• ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Better Judgements eZine Terria Judge, Realtor CRS, ABR, GRI, Broker Associate Better Judgements is a newsletter on home matters, from Terria Judge, your Garden City, KS real estate agent! Contact Terria Judge at 620-271-2129! Terria Judge Coldwell Banker, The Real Estate Shoppe, Inc. John P. Judge, Broker 1135 College Dr. Suite E Garden City, KS 67846 620-275-7421 x 223 http://terriajudge.com tjudge@gcnet.com Subscription Management at end of newsletter. Thanks for your subscription to Better Judgements, the newsletter from your Garden City Kansas Realtor, Terria Judge. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- In this Issue ============= 1. 3 Excellent Low-Carb Recipes. 2. 2 Beautiful New Home Listings. 3. The History of St. Patrick's Day. 4. 10 Tips for Working With A Contractor. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- Recipes ======== 1. Salmon Omelette 3 1/2 oz canned salmon 2 large eggs 2 Tbsp. sour cream 1/2 tsp. fresh tarragon, chopped 1 Tbsp. butter Drain the can of salmon and set aside. Beat the eggs, cream and tarragon and season lightly. Melt the butter in an omelette or frying pan. Pour in the eggs and cook over moderate heat until the base is set. While the omelette base is setting, preheat the broiler. Arrange the canned salmon over the soft top of the omelette and place the pan under the broiler until the omelette is set. Loosen the omelette from the pan and carefully fold in half. Slide the omelette onto a serving plate and serve immediately. Makes 1 serving. Per Serving: 435 Cal; 32g Fat; 472mg Chol; 32g Prot; 3g Carb; 0g Fiber. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- 2. Nutty Chicken Salad 1 lb. cooked chicken breast, diced 1/2 c. chopped celery 1/4 c. sliced almonds 1/4 c. chopped walnuts 3/4 c. mayonnaise 1/2 c. heavy cream 1 tsp. Splenda® 2 tsp. minced onion seasonings to taste In a large bowl combine diced chicken, celery, almonds, walnuts and onion. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl combine the cream and Splenda® and whip lightly. Add the mayonnaise and seasonings and blend well. Add this to the chicken salad and combine. Serve on crisp lettuce or other greens. Makes 6 servings. Per Serving: 418 Cal; 8g Fat; 66mg Chol; 16g Prot; 3g Carb; 1g Fiber. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- 3. Peppercorn Steak 8 whole peppercorns 1 lb. beef loin (2 steaks, 8oz each, about 1" thick) 4 Tbsp. butter 1/4 c. shallots 1/3 c. water 1 tsp. beef bouillon granules 3 Tbsp. brandy salt to taste Coarsely crack the peppercorns. Press into both sides of each steak. In a 12" skillet pan, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium-high heat. Cook the steaks to desired doneness.Remove from heat, salt to taste, and put aside. In the same skillet, cook the shallots in the remaining butter until tender but not brown. Add water and bouillon and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly while scraping bits from the pan. Stir in the brandy, cook for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Pour over steaks and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 412 Cal; 22g Prot; 32g Fat; 2g Carb; 0g Fiber. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- 2 All New Listings ================== 1. ---: 2 Plus 1 Bedrooms Family room down plus large office 2 baths, laundry down 2 car garage with opener Large Fenced Yard Newer home built in 1996 by Ed Geier. Good size rooms. New paint throughout interior and new kitchen flooring and disposal. $89,000 2. ---: 4 Bedrooms, 2 Baths Family room, Formal Dining & Living Rooms Full unfinished basement Up laundry, eating bar in kitchen Fenced backyard Neat open floor with NEW Pergo flooring and beautiful archways. All bedrooms are very spacious. Full basement can be finished any way you like. Kitchen has lots of cabinets and counter space. $104,900 ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- The History of St. Patrick's Day ================================ Maewyn(given name), was born in Wales in 385 AD. He was to become St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Considering himself to be a pagan till the age of 16, he was FAR from being a Saint. It was at that time he was taken captive and sold into slavery by a group of Irish Hooligans. During his period of inprisonment, he found GOD. After six years, he escaped to the refuge of a monastery, where he remained for 12 years. His wishes were to return to Ireland, to convert the native pagans to Christianity. But his superiors instead appointed St. Palladius. Two years later however, Palladius transferred to Scotland. Patrick, having adopted that Christian name earlier, was then appointed as second bishop to Ireland. Patrick was quite successful at winning converts, and this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He traveled throughout Ireland, establishing monasteries across the country. He also set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion of the Irish country to Christianity. His time in Ireland lasted for thirty years, after which he retired. He passed away on March 17th, 461 AD. