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Posts Tagged ‘winter’

We are fast approaching summer again and it has come round so quick. Waking up is something that every one enjoys to do in the summer, because they hear the birds whistling and when they step out the sun shines on their face. But a lot of folk have already forgotten the terrible winter that was experienced in Britain this year, which ended up killing a lot of elderly people.

Almost 30,000 people died this winter due to low temperatures; do not get me wrong the UK is not the coldest country. In fact the most chilly city in the world, Yakutsk in east Siberia, has no excess winter deaths, even though temperatures there can drop to minus 50C. It is because our bodies in the UK have got so used to technology and everything about it.

Our bodies have learnt to rely on homes heated to the maximum. When you do become elderley it starts to become a nuisance to keep topping up your central heating. So what occurs is that these elderly people go to sleep and leave the heating switched off, by the time they awake their bodies are frozen and their organs just cannot handle the cold because they are old so they begin to get sick and this is where death occurs.

The deaths are not caused by pure hyperthermia but instead are due to strokes and heart attacks being brought on by the drop in temperature over night. So have a lovely summer but if you are elderly then remember that before the summer comes to an end you should sort out your heating oil or get a family member to help you out if you are having trouble. But just do not leave it until the winter approaches, other wise you could end up regretting it.

For the best Heating oil prices

As if the financial crisis wasn’t doing enough damage to us already, nature seems to have put the boot in for good measure this winter.In both North America and Europe we’re going through one of the worst winters in recent times, with temperatures dipping in some cases to their coldest in 20 years.On the other hand, heating bills have been hugely inflated by the world economic crisis.Worldwide gas prices have nearly doubled in the past year (an 82 percent rise), and we have felt the brunt of this in our bills.

That’s all well and good, I hear you say as you pull on yet another sweater and blow on your hands, but what can we do.  Nature can’t be stopped, and neither it seems can the lumbering juggernaut that is our world economic system.Have no fear! Here are my Top 5 Tips for keeping both your extremities and your pockets from going into deep freeze:

1. Don’t leave the heating on when you go out. You would be surprised at just how many people don’t think of this, or think of it but don’t get into the habit of it.Get into the routine of switching off whenever you leave the house, and make use of the timer function – if you have one – and you’ll save a lot of money.
2. Consider single room heating with a portable heater. The majority of people spend most of their time in a single room.  Try switching off the main heating and using things like electric fan heaters for the room you’re in.  Even more economical are oil filled radiators which are extremely efficient at heating a room.
3. Hot water bottles in the bed half an hour before bed time. Many people leave the heating on all night which is completely unnecessary.Your body needs a lot less energy when you’re sleeping, so its easier to keep warm – all you need is a little heat until you fall asleep.Once you’re asleep most people really don’t need much more than a warm duvet to keep them cozy.
4. Get yourself a kitty. They’re like living, breathing portable heaters!  They live to snuggle up on your lap and share their furry warmth with you.Be warned however – this plan could backfire, as many a cat owner have found themselves heating the house extra just to satisfy their feline masters.Our feline friends can be pretty sneaky that way.
5. Increase procreation! It’s a little known fact but I’m going to share it with you here – making love produces so much body heat that it can seriously save you money in energy costs!  Switch off your heaters, find yourself a partner and do the deed twice a day and watch your heating bills plummet. (who’s the daddy now, global financial meltdown!)

OK maybe it sounds like I’m getting facetious at the end there but everyone gets so serious and depressing about this subject I thought I’d lighten the mood a little! I’d love to hear your views – do you have any top tips of your own to share?

Flipping Christmas

Christmas can bring happiness, joy and stress, that is, for sure. Yearly, I have to go through the stress of this festive season. When I think about it, I view Christmas in two lights, as both the happiest and most tiring day of the calender year. Why? Due to that I think about something that I haven’t done at all this year, and with another one approaching quickly I don’t know if I’ll be able to make my goal. Me having my baby isn’t making the season any easier on me. My husband Labron, just always keep it cool for me and make sure that I don’t think about it too often during these times. Everything down to picking up my new upside down christmas tree stresses me out!

I always think that the reason could be that Christmas shows me the things I’m lacking and that leads to more Christmas stress, both because I shouldn’t be thinking such things and because it’s sad to think about. Every year when Christmas eve arrives things seem like they will be ok. There are people who I see that I rarely get to, my parents for one, since they live in Maine and we are all the way in Florida, also I like to see my 3 nieces. Although sometimes we don’t encourage them to visit us during Christmas because I know they have other plans on this occasion.

Before all this, I do a lot of stress busting techniques to get my mind off of it. I usually plan ahead and list down all the things to prepare. My husband manages to help me out by giving me second ideas on our next planned expenses during Christmas too. And next year we are hoping to spend Christmas abroad, at least that could be a less stressful for us. I look forward to things I have coming that will bring me pure enjoyment, for example I have my chandelier christmas tree.

Above Ground Swimming Pool Build

The winter is the time of year when lots of people begin to think about their summer holidays, particularly when the weather is as cold as it has been. But the colder months are also the best time of year to build your own swimming pool.

