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Weekend Challenge #09 (March 21-22, 2020) BAKE FROM SCRATCH

HERE IS YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE: BAKE SOMETHING FROM SCRATCH

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Welcome To The Weekend. It is time for another challenge.

Welcome to the weekend. This weekend is probably one of the most uncertain weekends ever in modern history. I would say it certainly is the first most uncertain weekend of the 21st Century. However, it is also a unique opportunity to do things we have not had the time to do or just been too busy to even attempt.

This weekend’s challenge takes into consideration that as you are sequestered at home, self-contained, self-isolated or whatever you want to call it. There you are with nowhere to go because no place is open and the places that are open are there for you to grab and go.

So, while you are home and you have the time, here is the challenge: Bake Something from Scratch.

Take the time to bake something from scratch. By this I mean, gather the ingredients, mix them together, and get to baking.
Seriously, when was the last time you baked a piping hot loaf of bread? Made a cake from scratch? Opening a box and pouring the dry ingredients into a bowl does not count. I am talking about breaking out the ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon and mixing by hand or whisking the batter. Knead the Dough by hand?

Nothing lifts my spirits more than smelling bread baking in the oven or watching made from scratch lemon icing spread on homemade lemon-vanilla cake. In these trying times, we all could use some lifting of our spirits.

Now, if you are not sure what to bake from scratch. Well, famous English food writer, chef and cooking show host, Nigella Lawson, shares a simple, yet great bread recipe, “Basic No-Knead Bread” by Jim Lahey on her website (visit: https://www.nigella.com/recipes/guests/jim-laheys-basic-no-knead-bread).

There are only four (4) ingredients in this recipe; flour, salt, instant or active dry yeast, and water.

Sounds simple enough. Folks, this challenge also serves as a unique opportunity to do something with the family, especially the school age kids, as they get to do something other than to stare down at the small screens. They get an opportunity to not only wash their hands but to create something with those same clean hands.

Parents, you are also giving them a skill that they can carry on for their lives (sustain themselves) and you also now give them a positive memory that they will one day tell their grandchildren about how “during the Corona Virus Pandemic, not only did we hunker down but all of us, the family, baked bread from scratch and it was the greatest tasting bread ever.”

You can do it, as I said, it is not like you don’t have the time.

Get To Baking and Get To Work!

Thanks for your time,
David

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Weekend Challenge #08 (03/14-15/2020) Go Outside

HERE IS YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE: GO OUTSIDE

you weekend challenge has arrived

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Welcome To The Weekend. It is time for another challenge.

Welcome to your weekend challenge. This weekend’s challenge is another one that is simple to do but yet for some reason many find it difficult to do.

GET OUT OUTSIDE!

Yes, that’s it. Get outside. Let the sun hit your face. Feel that Spring breeze move across you.

I am not talking about going out and being around large groups of people. Especially in these trying times, large gatherings a no-no.

What I am talking about is go visit your backyard. Take a saunter across you front yard or be daring and drive out to a local park, find an area not being overly saturated with other human beings and go for a walk.

Being outside will do you a world of good. Getting a little exposure to the sun will help your body generate Vitamin D. That’s right, with the aid of sunlight your body makes Vitamin D.

In a nutshell, it works like this: Sunlight hits your skin, “the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays hit cholesterol in the skin cells, providing the energy for vitamin D synthesis to occur.”

Now, who couldn’t need a little extra Vitamin D? According to the WebMD website, there are an estimated 40-75% of people are Vitamin D deficient. That deficiency is associated with bone loss and osteoporosis. As people get older they spend less time outdoors, they tend to get less Vitamin D thus leading to bone problems.

But wait there is more. Vitamin D can aid in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and much more. Sounds not too shabby.

While I am all for making my own Vitamin D, the exposure to the sun should be at your discretion. I am find that 10 to 15 minutes several times throughout the day works. So limit your exposure but do enjoy your time outside.

Hear the bird chirp, watch the squirrels trying to get their nuts, look up and see the cloud that looks like Ireland and so on.

Remember, social distancing and Get To Work!

Thanks for your time,
David

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Weekend Challenge #07 (03/07-08/2020): Daylight Saving Time

HERE IS YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE: DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

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Welcome To The Weekend. It is time for another challenge.

This weekend’s Weekend Challenge is another one that most people tend to ignore and sadly to their own peril and the peril of others (especially loved ones). This weekend is the weekend where here in the United States we set our clocks, microwaves, watches, and timepieces forward one hour.

This weekend is Daylight Saving Time weekend. Before you begin with the nonsense of why do we do this and we should stop. While I agree that we should not have to go through this twice a year, here we are.

What’s so perilous about setting the clock forward now or back one hour this coming November? Nothing unless you have a clock up on your cathedral style ceilings (be careful up there).

The peril comes from NOT doing a safety check of your home, auto, and in some cases your workplace.

Safety Check? Yes, while we are told that the time change is the excellent time to change the batteries on our smoke detectors. However, this is not all we need to do.

The process is really simple. Get out there and work on the following:

1. Yes, replace the batteries but TEST the devices. Test ALL your Smoke Detectors. If you have Carbon Monoxide detectors, check those out as well. Change those batteries also.
2. Folks, if you live in a home that has the smoke detectors powered by the home’s electrical system well DO NOT think you are safe. They have backup batteries. CHECK THEM!
3. Home owners you should have a fire exit plan. You do at work, so why not at home? Have a plan in place. Share it with everyone that lives in your home.
4. Ensure the exit plan and meeting place is properly accessible. Did a tree suddenly grow outside the window your youngest child will use to exit? If so, adjust accordingly
5. Check your home for bugs, insect, and or small animal infestation. It happens.
6. Grooming: keep your property maintained. I never said keep it immaculate. Just maintained.
7. Bug out bags: The change of time also signifies the time of severe or extreme weather is soon upon us. Hurricane Season begins on June 1st approximately 90days after Spring Forward. It also ends on November 30th, less than a month after we Fall back. So, get your evacuation plan and gear together and up to date.

Remember, take the time this weekend to do a comprehensive check up on your home and you will be ready now to deal with issues instead of when you suddenly have a situation that you could have dealt with earlier. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Oh, and I will say I told you so.

Do not get caught short, Get To WORK!

Thanks for your time,
David