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A Master Planned Residential Community in Strathmore, Alberta
Phase 4 Lots NOW AVAILABLE New Showhomes Coming Spring 2019 Single Family Homes starting from the $300’s
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www.wildflowerranch.ca Exclusive Wildflower Builders
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Awards 2018-2019
IGHBOU NE R Reader’s Choice in
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Aquilla Homes recently won the 2018 Customer Insights Award for Best Customer Experience
BUSINESS
Awards 2018-2019
/WildflowerRanchStrathmore
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The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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Les Smith Les Smith Sales & BDC / Finance Financial Manager Services
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No News is No News �hen it comes to medical test results, some�mes pa�ents think that “no news is good news.” So, if we don’t hear from our doctor’s office, we assume everything’s great! �ut, between privacy laws and human error, pa�ents can’t possibly know if tests were performed, or went missing, if results aren’t shared. Instead of assuming that all is well if you don’t hear from your doctor’s office, a safer approach is to steward your health, and set a plan to ensure that you hear your results. Ask your doctor the best way to learn your results. Is it with a phone call, or another appointment? In the case of a specialist, will results be told to you or sent to your family doctor? �ou ow� �� �o you�s�lf �o ��� on ��� s��� of �au�on. Always follow up!
In Canada, regulatory bodies require physicians to have a system that ensures that every test result is reviewed before it is filed and the pa�ent chart closed. They are expected to be par�cularly vigilant about cases in which the stakes are high, paying special a�en�on to biopsies, blood work, diagnos�c tests and mammogram findings. ��ll, accidents happen, and it�s the pa�ent who pays the price for a misplaced or forgo�en test. 4 •
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The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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Aleesha Gosling, CEO Phone: 403-478-9114
We Are More Than Just A Magazine
aleesha@thenewsyneighbour.com
The
Awards
denise@thenewsyneighbour.com
Content Development Multimedia Writer
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2017-2018
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Reader’s Choice
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Denise Geremia, COO Phone: 403-608-0686
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THE GET TO KNOW YOUR
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Awards 2018-2019
Our Customer Service Sets Us Apart. We GUARANTEE it!
Kyle Penn
Winner SBC 2013 Business of the Year - Small Enterprise Winner of SBC 2015 Chamber of Commerce Award
Thriving Since 2008
www.thenewsyneighbour.com Please Recycle This Magazine!
Thank you!
Certificate of Recognition 2019 From the Strathmore Chamber of Commerce for contribution to the Strathmore Community
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AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO OUR READERS:
The opinions expressed in the advertisements and articles of this publication are those of the advertisers and authors and not of The Newsy Neighbour Inc. The information in this magazine is believed and fully intended to be accurate but not warranted to be so. The Newsy Neighbour Inc. disclaims responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas or products referred to in the articles or advertisements. The mention of any brand in article or photos does not imply endorsement. Images are supplied by readers, advertisers and from shutterstock.com. Our database is confidential, we will not share our information with third parties. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent of The Newsy Neighbour Inc.
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LET'S
MOVE
For more information on the facility visit: rec.strathmore.ca/facilities/sportscentre
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GDON’S OWN LAN EST. 2017
BAR
Went for a couple drinks and appetizers with my wife, what a great atmosphere! The decor is awesome with vintage and abstract guitars and Rock n Roll themed artwork! The owners are very cool cats that engage all of their customers in conversation and are very proud of their establishment! Can’t wait to go back for some live music and bring my guitar along for the open jam night! ~ Les Paul Player
& GRILL
BURLESQUE February 16th @ 9pm | $25 tickets We are bringing you something SPECIAL!!! On February 16th, we are going to have a show you do NOT want to miss!!!!! We have the Smitten Kittens Dance Group and the Hurricane Felix coming to entertain your socks off! www.facebook.com/smittenkittensdancers/
Absolutely stunning. Amazing atmosphere friendly staff.. great ownership very hands on. You will be hard pressed to find a nicer place. ~Steven S
ENVY & ENVY
UNPLUGGED
FEBRUARY 1st & 2nd | 9PM | NO COVER
GIL TOUGAS
2nd Thursday of every month.
FEBRUARY 9th | 9PM | NO COVER
GOLD - Best Burger (Firehouse Classic)
Reader’s Choice in
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womentalk.ca IGHBOU NE R
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Awards 2018-2019
GOLD - Best in Food Service BRONZE - Best Pizza BRONZE - Best Fries BRONZE - Best Badass Crew
Thank You!
UNPLUGGED
PLAYGROUND ZONE FEBRUARY 22nd | 9PM | NO COVER
GREG COX
UNPLUGGED
FEBRUARY 23rd | 9PM | NO COVER
Valentines Day Specials FEBRUARY 14th | Accepting Reservations now
NEW MENU | LIVE MUSIC EVERY WEEKEND KIDS PAINT DAYS | KIDS MENU
| VLT’S
BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE PIZZA SUNDAY’S DELIVERY 4pm - 10pm DAILY
CATERING | PRIVATE EVENTS
KARAOKE & SO MUCH MORE
LANGDONFIREHOUSE.COM
716 CENTRE STREET, LANGDON 403.936.3676
/ LANGDONFIREHOUSE
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throughout the evening include a great speech from Leela Sharon Aheer (MLA for Chestermere-Rocky View), a unique series of award presentations from the Strathmore Chamber of Commerce (including a surprise Certificate of Recognition for the Contributions to The Community of Strathmore that the Chamber presented to The Newsy Neighbour!), and some of the tastiest food and appies anybody could ever want provided by Greg Thompson and the rest of the Firehouse team. Of course, it wouldn’t have been an awards show without some killer entertainment, and Gil Tougas was on hand to provide that in spades. If you happened to miss the awards show this past January, do yourself a favour and make some time to catch Tougas the next time he performs a live set somewhere local. You won’t have to wait long – Tougas is one of the hardest-working musicians out there, and his passion and commitment shows through clear as day the moment he picks up a guitar and starts to strum. His talent is a thing to behold and his showmanship is undeniable – there couldn’t have been a better way to cap off an incredible evening.
THE STARS (of Local Business) Came Out Tonight! Another Successful Best in Business Awards Show in the Bag If there’s one thing we’ve learned during our four years (!!!) of running the Reader’s Choice Best in Business Awards, it’s that awards shows are not for the faint of heart. If you give something a chance to go wrong, it most certainly will – and just when you think you’ve got everything locked down, your brand-new tattoo will send you to the hospital on the night of the big event (shout-out to the Best in Business Awards Show of 2017!). That said, though, we’re pretty dang pleased with how the 2018/19 Reader’s Choice Best in Business Awards Gala went down on January 23. It was a smash! Not only did the flow and timing of the evening follow a smooth, efficient, and upbeat cadence, but there really wasn’t a single hitch that held things up or threw things off throughout the entire evening. Seriously – it was almost mind-blowing how well things went! It was a night full of fun, entertainment, and surprises, and one that we’ll genuinely hold dear in our hearts and minds for years to come. There’s nothing quite like seeing the community come together to support and congratulate one another on a year’s worth of hard work, successes, and triumphs the way it does each and every January at the Reader’s Choice Awards. It really is an inspiring thing to be a part of, and we couldn’t have done it without you all – and we really, truly mean that.
The Community Comes Together
If there’s one thing our small business community is, it’s passionate – and that spirit and vigor came out in full force during this past month’s award show. Some memorable highlights from
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For as much work the Newsy Neighbour team put in to making the 4th Annual Reader’s Choice Best in Business Awards Show a success, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of The Real Estate REPs. Christa Aleman, Carey Rose, Hayley Poirier, and Michelle Eldjarnson were absolutely instrumental in the success of the awards show, and put just as much hard work and effort into making sure things went off exactly the way they were supposed to on January 23rd as they do in providing top-notch realty services all the other 364 days of the year. The REPs even pulled themselves from awards consideration – given their team’s direct involvement in the show’s organization – but that didn’t stop us from bestowing upon them the surprise “Best Community-Minded Rock Stars” award for all that they do throughout the year to support local businesses and drive community spirit throughout our collective of towns and small cities. The awards show simply wouldn’t have happened without the help of the REPs, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have had their support throughout the entire process.
Best. Show. Ever.
The Reader’s Choice Best in Business 2018/19 Awards Show stands out in our minds as the best, most successful edition of this exciting annual event to date, and it’s all thanks to the incredible, dedicated support that we received from the community. It was an amazing display of collaboration, cooperation, and entrepreneurial spirit, and we were proud to make it happen. At the risk of repeating ourselves, we wanted to be sure to dedicate a section of this article to giving a BIG thank you to The Real Estate REPs, the Strathmore Chamber of Commerce, Assist Business Centre, Gil Tougas, Dirt Road Pretty Photography, Creative Events, the Strathmore Lions, and Tasty Candy. It wouldn’t have been half the show that it was without the support of these businesses and individuals, and we’re truly grateful for helping us shine a spotlight on the hardworking small businesses and local entrepreneurs throughout Strathmore, Chestermere, Langdon, and the surrounding communities.
That’s a Wrap!
And just like that, we close the book on the Reader’s Choice Best in Business Awards for another year! Before we go, though, we have one final thank you to make, and this one goes out to you, our readers. Thank you for taking part and voting for your favourite local small businesses in the lead-up to our Awards Show. It’s The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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your vote that helped this year’s winners get the recognition that their hard work and commitment deserves. More than that, though, thank you for supporting small, local businesses in the first place. As our communities continue to grow and prosper, more and more big-name businesses are beginning to fill up our avenues and storefronts. By choosing to forego these established, well-known names in favour of supporting small local businesses, you’re directly contributing to the happiness and livelihood of our friends; our neighbours; our community members. Sure, online ordering and big box shopping might be a bit cheaper or a touch more convenient, but when you shop local, you’re supporting US – the entire local community that we’re all a part of – and for that, you have our gratitude and respect. Thanks for another incredible Reader’s Choice Best in Business Awards Show, everybody – see you all again next year!
5. Best in Customer Service Animal Care Centre Home Hardware Pet Planet Chestermere 6. Best in Education Service (School/Preschool/Daycare) Trinity Christian Academy Westmount Elementary Camp Chestermere Summer Day Camp
AND THE WINNERS ARE...
7. Best in Fitness/Training/Gym Anytime Fitness Strathmore Chestermere Fit Body Boot Camp Target Fitness
Your winners are displayed like this: GOLD SILVER BRONZE
8. Best in Food Services (Restaurant, Bar, Pub, Café) Firehouse Bar & Grill The Roadhouse Van Son Restaurant
1.Best in Alternative Medicine/Health Wellness (includes Massage Therapy) The Lakeshore Spa Back to Good - Whole Foods Market & Deli Bangles Hair Studio & Spa
9. Best in Grocery Sobeys Strathmore Co-Op Strathmore Tina's No Frills
2. Best in Auto Service & Tires & Towing OK Tire Kal-Tire Fountain Tire
10. Best in Home and Building Services (Property Management, Mortgage, Insurance) Gold Key Insurance & Registry ATB Financial - Kori-Lynn Corbin Action Insurance Group
3. Best in Cleaning Services (Home/Carpet & Laundry) Bubbles Drycleaning & Laundromat The Carpet Cop Oracle Access Solutions Inc.
11. Best in Home Building Gigantelli Fine Homes Trilogy Homes Aquilla Homes
4. Best in Clothing & Shoes Sole Discretion Mark's The Red Carrot
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19. Best in Professional Services (Accounting, Tax, Lawyers, Funeral Homes) Getz & Associates Lynn Woods Law Office Gregory, Harriman and Associates
12. Best in Home Improvement (Contractor, Home Décor, Interior Designing, Landscaping, Floors, Glass, Building Supplies) Home Hardware All Decked Out Envious Renovations
20. Best in Real Estate (Individual, Team) Deb Murray Orange Jigsaw Real Estate Karen Gonzales, Sutton Group
13.Best in Home-Based Business (Including Direct Sales) Sew Delicious My Heart and Soul Designs by Courtney Lynn Corianne's Custom Cookies
21.Best in Senior Services (Hearing, Lodging) Wheatland Lodge Agecare Sagewood Wheatland Funeral Home
14.Best in Medical Services (Dentists, Optometrists, Pharmacies, Doctors) Ranch Dental Centre Valley Medical Clinic Lifepath Wellness
22. Best in Spa/Skincare/Tanning (includes Hair, Pedicures, Manicures) Ashley the Hairapist Sir Lance's Barber Shop The Lakeshore Spa
15. Best in Party Services (Cakes, Gift Shop, Flowers) Strathmore Florist Sew Delicious The Red Carrot
23. Best in Trades (Plumbing, Heating, Electrical, Cooling, Roofing) Chestermere Heating & Cooling Volks Tech Appliance Curtis Plumbing & Heating
16.Best in Pet Service (Veterinarian, Groomer, Store) Animal Care Centre Strathmore Vet Clinic Hot Dogs Grooming Salon
24. Best in Travel Agencies Kaleidoscope Travel and Cruise Vision Travel Vision Travel Solutions - Jolene Williams
17. Best in Photography Taylor Hillier Photography Dirt Road Pretty Photography Deidre Cameron Photography
25. BEST BURGER - Sponsored by Orange Jigsaw Real Estate Firehouse Bar & Grill - Firehouse Classic The Roadhouse - Smokehouse Burger A&W - Beyond Meat
18.Best in Business Services (Printing, Promotional, Embroidery, Coaching) The Phoenix Signs & Graphics Assist Business Centre Indus Graphics
Congratulations
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26. BEST FRIES - Sponsored by Gold Key Insurance and Registry McDonald's Strathmore Original Joes Firehouse Bar & Grill
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27. BEST PIZZA - Sponsored by New Space Construction Smileys Pizza 249 Firehouse Bar & Grill 28. Most BADASS CREW Sponsored by The REPs Ink Addicts Animal Care Centre Firehouse Bar & Grill 29. Community Service Award - S ponsored by Kori-Lynn Corbin of ATB Financial Community Therapy Dogs Society 903 Air Cadets Strathmore Poker Run 30. Entrepreneur of the Year Sponsored by The Lakeshore Spa Drew Gregory Music - Drew Gregory Tasty Candy & Ice Cream Craig Vandenberg Ashley Needham - The Hairapist 31. Senior Volunteer of the Year Sponsored by Agecare Sagewood Doug Blaney Bob Sobol Marilyn King 32. Best Hotel/Motel/Inn/Campsite Award - Sponsored by Pizza Hut Strathmore Travelodge Strathmore Best Western Chestermere Days Inn Strathmore 33. Best Community-Minded Rockstars - Sponsored by The Newsy Neighbour Magazine The Real Estate REPs
Congratulations
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BACK TO GOOD Present:
Valentine Indulgence #2
#1
Flowers by Strathmore Florist Bernard Callebaut Chocolates Bo�le of Wine
Special Valen�ne Yoga Class
Monday February 11th 7:45 p.m. at the Bank Athle�c Club $10 per person
As The Relationship Changes, So Do The Valentine's Day Gifts
Lunch at Back to Good Five Yoga Passes Manduka Yoga mat
#3
Dinner at Original Joe's Movie for two at Joyland Theatre
Do red roses mean more than you're willing to admit? Does the jewelry you're giving your loved one send the correct message? What is the appropriate gift to show your mother that you love her on Valentine's Day?
