Garden Maintenance For The Lazy Gardener

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Wouldn’t it be great if you could just leave your garden and it would always look fabulous? You wouldn’t have to lift a finger in it but it would always be perfect for you to sit in and enjoy all of the brilliant weather in summer. Unfortunately, though, a no-hassle garden is something of a dream. There is always going to be some work that needs doing out there, which can be a bit of a pain for those homeowners who just can’t be bothered with their outdoor areas.

Don’t worry if you are a bit of a lazy gardener, though. You don’t have to spend hours out in your garden to keep it looking ship shape. Here are some very easy garden maintenance tips that can keep your garden perfect with only minimum attention.

Switch Your Garden Fences

Even though you may not realize it at first, garden fences require quite a bit of maintenance. That’s because you need to keep them protected from the elements. So, if you don’t fancy spending a couple of days twice a year painting your wooden fences, you might want to swap them for fences made out of easy-to-maintain materials. One idea is to add composite wood fence panels to your garden borders. These require little painting and are much easier to maintain than traditional wooden fences.

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Attract Wildlife

Don’t want to do all the hard work out in the garden? If not, you should get all of the wildlife out there to do it for you! Attracting wildlife into your garden by adding food for the birds and bee-friendly plants is such a great idea. Birds often carry in seeds, which will end up in your flower beds and growing into all kinds of plants. That will save you sowing seeds yourself. Similarly, bees pollinate flowers to help them grow, so you won’t have to use fertilizers so often.

Plant Flowers That Don’t Need Much Attention

There are some plants that require a lot of attention from gardeners. They will need a lot of watering and feeding, for instance. So, as you can probably tell, if you plant these in your garden, you will need to do a lot of work to keep them healthy and looking good. Thankfully, there are also lots of plants that need minimal help. These are perfect for lazy gardeners, as you can plant them and leave them for long periods of time.

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Turn Lawn Into A Patio

Are you getting sick of needing to mow your lawn so often? During the summer months, you should mow it once a week, which is too much for some people. There is a way around this - just replace your lawn with a patio or decking area. That way, you won’t have any grass in your garden that needs to be mowed.

As you can see, even the laziest of gardeners can create a garden that they can enjoy. And it won’t involve too much hard work for you at all!

Is Following Your Dreams Worth It?

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From a very young age, we're all taught that the one thing that you should always do is to "follow your dreams." No matter what happens, you should never let anything get in the way of doing what you really want. At first glance, this seems like perfect advice. After all, no one wants to find themselves living a life that they're unhappy in. However, the reality is that "following your dreams" can often be a more complicated than idea than a lot of people realize and it can also be something that might not live up to your expectations. Here are a few things to consider when deciding if following your dreams is really worth it.

Putting all your eggs in one basket

One of the things that you generally need if you're going to follow your dreams is a totally single-minded approach that you never waiver from, under any circumstances. However, one thing that a lot of people fail to realize is that, if you spend your life with a totally one track mind and then something changes that leave you needing to go in a different direction, that can be incredibly difficult to deal with. Make sure that, even if you're pursuing your dreams, that you leave room for changes and adjustments in your plan every step of the way.

Risks

Following any kind of life or career path is going to come with risks, that's just something that you need to be aware of. However, you need to know how much risk you're willing to put up with. You might think, "I've moved to a new place, found fantastic storage near me for all of my belongings, and I'm ready to get out there and find my perfect career!" However, you need to think about whether or not you've got something to fall back on. After all, if you're not able to start following your dreams right away, the last thing you want is to suddenly end up in a position where you have no way to support yourself.

People change

This is something that a lot of people seem to forget. Just because you grew up wanting to do something with your life, that doesn't mean that you have to spend the rest of your life wanting to do that exact thing. People change and grow over time, and you may find that something that you were incredibly passionate about just a few years ago holds no real interest for you anymore. If you built your entire life around one specific thing, then you could end up getting trapped on that path even when it's not something that you're especially interested in pursuing.

Now, please don't think of this as somehow trying to tell you not to follow your dreams. Far from it. If you have an ambition in life and you want to follow it, then that's fantastic. Just remember that you don't need to spend your life on one single track if you feel as though you might be better off moving in another direction.

Everyone Can Be An Investor With These 4 Qualities

There is a common misconception about managing money. Generally, the social expectation is that you need to be born in a wealthy family to have an understanding of the financial market, and therefore be able to define which risks are worth taking to grow your income. Unfortunately, scientists all over the world have to admit that, despite their best efforts, they didn’t find the investor gene, nor did they discover a formula to grow such a gene. What this means is that investment know-how is not acquired by birth. It is a skill that you develop gradually, assuming you’ve got the right qualities to manage financial duties effectively. 

