-2021 school year, us parents are having to make some pretty hard decisions.  It gives me goosebumps just thinking about how we got put into this spot without any warning nor any guidance. So what schooling options do parents have for this year?  Many forget about the third option but is actually the one that a lot of parents are going towards (especially working parents like us). So before completely making up your mind, take a look at the three schooling op... 07/27/2020

When the weather gets cold swimming is probably the last the you want to do, but if you want to be swimming in your new pool on the first day of summer, a winter pool build is a smart choice. Choosing to have a swimming pool installed in the winter months has numerous benefits. In this article we explain why winter is the best time to install a pool. 1.     Saves moneySaving money is a substantial benefit for many. If you have the opportunity to save some cash, why not? Winter is off peak season in the pool industry and as a result companies generally offer very competitive pricing to fill their books. This is a great time to take advantage of sales and added extras that are usually on offer during winter, you could potentially save yourself thousands of dollars. Suppliers approach pool... 07/27/2020

 July 27th Puzzle - National Scotch Day Enjoy your day! Directions:  Click on the link below.  Your puzzle will open in a new window. To locate a word, please hold down the left side of your mouse while dragging your cursor over the letters of that word.  Release your hold when all of the letters of the word have been selected.  If your response is correct, the word will change color on the word list. The settings at the top of the page will allow you to change the difficulty of the puzzle, number of words, etc. Please check back for future puzzles.Enjoy and have a great day! Click Here To Play  If you are looking to purchase a property or home on Long Island, New York, I hope you think of me, Linda Blumenthal.  07/27/2020

Trivia question answers for Friday July 24, 20201. What liquor is nicknamed "The green fairy"? Absinthe2. What are female elephants called? Cows3. In Disney's "Cinderella", what is the cats name? Lucifer4. What female dog is the secret object of Underdog's affection? Sweet Polly PurebredTrivia questions for Saturday July 25, 20201. What is the difference between caskets and coffins?2. What is an eyrie?3. What body of water separates Alaska from Russia?4. Tin or Aluminum is the traditional gift for which anniversary?Enjoy your day. 07/25/2020

Another history lesson from James Dray...   Albert J. Herberger was born in Albany, New York back in 1931.  He was commissioned an ensign when he graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in 1955.   After graduation, his first duty was aboard the patrol boat Rockville.  He continued his education graduating with Class One from the Navy’s Destroyer School beginning his service in destroyers as Operations Officer about the Dewey. Not satisfied, he completed the engineering science at the Naval Postgraduate School serving with the Naval Advisory Group in Vietnam.  Later he acted as senior advisor to the Vietnamese Navy.  He later was the Director of Training at the Navy Officer Candidate School in, Newport, Rhode Island.  After his retirement, he worked as Administrator of the Mariti... 07/25/2020

Summer-summer has finally arrived on the great Pacific Northwest Coast.   Fondly called the "wet coast" by many, it felt like June-uary and then July-uary, until the past couple of days.   This is such a beautiful part of the world.  Summer is such a short season...important to catch it while you can.  So many things are different this year, due to the covid-19 huge impact on all of us.  In B.C., we were shut down for ten weeks..."stay home/social distance" was the provincial government edict, and that meant closures between March 12 and June 9.   We are now in stage 3 of soft reopenings.   One worries about whether some businesses will make it.  I live in a rural/recreational area, and tourism is the main industry.  The season basically runs from March Break to the Canadian Thanksgivin... 07/21/2020

 Matthew 5:44-45“But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven…” When we see the appearance of evil in the world and around us we can certainly recall an earlier message about denying those appearance and affirming the Good in All.  We must also continue to remember to seek God in all people.  God is at the center of all people. And all people, regardless of how we see them or what we see them do even if its a terrible wrong, have undeveloped GOOD in them.   Often those people have not been loved, and you can love your enemies because you love God and God is the undeveloped GOOD inside them.  Perhaps they have not been enlightened in the things of God.  Perhaps they had at one time been shown the things of God but d... 07/27/2020

No-Cook Meals for SummerWe all welcome the summer sun, but the rising temperatures do come with one tiny problem: the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven or stove. Stocking certain ingredients also helps keep each no-cook meal from becoming boring.  You just need to be willing to mix things up and try new things. These great ideas will save you time and money anytime throughout the year; especially, in the summer. Shop for (or order) your groceries early on the weekend to give yourself time to organize, prep, and plan – but keep it simple. Purchase a rotisserie chicken (or two), or pick up some pre-cooked salmon or tri-tip. Stock up on other pre-cooked protein options like tuna, chickpeas, and beans. Take advantage of the summer fruits and vegetables – remembering the fact th... 07/17/2020

Another history lesson from James Dray....   Peter Heniein was born in Nuremberg, Germany back in 1485 to Peter and Barbara.  From what records, I could find is he apprenticed as a locksmith.  In 1504, he was involved in a brawl that left fellow locksmith Georg Glaser dead. Instead of fleeing he asked for asylum in the Franciscan Monastery in Nuremberg, which was granted. While in the monastery he acquired knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and one other thing (we’ll get to that in a moment).  He was also an inventor, by 1509, he was a master in the city of Nuremberg locksmith guild.  He died in 1542 in Nuremberg. What you may not know about Peter is that he invented the world’s first watch.  He is regarded as the first watchmaker in the history of timekeeping.  He also invented the fi... 07/23/2020