Win One Of These Three Prizes!
Tickets are $5, available at the Bank Athle�c Club. Draw will take place on February 14th All Proceeds to Bridge the Gap Strathmore
As the holiday of love quickly approaches, many of us are trying to find the right gifts for our loved ones. For new couples, maybe a gift of red roses in full bloom, which means "I love you," isn't what the man is ready to give, or the woman is ready to receive. For couples who have been together for a long time, a lasting gift like a living plant might convey your love better than cut flowers, which wilt quickly and then are thrown away.
“There is only one happiness in life: to love and be loved.”
Here are some tips to determine what gifts might work well for your relationship.
A New Relationship * Spending time together and discovering new talents is what makes a new relationship so exciting. Consider cooking a special meal for the two of you to enjoy together, or make a favourite food item for your sweetheart, like brownies or a cake.
– George Sand
* Flowers work for any relationship. If you aren't ready to go the red roses route, consider an arrangement of her favourite type of flower, or roses in her favourite colour.
SPA
Valentines at the
Still In The Honeymoon Stage After you've known each other for a while, and enjoy spending every waking minute together, you start to pick up on your partner's personal tastes. An extra level of thoughtfulness is conveyed through the giving of a creative and specialized gift.
Valentines Pedicure
403.273.5253
A luxurious pink grapefruit spa pedicure with complementary foot hydrating mask, paraffin, sweet chocolate truffles and a glass of bubbly $63
thelakeshorespa.com Rainbow Falls, Chestermere 12 •
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* Jewelry gifts provide a beautiful way to show how much you care. Diamonds are a traditional favourite for expressing a long-lasting message of love, but other gemstones may be a better fit for the current phase of your relationship. For example, if you want to promote your faithfulness, weaving sapphires into
*Book, while supplies last
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your gift would be a brilliant idea. * Cologne and perfume also make excellent Valentine's Day gifts.
Valley Dental Clinic GENERAL FAMILY DENTISTRY
Happily Ever After * Valentine's Day is the perfect opportunity for established couples to reconnect, and giving your loved one a gift that inspires a memory from happy times in your relationship works well. For example, consider finding a bottle of the wine or champagne you drank on your first date, or at your wedding. * Being comfortable with each other is what works for happily-ever-after couples. Consider booking a couple's massage, so you can both enjoy the gift of time spent together in blissful relaxation.
Best Friends Forever
Ph: (403)
New Patients & Emergencies Welcome
934-2882
Take Care of Yourself at Valley Dental Clinic
231-2nd Avenue, Strathmore valleydentalstrathmore@hotmail.com
www.valleydentalstrathmore.ca
* Finding a non-romantic gift for your best friend doesn't have to be difficult. Just pay attention to their special interests and cater to them. For example, browse the bookstore for a copy of their favourite book. Or if they're into sporting events, think about getting tickets to an upcoming home game or a jersey as a gift. * Family members will appreciate gifts that bring back memories of time spent together. If you're creative, a scrapbook of time spent with your mom would make a wonderful gift. Or a digital photo frame preloaded with family photos will put a smile on your dad's face. Of course, it's easy to show how much you care this Valentine's Day. A simple hug will go a long way.
Valentine's Gifts For DIY Guys If you're shopping for a do-it-yourselfer this Valentine's Day, tools can be a welcome gift - and more romantic than you might think. Practical, yet fun, some tools should be in every guy’s toolbox to make home improvement or hobby projects a success. Visit your local home hardware store or home improvement center to scoop up these must-haves: * A basic hammer and a set of screwdrivers in various sizes. From hanging pictures, to fixing a loose table leg, these tools are always in demand. Be sure to include an assortment of nails and screws to complete the package.
* Various sizes and types of clamps. You can never find enough uses for them, and frequently need to use multiple clamps at once. * An oscillating tool designed for DIY use. Oscillating tools are hot this year and a great asset for repair, remodel and restoration work. From making cuts in awkward places to removing bathroom grout or tub caulking, they are a versatile and convenient tool to have on hand. Pick one that offers a high level of performance without the professional price tag. * A compact, cordless drill. A handy tool for driving screws or making holes - 14V or 18V is great for the average homeowner. * A pair of lineman's pliers. Equipped with a gripping joint, cutting edge and insulated handle grips, they can be used for gripping small objects or to cut and bend wire and cable. They come in particularly handy for working with electrical cables, as the insulated handles reduce the risk of shock. * A torpedo level. An essential tool if you don't want your new books falling off your new bookshelf. Torpedo levels often contain more than one liquid vial for checking more than one angle at a given time. * A set of pencils. While it sounds mundane, pencils come in handy for nearly every project, whether cutting a straight line, tracing a circle, or marking where a nail will be inserted into a wall. Pencils can even be customized with the recipient's name. * A rotary tool. Rotary tool recipients will continue to be amazed at the amount of tasks this compact, multi-purpose tool can tackle, including carving, routing, engraving, grinding, sharpening, cutting, cleaning, polishing and sanding. The Dremel brand invented the rotary tool more than 75 years ago, and still offers the biggest tool and accessory selection. * A quality tape measure. From home improvement projects to body measurements, there are limitless uses for a tape measure. facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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Good Date Questions for Married Couples
Whatever your reason for tanning, we will customize a package to fit your needs:
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Remember - Your best tan is our business!
Be sure to come by and check out our Sweetheart Deals just in time for Valentine's Day! Mon. - Thurs. 9:30 to 8 Fri. 9:30 to 7 Saturday & Sunday 10 to 3 Holidays as posted
Studio 86 Tanning
Your best tan is our business!
Red Light Skin Rejuvena�on UV Tanning · Infrared Sauna Mys�c HD Sunless · Whole Body Vibra�on Massage · Bowtech® · Reflexology
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One morning Emma woke up with a start. Her husband Jim asked what was the matter, she told him, "I just had a dream that you gave me a pearl necklace for Valentine's day. What do you think it means?" "You'll know tonight," Jim said. That evening, Jim home with a small package and gave it to his wife. Delighted, Emma opened it - only to find a book entitled "The meaning of dreams”.
LOVING YOU ALWAYS
Alberta Hearing Center For all your hearing needs AADL, WCB, DVA & “Private”
2 for 1 Hearing Test When you book as a couple.
"The best gift you can give is to Listen!" Expires February 28, 2019
Oasis Chestermere Station
175 Chestermere Station Way #201, Chestermere
Easthills Family Medical
Unit 531-409 East Hills Blvd S.E. Calgary
Please Call For An Appointment 403.668.7776 14 •
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1. What are four or five things that attracted you to me before we were married? 2. What is one of the funniest things that has happened to us? 3. What is one of the most romantic times we have had together? 4. What are a few of the most romantic things I could do for you in the future? 5. Tell me a time when you really felt close to me. What made you feel that way? 6. If walls could talk, what would ours say? 7. If you could keep just one memory of some past event or period of time, which would it be? 8. If we had two days alone together, no phone, email or TV, what would be your idea of how we could best spend the time? Why? 9. What could I do to best help you with anything in the next 30 days? 10. What do I do that makes you feel really loved? 11. If you could change anything about the way I treat you, what would it be? 12. In what simple way would you like to see me grow personally in the next 12 months? 13. What two or three problems, if solved, would make the most positive difference in our marriage? 14. What things produce the most stress in our lives? How might we overcome them? 15. If you had just six more months to live, how would you spend them? What would you do? Where would you want to go? 16. How would you describe an ideal day? Weekend? 17. What would you see as my three greatest strengths? Weaknesses? 18. What are the three most important things we could do with each of our children in the next year?
I will love you always, every minute of every day. I will love you all ways, In sleep, at work, relaxing and at play, I will love you when you’re angry and you refuse to talk. I will love you when we make up, hold hands and go for a walk. I will love you when we go on a date, When we do all our favourite things and get home really late. When you take me in your arms and love me, When you encourage me to be all that I can be, I will love you always, means unconditionally and forever. I will love you always is a bond no one can sever. I will love you always, I will love you all ways, I will love you all of our days. BY PATRICIA MULLIN HAPPY VALENTINES DAY The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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ASK THE VET Q: My dog has bad breath. He breathes on me all the time and it’s disgusting! What can I do about it? A: This is a pretty common complaint that we get among our clients; great question! Halitosis, or “bad breath” is most commonly caused by plaque build-up on the teeth. There can be other issues that contribute to a dog or cat’s bad breath (such as abscessed tooth roots, kidney disease, etc.) so a veterinary exam should always be considered first to rule out a major problem. Animals are just like us, in that they require regular dental cleanings to help keep their teeth clean and free of disease. Just like the dental office, we have the capability of taking x-rays to assess an individual tooth, and we may also perform extractions on severely damaged teeth. When a tooth is badly diseased, it is very painful for the pet. They may chew on one side of the mouth to avoid that tooth, they may drool, their jaw may swell up, or they may just not feel as playful. Once that tooth is removed, you can only imagine how much better they feel! Dental cleanings are advised annually, or as recommended by your veterinarian depending on your pet’s individual requirements. The dental procedure at a clinic involves a general anesthetic, and a full cleaning, polish, and charting of the teeth. Once your pet has a clean mouth, we can start them on a special diet that keeps the teeth clean, and/or use special dental chews to aid in the reduction of tartar build-up. Brushing your pet’s teeth a minimum of three times per week will also greatly benefit your pet in the long run (just remember to use cat/dog toothpaste). Keep in mind that the toy breeds (i.e.: Yorkshire Terrier) and brachycephalic breeds (i.e.: Bichon x Shih-Tzu) are more prone to teeth and gum disease. Talk to your veterinarian for further information on how your pet’s teeth are doing. Call our team to find out more information and to book a consultation. Dr. Jodi Viste The Animal Care Centre of Strathmore
“Open wide and say Ahhhh...”
February is Dental Month Book your appointment. Offering the latest in advanced technology our highly skilled, compassionate team provides superior, quality veterinary care for your family pets and livestock.
“Ffffffffffft!”
403.901.1800 clinic & emergency info@animalcarecentre.ca www.animalcarecentre.ca North of Trans Canada Hwy on RR 254, 2 km West of Strathmore.
They left me. They actually LEFT me last week. They had their suitcases, they had their sunglasses, they patted me on the head and walked out the door. I was left. Alone. With the other dog who is still (for some reason) here. I did not go to Yampas. I did not go to a spa. I was left at home. Then a STRANGER came over. And she stayed with me for an ENTIRE WEEK. She was fine; she took me for walks, she gave me treats, she fed me more food than my parents do. But she’s not Yampa. I am not very happy with this whole thing. The brain-damaged girl dog they brought into my house didn’t seem very fazed by anything. She just ran around happy as can be. She snuggled with this stranger for the entire week. She gave her kisses like they’ve known each other for years. HELLO. You do NOT know her. I was extra grumpy for an entire week. I made sure this new person knew I was unhappy. And then my family came back. I was even happy to see the two miniature humans but I was VERY happy to see my parents. They came in, gave us love and hugs, and then… they went upstairs to unpack. They didn’t even bring me PRESENTS. What. The Heck? So now I’m mad again.
Deb’s Dog Grooming Gentle, Professional Grooming
Serving Langdon & area for over 16 years. Grooming dogs up to 50 lbs! New Year, New Fresh & Clean Pup. Call for your appointment today /Debs Dog Grooming
Deb Corbett (403) 936.5034
Monday - Friday appointments and occasional Saturdays 9:00am - 4:30pm Can accommodate early drop-offs
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SOUP
Luscious Joys
When I'm feeling a little under the weather or just not in my best form, and cannot decide what to eat or don't really feel like eating at all, my go-to food is always soup. There is just something warm and comforting in having a bowl of homemade soup. You make it yourself, so you know it is good for you. With buttered crackers, is there anything more comforting than a nice bowl of steaming yummy soup? I don't think so! You are going to make these go-to recipes when you just need a big hug of warmth. Especially with the real old time winter we are having this year.