The smart investor rejects unnecessary luxury

Don’t waste unnecessarily

First of all, a good investor isn’t someone who can happily through money out the window with feeling a significant consequence. It’s a person who is acutely aware of the value of money and therefore ensures that there is no unnecessary spending. As successful investments are defined by their ability to get more return for your money, it’s natural for the investor to cultivate budget boosting tips. Getting more value for less money is the definition of quality investment. You may not be yet ready for the stock market, but you can certainly get used to maximize the value of your money by cutting down energy and grocery costs.

Don’t get less for less

Value is what investments are about. An investment that costs less but delivers less too is not profitable. Similarly, you can apply the same attitude in everyday life. Of course, you want to cut down your bills to maximize your wealth, but the process should remain reasonable. Choosing not to turn the heating up in winter might save you tons of money on your energy bills, but putting your health at risk is not a smart investment. In other words, paying less for what you need is not the same than ignoring your needs to reduce expenditure. 

Know when and where to invest

Nobody is born with a knowledge of the best investment solutions. As the finance market is always fluctuating, the smart investor needs to ensure a regular source of information to stay on top of the trend, whether it’s checking the stock score of Vanguard Healthcare ETF or identifying trend patterns in the market transactions in Asia. Similarly, if the stock market isn’t your kind of investment, it doesn’t stop you from learning more about other kinds, such as the property market for instance. 

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Stay informed of your situation

Last, but not least, the best quality of a good investor is to know how much money they can afford to lose. As there is always a degree of risk in investment, you need to be comfortable with a loss, and more importantly, you need to manage your budget closely. Using budgeting apps such as Digit bot or BUDGT, you can learn to keep track of how much you spend and earn. These apps can also let you know how much is available for a financial investment. 

The bottom line is that to become a successful investor; you need to establish a trust relationship with money. You need to understand and respect its value, and know how much you can bear to spend and invest. But there’s no beginner's luck: without educating yourself about the options available, you will burn your gains! 

The Art Of Thoughtful Gift-Giving

There is nothing lovelier than getting someone that you love a gift. You get to choose something that they would love, proving – in a way – how much you know them and how generous you are. Everyone loves getting a new gift, but it’s the thought behind the gift that really counts. Anyone can pick up a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers, but the gift that you buy is going to really tell people what you think of them and how much you love them.

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Giving gifts isn’t entirely selfless, as you feel good doing it. You can bust stress by giving and you can lead a happier life knowing that you have taken time out of your day to make someone else’s brighter. There are certain things that a thoughtful gift-giver will get up to when they make a choice to buy for someone else, and if you adopt these habits then you will also be just as thoughtful!

Plan ahead. A person who is putting effort into giving a gift is planning ahead at all times to ensure that they get the best possible gift. If you’re going to buy collectors coins from somewhere like LPM.hk then you need to ensure post times and that they have the right gift in for you. Taking the time to think about the recipient’s personality and desires is important, and you can do that by carefully planning ahead.

Money DOES NOT matter. When it comes to the perfect gift, a budget isn’t always a consideration. Givers who are going for the most thoughtful gift shouldn’t focus on the price tag. Dwelling on the cost of the gift you want to give can take the enjoyment out of giving at all.

Make it personal. A personal gift given to someone often means more than something more generic. Giving a gift is a chance to let someone know how much you love them, appreciate them and want to see them smile. You don’t have to make the actual gift personalized, but you could gift wrap it perfectly to suit the personality of the recipient.

Get a little crafty. A thoughtful gift-giver knows the value of good glitter and wrap. Putting a little crafty effort into the gift wrap can really help the recipient to feel taken care of and wanted.

Presentation is everything. When you are getting a gift to someone, you can’t just chuck it at them with the price tag still attached. Giving a gift means presentation is important; you want the recipient to feel wanted by you and the effort that you put into that will help them to see how much you really care.

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Giving a gift has to be personal, beautiful and meaningful. If you want to practise the art of thoughtful gift-giving, you have to make sure that every effort goes into the present. Whether you gift a trip or gift something handmade, it has to have meaning. Make it count.

When The Rain Won't Stop: Flood Safety Tips

We may take it for granted most of the time, but the weather can be a very dangerous force. In fact, it can be so dangerous that it can put our whole home at risk. This is the case with flooding. During times when it seems like the rain will never stop, you will probably be quite worried about the possibility of your home flooding. Hopefully, this never happens, but if it looks like you might have to deal with a flood, these safety tips can help you and your family get through it.

