Holiday Season in Punta Gorda Fl

Punta Gorda’s Top Ten Resolutions for the New Year!

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011

It’s that time again. That time of year that we all look both back and forward and analyze with a very critical eye, just what we accomplished or didn’t and what we want to do to be a better person in the coming year.

We have all made New Years Resolutions many times and some of those instances even started to actually introduce a difference in our personal environment. Unfortunately, very few of us actually are successful at accomplishing any noticeable positive impact.

It’s not because we don’t care. It’s not even that we lack the fortitude to create the necessary mind set that will allow us to make positive changes towards our new goal. It boils down to our environment! Who we associate with, where we go, what we do when we get there and who we look to for approval. As a society, most of us are inherently jealous of anyone who is actually able to transform themselves into a better and more meaningful individual, thereby making it difficult to be supportive and willing to go out of our way to praise that person for their effort and results. The resolution we all need to embody this year is to be more interested in our friends and fellow Americans and attempt to get past that hurdle we all are burdened with and be supportive, even congratulatory towards them for their efforts.

It seems like every year we hear the same old worn out resolutions that we have heard before. Here is the list of the Top Ten Resolutions from Last Year, compiled by About.com:

1. Spend More Time with the Family and Friends
2. Get into Shape
3. Lose Some Weight
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy Life More
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get out of Debt
8. Learn Something New
9. Be More Helpful to Others
10. Get Organized

YUCK! Can’t we do better than this?

For the “What it’s Worth File.” Generally, I am a very positive person, but sometimes when I take a serious look at something like this, I tend to be come disenchanted with US as a WHOLE! Anyway, if you need Realtor® where you live or need one where you are moving – just call me. I will help you find a “Good” one! M.K. (Mike) Kissinger #941-979-1455.

Tags: beautiful weather, Greatest Place to Sail, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Beaches, Sunshine State, Vacations
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Eggnogaholics Celebrate in Punta Gorda,FL

Friday, December 23rd, 2011

Eggnog is a popular drink throughout the United States and Canada, and is usually associated with winter celebrations such as Christmas and New Year. Commercial non-alcoholic eggnog is typically available only in the winter season. Eggnog may be added as a flavoring to food or drinks such as coffee and tea. Eggnog-flavored ice cream is a seasonal product in the United States and Canada.

Eggnog, also known as egg nog, is a traditional frothy drink that typically consists of milk, sugar, spices, and raw eggs. Frequently, cream is substituted for some portion of the milk to make a richer drink. Some eggnogs add gelatin. Toppings may include vanilla ice cream, meringue, whipped cream and wide variety of garnishes, notably grated nutmeg and chocolate curls.

Various liquors, such as brandy, rum, whisky, advocaat and/or liqueurs, are often added. I like to have a cup of eggnog while I write out my Holiday Cards.

Eggnogaholic’s Basic Eggnog Recipe:

6 eggs separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1/2 cup rum
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, salt and vanilla until light yellow and creamy. Add rum and milk. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Refrigerate the egg whites, as well.
When you are ready to serve your Eggnog, whip the heavy cream in one bowl and the egg whites in another bowl. Both should be beaten to stiff peaks form. Then alternate folding in egg whites and whipped cream to the eggnog mixture.
This Eggnog is rich, thick and delightfuly creamy. You can use less whipped cream and more milk, it’s a matter of taste. Garnish with nutmeg and cinnamon if desired.

Source: Christmas 50.com

Merry Christmas to you and yours from M. K. (Mike) Kissinger

Tags: Great Recipes for Christmas, Greatest Place to Sail, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Tourism, Sunshine State
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Punta Gorda Women’s “Best Pick” for Men’s Gifts!

Monday, December 19th, 2011

First and foremost, electronic gadgets or ‘boys toys’ are one of the most popular gifts for men. The good thing about them is that there is always something new on the market that men can’t live without. The other important point is that you can easily find a huge variety of electronic gadgetry at all price levels from small inexpensive items up to much more expensive gifts such as an Apple Ipod.

Experience or adventure days make fantastic and unusual Christmas presents, particularly for the more adventurous. There is a huge range of days out available from a track day in a Ferrari, to a hot air balloon ride or a flying gift experience. Whatever your husband’s or boyfriend’s interests, there is bound to be an experience day to fit it. It’s also worth suggesting this idea to the wives and girlfriends of your man’s friends, so that a group of them can go together.

For the man who likes to do work around the house and garden, power tools make any excellent gift. Although it might sound like you’re buying him a gift that means more work for him, men actually enjoy using power tools and making things with them. It’s got the added advantage that you might find he goes round the house looking for new projects and things to fix! And even if you are on a more limited budget there are a huge number of accessories for every kind of tool that make great gifts too.