Homemade Tomato Soup
For sure, by a long stretch, I have got to say there is nothing in the world better than tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich! This takes only about 10 minutes to prepare and is a delicious way to enjoy tomatoes, which have excellent amounts of vitamin C, beta carotene, potassium, folate and vitamin E. 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 onions, chopped 4 garlic, minced 1 can 28 oz stewed tomatoes 3 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock 1/4 cup tomato paste 1/4 tsp pepper In saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions and garlic, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until slightly thickened. Using immersion blender or in blender, puree reheat if necessary.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
The earthy flavour of mushrooms is at its best puréed into this soup. This soup’s rich hearty flavour will easily satisfy your mushroom craving, and there’s enough for seconds or leftovers. It also shows off how well meaty mushrooms and red wine go together. 1 stick Butter 2 pounds button mushrooms, rinced and sliced 3 onions, peeled and chopped a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper 1/2 bottle hearty red wine 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup heavy cream (35%) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 cup water Place a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. The mushrooms will initially release a lot of moisture, preventing them from browning. Eventually that moisture will evaporate, allowing the pot’s heat to rise to browning temperature. Pour in the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Continue cooking—the moisture in the wine will evaporate, concentrating its flavour—until the wine has reduced by about two-thirds. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Stir well and bring the soup to a simmer. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add this mixture slowly to the simmering soup, stirring until it returns to the simmer and thickens slightly. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker, feel free to add more cornstarch. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.
of the hot mixture to a food processor or blender. Purée until smooth while continuing to cook the rest. Repeat with another third, then the final third. Season to taste and serve topped with a small spoon of low-fat sour cream or croutons. Or both!
Hearty Hamburger Soup
At family get-togethers, our children always request this spirit-warming soup along with a fresh loaf of homemade bread and tall glasses of milk. It has robust flavor, plenty of fresh-tasting vegetables and is easy to make. -Barbara Brown, Janesville, Wisconsin 1 pound ground beef 4 cups water 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained 3 medium carrots, sliced 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 medium onion, chopped 1/2 cup chopped celery 4 teaspoons beef bouillon granules 1-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 cup cut fresh or frozen green beans In a large saucepan, brown beef; drain. Add the next 10 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender. Add beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes longer or until the beans are tender. Happy New Year and try to stay warm and cozy! Kathryn Hartwell
References: canadianliving.com,chefmichaelsmith.com, kitchenparade.com, tasteofhome.com
Quick Cauliflower or Broccoli Soup
4 cups chicken broth or vegetable stock 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups) 2 dried bay leaves, optional 1 head cauliflower OR 1 pound of broccoli crowns and stems, chopped into small pieces (or frozen cauliflower or broccoli) Salt and pepper to taste Heat broth to a boil in microwave. Meanwhile, heat a large pot on medium high. Heat olive oil, then add the onion and bay leaves, stirring to coat with fat. Cook until onions begin to soften and turn gold, stirring often. Add cauliflower or broccoli, stirring to coat with oil and onion flavor. Let cook, turning occasionally for 1 - 2 minutes. Stir in hot broth. Cover and cook for 5 – 10 minutes or until the vegetables are fully cooked. Remove the bay leaves. Transfer a third
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Dill Pickle Dip 1 ½ cup finely diced kosher dill pickles 1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon salt 2-4 tablespoons pickle juice Instructions: In a medium bowl, combine the pickles, cream cheese, garlic powder and salt. Add the pickle juice gradually to get the mixture to dipping-consistency. Top with sprinkle of dried dill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and then serve chilled alongside crackers, potato chips, or vegetables.
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The Cheesiest Cheese Loaf 3 1/2 c All-purpose flour 1/2 c Instant potato flakes, dry 1/2 c Grated parmesan cheese 1 Tbsp Baking powder 1/2 tsp Salt 2 c Shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 Eggs 1 1/2 c Milk 1/4 c Butter or margarine, melted 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. 2. In a large bowl, mix flour, potato flakes, Parmesan cheese, baking powder and salt. Stir in cheddar cheese; set aside. 3. In a small bowl, beat eggs. Beat in milk and butter or margarine. Stir into flour mixture until moistened. Spread evenly in pan. 4. Bake for 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and place on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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at oily fish
at oily fish
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be made by the Essential fatty acids (EFAs) through cannot be made the body and must be obtained diet. The by most eective omega-3 fats occurthrough naturallydiet. in oily ďŹ sh. body and must be obtained The most Good sources include (axseed)inoil, soya eective omega-3 fatslinseed occur naturally oily ďŹ sh. bean oil,sources pumpkin seeds,linseed walnut (axseed) oil and soya Good include oil,beans. soya They are good for healthy brain function, the heart, bean oil, pumpkin seeds, walnut oil and soya beans. joints and general wellbeing. Thefunction, main sources of They are good for healthy brain the heart, oily ďŹ sh include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, joints and general wellbeing. The main sources of sardines, pilchards and mackerel, kippers. herring, oily ďŹ sh include salmon, trout, sardines, pilchards and kippers. The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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318-3 Avenue, Strathmore | 403-934-6029 If I had a DeLorean, I would probably drive it from time to time. You never appreciate what you have until it’s gone. Toilet paper is a good example. Apparently, being an adult means googling phone numbers that call you rather than answering them. Me: “I need some help around here!” Also me: “No, not like that. Here, I’ll do it.” I’m not going outside until the temperature is above my age.
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I was walking home last night and decided to take a short cut through the cemetery. 3 girls walked up to me and explained that they were scared to walk past the cemetery at night, so I agreed to let them walk along with me. I told them, “I understand. I used to get freaked out too when I was alive.” I’ve never seen anyone run so fast!
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box businesses have been here for at least a decade or more (remember how long ago it was when that Walmart opened up?). To my city slicker friend’s point, though, our communities are changing – and it’s up to us to decide what shape they take in the years to come.
Is Big-Box Really All That Bad?
As curmudgeonly and knee-jerkingly spiteful as people can be with regards to big-box stores and chain corporations, there’s something to be said for what they have to offer. After all, if they weren’t doing something right in the first place, they wouldn’t have been able to climb to the lofty heights of success they’re at now, right? To go back to Walmart for a moment, I don’t know that there are many community members out there who would argue that we’d all be better off if the store were to pack its bags and leave town for good.
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Businesses like Walmart provide a wealth of employment opportunities (albeit, some better-paying than others) and give our communities access to just about any consumer good you can think of at an incredibly affordable price point. Shops like Walmart and their ilk make it easy to get the things you want, when you want them, without having to take a trip into the city or wait days (or even weeks!) for an online order to show up at your door.
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The Case for Shopping Local
As smooth and affordable an experience shopping at a big-box store might be, there are reasons that so many individuals are advocates for smaller, locally-owned businesses – especially in a town the size of Strathmore.
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Why it’s Worth it to Support Local Small Businesses
A couple of weeks ago, I had a buddy from Calgary come out and meet me for some drinks in Strathmore. I don’t know if it’s just me and my group of friends or if this is more of a hard-andfast rule, but I realized when he asked me for directions to town that despite being fast friends for as long as I can remember, it had been years since he’d come out to meet me in Strathmore – it always seems to be me making the driving into YYC and connecting with everyone there. Anyway! That’s neither here nor there, other than to shine a light on the fact that it had been literally years since this particular individual had made his way out to Strathmore – and when he got here, he was shocked. “It’s like a city out here!” he exclaimed incredulously when I met him. “There’s a McDonalds, a Sobeys, a Starbucks…it’s crazy!” Of course, as any local Strathmorite will tell you, many of these establishments are hardly new, and plenty of these sorts of big-
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One big argument in favour of local business is that plenty of people remember what the town was like before those big, branded buildings started opening up all over the place. Aside from the preference many have aesthetically for smaller, home-spun shops as compared to the often-garish and regularly-enormous chain buildings, plenty of folks take issue with the way these companies run and operate in the first place. There’s a perception out there (one that often isn’t all that incorrect) that big-box corporations open up and drive all the little guys out of town, transforming what was once a thriving sandbox for small, local businesses into a game of king of the hill where the chain stores are the biggest, meanest, toughest kids on the playground. Gone are all the friendly little mom-and-pop shops that used to line the streets and thoroughfares, replaced by vacant storefronts, for-lease signs, and an enormous, neon-glowing big-box store towering over all. This might sound a little dramatic, but ultimately, it tends to ring fairly true. When chain stores move into town, local businesses generally have a very tough time competing, unable to keep up with the larger stock volumes, cheaper prices (often fueled by lower-paying employee wages), and simple convenience of shopping at a chain corporation. Despite all this, though, we here at The Newsy Neighbour remain strong and fast advocates of small, local businesses, and it comes down to one very big reason: community.
Support Local, Support Your Community
When you shop local, not only are you treating yourself to what is generally a more pleasant and personalized shopping experiThe Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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25% off a package of 3 treatments in February ence (our towns’ small business owners really do know how to treat a customer!), but you’re directly supporting the local economy – not to mention local community members themselves. Sure, when you shop at the big-box store down the way, some form of the money you spend will eventually trickle down into the pocket of the cashier who rang you through at the till, but there’s no direct connection – no real through-line. You’re supporting an enormous corporation first, and from there, that business entity provides its employees with a (semi-) living wage. When you shop local, though, the money that you spend goes directly from your pocket and into the bank account of that hard-working local community member. Some of it will go back towards re-stocking the shelves, of course, or keeping the lights on, or paying employees – but ultimately, that money stays within the community to be re-invested in other small, local businesses in return. This is key for many people, and is a big part of the reason why The Newsy Neighbour is such a steadfast supporter of local business – because when locally-owned companies succeed, communities succeed, and there’s nothing we want more for Strathmore, Chestermere, Langdon, and the surrounding towns and hamlets than to find continual growth, success, and prosperity.
Next Time You Shop, Shop Local
So, the next time you need a loaf of bread, a trendy set of duds, or a brand-new hockey stick, think twice about where you shop. Sure, you can probably get what you need at whatever big-box store is most convenient, but we’d suggest taking a second to consider visiting one of our hardworking local businesses to be
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greeted with a smile and that quintessential Albertan warmth and expertise. It’s not always possible to shop local, but when it is, we strongly encourage you to get out there, support your fellow community members, and experience just what our resident cadre of entrepreneurs and business owners have in store for you – we bet you’ll be a regular local shopper before you know it! ~ Kyle Penn
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THE HAIRAPIST Ashley Needham
Hairstylist
Be you tiful
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Coffee has become synonymous with the morning ritual for approximately 80% of people in North America. There is virtually no other food or beverage that continues to sustain such popularity these days, and it makes sense when it is connected to people’s livelihood (energy and brain function) every single day. Without the morning java, people find they lack the jumpstart they need in the brain and overall energy department. However, like any drug (caffeine is psychoactive), coffee has its drawbacks and they are plenty of them people fail to acknowledge due to their blind love for this invigorating beverage. Some of these drawbacks include: • Caffeine jitters and crash – like any drug, the withdrawal symptoms can be painful, which encourages you to keep consuming the beverage. • Poor sleep quality – the forced stimulation of your hormonal system artificially overrides your natural circadian rhythm, causing sleeplessness at night. • Adrenal fatigue – leads to hormonal imbalance and can cause more serious issues like prostate and breast cancer. • Kidney and bladder problems – due to the diuretic effects of caffeine. • Triggering of stress hormones – makes muscles tense, elevates blood sugar, speeds up pulse and respiration rates, and increases your state of panic and alertness. • Depletes the body of B-vitamins. • Prevents iron absorption (can contribute to anemia).
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Langdon
The Controversial Tea That Trumps Coffee
Ironically, coffee doesn’t add energy to the body like most people think it does. It actually burns up your energy reserves at a faster pace, which means you get a short-term boost for longterm jitters and fatigue, which is usually combatted by drinking more coffee or looking for other energy enhancers. To understand the adrenal impact of coffee (the source of your fight or flight response), consider the following analogy by Stephen Cherniske, author of Caffeine Blues: “Imagine you lived in a country that was always under threat of attack. No matter where you went, there was a perpetual state of alert. Not only that, but your defenses were constantly being depleted and weakened. Does that sound stressful? Caffeine produces the same effect on your body, like fighting a war on multiple fronts at the same time.” Cherniske calls your body’s constant state of alert “caffeinism,” which is characterized by fatigue, anxiety, mood swings, sleep disturbance, irritability, and depression. Of course, as long as you keep taking the drug or upping the dosage, the true effects aren’t felt until a serious health concern crops up, and often it won’t be connected to the common habits which cultivate the issue, like coffee. Fortunately, there are ways to enhance your energy each day, without any of the drawbacks of coffee or any other caffeinated beverage. Although there are a few suitable substitutes, one of the most recently revered teas for energy and stamina, is one created from cordyceps.