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain; Why the early bird gets the worm; Life isn't always fair, And maybe it was my fault.  Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).  His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mout... 05/22/2020

If you're stuck at home, it's so easy to get into the trap of just watching TV on the couch. Right? Often, when we think of staying at home, we feel like there isn't much that we can do if we are not going to work or running errands. But nothing could be further from the truth.  So many people that I know say that when they started staying home a couple of months ago, that they had grand plans of completely cleaning their home, organizing files and papers, exercising regularly, cleaning out their closets, etc. And yet, eight weeks later, they have found that none of that has happened. Why? We're very used to being in "lazy" mode when staying at home. Usually it's because of the weather (raining or snowing or bad weather to be in) or because we're taking a break from a hard week at work.... 05/11/2020

CHICAGO  SLANG   1. Grach ki (grach'-key):   Chicagoese for 'garage key' as in, 'Yo, Theresa, waja do wit DA grachki?   How my supposta cut DA grass if I don't git intada grach?'   2.  Sammich:  Chicagoese for sandwich.  When made with sausage, it's a sassage sammich; when made with   shredded beef, it's an Italian Beef sammich, a local delicacy consisting of piles of spicy meat in a perilously soggy bun.3. Da: This article is a key part of Chicago speech, as in 'Da Bears' or 'Da Mare'-- the latter denoting Richard M.  Daley, or Richie, as he's often   called.4.  Jewel: Not family heirlooms or a tender body region, but a popular name for one of the region's dominant grocery store chains.  'I'm goin' to the Jewels to pick up some sassage.'5.  Field's:  Marshall Field, a prominent Chicago... 05/20/2008

Do you enjoy learning new, interesting historical facts and trivia? When I’m not selling houses in San Jose, Cupertino and Santa Clara, Calif., so do I. Courtesy of Wikipedia, here are 9 odd but true events from July 25.            306 – Constantine I is proclaimed Roman emperor by his troops. Nine years later in 315, the Arch of Constantine is completed near the Colosseum in Rome to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge.          1603 – James VI of Scotland is crowned king of England (James I of England), bringing the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into personal union. political union would occur in 1707.          1788 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart completes his Symphony No. 40 in G minor (K550).          1837 – The first commercial use of an ... 07/25/2020

Alexander Porter Butterfield was born in Pensacola, Florida back in 1926 Alexander and Susan.  He grew up in Coronado, California leaving home in 1943.  He studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, before joining the United States Air Force in 1948.  After being assigned to several positions he was sent to Vietnam, where he flew 98 combat missions.During his service, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, was commander-in-chief of the Pacific forces and senior U.S. military representative before retiring.In 1969, he was appointed as deputy assistant to President Richard Nixon.  He rose through the ranks.  In 1971, he oversaw installation of the taping system which Nixon ordered for the White House.  In 1973, he was confirmed as administrator of the Federal Aviation Admi... 07/24/2020

As we continue to live through these uncertain times, it’s safe to say business is no longer as usual. In fact, the way that we once interacted may never be the same. That’s why it is so important that we master the art of pivoting. Failure to adapt to these changing times will not only leave you behind but also at risk. You risk losing out on a huge opportunity to be at the forefront of business innovation. Imagine the dismay of business owners who refused to be early adopters of the Internet.  Those who were able to pivot reaped the financial benefits of recognizing the need and opportunity for change. A refusal to change with the times will leave you trying to leverage obsolete practices that are no longer effective. So, if the Internet was a pivot of the 1990s what is the pivot for ... 07/26/2020

Thank Goodness for Drive-Thrus! When I read that July 24th is National Drive-Thru Day, I found myself shaking my head “yes!”   Where would we be without them?! Yesterday I drove thru to pick up a prescription...we can do our banking, pick up a Frappuccino, retrieve our dry cleaning, and grab dinner while still in our car.  Drive-thrus are ideal for mothers who have children in the car. I realized this when I had my mini-me in the car with me and spent what seemed like an eternity trying to get her out of her car seat.  With our current situation, drive-thrus are even more important than ever to all of us. And of course, drive-thrus have morphed into curb-side delivery.  At the beginning of the stay-at-home period, I used the curbside delivery several times.  When I ordered a gift from a... 07/24/2020

 "I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful - an endless prospect of magic and wonder." ~ Ansel AdamsYesterday, while we sat waiting for our lunch order on the deck among the trees in the Los Padres National Forest, we marveled at the sound of the breeze fluttering through the leaves.  It was lovely music on a beautiful cool spring like day, and yes magic and wonder!   Wishing you all an abundance of Saturday Smiles! 07/25/2020

 Colossians 2:2“My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” As God puts people on your path daily that have needs, have heartache, and are experiencing a lack of love; you may be the only person that can encourage them in their heart and shine the light of love on them!   When injustice is ongoing daily in the world you can look deeper at that as a cry out for love!   You can be a person who proactively encourages people in your sphere of influence to unite, not divide, and we do this with many of the fruits of the spirit and leading with LOVE! To truly eliminate any lack... 07/26/2020