A magazine subscription is a gift that your man can enjoy all year round, and all magazines offer annual subscriptions. You can play it safe by buying a subscription to a magazine that you know he already reads, or take the opportunity to introduce him to something new that you think he will like. So what better way to show the man in your life you care all year round by signing him up for a gift that lasts all year and watch the pleasure he gets from it, not just at Christmas.

Source: freearticles.com

For the “What it’s Worth File.” Do your man a favor an avoid the tie, the gift certificate to Red Lobster or the 10-way wrench. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just thoughtful and specific for him. Don’t forget – as a father and a husband – he gives all year round! Remember, if you need a Realtor® where you live or need one where you are moving – just call me. I will help you find a “Good” one ! M.K. (Mike) Kissiner – #941-979-1455.

Tags: beautiful weather, Charlotte County, Greatest Place to Sail, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Beaches, Punta Gorda Golf Courses, Sunshine State
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What to Get the Punta Gorda Woman for Christmas!

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Jewelry items are hot Christmas gifts for women. Jewelry can come in silver, diamonds, gemstones, gold and pearl. Silver or pearl are the most popular type of jewelry items to give as a Christmas gifts for her as it will come in a proper price range. Find out what type of jewelry your wife possesses and select some thing exceptional from bracelets, necklaces and pendants and jewelry sets. All of them have a vast selection of beautiful designs. You can go on the Internet and locate these.

An electronic gadget is another hot idea for Christmas gifts for women. Cell phones, music players, mp3 players, ipods, Amazon kindle and cameras are some of the awesome gadgets which you can select as Christmas gifts for her. Each if these gadgets have good features in built and will make her happy. Further these can be enduring presents and also provide great value for money.

Personalized gift items are also very sought after gifts. Each of these items has the recipients name engraved on it and so it makes the present feel like a made to order and exclusive present. Personalized bracelet, makeup bag set, picture frames, writing journal and photo mug are a few of the personalized gift items which you can select as Christmas gifts for women.

Beauty products are the ones which most women will be happy to receive. Women do spend a good amount of time and money in beauty parlors and always want to look beautiful to make you happy. Beauty products extend from skin care products, bath and body products, beauty gift sets, fragrances and many more. Fragrances are the all time favorite as Christmas gifts for women. Each of them comes in several brands and in a wide range of prices depending on the brand name and fame. If you are looking for branded fragrances look for brands like Marc Jacobs, Vera Wang, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Ralph Lauren. Note that you can also get non branded ones at a lower price but with good quality.

All of the before mentioned items and many more with different variations are available to you for presenting as out of the world Christmas gifts for her. To do this shopping fast and without going out of your house you can go online and search for these items. The options that you will find is large. In spite of this do not get caught in the information overload syndrome. Finalize your presents by looking at a few shopping stores and prices and make your decision.

The Christmas gifts for women which you select must be the ones which they will like and will not be able to forget for a long time to come. Try and locate the ultimate present for your wife and make her blissful. Remember that it is not the cost of the gift alone but your unconditional love added to the gift which will make her feel on cloud nine.

Nothing Else To Say!

Source: Articlesfactory.com

Tags: Greatest Place to Sail, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Beaches, Punta Gorda Tourism, Sunshine State, The Perfect Gift for Here!
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Punta Gorda,FL Owners ‘De-Grinch’ for Christmas!

Monday, December 12th, 2011

Don’t let a Grinch ruin your Christmas. Here are five tips to keep your home safe and sound this season. .

It’s hard to believe, but burglars do target homes during the holiday season, knowing there are gifts to be stolen inside. Protect yourself and your home by making safe decisions.

With Christmas just around the corner, home owners are neck-deep in decorations and last-minute shopping, excited to soon share their holiday cheer with loved ones. But thieves and vandals also have something to look forward to in the holiday season. Cars and homes filled with easy-to-grab boxed goodies and lawns decked out with opulent embellishments make tempting targets for predators. To help you make sure the naughties don’t ruin it for the nice, HouseLogic presents a few tips for protecting your home.

1. Keep your “check-ins” in check.
Three months ago in Nashua, N.H., burglars targeted a home because the occupant told his Facebook “friends” he was going out of town. Announcing to your whole social network that you’re not home or that you just received an expensive present may not be a good idea. The ACLU and others have cautioned against posting information about where you are and what you do. If it falls into the wrong hands, the consequences could be dangerous.

It’s also something to think about if you’re out shopping for good deals. Through location-based applications such as Facebook Places and Foursquare, vendors are offering valuable promotions to shoppers who “check-in” at participating stores. But broadcasting this type of information could cost you more than it could save.

