So This Is Christmas

Merry Christmas is such an infectious feeling I like to feel that way all year around.

So if you are visiting just before Christmas, just after Christmas or even here on Christmas day I am sure you will find something of interest for you and in the spirit of Christmas.

It may be said that Christmas is no longer a celebration but this must be spoken by people that have never had trouble closing their eyes on Christmas Eve in an expectation of what maybe left for them on the carpet under the tree.

I continue to look forward to the surprise on my Grandchild's faces to this day at Christmas events.

Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas - Merry Christmas

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Let The Good Times Roll For Watches

By Mike

Croton Watch Company was established when there were not many companies manufacturing watches. Croton was a company that took into consideration value, precision, style, and quality, when it produces its wide collection of watches.

Croton manufactures different types of watches from chronographs to quartz. All the watches are produced keeping in mind the high standards of quality, accuracy, and technique. You can get a Croton Watch for all occasions. The range of watches consists of pocket watches, diamond-jutted watches, vintage watches, sports watches, and watches for everyday wear. All the Croton watches have a lifetime guarantee for their mechanism.

Croton Watches are available for men and women. Men's watches have bold designs. The women's collection of Croton watches are of a high quality. Croton also manufactures freshwater pearl watches and many of the watches have a mother-of-pearl dial.

Types of Vintage Croton Watches: Croton Aquamatic 550 Stainless Steel Watch: This particular stainless steel watch for men is waterproof and automatic. It is a self-winding watch with a Swiss mechanism. In addition, the watch has a Speidel stretchable band. Croton Aquamatic Watch comes with second-hand having sweep movements. This watch shows the precise time and functions at an optimum level. The stretchable band is of a high quality.

Vintage Croton Equator Watch: This watch is stunning with a linen-texture dial and artistically applied numbers. This makes the watch even more attractive. The case and the back of the watch are made of stainless steel. The lizard-skin appearance strap complements the texture of the dial and case. The watch has Swiss mechanism and is water resistant up to 30 meters. The watch has a sapphire crystal.

The bezel of the watch is yellow 18 karat gold. The case of the Vintage Croton Equator measures 7mm in thickness and 35mm in diameter. The date window is at 6:00 hours. Croton 12 Diamonds Watch: This is a women's watch. It comes in 14-karat white gold. The bezel comes with six diamonds on the bottom and top. The strap of the bracelet is metallic that complements the look of the watch.

The Croton 12 Diamonds watch looks amazing and you can change the strap whenever you want. The 10-karat Solid Gold Croton Vintage Watch: This Solid Gold Vintage Watch has 17 jewels and works in a fine condition. The watch comes with a distinctive stem that is situated at 12:00 hours. Croton 14-karat Lady's Vintage Watch: The dial of this watch is labeled as Croton Incabloc Nivada Grenchen Swiss. The case is cushion shaped. It measures 26mm in height and 14.5mm crossways. The watch has ten diamonds jutted over the case weighing 0.25 Carats. The gold bracelet has a length of 6.5 inches. White gold is used in the manufacture of this watch.

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Party Food Cooking

By KC Kudra

Cooking is great fun if you do it right and planning which recipes to make for a party can be very enjoyable. Unfortunately, many people end up panicking and worrying about the food, rather than enjoying the experience of planning it. They worry that the guests will not enjoy their cooking. They think they will make too little or too much food.

How Much Food for a Party?

Forget about using a scientific formula to find out how much food for a party because there is not one. The more parties you cater for, the better you can judge the right food amounts. Here are some tips, which will allow you to better estimate the right food quantities for your party without becoming stressed!

Have you only invited adults to the party or is there a need for some child-friendly recipes as well? How long will your party last for and at what time of day is it going to be? You would need a lot more food for an afternoon barbecue than for an after dinner cocktail party, for example.

Make more of the potentially popular dishes. Almost everyone loves boneless chicken recipes, so make a lot of those because there will be other dishes, such as international recipes or seafood recipes, which will not appeal to everyone.