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Stock Up On Supplies

First of all, you should aim to stock your kitchen with plenty of tinned and canned foods. It’s also a good idea to get plenty of bottled water as well. That way, you always have lots of food and clean water to keep you going if the flood gets so bad that you can’t make it to your nearest supermarket or shop.

Use Sand Bags At Weak Points

It’s also a good idea to stock up with some sandbags. You can then place these on the floor in front of doors to try and stop as much flood water as possible entering your home. It’s worth checking this flooding infographic so that you can learn where your property’s weak points will be. These also need to be protected with sandbags.

Move Upstairs

If water does start to flow into your home, you should move everyone upstairs as soon as possible. Take any important documents and paperwork with you too so that it doesn’t get lost or damaged in the flood. By moving upstairs, you can stay warm and dry and also stay away from the dirty flood water. There’s a good chance that the flood water contains bacteria that could spread diseases and infections.

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Keep The Radio On

Make sure you always have the radio on and tuned into your local news channel. That way, you can keep up to date with the flooding situation around town, and you will also hear about all the advice and help that the emergency services are giving out. If you don’t already have one, you should find a battery-powered or wind-up radio so that you can continue to listen to it even if there is a power cut. 

Turn Off Power And Gas Before Evacuating

There might be a situation in which the flooding is so bad that you are forced to evacuate your home. This could be because the flood water is particularly dirty and dangerous, or because the water levels are extremely high. But, before you leave, you should make the effort to turn off your home’s power and gas. This will drastically cut the risk of any damage to your home’s power systems and it will prevent a gas explosion.

Flooding can be bad news for any property. Thankfully, though, all the above tips will keep you and your family as safe as possible until the situation starts to improve.

Is It A Cold? Or Is It Nasal Polyps?

Some health problems can really get up your nose. In these first few months of the year when (unless you’re lucky enough to live in Australia) the weather is at its coldest and most forbidding, it’s not uncommon for those quotidian infections to do the rounds. Thus, workplaces are aflood with runny noses, reddened and swollen eyes, coughs and sneezes and a general malaise. In this sort of climate, it’s quite common for us to feel those common cold and flu symptoms such as sore throats, blocked noses, headaches, muscle pains and fevers. Very often we just shrug these off as cold symptoms. But when cold symptoms come back time and again it could be a sign of something more serious. If you feel you’re affected by colds more often than usual this year, have your doctor check for signs of nasal polyps.

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What are nasal polyps?

Nasal polyps are small, non-cancerous growths inside the sinuses and nasal passages. They are soft and painless and thus, hard to notice. They can affect anyone but they usually affect adults although there are certain causal factors such as repeated nasal/sinus infection. They can exist for years without causing any symptoms, although if they are beginning to bunch together they can begin to cause problems. 

How do I know if I have them?

Most of the time we accumulate nasal polyps without any ill effect. Since they are small and lack sensation they’re often unnoticeable. Over time, however,  nasal polyps can build up into groups or you can form particularly large polyps. These cause symptoms akin to a nasty cold that just refuses to shift. As your doctor to check for nasal polyps if you have the following symptoms for 10 days or more:

• Persistent stuffy /runny nose
• Loss of sense of smell
• Loss of sense of taste
• Headaches and facial pain 
• Pain in upper teeth
• Feeling of pressure on the forehead and face
• Increased snoring

Do I need surgery?

Not necessarily. Despite any sinus surgery myths you may have heard, sinus surgery won’t affect the appearance of your nose or give you black eyes like a raccoon. Nonetheless, surgery is rarely the first course of treatment. Often your doctor will try and use medication to shrink or even eliminate nasal polyps, but there are some scenarios in which surgery may be necessary. If your polyps are blocking the sinus drainage ducts then surgery is a viable option. It’s worth noting that even when removed nasal polyps can return and there are lifestyle and dietary measures that one can take to avoid this from happening that your doctor may recommend depending on the size or number of your polyps. 

Can nasal polyps have serious consequences?

Although non-cancerous, nasal polyps can interrupt the normal flow of air and drainage of fluid through the sinuses and as such can lead to potentially serious consequences. Left untreated they can result in sinus infections as well as aggravating asthma. They can even cause sleep apnea which can interrupt your breathing while you sleep. Fortunately, these are unlikely to occur if effective treatment is sought quickly. 

5 Must Have Gadgets For Baby Boomers

If you were born between 1945 to 1965, then you belong to the Baby Boomer Generation. According to The Sun, this generation is known to be the wealthiest, healthiest and most active generation in history.

I am a Baby Boomer, born in 1964. Now in my 50s,  I am doing my best to keep up with the trends of this current generation. From health discoveries to innovations in technology, I am amazed at what the human race has achieved.