Protect yourself:
Never allow check-ins at your own home (you’ll be alerting potential thieves to your address).
Don’t make comments about items you’ve purchased or received as gifts.
Don’t check in online when you’re out of town.
Limit sharing information to friends and family by only accepting people you know as friends and followers.

2. Remember to lock your door.
There’s something Iraq War veteran and Rhode Island resident Christopher Adamovich, recipient of three purple hearts, will never again forget—to lock his back door. Last Christmas, the first he had planned to celebrate in his newly bought home, he was robbed. Thieves entered through the unlocked back door and made off with hundreds of dollars of presents, including a Nintendo Wii, a Sony DVD player, and assorted toys.

This type of scenario isn’t uncommon. Security company ADT says 40% of all burglaries are termed as “no force entries.” That means the predators gain entry through unlocked doors and windows.

Protect yourself:
Check all doors and windows are locked and that your deadbolt (if you have one) works.

3. Don’t give vandals a chance to act.
In 2009, a North Carolina family decided to turn their front yard into a winter wonderland, complete with inflatable Winnie the Pooh and Grinch figures, to celebrate their little boy’s second birthday. It was a momentous occasion—their little one suffered from a rare bone disease and wasn’t expected to live long. Sadly, he has since passed away.

During the display’s first night out, before they could show it off to little Ethan in the morning, vandals slashed the larger-than-life characters. Some acts of vandalism are premeditated and some are spur of the moment, but both leave you with expensive property damage and a ruined holiday.

Protect yourself:
Install motion detector lights on all sides of your house, and if possible make sure they’re visible from the road.

4. Deny easy access to the garage.
In November, a Corpus Christi, Texas, family left their garage door opener in their truck overnight. To their dismay, they woke up to discover thieves had used it to gain access to their garage. All the tools, a lawn mower, and other equipment were stolen—along with all of the Christmas presents the family had stored in the garage for their daughter.

It’s convenient to keep the garage door opener in the car for easy access. It’s also just the kind of thing observant criminals are on the lookout for.

Protect yourself:
Never leave your garage door opener in your car.
Always make sure your garage door is closed and locked, with the inside door secure.
Don’t tempt fate—try not to use the garage as a hiding place for gifts.

5. Display the tree, not the gifts.
For many families, a perfectly picturesque holiday includes the Christmas tree, all done up with lights, ornaments, and beautifully wrapped gifts, displayed in front of the living room window. Trouble is, it’s a scene crooks also like to see.

Protect yourself:
Don’t put out your gifts until Christmas Eve.
Dispose of product boxes at a recycling center, not your garbage cans.

For the “What it’s Worth File.” All it takes is one thief’s determination to potentially ruin your holiday. Remain vigilant this Christmas—I encourage you practice the above safety precautions. Remember, if you need a Realtor® where you live or need one where you are moving – just call me. I will help you find a “Good” one! M.K. (Mike) Kissinger – #941-979-1455.

Source: www.houselogic.com

Tags: Curb Appeal, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Home Enhancement, Punta Gorda Tourism, Sunshine State
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Prep for the holidays

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Is your home ready for holiday visits from friends and family? Here’s how to prepare for the invasion..

Some preparations for holiday guests take only a few minutes; some take a lot longer. My advice: Start preparing your home for the holidays now.

Prioritize
The day before guests arrive is no time to pull apart junk drawers and clean out linen closets. De-clutter guest rooms and public areas — foyer, kitchen, living room, den, and dining room. Remove anything unnecessary from counter tops, coffee tables, and ottomans; if it’s out of sight, keep it out of mind, for now. If you run short of time, bag up the clutter and store it in car trunks, basements, and out-of-the-way closets. Sort and arrange after your guests depart.

Safety
Light the way: Even though you can navigate your home blindfolded, your guests can’t. Make sure outside lights are working so they don’t trip on the way to your door. Put motion-activated night lights in hallways, bathrooms, and bedrooms to ensure safe passage after the sun sets.

Child proofing: Ask parents to bring hardware that keeps their small ones safe, such as baby gates and cabinet locks. Transfer toxic cleaners and medicines from base to wall cabinets. Hide matches and lighters.

Fire prevention: If you didn’t freshen smoke detector batteries when you switched the clocks to Daylight Savings Time, change them now. After your guests arrive, run a quick fire drill: Make sure they can locate exits and fire extinguishers, and that they know how to open windows and doors.

Entryway upgrades:
Your home’s foyer is the first place guests see, so make a good first impression.
Upgrade exterior entry doors or give old doors a new coat of paint. Polish and tighten door hardware, and oil hinges to prevent squeaks.
Remove scratches from hardwood floors, stairs, and wood railings. Place a small rug or welcome mat at the entrance to protect floors from mud and snow.
Clear out shoes, umbrellas, and other clutter. Add extra hooks to walls so guests can hang coats and hats. Add a storage bench where guests can remove boots and shoes.