If you make many different recipes, your guests will have less of each. If you have only five dishes, your guests will eat quite a lot of each. If you have a buffet of thirty dishes, your guests will probably only take a small spoonful of each dish.

You can estimate how much food for a party quite well if you know how many people are coming and how much they are likely to eat. Round up your guesses rather than rounding them down because it is better to have a bit of food left over than running out before everybody has finished eating!

Have some bulk food items on hand, like bread for a sit-down meal or nuts and olives for a buffet. These are filling foods, which people can eat if they are still hungry afterwards.

Portion Sizes for Party Food

Allow six bites per guest for appetizers. Allow roughly seven ounces of meat or fish with the main meal, five ounces of potatoes, an ounce and a half of grains, an ounce of undressed salad and four ounces of vegetables per person. For dessert, allow a slice of cake, five ounces of ice cream or four ounces of creamy dessert such as mousse for each person. Different people eat different amounts, so these measures are just to give you an idea.

More Party Food Tips

* Avoid repeating the main ingredient if you are having a dinner party. Do not serve a boneless chicken appetizer followed by a boneless chicken main course, for example.

* Offer both cold and warm foods if you are having a buffet.

* Mix different textures, such as soft vegetable purees and crispy fresh bread.

* Make sure you have a good variety of colors, so the food on your buffet table or dining table looks attractive.

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Which Material Is Right For Your Wilmington Roofing Project?

By Jim Carpenter

A home needs not just good walls but a solid roof as well to ensure that it is protected well from what the elements can throw at it. Unfortunately as a home ages there are going to be times when the roof may need to be repaired or replaced. So in this article we offer some advice on what to do to ensure that you select the right kinds of material for your Wilmington roofing project or anywhere that you may happen to live.

The first thing that needs to be done before you choose the material for your roof repairs is to get the roof inspected properly. Arrange for several roofing contractors in your area to visit your home and allow them to carry out a full inspection before handing you a detail report with costings of the work that is required.

The next thing you need to make a decision on is what kind of material you want to repair or replace the roof you currently have. If you are only having repairs carried out then the materials to be used should be the same as those that are currently on it. However, if the roof is going to be replaced completely you can use the same as that is currently there or go for something different. What you need to be aware of is that each material has different kinds of characteristics and they vary in cost as well.

Below we take a look at the types of materials used in many roofing projects across the USA and not just Wilmington and what their characteristics are.

1. Asphalt is the most commonly used material in roofing today and there are two varieties one can get being organic or non-organic. The great thing about this particular kind of roofing material is that it not only comes in a wide range of colors but also it lasts a considerably long time. On average you can expect a well laid asphalt roof to last between 25 and 50 years.

2. Wood Shingles are often made from Western Red Cedar as it is very resistant to both corrosion and decay. Generally there are three types of wood shingles one can get for repairing or replacing a roof on a property and they are classed as being 1, 2 or 3. Generally because 1 is far more durable than 2 or 3 this is used for the main part of the roofing project whilst 2 and 3 are used for the sidings.

3. Wood Shakes give a roof a more natural look and it takes quite a long time for the work to be completed as each plank that is placed on the roof has to be sawed or hand split. This type of roof also costs quite considerably more than either of the two mentioned above because of the work required to prepare it.

After you have chosen which material it is you are going to be using for y our Wilmington roofing project now you need to spend time finding a contractor to complete the work for you. It is crucial that the roofing contractor you choose for the project is one who specializes in the materials that you have chosen so you know the work carried out is going to be of the highest standard which will ensure that the roof lasts for years to come.

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Enthralling Jewelry of the Past

By James Gilbert Pynn

I beseech you, my dear, to imagine me as a mesmerizer of great prowess. Now, if you will, imagine for a moment, that I command the stage lights to shine upon that piece of fine jewelry on your wrist (or ear, or wherever). Now, allow yourself to be receptive to my every command. Receptive, yet? Good. Now, let us pay a special kind of homage to the men and women who were responsible for producing that fine piece of jewelry. Once youve embarked on this reverie, you will find your thoughts drifting back, in time to the tapping of a jewelers hammer, to the misty past of ancient history. Despite the radical technology that makes modern jewelry possible, most aficionados would agree, there is something breathtaking about the fact your piece of jewelry has passed through the ages, from one set of hands (or ears) to the next.