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The energy producing power of Cordyceps Cordyceps has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for centuries, and there has become a focus on two of the 400 species, Cordyceps sinensis and Cordyceps militaris. The former is a genus of parasitic fungi that grows on larvae of insects, and the latter is from the fruiting bodies of medicinal mushrooms. Regardless of which one you choose, they both have been adorned with health qualities that make them well worth considering. Some of the noted benefits of cordyceps, include: • Improves energy and endurance • Promotes a healthy aging process • Helps fight inflammation • Supports healthy kidney function • Supports healthy adrenal function • Supports healthy blood sugar levels • Improves memory and cognitive function One of the biggest controversies around Cordyceps surrounded long distance female runners from China who in the 1993 Olympics smashed previous world records in the 1500 m, 3000 m (by two seconds), and 10,000 m (by 42 seconds) events. Their coach attributed their success to a diet that included Cordyceps, suggesting that it improved exercise capacity in these Olympic athletes through it’s antioxidant effects. This certainly raised the ire of other athletes and doping officials, who couldn’t fathom that cordyceps alone could have been largely responsible for their remarkable efforts. Although Cordyceps will not impart the same flavour as coffee, it’s fairly neutral and can be easily made into a delicious beverage. If you like a latte, add some coconut milk and coconut oil to the tea and blend gently to add a frothy and creamy texture. If you like a little sweetener, coconut sugar will do perfectly. Regardless of how you make it, it helps provide the same desired benefits of coffee (energy, brain stimulation) without any of the side effects. That alone, makes it worth looking further into. Derek Henry
Natural Options Derek Henry, B.Kin, is a highly revered holistic health coach and world renowned natural health blogger from Kelowna, BC who created Healing the Body to help people understand the fundamental principles and intimate details to exceptional health. His popular wellness guides, coaching programs, and educational courses gives people step by step solutions to achieve a healthier body and mind, while empowering them to maintain that lifestyle on their own accord. If you would like to learn more about what he can do holistically to improve your health, check out his website, www.healingthebody.ca
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13 Reasons Why Winter is Wonderful Winter and I have a love-hate relationship – we would probably be listed as, “It’s complicated” on Facebook. To me, winter is like that relative that you don’t really want to see, but have to since, well, you’re related. But just like a complicated relationship or a weirdo relative, you still enjoy some things about each other, and here are my 13 reasons why winter is wonderful.
1. Let it snow
Snow is just SO beautiful: it covers everything like a fluffy white blanket and makes for a picturesque panorama. Snow is also better than rain because you won’t get as soaked, and you can actually do activities in it, like skiing or throwing snowballs. Have you ever tried to throw a rainball? I didn’t think so.
2. Hit the slopes
I love skiing! Whether you ski, snowboard, or even sled, you’ll find that this is a great bonding experience – much more than roasting on the beach under the sun. You get a good workout, can eat a hearty meal to keep your energy levels up, and end the day with a great apres-ski session where you can dance and be merry.
3. Layer away
There’s no better time to take layering to the next level: in winter, you can basically wear all of your clothes at once, wrap yourself in comfy scarves, and show off your fuzzy slippers. Winter is the season for boots that let you pretend you’re walking on clouds, jackets that feel like sleeping bags, and hats that cover up a bad hair day in the coolest way possible.
4. Eat all the Comfort food
Fondue or any other heavy wintery food is basically mandatory. You can enjoy a hot chocolate, put marshmallows in it, and top it off with whip cream because, winter. Fill your stomach with warm soups, roasted chestnuts, and sugar cookies made with cinnamon. Winter has defined comfort food and when has comfort food ever been a bad thing? (Never.) This brings us to the next point ever so elegantly.
5. Forget dieting
There is no need for a beach body in the winter time, which is great news because that means, goodbye bikini, hello poncho! Your diet can be what people in fitness circles call “carb loading,” and that’s okay because your body actually craves this naturally: the fatter you are, the warmer you are and then, natural selection won’t come after you. Evolution is awesome!
6. Don’t worry about shaving
Winter doesn’t mean that you have to be as fuzzy as your feline friends, but socks and all kinds of layers camouflage a less regular shaving schedule. It’s science, y’all: hair is what helps you stay
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for nominating us for a Best in Business Award 2018 for Senior Services. CONGRATULATIONS to the Senior Volunteer of the year winners:
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warm. Including facial hair: men with beards? #swoon. The lumberjack look is all the rage for me and beards are surprisingly versatile and festive, as you can hang Christmas ornaments on them, put flowers in them or even cover them in glitter.
you are never too old to build a blanket fort.
7. Relax in Hot Tubs and Saunas
Wasps, mosquitos and flies, be gone! You don’t wake up with five mosquito bites that itch like crazy. You don’t have to avoid certain foods for fear that it will attract wasps. And you especially don’t have to swap away flies flying by your ear as you sleep. Muhahhahaha, winter rules!
I mean, who can actually properly enjoy them during the summer time? Chilling in a hot tub as the air around you gets colder and the stars brighter, or going to a sauna to warm up and boost your immune system truly makes those colder temperatures worthwhile.
8. Make the most of the Shorter Days
I know, a lot of people complain about this, but you know what? It’s actually a great excuse to be lazy: you don’t have to be super productive as you do in the summer, when you swim in the lake, go grocery shopping, enjoy a barbecue and sit around a beach bonfire all between 6 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. In winter, you can just roll up in a blanket, grab some chips, and spend countless hours catching up on all your favourite TV shows. Now, that’s living.
13. And celebrate that there are no bugs
~ Martinique Source: www.ef.com
9. Sweat no more
It’s the worst when you have sweat stains and get all self-conscious. So, less sweating means less body odor, which is especially good for those that have to commute on public transport. It’s a win(ter)-win situation for everyone, really.
10. Practice Cuddling. So. Much. Cuddling.
Who doesn’t like cuddling? You get to spend those weekend mornings being closer to your loved one – be it a human, pet or laptop. You can’t do this in the summer time since the sun will mercilessly make everything so bright and hot that you’d rather get out of bed way too early than have anything or anyone even touching you in the slightest bit.
11. Breathe in The Freshest air
Next time you find yourself on top of a mountain during winter, inhale deeply. There is little to no pollution (or any pesky, allergy-triggering pollen) during the winter and you get this crisp air that is the equivalent to winning the lottery or finding out that you can fly. It’s a great feeling.
12.Indulge in Blanket activities
Bookworms, rejoice! How great is it to just lie under your blanket with a flashlight and get lost in your books’ world? Or get cozy between a pile of pillows as you watch a movie. Oh, and no, facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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Myobrace® is designed to deal with these incorrect myofunctional habits by teaching children to breathe through their nose, rest the tongue correctly in the roof of the mouth, swallow correctly and continue widening the jaws so they grow to their full 109-355 Centre Street NW SS 2 Langdon, AB T0J 1X2 and proper size. This results in sufficient room for the teeth, allowing them to come in naturally straight and often without the COMPLIMENTARY Teeth need forWhitening! braces.
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When you complete a fullThe checkup and cleaning Myobrace®System consists of a series of intra-oral appliThe Myobrace®System is preventive pre-orthodontic treatment ances that are worn for one hour each day plus overnight while that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of crooked sleeping. The appliances assist in correcting poor oral habits teeth, often without the need for braces or extraction of teeth, and expand the arch-form while exerting light forces to align www.langdondental.com unlocking natural growth and development. Treatment is best the teeth and jaws. Separate appliances are used depending on suited to children aged 3 to 15 and involves using a series of the child’s age and type of orthodontic problem. In addition, removable intra-oral appliances that are worn for 1-2 hours each the patient education program, known as Myobrace®Activities, day plus overnight while sleeping. is used to further correct the myofunctional habits causing the incorrect dental and jaw development. The Activities are to be performed twice daily in conjunction with wearing the MyoWhat Myobrace® treatment does: brace® appliance and consist of a series of breathing, tongue, • Corrects poor oral habits swallowing, lip and cheek exercises. • Develops & aligns the jaws • Straightens the teeth Langdon Dental is proud to offer the myobrace. For more in• Optimises facial development formation please contact us at 403 936 8432 or info@langdon• Improves overall health dental.com • Promotes healthy eating habits
Overview
Now open Saturdays!
How does it do this? By helping the child:
• Breathe through the nose • Correct tongue resting position • Swallow correctly • Keep the lips together
How It Works
Waiting until all permanent teeth have come through to begin treatment with braces can unfortunately lead to irreversible damage affecting not only the teeth, but also the child’s overall health and development. Poor myofunctional habits (poor oral habits) are evident before all permanent teeth are present, which means treatment of the causes can begin much earlier than originally thought. This can be as early as three years of age.
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WATER RETENTION There is nothing worse than that bloated, full and fat – that feeling you get when you are retaining fluid. It normally happens to me when I travel – especially after an all-inclusive holiday in Mexico. The long flight down, sitting for hours, and all the margaritas you can drink when you get there, the late nights and the heat. In some women, the monthly rise in estrogen turns on the faucet for the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone, in turn, causes the kidneys to retain fluids and the woman to suddenly gain a few water-filled pounds. While PMS is the major cause of water retention in women, water retention for both men and women can also be related to kidney problems, both serious (kidney disease) and commonplace (not drinking enough water). Heart, liver, or thyroid malfunctions can also play a role in water retention. And, of course, eating too many salty foods can turn your body into a water-storage tank. Some tips for when you get that horrible fat feeling is to drastically reduce your salt intake. Sodium increases fluid retention, so don't use the salt shaker. And if recipes call for salt, try adding more pepper or another spice instead. But, most importantly, cut down on processed foods and fast foods, all of which are overflowing with salt.
TM
Sandstone Pharmacies Langdon Is your Full Service Community Pharmacy. Pharmacies Langdon Our team is Pharmacy. here to serve your needs and offers Sandstone Pharmacies Langdon isSandstone your full service community Is your Full Service Community several services including pharmacy. Our team is here to serve your needsother andvaluable offers serveral Our team is here to serve your needs and offers other valuable services including: several other valuable services including
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Contact us today or book online:
Contact us today 403-966-0294 or Book Online: sandstoneidealtransformations.com and ask about your initial weight and 201,loss 97assessment Centre St SW get on the path to smarter lifestyle choices! Langdon, AB Pharmacy Hours: Mon - Fri: 9am - 7pm. Sat: 9am - 5pm (403) 936-5006 ADDRESS Pharmacy Hours: Closed Fri : Sundays and Holidays Front Store Hours: Sun : Store Hours: Mon Fri: 9am 7pm. Sat: 9am 5pm. Sun: 9am 4pm Mon-Wed : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Mon - Fri : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Langdon Pharmacy Hours: Mon-Wed : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Thur : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Fri : 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Sun/Holidays:Closed
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ADDRESS Front Store Hours: Sun : sandstoneidealtransforma�on.com Mon - Fri : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Langdon about your weight 97 Centre St SW 9:00and AM - ask 9:00 PM Holidays : ini�al 201, Sat : lossClosed assessment. Langdon, AB T0J 1X2 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Phone: (403) 936-5006
9:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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Holidays :
Go ape and grab a few bananas. Slice 'em on your cereal, make a smoothie, or just peel and eat them plain. Bananas contain high amounts of potassium, which helps eliminate fluid retention. Not a banana fan? Gobble down a handful of raisins instead. When ankles puff up, applying an ice pack can help bring them back to normal size. Place ice cubes in a plastic bag with a zipper seal, wrap a light towel around the bag, and apply for five to ten minutes. A bag of frozen veggies also works well. A natural diuretic, cabbage can be added to salads or sandwiches. Enjoy a side of coleslaw for lunch. Another natural diuretic is cranberry juice. Too many rich treats will cause stomachs to bloat. If you've overindulged and are feeling the effects, treat your stomach to a cup of plain, low-fat yogurt that contains active cultures. The active cultures aid in digestion and increase the good bacteria in the gut. When you feel waterlogged, have a big glass of water; it flushes out the system better than anything else and can reduce premenstrual bloating. Drink 8 to 10 glasses a day; more when you exercise. If your water retention is caused by any other medical condition, be sure to ask your doctor before drinking extra water -- it may not be good for you. Also, increase your intake of vitamins A and C; they both help diminish the fragility of capillaries and decrease water retention. Limit alcohol intake and try not to smoke. Stay away from junk food. Not only is it bad for you, but the excess salt tips the scales and try to eat 6 small meals a day, rather than 3 big ones. Kathryn Hartwell
Kerry G. Glass
TAX
&
Professional Corporation
Chartered Professional Accountant
Kerry Glass, CPA, CGA Kerry@kgg-cpa.com
403-901-0260
225C Wheatland Trail, Strathmore facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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“What you think about yourself is much more important than what others think of you.” - Marcus Annaeus Seneca
Let’s Get Inspired
“Self-love seems so often unrequited.” - Anthony Powell
It’s the year for The New You”, this is a great place to get started. Make sure you cut this article out of the magazine and tape it to your refrigerator and read it every single day. Love yourself and believe in yourself and your whole world will change.
“Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.”
Here are 40 quotes to inspire you. Pick one each day to contemplate over its meaning. Enjoy!
“The things we hate about ourselves aren’t more real than things we like about ourselves.” - Ellen Goodman
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” ~ - Buddha
“Love is based on our capacity to trust in a reality beyond fear, to trust a timeless truth bigger than all our difficulties.” – Jack Kornfield
“There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fiber of life, the flame that heats our soul, energizes our spirit, and supplies passion to our lives.”
- Veronica A. Shoffstall
“Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.” - Michel de Montaigne
“Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives. - Louise L. Hay.
- Elisabeth Kubler Ross
“Friendship with oneself is all-important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else.”
“The love you seek is seeking you at this moment.” - Deepak Chopra
- Eleanor Roosevelt
“Your task is not to seek for Love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” - Rumi, thirteenth century Sufi poet
“I am an artist of my own creation. I like myself.” - Sondra Ray
“Something inside you emerges….an innate, indwelling peace, stillness, aliveness. It is the unconditioned, who you are in your essence. It is what you had been looking for in the love object. It is yourself.” - Eckhart Tolle “Find the love you seek, by first finding the love within yourself. Learn to rest in that place within you that is your true home.” - Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
“I love myself for I am a beloved child of the universe and the universe lovingly takes care of me now.” - Louise Hay “You cannot be lonely if you like the person you’re alone with.” - Wayne Dyer “Whatever you are doing, love yourself for doing it. Whatever you are feeling, love yourself for feeling it.” - Thaddeus Golas
“If you aren’t good at loving yourself, you will have a difficult time loving anyone, since you’ll resent the time and energy you give another person that you aren’t even giving to yourself.” - Barbara De Angelis
“Dedicate yourself to Love. Decide to let Love be your intention, your purpose, and your point. And then let Love inspire you, support you and guide you in every other dedication you make thereafter.” – Robert Holden
“The way you treat yourself sets the standard for others.” - Sonya Friedman
“No matter what age you are, or what your circumstances might be, you are special, and you still have something unique to offer. Your life, because of who you are, has meaning.” - Barbara de Angelis
“If we really love ourselves, everything in our life works.” - Louise L. Hay
“To love others, we must first learn to love ourselves.”