Kitchen prep:
Your kitchen is command central during the holidays, so make sure it’s ready for guests and extra helpers. To increase storage, install a pot rack to clear cooking items off countertops and ranges. Move your coffee station into a family room so guests don’t crowd the kitchen when you’re trying to fix meals.

If you like to visit while you’re cooking, place extra stools and chairs around the perimeter of your kitchen so guests can set a spell.

Sleeping arrangements:
If you’ve got a guest room, replace the ceiling fixture with a ceiling fan and light combo, which helps guests customize their room temperature without fiddling with the thermostat for the entire house.
To carve sleeping space out of public areas, buy a folding screen or rolling bookcase, which will provide privacy for sleepers. Fold or roll it away in the morning.

Bathroom storage:
Bring toilet paper, towels, and toiletries out of hiding, and place them on open shelves so guests can find them easily. If you don’t have enough wall space for shelves, place these items in open baskets around the bathroom. Also, outfit each tub with a bath mat (to avoid falls) and each toilet with a plunger (to avoid embarrassment).

Source: Lisa Kaplan Gordon is a HouseLogic managing editor and builder.

For the “What it’s Worth File.” What a GREAT time of year. With a little planning, focus and implementation of the above suggestions, you too can enjoy the festivities. Remember, if you need a Realtor® where you live or need one where you are moving- just call me. I wll help you find a “Good” one! M.K. (Mike) Kissinger – #941-979-1455.

Tags: Greatest Place to Sail, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda Beaches, Punta Gorda Curb Appeal, Punta Gorda Golf Courses, Sunshine State
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Punta Gorda, FL Goes High Tech with Lights

Friday, December 2nd, 2011

LED Holiday Lights: 6 Need-to-Know Tips.

LED holiday lights vs. old-fashioned bulbs: 6 tips to help you decide which is right for you.

LED lights stay cooler than incandescent bulbs, reducing the risk of a fire. Should you chuck all your good old holiday light strings and buy new LED holiday lights? Here’s how to decide.

1. LED holiday lights save you money. LED lights use at least 90% less energy than traditional holiday lights, according to the U.S. government’s Energy Star program. That results in a $50 energy savings for the average family during the holidays, says Avital Binshtock of the Sierra Club in San Francisco.
Put it into perspective: The amount of electricity consumed by one 7-watt incandescent bulb could power 140 LEDs—enough to light two 24-foot strings, says Energy Star.

2. But LED lights typically cost more than old-fashioned holiday lights.

GE 100-bulb string of Energy Star-certified LED white lights: $18.97 at Lowe’s. GE 100-bulb string of conventional white lights: $8.97

But shop around because a growing number of retailers are offering sales on LED holiday lights and, if you can’t find a sale before the holidays, you can certainly find one after. Plus, prices will surely go down as these lights gain traction.

3. LED holiday lights last and last. LED bulbs can keep your season bright for as long as 100,000 hours, says Cathy Choi, president of Moonachie, N.J.-based Bulbrite, which manufactures LED and regular bulbs. That’s substantially longer than the life of your old holiday light strings.

4. You can string a BIG strand of LED lights. Safety wise, you shouldn’t connect more than three traditional light strings, but you can connect up to 87 LED holiday light strings, totaling a whopping 1,500 feet, Choi says. So blow your neighbor’s display away by cocooning your house in lights:
You won’t have to buy as many extension cords.
You can take your holiday lighting display further away from the outlet.

.5. LED lights reduce the risk of fire. They stay cooler than incandescent bulbs, according to Energy Star.

6. How about that hue? Some people stick with their old lights because they don’t like the brighter hue that white LED holiday lights emit. But Choi says manufacturers now offer a “warm white” bulb that more closely mimics the glow of an incandescent light. Be sure to read the label to choose a bright or warm white and to ensure what you’re purchasing is Energy Star-certified.

Colored and color-changing LED holiday lights are more vibrant than conventional lights, making your display easier to see from the street, Choi says.
Source: By: G. M. Filisko Published: December 10, 2010, www.houselogic.com

For the “What it’s Worth File.” Well, now you are all LED vs. incandescent experts. With that knowledge, you can now go out and light the way to a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Remember, if you need a Realtor® where you live or need one where you are moving – just call me. I will help you find a “Good” one! M.K. (Mike) Kissinger – #941-979-1455.

Tags: beautiful weather, Holidays in Punta Gorda FL, Punta Gorda - Best Places to Live in the South, Punta Gorda FL Goes High Tech, Punta Gorda Tourism, Sunshine State, tourism
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