To be sure, the craft of the jeweler has come a long way. Modern techniques utilize laser precision and binary algorithms, but it still requires a human hand to steady the chisel and hold the hammer. Jewelry itself seems to have a primeval hold upon us. It seems to represent or indeed, fill, a deep longing, a kind of permanence. As a species we seem to enjoy collecting " from rocks to stamps " we are wired into gathering and keeping. Somehow, it buttresses our faith and pushes back against the impermanence of life. A piece of fine jewelry grants us a moment of immortality, a reprieve from the inevitability of death.

I know you catch yourself chuckling at the behavior of our ancestors, or even more so-called primitive peoples, when they steep their trinkets with life-like qualities. But this seems to be a very human trait, a deep-seated hunger to fill the world with entities that can boost our morale and protect us from harm. For example, coral was believed to easy the pains of childbirth. In China, jade is believed to ward off harm and is often fashioned into an array of jewelry for children. We have all infused fountains of luck and protection into our childhood rabbits feet, rings, and necklaces.

In addition to fending off evil and protecting our lives, fine jewelry has been, and may always be, a form of portable wealth. It is not merely the stone or even the alloy used to make the piece, it is the labor poured into crafting the piece. They obviously, then, make for highly desirable gifts. Though, it should be said, the exchange of such a gift is usually reserved for inter-family or courting purposes. You wouldnt give someone you just met a diamond ring, but it is expected you would give your fianc one.

Now, when I count to three, you awaken, drawn back through the veil of time, to this moment now. You will look at your fine jewelry and instantly conjure the host of people involved in crafting it. You will better appreciate who gave it to you that much more and you will think long and hard when you wish to let someone special know how much you care about them. You will appreciate the special coding involved in each piece, how each line and twist and shimmer was the result of a host of peoples time, energy and love.

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Florida Teen Auto Insurance -- Safety And Lower Rates

By Chimezirim Odimba

Florida Insurers regard teen drivers as the highest risks with respect to age groups. Some parents will really do all within power to keep their teens from driving yet. Most families can only succeed in holding them off for only so long.

But you'd have to remember that peer pressure is quite a strong factor at this age. Is there a way you can get less expensive rates for this high risk group and also keep them safer? Here's how you can do it in Florida or anywhere else...

Teenagers usually expect adult privileges but take on kindergarten responsibilities. However, insist that they bear the responsibilities that come with the privilege or at least a part of it.

It's a good idea to make than bear the cost of their auto insurance or at least a good part of it. It's my discovery that once young persons pay for something with their hard-earned cash, they end up being more careful with it.

Your teen driver would be safer and ultimately attract lower rates for their Florida car insurance policy if they do the following...

1) Let them never drive in company of fellow teens or kids unless there is a responsible adult in the car.

2) Let there be an agreement between you and your teenager that they won't drive in the night. For those whom this may not be an option, teach your teen what to do and how to drive at night.

Those who drive in the night (between 9.00pm and 2.00am) run a bigger risk of having accidents.

3) If they drink then they must not drive. Err on the side of safety and insist that they do not drive after as little as a sip of alcohol.

4) Teach your teen the difference between a race track and a high way.

Have a stiff sanction if they violate speed limits or traffic laws.

5) Encourage your teen to tell you wherever they want to drive to and know in whose company it will be if any. It may be hard sometimes but there are place where your teen is better off using public transport.

These all presume that you already have great communication with your teenager. While you're doing those or even if you find them difficult to implement in your case, here's how any teen can get lower auto insurance rates: Get and compare quotes from five or more reputable quotes sites.

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Prom Tuxedo Tips

By Victor Santerino

The number one priority when it comes to prom preparation is the acquisition of a prom tuxedo. However, this can be a challenging undertaking for anyone who has never actually worn a tux before.