“I have had more trouble with myself than with any other man.” - Dwight L Moody
- Anonymous
“To love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.” - Oscar Wilde
“Love is but the discovery of ourselves in others, and the delight in the recognition.” - Alexander Smith “About all you can do in life is be who you are.” - Rita Mae Brown
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” - Maya Angelou
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STRATHMORE DENTURE CLINIC •COMPLETE/PARTIAL DENTURES •SAME DAY RELINES & REPAIR •CUSTOM MOUTHGUARDS •CUSTOM NIGHT GUARDS
Chiropractic, Traditional Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture, Massage Therapy, Reflexology & Customized Facials
We also have a Wellness Store for Health and Beauty products
•NATURAL TEETH WHITENING
Phone: 403-936-2450
Terry Grant Denturist
403.934.3877
413 - 3rd St. Strathmore
#117, 355 Center Street. Langdon | langdonchiroandwellness.com
In theory, I’m an “everything in its place” person, but in reality, I’m an “It landed there, that’s where it lives now” person. Roses are red. Tacos are delicious. I use paper plates because I hate doing dishes. I’m going to start my own YouTube channel just so my kids will start listening to me. Instead of writing LOL, I’m going to start writing SALTS (smiled a little then stopped). It’s more accurate. I’m glad I learned about parallelograms instead of how to do taxes. It really comes in handy during parallelogram season. Son: Dad, did you have YouTube when you were a kid? Me: Yeah, but it was once a week on Sundays for one hour, and it was called America’s Funniest Home Videos.
Betty White was born in 1922. Sliced bread was invented in 1928. Therefore, sliced bread is the greatest thing since Betty White. If you enjoy arguing with someone at the buttcrack of dawn about socks, then I can’t recommend parenting enough. How long is it to useful to carbo load after a super hard cardio workout? Is the answer 3 years? Me: Happy birthday! Friend: You remembered! Me: I’d never forget. (hug) Me: *whispers* thanks Facebook.
Stylz Salon & Spa Mani/Pedi $45 Massage, nails & facials
Ear/Nose Piercing & Eyelash Extensions Phone: 403-934-3940 119-2 Avenue. Strathmore, AB
All Body Hair Removal
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Thank you for voting us GOLD in Best in Cleaning Services for the 4th Year in a ROW!
Ave, Strathmore, AB 403-934-1807 316A 316A 2nd 2nd Ave, Strathmore, AB • 403-934-1807 facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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cuted under the Roman Empire. According to legend, during his imprisonment Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his judge, and before his execution he wrote her a letter signed "Your Valentine" as a farewell. The day first became associated with romantic love within the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the 14th century, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. In 18th-century England, it evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). Valentine's Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.] In Europe, Saint Valentine's Keys are given to lovers "as a romantic symbol and an invitation to unlock the giver’s heart", as well as to children, in order to ward off epilepsy (called Saint Valentine's Malady). Saint Valentine's Day is an official feast day in the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran Church. Many parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church also celebrate Saint Valentine's Day, albeit on July 6 and July 30, the former date in honor of the Roman presbyter Saint Valentine, and the latter date in honor of Hieromartyr Valentine, the Bishop of Interamna. We now celebrate Valentines Day. We celebrate each other and our human. We celebrate our successes and goals achieved and our love for ourselves and each other. Everyone has something to celebrate. Quite often, we get caught up in our miseries and forget to celebrate the good things. February serves as our reminder to find as many good things as we can and celebrate them. We make hearts…hearts everywhere… hearts out of food, and hearts out of paper, hearts out of snow, hearts out of pebbles…hearts, hearts, hearts! It is quite a celebration, and it reminds up of our luck and loves and makes us very grateful. It makes us realize that we should deem every day VALENTINE’S DAY, as a reminder to love ourselves every single day. We have a fun maze to share with you this month, also… can you see the theme? Well, we shall carry on and get some of our own personal foot care done, see you in March. HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY everyone! Until Next month, Make your Footprints Count. Larry and Roger
Happy Valen�ne’s Day! Advanced Foot Care, Reflexology, Reiki, Ionic Foot Cleanse, Raindrop Technique, Meridian Balancing, Balancing with Crystals and Oils, Healing Jewelry. 403.901.9472 | www.enlightenedsoles.ca
THE CHRONICLES OF LARRY AND ROGER:
A Pair of Diabetic Feet
Written by: Vicki L Myhre CPOD (I) CMP PFRP. Enlightened Soles. Internationally Certified Podologist. Registered through the Canadian Examining. Board of Health Practitioners
Love is in the Air! Love is in the Air!!! La la la…
Hello All, Larry here. Roger too, of course. It is February, and Valentines Day is upon us. Lots of people celebrate Valentine’s Day, and lots of people don’t. We think it is so much fun for children. We are older now, but we reminisce about writing the Valentine’s greeting out for each student in our class in our early years. What a wonderful way to promote love for all. And we remember how much fun it was to go through those envelopes and open and read each greeting. So much love all in one big envelope. Roger and I love, love, love to learn things. This year, we thought we would learn about how Valentines Day began and how it evolved. As per Wikipedia, this is how Valentine’s Day came to be. Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. Originating as a Western Christian feast day honouring one or two early saints named Valentinus, Valentine's Day is recognized as a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and romantic love in many regions around the world, although it is not a public holiday in any country. Martyrdom stories associated with various Valentines connected to February 14 are presented in martyrologies, including a written account of Saint Valentine of Rome imprisonment for performing weddings for soldiers, who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians perse-
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CHESTERMERE’S PREMIERE FITNESS AND WEIGHT LOSS DESTINATION!
Moms Should Have A Hobby Moms these days are so very busy, but we're more stressed than ever before and in need of lifestyle choices that help us be happier. Pursuing a hobby may be just the ticket. Here are a few reasons why a hobby is a great idea, even for a busy Mom.
Having a hobby relieves stress and tension Spending time with a hobby replaces negative thoughts and replaces them with positive thoughts and feelings. Having a hobby or creative outlet can lift your spirits and help with depression. Unlike passive activities like television viewing, a hobby provides intellectual stimulation while simultaneously relaxing you. Repetitive actions like those used in knitting are especially calming.
Hobbies help you parent better We are so good at signing our children up for lessons and classes and encouraging them to have hobbies, even paying for these classes and driving them to and fro! But we forget that we also need to learn new things and grow as people. Hobbies also connect you
with other people who share your interests. A hobby can help you maintain your separate identity as a real person and not just as Mom. This models healthy habits and boundaries for our kids.
Hobbies provide a refreshing change from your daily routine If you're a stay at home Mom, you may be frustrated because at the end of the day you can hardly point to anything you've "done". This is because of the repetitive nature of housework and childcare. In generations past, women pursued hobbies like quilting, sewing, knitting, crochet and embroidery not only because they were enjoyable but because they provided tangible value to the family, either providing clothing for their backs or much needed income. Some hobbies like tennnis, gardening or belly dancing can even provide great exercise with all of its accompanying benefits. The best exercise activity is one that combines mind and body and is enjoyable to pursue. Why not carve out some time to pursue your hobby Mom? Don't let a shortage of time stop you. Rearrange your schedule and put YOU back in it, and start carving out time for your favorite pastime. facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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www.crystalridgedental.com DR. ELIZABETH ROBINSON | DR. LEANNE LESNIAK STRATHMORE FAMILY DENTAL SERVICES #11-55 Wheatland Trail. Strathmore | 403.934.9681 uncertainty, we must find another place to stand. And do so with confidence and certainty. It is after all, our responsibility to care for our own safety needs – its our birthright to protect ourselves and the space we are in. Self defense is a similar concept to wearing a seatbelt while in a vehicle. We may not always be able to prevent a collision, but if we have our seatbelts on and are alert and aware, we reduce our risks. Similarly, having self defense skills may not always prevent an assault, but if we have skills and are aware and alert, we can reduce the risks of it happening to us.
“If you carry yourself like you can kick @ss, you will likely never have to.” This was a clever quote from a teen who was part of a self defense training program this past week. She was a bright young woman with great wit and wisdom and her words stand true to remind us of the advantages of conducting ourselves with confidence and esteem.
So, this month, lets carry ourselves like we can kick @ss so that we wont ever need to! Lorna Selig | www.safe4life.ca | 403 701 9037
Whether you are a solo entrepreneur, small business or corporation, there are many ADVANTAGES to being a Member of the Chamber.
As we move about our daily activities, confidence is implied by putting our phones away, walking with shoulders back, heads held high, making eye contact with everyone we meet. These simple behaviours show confidence and give a clear message that we are prepared for anything. It lets others know we notice they are present, and that we are strong and capable. We must be scanning our environment – including our shadow, as we walk and our reflection in store windows to establish who may be in our immediate vicinity. Check in with your intuition – what are you really feeling. If ever you have doubt or apprehension, tune in and trust your gut, which is likely giving the message to take charge and avoid the situation. If it feels like someone is following you, step to the side to let them pass. And do so with authority and empowerment. Resist the urge to feel like you will offend them – your job is to protect yourself, not their feelings. If we are near someone, we must check in with how we feel about standing by that person. If we have any discomfort or
READY TO GET STARTED? Together, we can create a thriving business community.
Phone: 403 901 3175 Email: info@strathmoredistrictchamber.com
www.strathmoredistrictchamber.com facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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& p m a c r Summe n o i t a e r c re
Macaroni Kid presents the 3rd annual
Freseion
Admis gs Swag Ba
EXPO
April 6, 2019
Chestermere Rec Centre
Find your family fun! 10:00am - 3:00pm chestermere.macaronikid.com
chestermere.macaronikid.com strathmore.macaronikid.com
201 West Chestermere Dr
1. What do you call a dinosaur that is sleeping? A dino-snore! 2. What is fast, loud and crunchy? A rocket chip! 3. Why did the teddy bear say no to dessert? Because she was stuffed. 4. What has ears but cannot hear? A cornfield.
Make your own rainbow What you need: - A glass of water - A piece of paper - A window sill What to do: Stand the glass of water on a window sill that is in bright sunlight. Place the sheet of paper on the floor What happens: You see the colours of the rainbow on the paper. Why: You are separating the various colours, the spectrum, that make up white light. When light passes at a slant from the air through the glass of water, the rays change direction-they are "refracted." Each colour bends differently: violet bends the most and red the least. So, when the light comes out of the glass of water, the different colours travel in slightly different directions and strike the sheet of paper at different places. It is the same with a rainbow in the sky. It is simply a curved spectrum, made when sunlight shines through water drops in the air at an angle of between 40 degrees and 42 degrees with the horizon. The water drops bend the sun's rays. The sun has to be behind you if you're going to see a rainbow in the sky. So, you'll only see a rainbow early in the morning, when the sun is shining in the east and showers are falling in the west, or in the late afternoon, when the sun is shining in the west and showers are falling in the east. The arc you see from the ground is just a part of the rainbow. Only if you happen to be flying in a plane will you see a rainbows full circle.
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BVAS 50/50 Tickets Are On Sale Now! Check out our website for more details or contact the main office.
Banquet Hall Rentals and Catering Services
Things Kids Have Learned I've learned that I like my teacher because she cries when we sing 'Silent Night'. - Age 6 I've learned that you can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. - Age 7 I've learned that when I wave to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back. - Age 9 I've learned that just when I get my room the way I like it, Mom makes me clean it up. - Age 13 I've learned that if you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up. - Age14 I've learned that although it's hard to admit it, I'm secretly glad my parents are strict with me. - Age15 I've learned that silent company is often more healing than words of advice. - Age 24 I've learned that brushing my child's hair is one of life's pleasures. - Age 26 I've learned that wherever I go, the world's worst drivers have followed me there. - Age 29
403-936-5474 www.indusrec.ca
Indus is located approximately 15km East of Calgary on Hwy 22x
I've learned that if someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it. - Age 39 I've learned that there are people who love you dearly, but just don't know how to show it. - Age 41 I've learned that you can make some one's day by simply sending them a little card. - Age 44 I've learned that the greater a person's sense of guilt, the greater his need to cast blame on others. - Age 46 I've learned that children and grandparents are natural allies. Age 47 I've learned that singing 'Amazing Grace' can lift my spirits for hours. - Age 49 I've learned that motel mattresses are better on the side away from the phone. - Age 50 I've learned that you can tell a lot about a man by the way he handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. - Age 51 I've learned that keeping a vegetable garden is worth a medicine cabinet full of pills. - Age 52 I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them terribly after they die. - Age 53 I've learned that making a living is not the same thing as making a life. - Age 58 I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance. Age 62 I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands. You need to be able to throw something back. - Age 64 I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you. But if you focus on your family, the needs of others, your work, meeting new people, and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you. - Age 65 I've learned that whenever I decide to do something with kind-
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Thought about using cloth diapers, but don't want the mess - let us take care of it for you!
Issues with your own cloth diapers? We offer professional diaper stripping! We also sell reusable cloth swim diapers!!