The Millennials or simply put, the youth of today are glued to gadgets. Little electronic devices that help them stay connected and up to date with their friends and family, help them with homework, keep track of their diet and exercise, track location and play music wirelessly. Oh, the convenience of these innovations! My kids have those gadgets - smartphones, tablets, fitness trackers, and whatever-you-call-that-talkative-speaker-thing. 

As a middle-aged mother of three young adults, I too, have invested in gadgets, although most of these are entirely different from the ones that my children own. In this post, I will share my list of the five must-have gadgets for the Baby Boomer generation. 

What I have:

A Blood Pressure Monitor

I invested in a digital blood pressure monitor three years ago. I chose one that would give me not only a blood pressure reading but my heart rate as well. My trusted gadget is the 5 Series Omron Upper Arm Blood Pressure Monitor. It alerts me if my blood pressure or heart rate is high and it also gives an irregular heartbeat warning. What is great with this monitor is that it also allows me to store up to 50 results with date and time stamp for 2 users. That's 100 readings stored in its internal memory! 

A Blood Glucose Monitor

I have Diabetes Mellitus Type 2. I have had this chronic illness for 15 years now. It is important for me to take my blood sugar readings regularly, which would help my endocrinologist assess the effectiveness of my current medication. I've gotten used to pricking my finger to draw blood. For me, it is as routine as browsing Facebook. I have a One Touch Select Simple blood glucose monitor and it has been my buddy for quite a while now. 

A Compressor Nebulizer

The DeVilbiss PulmoNeb Compressor Nebulizer System was the very first medical device we purchased for home use. My husband has COPD and he has episodes of wheezing and difficulty breathing. This device is really good to have at home. We can also use this nebulizer when someone in the family has a stuffy nose. We put a normal saline solution in the receptacle instead of our bronchodilator vials. 

My Future Purchases:

A Pulse Oximeter

My husband suffers from epileptic seizures and we need to make sure his oxygen levels do not get too low during seizure episodes. We can also use it to get blood oxygen readings when doing certain activities at home, at work or during leisure time. That way, we will get to learn which activities affect our blood oxygen saturation.

A Pedometer

As we age, our physical activity becomes limited due to decreased flexibility and strength. Putting other factors into consideration like high blood pressure and joint problems, trips to the gym become less frequent. In my case, I was advised to continue exercising but only chose those that are low impact activities. Walking is my exercise of choice and I do walk a lot! A pedometer will help me keep track of the number of steps I did during the day, the distance covered and the calories I burned. I can set a goal for the number of steps to complete daily too. A pedometer will help me with all that without having to use an app on my smartphone. Simple, straightforward information provided in one glance.

So these are the gadgets I and my husband have at home. Of course, we have our own smartphones, a laptop, a desktop and Bluetooth speakers but none of that other stuff. We may be technologically challenged at times but we have the right gadgets that will provide us the information we need.

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post. The products I have mentioned in this post are the ones we have chosen and bought for ourselves. We do vouch for their quality, having used them for quite some time. If you do wish to purchase, feel free to browse online stores for pricing and availability.

Looking for Alaska: Visiting the Last Frontier

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Each and every American state has its own culture, quirks, pros, and cons. But for the main tourist or traveler hotspots, we know exactly what to expect. For New York, we envisage hustle and bustle, Central Park, museums, art galleries, hot dogs, huge pizza slices, and Times Square. If we consider visiting Miami, we expect white sand beaches and a Cuban influence. When it comes to Nashville, we know we’re going to bump into people playing instruments and an onslaught of cowboy boots. But how about visiting somewhere a little less predictable? Somewhere that really can give you some adventure and escape. If this speaks out to you, it’s time to start planning a trip to Alaska, the Last Frontier. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your trip to the full.

Weather

If you were to ask an Alaskan what seasons the state experiences, they’d probably reply “winter, June, July, and August”, tongue in cheek. It rings true that for most of the year, Alaska is biting cold. But you do need to pack to be prepared for anything. Weather and daylight hours vary greatly by region and season. It’s ideal to dress in layers during your stay, so you can easily shed to cool off, or add to warm up.

Where to Stay

Many of us try to skimp out when it comes to accommodation. We consider that we’re merely resting our head for the night in the chosen place and will spend the rest of our time out of doors. While this may work for a lot of places, you’re likely to return to your accommodation tired, weary, and in need of comfort and good rest after a full day out in the Alaskan climes. So choose somewhere with cozy rooms and high-quality facilities, such as Anchorage Marriott. 