This article will give you a better idea of what to look for when getting your prom tuxedo. After reading this article you will know about measurements, colors, and a few other areas you need to be familiar with.

The first area to consider is where to get your tuxedo. If at all possible you really should rent or buy your tuxedo. Wearing a brothers, friends, or parents tuxedo will not give you the perfect fit you need to achieve.

The first thing to do after deciding to purchase or buy is to get proper measurements taken. Make sure to get numbers for your neck, waist, chest, inseam, and arm length.

The color you choose should be black when trying to fit in with everyone else. When attempting to be different you can go with a more subtle change like midnight blue or gray or a flashy distinction like white.

The color of your vest should be a color that matches your dates. Make sure to bring a swatch of the dress to your sales representative to help him find you the best choice.

Accessories can be difficult to put on for a newbie. Make sure you pay careful attention to what the sales person is saying when he gives you instructions on putting items like studs and cuff links onto your shirt.

Lastly make sure you look for your prom tuxedo as soon as you know you are going to prom. Your area will have many other kids looking for tuxedos and you want to be first so you can get the best pick.

As always thank you for reading my article on the prom tuxedo. Bookmark this page and refer back to it before venturing out to purchase or rent your next prom tux.

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Need More Room For Your Family? Try a House Addition

By Gordon T. Mayer

Things feeling cramped? It's as if your house shrank, closing in on the once comfy living quarters. There are plenty of options out there: buy need, build, remodel . . . but do any of them fit within your current reality? For most of us, the answer is a resounding "no". So what options do you have? The 3 season porch.

With the housing market in the slumps moving is impractical, with the economy down adding a large addition is unwise, so the 3 season porch becomes a choice more and more families are moving toward. Financially they make sense, not to mention they conversion potential they provide. If you future-proof your porch you can modify it into a sunroom when the time is right for you.

Why else build a 3 season porch?

* Expands your living space

* Insect free

* Increases value of home/property

When looking for a builder, don't take the lowest bidder, don't take the big talker, take the builder who listens to you and considers the following factors:

* How is the porch going to integrate with the house?

* How can you get the entire inside space you desire without giving up your yard?

* What needs to be done now to ensure a successful conversion to a future sunroom?

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DIY Radiant Heat Supplies

By John Bigboutille

One type of radiant heating system in use today utilizes the domestic hot water tank as a heat source. This means your domestic hot water does double duty, heating the house as well as coming out of the tap. Here are a few of the radiant heat supplies you will need.

The first place to start is a hot water tank. It is a good idea to have a larger capacity if possible, to avoid excessive run times. If you are looking at a renovation or upgrade, there is a good chance you will already have one in use. Otherwise, consider an energy efficient model.

From the water tank, hot water flows to a Flat Plate Heat Exchanger. At this time, heat passes through the FPHE and into the heating system fluid which carries the heat away from this point and is replaced by cool fluid, which starts to warm up rapidly.

An endless loop is created as the circulating pump pumps the fluid around the diy radiant heat system. The Tubing and radiators release the heat into the house as the water goes along, and it returns to the FPHE ready to be brought back to temperature.

Check Valves, which are also called one way valves, must be installed a few points in the system. Other wise, water could potentially reverse direction and move backwards.

In any diy radiant heat system, you will have to account for the contraction and expansion of your fluid. As the water heats and cools, it will grow and shrink, and this will put a lot of stress on the tubing and other parts. That is why you need to include and expansion tank in your radiant heat supplies.

DIY radiant heat supplies usually include a supply (hot) manifold and a return (cold) manifold. As the water circulates, it is split into different runs or circuits with the supply manifold, and gathers together in one common tubing or pipe at the return manifold.

If you are in need of more fittings or clamps as your diy radiant heat work progresses, you will be able to find them at the plumbing section of the closest home improvement center. Radiant heat supplies are one item that is usually on the shelves.

For more information on radiant heat supplies, you can inquire at your local plumbing supply center and they will be glad to help. You will fing them ready to assist your diy radiant heat needs.

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If You Are Unable To Be There But Want To Show You Love Them Then Send -