Registration for Winter Classes Something for everyone to enjoy
Strathmore’s ONLY Professional Dance Studio
Looking for a local source for cloth diaper accessories? Check out our online shop! calgary@pumpkinsdiaperdelivery.net
403-771-0270
pumpkinsdiaperdelivery.net
ness, I usually make the right decision. - Age 68 I've learned that everyone can use a prayer. - Age 72 I've learned that it pays to believe in miracles. And to tell the truth, I've seen several. - Age 73 I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one. Age 82 I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love that human touch - holding hands a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back. - Age 85 I've learned that I still have a lot to learn. - Age 92
Things to say to your child You are so talented. This will be a great year. You are creative. You are extraordinary. Never give up. You can do this. You are knowledgeable. You are a math whiz. You are intelligent. Proud of you everyday. I love you. You have a brilliant mind. You are wonderful. You are phenomenal. You are a problem solver. Follow your dreams. You are perfect. I am proud of you. You will change the world. You are amazing. You are the best. You are important.
Short term programs Thursday Afternoons Beginning in February
403-901-6392 expressionsthedancegallery.com 126 Canal Garden Strathmore, AB
Spotlight Time Machine You will need - Cardboard square 4in x 4in - Watch or clock - Scissors - Tape - 2 pieces of paper - Pencil The sun is a kind of time machine, as this simple experiment will show. It will only work, however, on a sunny day. What to do: Cut a 1-inch (2 cm) hole in the center of the cardboard square. Tape the square to south-facing window in a position so the spot of sunlight will shine on a clear area of floor. Place the paper where the spot of sunlight hits the floor so that it lands on the paper. Draw a circle around the spot of light and write the time next to it. Continue to watch the sunlight spots every 30 minutes. Use more paper and record the times and movement as you watch. What happens: The spots of light move from left to right and change their positions as the time changes. Why: The earth rotates or turns, from west to east every 24 hours while it travels around the sun. This movement of the earth causes the spot of sunlight to move across one paper and to the next as your part of the earth moves from sunrise to sunset. facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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SUPREME CUISINE!!
Did you know that chocolate is actually good for you? Well, not all chocolate and not too much, of course. But, cocoa contains a compound called pentameric procyanidin, or pentamer, which disrupts cancer cells’ ability to spread. When researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University treated cancer cells with pentamer back in 2005, the proteins necessary for cancer growth were suppressed and the cells stopped dividing. Also, if you eat one dark chocolate bar per week your risk of heart disease will decrease, a 2008 study found. About 6.7 grams of dark chocolate per day keeps the blood inflammation-inducing proteins away.
Since it is February, the month known for chocolate, it is Valentine’s Day after all, as promised, Supreme Cuisine will be sharing chocolate recipes. Throw off tradition this year and make your own chocolate Valentine’s gift for your sweetie. This is the perfect Valentines gift this year!!!
Chocolate Martini
1 ounce vanilla vodka 1 1/2 ounces dark chocolate liqueur 1 1/2 ounces plain soy or skim milk 1/2 ounce chocolate syrup Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake vigorously. Pour mixture into a martini glass, and serve. Free your inner child with these ice cream sandwiches. Use fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt to cut back on fat.
Ginger-chocolate Chunk Ice Cream Sandwiches
2 cups softened vanilla ice cream 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 ounce chopped crystallized ginger 12 chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers Combine 2 cups softened vanilla ice cream (to soften ice cream, transfer it to the refrigerator for about 30 minutes), 1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, and 1 ounce chopped crystallized ginger in a bowl. Stir together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Arrange 6 chocolate wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers (you'll need 12 total) on a baking sheet, and top each with about 1/4 cup of the ice cream mixture. Then lightly press on top cookie. Cover ice cream sandwiches with plastic wrap, and place in the freezer. Freeze sandwiches at least 2 hours before serving. 38 •
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies
You could probably substitute other nut butters, if peanut butter is off your list. Milk Chocolate, Semisweet, Butterscotch or Cappuccino. Try them all to decide which one is your favourite. Ingredients 1 package (12 oz.) Chocolate Chips of choice 1/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) 3 cups crispy rice cereal 1 1/4 cups chopped roasted peanuts (reserve 1/2 cup for sprinkling over top of finished squares) Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch pan with plastic wrap so it hangs over the edges and can easily be lifted out after being filled. Set aside. Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat at medium power (50% or level 5) for 2-2 ½ minutes, stirring well after 1 minute initially, then at 30 second intervals until smooth and chips are completely melted. Stir in 3/4 cup chopped peanuts and gently stir in cereal so as not to crush cereal and until evenly covered with coating. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining chopped peanuts. Refrigerate for about 15-25 minutes or until chocolate has set firmly enough to lift contents out of pan. Cut into small squares. Store covered at cool room temperature or tightly covered in the fridge. All these recipes are quick and easy and perfect for your Valentine’s Day! Next month we will be sharing pork and bacon recipes because March is National PIG month – I’m not kidding! Send your favourite recipes to Kathryn.newsyneighbour@gmail.com
Have a sweet Valentines!!! Kathryn Hartwell
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Langdon, AB
Thursday February 14th 6-7pm Social 7-9:30 TALKs Langdon Firehouse 716 Centre Street Langdon, AB TICKETS $20 online $25 at the door womentalk.ca
Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness. - Oprah Winfrey A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.- Eleanor Roosevelt
If women ran the world we wouldn't have wars, just intense negotiations every 28 days. - Robin Williams No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you. - Muhammad Ali Jinnah
A woman should be like a single flower, not a whole bouquet. - Anna Held
Wedding and Honeymoon Specialist After women, flowers are the most lovely thing God has given the world. - Christian Dior
Thank you Langdon, Chestermere & Strathmore for your support
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Next Issue is....
OUR
ANNUAL
WEDDING Issue
March Issue #137 is our 11th Annual WEDDING Issue! Don’t miss this opportunity to advertise your business in this spectacular issue – the ONLY Wedding Publication to go to Chestermere, Langdon and Strathmore! Advertising Deadline February 18th @ 5:00pm Contact: Denise Geremia @ 403.608.0686 denise@thenewsyneighbour.com IF MONEY WERE NO OBJECT, WHAT'S ABOUT THE MOST YOU COULD PAY FOR A NEW WATCH?
Strange but TRUE Facts
A watch manufacturer named Richard Mille is selling its Caliber RM020 pocket watch for $450,000. It comes in titanium, 18-karat white or red gold. This is pocket change compared to a pocket watch that sold at auction in 1999 for $11,002,500. The one pound and three-ounce, twenty-four-function watch – often referred to as the Mona Lisa of watches – was made by Patek Philippe in about 1930.
QUALITY WORK, PERFORMED BY CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS.
A Tokyo restaurant paid $219,755 – a record – for a Japanese bluefin tuna that weighed 445.33 pounds, or $493.46 per pound. Japanese restaurants that spend six figures on bluefin tuna will charge $22 or more for a sliver of the fish, which, if prepared properly, will melt in your mouth and be gone before you know it. But these high prices for bluefin may be a thing of the past. The Japanese, who have a long reputation for eating seafood are eating less of it these days. Monthly household spending on seafood has dipped by 23 percent since 2000.
HOW MUCH WILL SOME PEOPLE PAY FOR A FISH?
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THANK YOU
Vision Travel has become synonymous with personalized, trustworthy service, convenience, and of course value for over 65 years. SAME GREAT ADVISORS. DIFFERENT NAME. Your trusted travel advisors, Mathilda, Danica, Carol-Ann, and Jolene are always here for you, and we truly thank you for your continued support.
less, exercise more, and stay home more. While we're at home, we have more time to prepare meals, which tend to be healthier than the ones we order in restaurants. Healthier eating leads to fewer heart attacks. We also drive less, and because of that, there are fewer traffic fatalities. Less business activity during recessions means fewer on-the-job accidents and less pollution. Credit card debt decreases. Buying fewer things also means we generate less trash, and that lengthens the lives of landfills. College enrollment grows as the unemployed seek to make themselves more marketable. Thrift, craft, and grocery store sales increase.
CAN BLIND PEOPLE SEE ANYTHING WHEN THEY DREAM? Mostly, no. People who lose their vision before age five rarely see images when they dream. Those who lose their vision after age five see more, though less and less as they age.
HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO AMERICANS SHOW UP IN A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM BECAUSE THEIR CAT OR DOG CAUSED THEM TO FALL? About 237 times – or about 86,600 times a year. Nearly 88 percent of the injuries involved dogs, and nearly seven out of ten injuries involved girls or women. The actual number of pet-related injuries is much greater, the researchers say, because the numbers in this study do not include trips to doctors' offices,
only hospital emergency rooms.
FACT 1.
Appearing in a tampon commercial at age nineteen, actress Courteney Cox became the first person to say the word "period"' in that context on American television.
FACT 2. In 2006, William Shatner
was paid $25,000 by an online casino for a kidney stone he had recently passed.
FACT 3.
Charlie Chaplin once placed third in a Charlie Chaplin lookalike contest.
VOLKS TECH APPLIANCE SERVICE Quality Service Since 1996 Call: 403.863.0213
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Shaken & Stirred
Ask us about our eco green products
Marcy enjoys helping others experience the joy in life. She started Mountain Lion Leadership, in 2003. As a leadership & community advocate, she is actively involved with organizations & businesses working to aid growth and development. This is combined with a passion to see women grow both personally & professionally whatever their stage of life. Contact Marcy: marcy@mlleadership.com. Follow Marcy on Twitter @MarcyLField to my profile.
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The loudest sound on Earth is my child asking an inappropriate question about another customer at the grocery store. Dear Sneeze, If you’re going to happen, HAPPEN. Don’t just put a stupid look on my face then just leave.
"United we stand, divided we fall" is a well-known quote. Originally attributed to Aesop, a 6th Century Greek storyteller, it reportedly first appears in his fable The Four Oxen and The Lion. A lion used to prowl about a field in which four oxen used to dwell. Many a time he tried to attack them, but whenever he came near, they turned their tails to one another so that whichever way he approached them he was met by the horns of one of them. At last, however, they fell a-quarrelling [sic] among themselves, and each went off to pasture alone in the separate corner of the field. Then the Lion attacked them one by one and soon made an end of all four.
The Problem - There are those that profit from creating division Politicians and media love a fight. There is no better news story than an issue clearly split down the middle. This enables the reader to counter the emotionally charged views of one side with an emotionally charged opposite while claiming fairness and balance. Society is drawn into the vortex, where the vitriol is absorbed and spread. I value good journalism. Currently, 24/7/365 news cycles inundate us with content created to solicit emotional responses instead of providing objective reporting. In addition, headlines create enticing clickbait.
Eat cake. It’s somebody’s birthday somewhere.
A Lesson for Canadians to Learn Why does society persist in repeating its mistakes? Why would we want to? George Bernard Shaw wrote, "If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience." Stepping back from manufactured political angst, I recognize the privilege it is to live in Canada. In the 2019 Best Countries Ranking, Canada is #1 for Quality of Living and 42 •
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#3 Overall out of 80 countries. The Quality of Life subranking is based on an equally weighted average on the following attributes: • affordable • a good job market • economically stable • family friendly • income equality • politically stable • safe • a well-developed public education system and • a well-developed public health system. Additionally, in the 2019 Safety Index of 117 countries, Numbeo ranks Canada 45 while the United States falls significantly lower at 74. Furthermore, based on data from Trading Economics, Canadians have a lower personal tax rate with better health coverage. Here are a few Personal Tax Rates in the G20 as of December 2018: • Japan - 55.95% • Australia - 45% • Switzerland - 40% • United States - 37% • Mexico - 35% • Canada - 33%
An Opportunity to Stand United
ed development knowing Alberta is a landlocked province. Believing and proposing Alberta separate enables us to wield more power in this situation lacks awareness of all that is at play. Like those who vote for tax cuts while demanding increased government spending and balanced budgets, a vote in favour of something doesn't mean it's possible. The problem is when politicians pick sides and gather around the polar ends of any debate — even when the debate is an unhelpful construct — the middle, where compromises and wise economic solutions are usually found, becomes an empty room and citizens suffer. Additionally, it is important to know that international law decrees a province cannot issue a unilateral declaration of independence unless that province is a colony or basic rights and personal freedoms are being systematically violated. Instead, imagine a world where people express their opinions civilly and listen to the thoughts of others with open minds. A place where people dig deeper to seek the bigger picture of what is happening instead of being emotionally swayed by carefully constructed hyperbole. Canada - a place where we stand united for the good of all.