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since. There is a long list of folklore surrounding St. Patrick, but little of it is actually substantiated. One traditional icon of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. In 1737, the custom of celebrating St. Patrick's Day made it's way to America. The first public "Holiday" took place in Boston Massachusets. ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- 10 Tips for Working With a Contractor ===================================== by Debbie Rodgers Send Feedback to Debbie Rodgers More Details at: http://www.paradiseporch.com This is the year you're going all out. You're going to build a deck, add a porch, erect a gazebo or lay a patio. You've done the research. It's well within your capability and you're looking forward to the satisfaction of creating a structure of beauty. Or not. Yes -- you'd like to proceed with an outdoor structure but for you, it isn't a do-it-yourself project. How can you find the right person to do it for you? Here are 10 tips for hiring and working with a contractor. 1. Plan your project carefully. Clip pictures, make sketches, write a description. This will help you accurately convey to the contractor what you want the finished product to be. 2. Make a list of contractors. Ask your neighbors or friends for the names of reputable tradesmen. Contact material suppliers -- lumberyards, for example -- and ask for recommendations. 3. Get at least three written bids for the project, but don't give in to the temptation to automatically accept the lowest bid. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials, workmanship and reliability. If you get a very low bid, the contractor may have made a mistake or forgotten to bid on everything you wanted. If they have deliberately low-bid, they may use cheaper materials or take shortcuts to make a profit. 4. Many states and provinces require registration and/or licensing. For the USA, www.nationalcontractors.com provides a starting point for your state and type of construction. Click on Verify Contractors License. If licences are required in your jurisdiction, be certain to ask to see your contractor's licences and be sure that it's not expired. 5. Ask for references and then check them out. Look at the projects and ask the previous clients if they are satisfied with the quality of work done, if it was started and completed on schedule and if it is complete. 6. Get a signed, written contract and be sure you understand it. The Construction Contractors Board of Oregon claims that the single biggest cause of homeowner-contractor disputes is the written contract: not having one, having a poor one, or having one everyone ignores. A good contract should include: o The company name, address (not a post office box) & phone number, the name of the builder, contractor and licence number, if applicable o A detailed project description o A materials list o A statement that all necessary permits and inspections are the responsibility of the contractor o Starting and completion dates o Warranties of workmanship, the length of the warranty, and specifically what's covered and what's not o Contractor's guarantee that he carries liability insurance and worker's compensation coverage o A statement that clean-up will be done by the contractor o The total price and payment schedule: * Be wary of hourly, time and materials or cost-plus pricing where the final price is not determined until completion of the project. Although it may seem higher, a fixed price may give you the best protection and price. * Be cautious about upfront payments for more than 15% of the contract price. * The schedule and criteria for each instalment should be clearly defined in the contract. * Any instalments should be not be required on a certain date, but correlated to work completion. * Do not pay cash. A reputable builder will ask for a check. 7. Make any changes to the project in writing with a "work order change" to avoid misunderstandings and surprises. 8. Keep pets and children away from the construction site. This will ensure not only their safety, but also that of the workers. In addition, it helps keep the project on schedule. 9. Inspect the work regularly. 10. Pay directly and promptly according to the contract. Above all, you should feel comfortable communicating with your contractor. If you sense he is being evasive when you are getting a quote, it won't get any better during the construction period. Find someone you understand and who understands you, and who is open and forthright. Working with a contractor takes a little preparation, but following these steps is well worth it. Are you looking forward to your new outdoor space? About the Author Debbie Rodgers, Nova Scotia, Canada debbie@paradiseporch.com http://www.paradiseporch.com Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Visit her on the web at www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”. Mail to debbie@paradiseporch.com ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS--------- This newsletter is compiled and published by Mitone Cooke, http://drbusinesscards.com, http://funkyfranks.com

  March 3rd, 2004 at 3:05 pm

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