Holiday Fire Prevention

Trees

• When buying a live tree, check for freshness - green needles, trunk sticky with resin, and few lost needles when tapped on the ground.


• Never place a fresh Christmas tree next to a heat source. Heat dries out trees and makes them easier to catch on fire.


• Keep your tree stand filled with water at all times.


• When the tree gets dry, get rid of it. Look for a recycling center near you.


• Never burn a Christmas tree or its branches in a fireplace or wood stove.

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A 1001 Vinegar Uses

When a client observes my crew and me performing our post-construction clean-up, I am often asked about the best way to clean a variety of things. Since most of our work involves the reconstruction of hardwood floors, the number one inquiry is "How should I clean my wood floors?"

Depending on whom you ask, you are bound to receive an assortment of answers. However, after trial and error (with an emphasis on the error part!) I have discovered that the best and most natural way to make your floors look terrific is a solution of vinegar and water applied slightly damp with a flat mop. The results are always stunningly beautiful. It works just a well for laminate flooring.

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9 to 5: The Musical

I attended the musical 9 to 5 at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA on October 2, 2010. What an incredible show. The original movie starred Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, and Jane Fonda. It is a classic 1980 film. Dolly Parton wrote the music and lyrics for the musical. We were all surprised when Dolly Parton made a special appearance. She was in Atlanta for the weekend. The cast even seemed to be surprised by her visit, as they started crying when she took the stage.

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Fishing With David Or "Is This Really A Vacation?"

Recently, Joel and I went fishing in Alaska with my expert fisherman brother, David. Of course, you are all wondering about our big catch. Well, I learned a few things about myself and also about fishing in Alaska. The first day we spent fishing on a boat out of Homer, Alaska. We were on the hunt for the BIG halibuts! My first two lessons were learned the first day, right there on that fishing boat. First, I learned that I do get seasick. Second, I learned that halibuts are heavy. When you add that incredibly huge and large sinker that probably weighed about 5 pounds, they are even heavier. So, I confess that the deck hand had to help me reel in my halibuts. Joel would have helped but he was busy being seasick and also reeling up his own halibuts. Ditto for David!

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Karina Reets Fine Art Gallery Opening

Karina Reets, adorable wife of Aaron Reets, is opening Karina Reets Fine Art Gallery in the Living Room at the Octane, 21 Bullsboro Drive, in Newnan this Saturday, October 9. We can't wait to see her artisitc images displayed. Please join us as we support her on this special evening. Karina, a New York native, has lived in Newnan for five years. She will be exhibiting photography from her travels including images from Russia, Italy and Croatia, not to mention our own beloved Coweta County. We look forward to seeing everyone there for hors d'oeuvres and wine. www.karinareetsphotography.com Kathy Reets - Co-Founder and Owner

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The Busiest Month Yet

There has been a lot going on here at Champion in the past month. But I think that September was the busiest month I have ever had!

To start off the month of September, I married my beautiful fiance' Angelica. The final week of planning, stressing, working, working, and more working was truly a bear. For example, September 3rd, the day before the wedding, was especially busy.

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2010 Georgia Apple Festival

The Ellijay Lions Club, the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce, the cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay, and Gilmer County invite everyone to come and enjoy the 39th year of the Georgia Apple Festival. There are over 300 vendors with handmade, hand-crafted items, as well as many on-site demonstrations of how selected types of crafts are made. This year promises many new crafts as well as favorites from past festivals. There is a parade and antique car show each year. The antique car show is held at the Civic Center on October 9th. The parade is on the second Saturday, October 16th and begins at 10 A.M.

Visit http://www.georgiaapplefestival.org/ to learn more!

Icela Reets - Marketing Coordinator

Camping Checklist

It's that time of year when the nights get a little cooler, the leaves start to change and you can smell fall in the air. If you're like me, when you see these changes you can't help but plan a camping trip! Camping can seem daunting if you've never done it before but if you have the right supplies, a fall camping trip can be a great mini-vacation. Here is a checklist of some supplies you may need for a great fall camping trip:

Shelter

• Tent


• Ground cloth/tarp


• Extra stakes

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Cooking and Kitchen Safety - Fire Prevention

We have had numerous kitchen fires to respond to. One in particular was extinguished rapidly by a fast thinking and fast acting young lady. She knew in advance what to do so when she had to she jumped into action saving the home from any major structural damage and herself from any harm.

I know that just reading the above may not help you so please read the below and visit the linked site so you too will be properly prepared:

Cooking Safety

Families spend a lot of time in the kitchen. It is often the favorite place to be together. But many injuries can happen there. To stay safe when you are cooking and eating, here are some tips. http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/SafetyGuide/sg_cooking_w001.asp

Thanks, and stay safe!

Peter Kanavas - Contents Department Manager

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks

 

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. My husband and I have been before about 4 years ago and we always wanted to go back with family and friends so we finally did. We took my sister and brother-in-law and their 2 boys who are 5 and 8, my cousin and her husband, and our friends Eddie and Jennifer and their 4 year old daughter. We spent about a week in the parks and we had perfect weather almost the entire time. The sky was clear and blue and the fall colors were at their peak. We love these parks and were excited to share them with everyone. Here are a few highlights from our trip...

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