Yes, there is always room for improvement. Perhaps, rather than repeating and bringing home problems currently Kori-Lynn facKori-Lynn CorbinCorbin ing other countries (i.e. the United States, the United KingMortgage Mortgage Specialist Specialist dom, Spain), we focus on Canadians values. We workStrathmore on Strathmore & Area & Area building on our strengths of inclusion, cultural diversity and innovation. The ability to deepen discussions and understanding of Mobile:Mobile: 587-582-5111 587-582-5111 complex constructs enables us to grow as a society. It takes Fax: 403-934-5351 Fax: 403-934-5351 us past emotional reactions to informed decisions. Do not Email: kcorbin@atb.com confuse reality with a perception of reality. It is time to Email: see kcorbin@atb.com the bigger picture and realize Alberta is facing problems with deep roots in a global industry. American money fundfacebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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MartinSHIELDS,MP
CONSTITUENCY OFFICES: Strathmore – Box 2070, 129 2nd Ave, Strathmore, AB. T1P1K1 Hours: Tuesday – Friday 9am – 4pm
Phone: 403-361-2980
fax: 403-361-2989 mar�n.shields.c1b@parl.gc.ca Brooks office: 1-844-241-0020 mar�n.shields.c1@parl.gc.ca www.mar�nshieldsbowriver.ca
Please contact our office:
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clothes make-out scene in the rain, a passionate fight about how “things aren’t like they used to be”, and the tragic death of at least someone near and dear to the characters, and there you have it. I give you your typical, best-selling romance plotline. “Really, Nick …?” At another time in my life, I would have dramatically rolled my eyes, scoffed at the unoriginal format of each plot line, and perhaps wouldn’t even have finished the films out of defiance for the lovelorn and desperate world I live in; however, things were different now. The sole fact that I watched three of Sparks’ movies‒ alone and late at night, no less‒ goes to show you that this time around, things were different. So, I responded in the sappiest and utterly pathetic way: I sat there and I BAWLED. I’d heard people talk about “ugly crying” during a movie, but this was over the top. Not because I’d cried after one that had struck a particular chord with me, but I’d SOBBED after all three. I was 18 years old for goodness’ sake and I was sobbing after a movie. This was no 13 Hours or The Boy in
What I learned from watching 3 Nicholas Sparks movies within 24 hours By Sabrina Kooistra
Well, my first thought is perhaps not what you’d think. “Come on, Nick. I think we can do better next time.” In such close order, the framework of most of Nicholas Sparks’ work became all too obvious it was almost embarrassing. If you are unfamiliar with these movies, fear not. Here is a short summary (I put in the time so you don’t have to … you’re welcome): First is setting the stage for your stereotypical forbidden romance. To fit this title, you’ve got to have two people, preferably young people who met in high school. Second, there has to be some major ongoing tension causing the characters to be mentally and/or physically absent: torn apart by war, family feuding, abuse, or socioeconomic status‒ pick your poison. Of course, this tension magnifies the couple’s love and/or infatuation for one another. It’s uncontrollable, seemingly unattainable by outsiders, and it’s fiery, making them virtually inseparable. Throw in a soaked
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the Striped Pajamas. This was 2004’s rendition of a regurgitated Romeo and Juliet. I’ll be honest, I’ve never met Nicholas Sparks, so I can’t necessarily speculate on his motives; however, I can’t deny the fact that he’s got a pretty good gig going with this whole romantic drama business. He’s managed to captivate and maintain the attention of passionate young lovers, long-time married couples, and naturally, the desperately lonely single people. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, those kissing in the rain scenes and passionate proclamations of love are pretty much as good as it gets for both entertainment value and for, you know, visualizing my own somewhat unrealistic dreams… I’ll spare you the details… But the simple fact that I don’t live in North Carolina and it isn’t the 90s, I’m not smitten with a good-looking widow from a beach town, and I sure as heck haven’t been blessed with old Southern money just proves that these movies are pretty much just two and a half hours of pure escapism. And as you can imagine, I was pretty much an immediate super-fan of the whole franchise. While it was embarrassingly predictable in some senses, I wanted to figure out exactly why people are so drawn to these books and movies. It had to be more than just the make-out scenes. That sort of thing gets old eventually. So, what was it? Could it be passion? There was plenty of that‒ it doesn’t take a genius to figure that one out. I was convinced it The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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wasn’t just that, though. Could it be compatibility? In the case of The Notebook and The Best of Me, a test of social and economic compatibility would have rendered them impossible, and in the eyes of their parents, their romance was utterly inconceivable: these were matters of white trash versus old money and that isn’t the most homogeneous pair. I’d like to think this wasn’t a gold digger situation, but you never know… But after giving this some thought, I arrived at a conclusion: I became convinced that it was a delicate blend of both compatibility and passion. Money, power, and success always help the initial process of attraction, but they definitely don’t sustain a relationship, or a healthy one at least. I knew that intimacy ensured longevity for these characters, but ultimately, passion and emotional compatibility were what rendered them perfect. You can probably appreciate what I found most profound about watching these films in such close order: those six and a half hours of sobbing weren’t caused by the realization that I didn’t have a boyfriend to hold my hand and take me to the state fair. I had realized that I wanted Ryan Gosling‒ I mean, Ryan Gosling is taken now, but like second best, I guess‒ to lean against his truck and tell me that he wanted to fight for us, and even after the passing of decades with one another, we would still be able to admit that we are “crazy about each other” (The Notebook). So, if there’s one important thing I learned, it’s this: love is about patience, fighting for what’s worth fighting for, and working to create something that outlasts sickness, aging, and time itself. And you deserve that. You deserve to feel treasured, you deserve to feel safe, and you deserve something that’s priceless, just like Noah and Allie from The Notebook. We all do. Knowing that these emotions aren’t conjured by our own delirious minds or a mere fairytale and are in fact provided lovingly by another person is a bold statement that you are not alone. So, this goes out to all you who live in a world where romcoms are real (welcome to the darkness, my friends). If there’s anything Hollywood has taught us it’s this: somewhere and someday you will find that one person who wants to spend the rest of their life treasuring you. A person who will one day say, “I want you. I want all of you, forever. You and me” (again, The Notebook), and they’re not far away. Well, here come the waterworks, folks. So, if some guy wants to venture on a quest to rescue me from a castle or maybe, like, build our dream house and wait decades for me … I think I’d be okay with that. You just give him my number, okay? I’ll be waiting...
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At Coldwell, we are real people serving real people.
Traditionally, there were superstitions for every nook and cranny of the home, and taking certain precautions or watching for omens was a way of life. Despite the way our homes and lifestyles have changed over the centuries, a surprising number of superstitions persist.
With the right insurance in place, you know you have peace of mind no matter what happens to you. We at, Coldwell Agencies pride ourselves on providing solutions to our customers’ insurance needs. We provide professional insurance advice and problem solving. Our expertise is in home, automobile, farm and commercial insurance. We’re committed to you and your family’s peace of mind. Call one of our experienced agents today at (403) 934-3221 and let Coldwell Agencies demonstrate our dedication to delivering quality insurance policies.
Moving to a New Home
When something begins well, it gives us confidence that things will continue that way. Beginnings are therefore often seen as significant in their own right. This belief makes superstitious people work hard to create good luck right from the outset of a new venture. As moving into a house or apartment marks a beginning, there are many superstitions surrounding the events involved in moving into a new home. Some people believe that things beyond our control, such as the weather, can affect the future luck of a household. It is said to be bad luck to move on a rainy day, for example, yet there is little anyone can do to prevent rain. You can, however avoid moving on a Friday, which is said to be an unfortunate day for many activities.
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Floor Plan
If you live in an apartment building, you should try to avoid moving to another apartment on a lower floor in the same building. This may be a superstitious way to prevent yourself from "going down in the world." You don't need to worry about this belief, however, when you are moving to a different building.
Coal, Bread, Salt...and a New Broom
When moving into a new home, it is often thought to be a good idea to take some staples of life with you, such as coal, bread, and salt. Coal signifies warmth, bread represents food, and salt has a number of practical uses. Salt is a mild antiseptic and a food preservative, but it also has a ritual significance as a purifier. So, for an auspicious start to life in a new home, salt is sprinkled in the hearths and the corners of every room in the house and sometimes specifically by children, presumably because they also symbolize purity. Other superstitions recommend bringing a loaf of bread and a new broom to your new home. The bread symbolizes food and plenty, but the broom is a symbol for sweeping out the old spirits or any bad luck left behind by the previous owners. Remember, though, that to bring good luck it must be a new broom, never an old one. This may be related to a belief that leaning a broom against a bed will cause evil spirits to leap from between its bristles and cast a spell on the bed. It was also believed that leaning a broom in a corner would bring strangers to the house - not always a good thing.
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Cats and the New Home
A tradition that originated in the United States is to put the family cat into the new house for the first time through the window
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rather than the door. This is said to prevent your beloved feline from running away. Another tactic is to butter the cat's paws, which usually has the effect of making it stay at least until it has licked them clean, by which time it has hopefully adjusted to its new home. In Ireland, a country seemingly steeped in ritual and superstition, up until the twentieth century, it was considered unlucky to take a cat from an old home to a new one. This tradition, sadly, probably resulted in many cats being turned out of their homes.
Planting for Protection
You can safeguard your home from various calamities, including storms, witchcraft, and vermin, by using plants. Plant garlic on the thatch over the door to ward off general unpleasantness and things that go bump in the night. Not moving into a thatched cottage? Don't panic. Instead, nail a branch of evergreen to new rafters once you have moved in, to bring good luck and protection. Houseleeks, or liveforever (Sempervivum tectorum), when planted on the walls and roof of a house, have been believed to protect against thunder and lightning since at least the middle of the sixteenth century. Houseleeks are still used in herbal remedies to cool fevers and burns, so it may be this property that is, by extension, thought to give the herb its power over lightning.
Carrying the Bride
Another very well-known superstition involving beginnings is the tradition of carrying a bride over the threshold of her marital home, mentioned as far back as the first century by the Greek historian Plutarch. Whoever entered the home first would be the master of it, so carrying the bride over the threshold ensures that both parties enter the house at the same time and, therefore, creates an equal partnership in the home. Alternatively, it may be a tactic to prevent the woman from coming into contact with the evil spirits that often lurked under the threshold. It is also thought unlucky if the bride stumbles when entering her new home, and being carried definitely avoids that possibility, too. It seems unlikely that the tradition of carrying the bride over the threshold would have continued unbroken from Plutarch's time. It may have been rediscovered in classic literature, however, and the tradition was revived at some point since the Middle Ages.
Gifts for the New Home Owners
It is traditional for people visiting you for the first time in your new home to bring such gifts as coal, with its association with warmth. Coal is a favourite among the superstitious as a suitable gift. A knife, however, is frowned upon because it might "cut love," or cause a quarrel. If you do give someone a knife as a present, they must always gift you with a coin at the same time, to ensure that you do not "sever" the friendship.
All Things Shiny
In parts of the United Kingdom it is believed that when a storm is imminent, all reflective surfaces in the house need to be covered. This may have begun with a modicum of logic because metal objects do attract lightning. The superstition may simply have extended to a concern with all shiny things. Mirrors, cutlery, and even jugs or pitchers of water are dutifully covered by the superstitious during a storm. Another tradition is to put metal items, such as fire tongs, into the fire during a storm.
STRATHMORE PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
March 30-April 5, 2019 Registration Deadline: February 1, 2019 Classes include musical theatre, voice, piano, instrumental, concert band, choir or ensemble. SHOWCASE CONCERT Tuesday, April 9, 2019 7pm at the Strathmore Alliance Church www.StrathmorePAF.Weebly.com StrathmorePAF@gmail.com
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Leela
SHARON AHEER
MLA Chestermere - Rocky View We now offer Commissioner For Oaths services (Free!)
PLEASE CALL 403-700-5437 FOR APPOINTMENT
Phone: 403-207-9889 Fax: 403-216-2225 Chestermere.RockyView@assembly.ab.ca
CONSTITUENCY OFFICE: 215, 175 Chestermere Sta�on Way, Chestermere, AB T1X 0G1
A little bit of everything
Gaylene is a Strathmore resident that has trouble taking life seriously and can usually be found making inappropriate or sarcastic remarks around town much to the embarrassment of her family and friends. (of which she has both – honest!)
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Whoa! Put the popcorn down, princess. What in the World of Disney is a guy doing sneaking up and kissing an unconscious woman? Hey, Snow White – that mouse poop isn’t romantic. It’s creepy and stalker-ish and just wrong. And so, what if the prince did save you from eternal slumber? That isn’t a reason to tie your life to his. Let me tell you: in the real world, if I had been working my fingers to the bone, cleaning house for seven slobs, I sure as heck wouldn’t want to kiss the person that woke me up! Heck no! And can we take a moment and talk about Cinderella? I get that she was oppressed by the Steps but really, her only way out relied on a fairy godmother (FG) that made her “beautiful” enough for the Prince to fall in love? Don’t you think it would have been more empowering for FG to hook Cindy up with a killer resume? Cindy would get a job in hospitality and tourism and then catch the eye of the Prince as an independent businesswoman who would kindly say “thanks but no thanks – Megan might be willing to give up her career for a tiara, but I’m going to pass.”
The current divorce rate in Alberta is about 40% and I know whose fault it is. Walt Disney. That’s right; I firmly believe that Waltmouse-loving-Disney has conditioned so many of us from a tender young age to believe love is all about “happy ever after,” that our expectations are so unrealistic we don’t know what we are looking for.