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Things to Do

Now, the best experiences in Alaska tend to be outdoors and active. The state offers such beautiful landscape and scenery that it would be a crying shame to miss out on it. Here are some of the most stunning and immersive experiences to be had!

The Northern Lights

Believe it or not, you can indeed see the Northern Lights from Alaska! Many people travel hundreds of thousands of miles to places such as Iceland to see them when they’re available much closer to home. Take a Chena Hot Springs tour at the same time to pair the Aurora Borealis with spa treatments.

Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle and Trek

For the more active amongst us, why not take a six and a half hour combination adventure starting from Juneau? Jumping into a canoe, you can look forward to paddling around stunning blue icebergs, cliffs, and astounding waterfalls. Once you reach Mendenhall Glacier, you can grab your trekking poles and hike through some of the state’s best scenery.

Alaska may be one of the lowest populated states, but for a long weekend or extended getaway, it can prove the most accommodating and enjoyable place you could imagine!

5 Tips To Make Caring for Your Car Easier

Using the best car cover material to put over your vehicle is an easy way to ensure debris does not accumulate in your car. The right material also prevents you from causing damage yourself. Preventing damage will make the actual maintenance of your vehicle so much simpler, and you can follow these additional tips to keep your car in great shape longer. 

1. Wash Your Car Often

Dust and other contaminants can eat through a vehicle’s clear coat. Over time, these materials will cause the surface to rust, but washing often keeps debris at bay. For the greatest advantage, wash your car by hand. Drive-through car washes tend to use abrasive materials. 

2. Take Car to a Mechanic

Similarly to how you go to a dentist every six months even if nothing feels wrong, you should take your car to a professional mechanic often to check for signs of wear and tear. Find a mechanic in your area who specializes in your specific make and model of car. 

3. Park in the Shade

Exposure to constant sunlight can cause your car’s paint to fade, the dashboard to crack and plastic to melt. Park under a tree if you can. If all else fails, then use a custom fit windshield shade to keep UV rays out of your vehicle. 

4. Store Car Safely

If you will not be driving your vehicle for a while, then make sure you cover it up. Hiding it in a bag or durable bubble will keep contaminants and critters away. You may also want to think about getting a battery tender, which prevents discharge. 

5. Prepare for Oncoming Seasons

Before winter and summer come around, you want to inspect your car’s antifreeze and engine coolant levels. You also want to inspect tire depth and pressure. 

California Car Cover has a number of covers, bags, and shades to keep your vehicle looking great. By being proactive, you will save yourself a lot of stress worrying about maintenance. 

Adding Sparkle To Shine Without The Credit Line

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When it comes to ways to show off your financial pedigree and class, jewelry is one of the oldest options people have. For a very long time, wearing wealth on your body has been a popular concept, not only enabling you to keep the stuff safe but also making you look great in the process. Of course, nowadays, the options people wear are most subdued than those in the past, while also being very pricey. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the best ways to get your hands on fine jewelry without having to pay an extravagant amount for the privilege. 

Go Secondhand: As the first option, a lot of people don’t know what the jewelry they own is worth. Often being unwanted family heirlooms, the marker for second-hand necklaces and rings is huge, and it’s easy to find a very good deal. To achieve this goal, hunting around thrift and charity stores will often result in loads of great options which won’t be found anywhere else. To help you with this, it could be worth finding someone with some knowledge of old jewelry to make sure that you’re buying items which are actually worth something. While a lot of items in the market are gems, even more of them are fake, cheap, or made from materials which won’t last long at all.

The Right Rocks: Along with looking for the right secondhand option, a lot of people will find a lot of success when choosing the right stone for their jewelry. Options like Roma Designer Italian jewelry don’t use expensive rocks like diamonds. Instead, to keep things affordable, alternatives with similar qualities are used to make sure that the items look great. To help you to find examples like this, there are loads of websites out there which let you compare different gems and stones to make sure that you can get the best option for your money. It can be very surprising to find just how many different kinds of rock there can be.

Auctions: Finally, as the last option on this list, it’s time to add a little bit of competition into the mix. Jewellery auctions are very intense places. While there are people looking to complete their favorite outfits, there are also those fighting to get the best possible deals on items which they plan to sell. The very best of the bunch will be hotly contested, and a lot of people will be trying to buy them. Knowing when to stop is very important. Otherwise, you could find yourself spending far too much on items which you don’t really want.

Hopefully, with all of this in mind, it will be a lot easier to start spending time on the jewelry you adorn yourself with. Nowadays, people are becoming a lot more tasteful with the metals and stones they decide to wear, and this makes it a simple matter of finding something you like to kick off a collection to go with all outfits.