The current world-wide economic downturn is forcing many people to reconsider their planned house moves as the value of property continues to fall. Uncertainty in the housing market is leading to many people looking at their existing homes and considering ways that they can enhance their property. Rooms in the roof, extensions, new kitchens and garden makeovers are all excellent ways to make the most of your current property, give you the space that you need and improve the quality of your life. Another is to build a swimming pool in your garden.

Lots of people think that swimming pool building is a project that is best carried out in warmer weather. But building during the cooler months brings a number of advantages. You will find that out-of-season swimming pool pricing can be very favourable indeed, providing some significant savings over the prices charged during the peak months. Swimming pool availability is another factor that is influenced by the time of year. You’ll find it easier to find the pool that you want during the off-peak, low-demand period of the year. Also, delivery and installation can be more favourable outside of the peak summer months.

The big advantage is that your new swimming pool will have been installed and ready to use as soon as the weather turns that little bit warmer in the spring. As soon as that warm weather appears you can be sure that your swimming pool supplier and installer will be immensely busy with a backlog of orders and installations to fulfil.

My advice to anyone who has been toying with the idea of having their own swimming pool installed in their garden is to gather a few quotes from reputable swimming pool suppliers now. You should be able to negotiate a substantial discount and get yourself a bargain pool installed and ready for some summer fun.

Lots of people think that the stress of the Holidays comes from the Christmas rush, or that people stress out from the pressure of the season, like decoration, the Christmas turkey or ham, or picking out the perfect present to make family members happy. For some of us we aren’t so lucky as for our main source of stress to be what goes under the lighted christmas tree, but a lot of other considerations. For physicians like me, the holiday stress doesn’t just disappear after Christmas day is over and the house is cleaned up. Physicians are subject to Christmas like stress all year long, be it a holiday or not.

The holidays are about hope and giving life. Doctors like me are changing lives everyday, when we deal with our patients. The doctors job is to try to raise their spirits, especially when we can give them hope for recovery. We also make them happy, even if treatment for their diseases is impossible, as long as they know we are doing our best in helping them adjust to their illness situation, and eventually help them accept death.

That’s why all the days of the year are like Christmas, and it really does make for a lot of stress on ones person, it’s a major thing when you’re being part of someone’s last breath. It gets really hard some times to be tough in front of someone who is dying, and all that you can really do is be sympathetic, or most of the time just letting them be with family is best. That’s what makes my job so stressful. It’s true when I say that holiday stress can be very different when you’re a doctor, because you can’t run away from it, it becomes a part of everyday normal life. So this year when you’re sitting under the pre lit christmas tree just relax and think it could be worse.

Apparently, my mom tells me, that everyone  the Christmas sadness one time or two in their life.  For me, I always thought that that’s impossible.  I love Christmas. It is the holiday that I look forward to the most. But they’re right. I’ve got the Christmas blues. Christmas stress have officially arrived. I can’t even bring myself to hang the flocked garland.

I cant think of what has gotten into me. I just feel so tired lately. I was supposed to get gifts for everyone this week but I just can’t seem to find the right kind of cheer I need.  It’s my personal Christmas shopping principle to have “the right kind of cheer” whenever you shop because it will reflect a great deal with the gifts you choose. As if things couldn’t get any worse, mu husband Jim was talking to his boss who mentioned how much fun he had at last years dinner party so essentially invited himself.It must have slipped my husbands mind to tell me again yesterday. 

On top of everything else like the gifts I still have left to buy, and the Christmas stress I have going on, I still have a dinner party to get ready. I’d like to switch the toggle to turn myself into Superwoman. There’s nothing going on. I’m just too tired. I hope I’m not coming down with the flu or something.  It’ll be a blow for the kids. They’re really expecting my usual upbeat self during Christmas season. I don’t want to bring down the party.

Ugh. I really, really don’t feel so good.Pardon me…. WHAT!? My Christmas stress is officially over. 

I just found out that Jim and I are having a baby! Bring on the party! I guess the pre lit garland might get hung this year.

I’ve never been one to ask for a normal gift under my LED christmas treeEvery year around Christmas time I start wishing for something special that no one else has. {Believe it or not|You may not think what I say is true}, I would always get my wish granted by Santa Clause, whom until now I believe exists.

As an example, one year for Christmas I wished that Santa would make two men fall for me by the end of January. A goofy smile came over my face later that month, since I was thinking that yet again Santa had brought me exactly what I asked for. And for the following year, so for a second year I thought I would make a big wish, I wished with all my heart that I would meet the man of my dreams when I took my trip to Germany. And then three days before the next Christmas day, when I went to Germany on the train, a man spilled dark coffee at me. That man became my husband, Ralph. Now that is a great gift no one gets under their LED pre lit christmas tree.

This year, I am already through of wishing something for my self. this year I’d like to use my Christmas wish for one of my patients who has a bad case of diabetes. She is scheduled to have an amputation on the 28th of December, because it got infected . She is a Native American, and a mother of six girls; the eldest is only twelve and the youngest is two and a half. Her husband died of myocardial infarction two years ago. Her life will be a lot different if she has the operation, since I don’t even know how she will make money if she can’t continue to work at the grocery store if she ha no foot.

If I can decide what I really wanted this Christmas season, I would ask that I do a good job on the operating table, and let me give her the bet advice I can, and let her follow it. I also wish that the government would give more priority concerns for minority groups, especially those who are suffering from severe illnesses.