And as for Ariel. Really girlfriend, you are going to give up your most prized position for a dude you haven’t
See, I am a vintage Sunday evening Disney Hour watching girl. I grew up knowing that every Sunday at 6:00 p.m. I would be curled up with a tub of popcorn waiting for Tinkerbell to smack the fairytale castle with pixie dust, knowing that for the next hour, good would defeat evil; stepsisters would be smacked down, dragons would be slain - birds would sing while creating couture, deer would frolic with skunks and yes – the prince would ride up on his white steed and rescue the princess. Much to my brothers’ chagrin, there always would be a kiss, resulting in more singing birds, followed by happily ever after. 48 •
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even spoken to – and that’s right – you aren’t going to be able to speak to because you gave up your frick’n voice because the guy has a nice arse and good hair? Honey, you do know he’s going to end up like an old tire – bald on top and round around the middle? The looks don’t last, so you gotta look past them. Trust me, going out with a guy who digs you because you don’t speak your mind isn’t the way to happy ever after. Now Jasmine went for the bad boy and we all know how that ends in reality. Three kids, a monkey and no child support. Mulan fell for a chauvinist that insisted “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”. Come on, you know that years of marriage counselling wouldn’t bring anything but shame to her ancestors. Now Belle I can almost get behind – I too am a sucker for a man with a big dictionary and book collection but I sure as heck would be swapping the tantrums for a library card. All the stories – none of the drama! And for what – oh ya, Happy Ever After. Walt, what were you thinking? And why is it that the Disney Princesses “lived happily ever after” with their Prince but we never get to see what happily ever after really is? You know I’m going to tell you, right… because happy ever after isn’t a perpetual party with birds singing and fairy godmothers frolicking after cherub-like children while the prince and princesses stare into each other’s star-filled eyes. No happy ever after, or at least my happy every after, includes staring into my husband’s bloodshot eyes over a pile of laundry while our “cherubs” fight over who’s turn it is to unload the dishwasher because dam it all Walt, wildlife doesn’t come and clean my house and I need a nap! I don’t have a fairy godmother that can magically bibbity-bobbity-boo the extra weight I’ve gained away. If Tinkerbell flittered past, I am apt to smack her with a fly swatter. You see, my fairytale love story didn’t start with Once Upon a Time in a land far-far-away. No, it
Founded in 2011, the Chestermere Chamber of Commerce provides an avenue for businesses in the community to create a positive business environment and essentially exists to make the community a better place in which to live. The Chamber works closely with its municipal government and peaks for the business community at public hearings, the media and behind closed doors. It is the "United voice of Chestermere business".
READY TO GET STARTED?
Join The Chamber TODAY! Phone: 403 770 9680
Email: info@chestermerechamber.com
www.chestermerechamber.com started with friends that became best friends until one day they got married and lived happily ever after in a house that needs dusting, with two dogs that don’t magically speak, a cat that is apt to kill any singing bird instead of joining the chorus and two amazing sons who had better not think all they need to find their happy ever after is a white horse, good hair and a big sword.
All Licensed Technicians Furnace Replacement, Repairs and Maintenance, Air Condi�oning, Underground Gaslines, Garage & Shop Hea�ng, Air Cleaners, Humidifiers, Gaslines.
Thank you!! We won Bronze in the Readers Choice Best in Business!
Call Cur�s @ (403) 934-4957 www.cur�sgasfi�ng.ca Proudly serving Wheatland County since 1997! facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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I am sure you have all heard the old saying, “Plant the good seeds, in the good ground, do the good work and collect a good harvest.” This reigns so true in every aspect of life; even if you are not familiar with farming, there is a sense of pride and honour that comes with this line of work.
IGHBOU NE R Reader’s Choice in
I truly believe we should all have this same attitude when it comes to our businesses, jobs and our communities this attitude grows a sense of ownership and pride.
Z AGA INE M
E NEW SY TH
We are 4 RE/MAX First Real Estate Professionals DEDICATED to working together and licensed in Residential, Rural, Commercial and Condos. We are here to help our clients reach ALL their real estate goals. Contact us: reps.remax@ gmail.com. www.the-reps.
BUSINESS
Winner 2016-2017
As I am in the middle of raising my kids right now in a highly technical world, we are constantly trying to teach them the importance of connecting and communication as well as showing how this will grow into formed habits that ultimately reflect how they will treat their future customers, clients, family and friends.
Why do I drive like I can afford a ticket? Some days I amaze myself. Others, I look for my phone while holding it. When you thought everything would be easy peasy lemon squeazy, but it’s actually difficult difficult lemon difficult. PH: 403.272.9976
TRUST YOUR
LOCAL EXPERTS
We Live, Work & Play in Chestermere 85-300 Marina Dr, Chestermere, AB ®
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A long time ago, I heard a saying that I LOVE and anyone that knows me personally has heard me say it: "How you do anything is how you do everything.” Respect and customer service are the foundations of any business; when businesses hire staff, they are hiring the FACE of their business, so we need to make sure that the future generations are equipped to have that responsibility. This will be the reason that people choose to support your small business and avoid the online world— CONNECTION!
Communities are founded on the hard work and vision of entrepreneurs, the passion and dedication of volunteerism. I have always been a lover of small business - loving everything local and supporting likeminded people - I am proud to be a cheerleader of the small business community, Alberta and Canada. It is the foundation that our Country and Province are founded on - #albertastrong. The 3rd week in January was the 4th annual Newsy Neighbour Best in Business Awards - this year was unique and extra special, as the Strathmore and District Chamber of Commerce co-hosted this amazing celebration of our region’s businesses and volunteers. As an ambassador for small business, I can’t even put into words how it feels to see a room full of passionate business owners taking the time to cheer each other on. Not only their own accomplishments, but also their neighbours and even competitors — I love seeing what different business owners bring The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
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to their staff, to their clients and customers as well as our overall communities and region…. most of all PRIDE!!!!
TIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE— BE who you want on the other side of the till!
So, if you weren’t there —I have a question for you… Why?
So along with that comes without saying: be a part of your community.
Whenever you can have an amazing group of passionate people in a room vested in your business, YOU should be there! AND when you have had people that take the time to nominate you or your business, and then take the time vote for your business — I urge you to take that opportunity to stand up and say THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Please go to the event or at least send someone to represent you. This is a perfect time chat with people, introduce yourself, shake handstand SHARE what you have to offer!
I think organizations, such as service clubs, Chambers of Commerce, etc., are the pillars and foundations of longstanding business – I can’t stress enough the importance of utilizing these programs in your community - reach out, network and go when events are hosted - big or small!
You never know who is looking for what you have!! Before the Internet, before online shopping, even before Walmart was in Canada, this was the only way I was able to connect and truly put my best foot forward and let people, my clients and my community know what I had to offer in my storefront. It’s intimidating in this day and age for customers to enter a boutique for the first time. Now, more than ever, it is important to open the door and welcome them in, take the guess work out let them know YOU WANT them to come through the door … even if just to say hi! This is all part of having EXCEP-
So, from the Macbook of Christa Aleman and the Crew of The REPs Group… #lovelocal #lovewhereyoulive
Serge Grenier Call: (403) 589-2488 email: sg.eastside@gmail.com
✔ Personal & Corporate Taxes ✔ Bookkeeping & Payroll ✔ Sub-Contractor GST Filing Located in Langdon Pick up and Drop off service available facebook.com/TheNewsyNeighbour
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Leela Sharon Aheer MLA I am thrilled to be part of the Newsy Neighbour Family. While I do not have the honour of representing Strathmore residents and those of you in Wheatland County you may contact Independent MLA Derek Fildebrandt. Please connect with his office at 403-934-4400 or Strathmore.Brooks@ assembly.ab.ca.
Hello Newsy Neighbour readers! I have to start this article with a huge shout out to two incredible women! Aleesha and Denise, our Newsy Neighbour goddesses, have done it again with an incredible and successful night of awards, shining a big, beautiful light on local businesses. The Newsy Neighbour Magazine hosted the 4th Annual Best in Business Awards Gala at a packed Civic Centre in Strathmore. This year, the Strathmore Chamber joined the Newsy crew as co-hosts and the incredible ladies from the Real Estate REPs pitched in to help. They forgot their popcorn but maybe that’s a good thing as it left more room for the delicious food from the Langdon Firehouse Bar & Grill. It was great to see businesses from Strathmore, Langdon, Chestermere and area being honoured for their great products and services and also their charitable activities in the community. Speaking of honours, I was honoured to be invited to speak about these businesses that help make our communities a wonderful place to live and raise a family. To all of you, a warm and grateful thank you. It is people like you that help and give back so much to your communities that help us through economic downturns, and the friendly competition makes us all better. I would like to debunk some concerning misrepresentations coming from the present provincial NDP Government. You keep hearing that the UCP is going to make huge cuts to public services in the area of 20% or more depending on which NDP Cabinet Minister or MLA is talking. I sometimes do not know whether to laugh or cry, but I can guarantee you that this has never been discussed or even considered amongst our caucus, or by our leader. This statement is false and what’s more, the NDP knows it is false. We do believe that there are efficiencies that can be found, in fact we know that there are, and I would hope any government would be looking to find those efficiencies so that necessary dollars are ending up actually at the front lines, providing necessary services to Albertans. It is your money, after all. We are simply stewards, who I hope will spend it wisely on your behalf. We also were treated to this from NDP Environment Minister Shannon Phillips who said when speaking about our UCP candidates, and I quote, “White supremacists make 52 •
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BEST PRICES IN CHESTERMERE
SHOW HOMES NOW OPEN! TOWNHOMES & ATTACHED HOMES
SKYLAR HOMES LAKE DISTRICT, CHESTERMERE
#255 Kinniburgh Rd • 587-324-2252 • SkylarLiving.ca great campaigners and racists make good candidates.” I had to read that one twice! It is incredible to me that these are the people at the helm of our province currently and I know the election will get messy, but we will not participate in this type of straw-man rhetoric and innuendo. We believe in democracy, and we believe in that if we work hard, stay humble, stay positive and present common-sense policies, we will earn your trust and your vote. Of course, with the election coming, we are looking to raise money for the campaign. The VoteLeela team is all-volunteer but we need to pay for literature, signs, hall rentals, etc. Here’s a way to show your support and have a great evening out. Get a head start on Valentine’s Day by coming to our “All That Political Jazz” fundraiser on February 9 at the Dockside Pub on Chestermere Lake. Bring your special someone and enjoy a delicious steak dinner with wine, a silent auction, some great conversation, and jazz standards performed by Yours Truly. I will sing for your supper! Tickets are $85 per person but you will get a $50 tax receipt. Tickets are limited and available at Eventbrite.ca (search “Leela”). Call 587-429-6465 for further information. (The fine print: authorized by the Chestermere-Strathmore UCP Constituency Association, Chestermere-Strathmore@unitedconservative.ca).
SKYLAR HOMES LAKE DISTRICT, CHESTERMERE
Do you ever look at old photos and think, where did that shirt go?? If you love someone, set them free. If they come back, it means nobody else loved them. Set them free again. They say you’re only as old as you feel. I think I may be an exhumed mummy or something. Parenting was a much easier when I was raising my non-existent children hypothetically. I wish I was the person I thought I could be when I bought all this produce. Sometimes, I think I’m pretty intelligent. Other times, I email reminders to myself and then go read my newly-arrived message before remembering it’s actually from me.
Look for me at your door in the next few weeks. I love meeting all of you and getting your input. The coming election will be historic and your voice matters.
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BUSINESS BYTES
Twitter and Instagram. You can then decide which one is worth your time and effort in 2019. This month, let’s start with LinkedIn, which was originally designed for job seekers. People looking to make a career change would set-up a profile that read like a resume and company pages were full of facts and figures intended to garner the interest of those looking for new positions. Over the years, it has evolved into a place where major cor-
Jill Crossland is a Business & Marketing Consultant with over twenty years of business experience. She is the owner of Jill Crossland Consulting & editor of Entrepreneurial-Life Magazine. From business strategizing to marketing plans and social media, Jill knows how to put the pieces in place for her clients. jill@jbcrossland.com | 403 901 6147 https://entrepreneurial-life.today
Is LinkedIn Right For You? While many social media managers would have you believe your business MUST be on all or the majority of social media platforms, this is not actually true. Nor is it efficient or helpful for your company’s growth. Two to three well managed and up-to-date platforms will market you and your business sufficiently. Last year I wrote a number of articles covering Facebook because frankly, Facebook is popular in Southern Alberta. Over the next few articles, I will provide an in-depth look at LinkedIn, Google Business, Pinterest, 54 •
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BROKER DELEGATE
TAMARA DESJARDINS 403-874-6486
DEB MURRAY 403-325-0372
GAIL SCHMIDT 403-993-4550
LARS LEHMANN 403-585-3389
CRAIG LANGLOIS 403-630-0384
SHERYL JOHNSTON 403-923-6774
JENS LEHMANN 403-540-0201
TAMMY LAMBERT 403-934-0937
LYNMARIE NEUFELD 587-717-0663
HEATHER O’NEILL 587-582-4408
AUDRA REAINHARDT 403-325-0744
MARKUS LEHMANN 587-727-1047
S T R AT H M Office ORE 403-902-0440
1051, 100 Ranch Market, Strathmore, AB
porations, small to medium business owners, solo entrepreneurs and still that someone looking for work gather. LinkedIn is where you don’t have followers; instead, you make connections. So it is for you? If your business name is your name, or you offer professional services as in being an accountant, lawyer, consultant or if people strongly identify more with you than your company name yes, you should be on LinkedIn. It will increase your findability on all the search engines. Don’t get me wrong; ideally, all business owners are on LinkedIn but a stagnant profile isn’t going to accomplish anything. LinkedIn calls for a commitment of at least updating a few times a week. You need to tell your story, not merely education and career highlights, have current contact info, respond to messages, and reach out to both potential new contacts and known associates. Your profile photograph should be a clear headshot of just you. Think of everything you put on there in the context of an online networking event. To increase reach and credibility, LinkedIn means a commitment to share or write interesting content and tips about your industry; also by joining and participating in group discussions based on your interests or current business field you can ‘meet’ people outside of your immediate location.
Simply put, LinkedIn provides you with the opportunity to drive website traffic, find leads, and establish B2B relationships. You can even create a business page from your profile page, but that too will require nurturing and ongoing updates. If you need to grow your business in Calgary or even further, this work can be of great benefit; however, if your 2019 goals are more customer-centric and short to the point posts stick to the faster paced social media platforms.
Sticky's Maintenance Services • Commercial, Residential & Condos • Snow Clearing • Fall Clean-ups Travis Boersema - 403-901-9810 Office - 403-324-3700
travis@stickys.ca
www.stickys.ca
Now accepting credit cards
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