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Prepping for basic emergencies doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be a huge expense. I work with many people who immediately get that dear in the headlights look when the topic is preparing families for emergencies.
Prepping for basic emergencies can be as easy as taking a trip to your local grocery or big box store.
Nobody likes to be stuck in the dark. These items are inexpensive and will make getting through an emergency a much safer experience.
Water is your friend, boys and girls. Make sure you have 1 gallon of water per person per day. More if you are hoping to flush toilets, or brush your teeth.
I’d suggest a LifeStraw water filter that can easily fit into a backpack.
Ready to eat, shelf stable foods.
Quick and easy is the name of the game. Peanut butter. Crackers. Those ready to eat packets of tuna. Again, things you can pick up a little at a time each time you make a grocery run.
As a BIG fan of Freeze Dried Meals in emergency situations, the Mountain House Just in Case Essential Bucket is one of my favorites. Unlike many other buckets of this kind, Mountain House has put together a trio that even my kids will eat. You’ll need a way to heat water to add to these meals. Don’t forget the matches!
Don’t be stuck spraying your sweet patoot clean with a honey bear filled with cold water unless the apocalypse really is in full swing. Until then stock up on the TP.
After Hurricane Harvey, toilet paper was listed as one of the 6 most sought after items. Hurricane survivors underestimated how much toilet paper they needed to make it through the aftermath. Toilet paper is used every day and when it runs out, things can get disgusting……quickly.
Duct tape is truly the stuff miracles are made of. In case you need some inspiration check out our post on this glorious product.
Line a 5 gallon bucket with a contractor bag for an emergency potty.
Cover broken or blown out windows after an earthquake.
Here are more ways to use these versatile bags.
Aspirins. Allergy Medication. Cough Syrup. Prescription medications. I have a week’s worth of medications sorted by day in one of these handy little travel pill organizers. In an emergency you want to make things as simple as possible.
Chances are you’re not a doctor, nor do you play one on T.V. You aren’t going to be performing a tracheotomy or needing to crack someone’s chest to massage their heart. A basic First Aid Kit will serve you well.
There is a good chance that during or after an emergency event the air quality may be less than stellar.
N95 Respiratory Masks will protect you from dust, allergens and other forms of air pollution.
We’ve broken down the respiratory mask code to help you decide which mask will best protect your family.
Have some cash on hand, with small bills being best.
Make copies of all important papers and include them in your basic emergency kit.
Can you take preparedness to a higher level? Of course! Most people start with the basics, get the bug, so to say, and then continue to grow their preparedness goals. The point is that you don’t have to jump onto the Expert Level to make sure your family can make it through a rough time. And every thing listed above can be purchased either at your grocery store or a big box store, on sale, and often with coupons.
Start simply. Pick up a few items each time you get paid. Sell some of your stuff that you are no longer using, and put that money towards a prepping goal. Put your foundation in place and then work to meet your personal preparedness goals.
Self sufficiency is a mind set, an every day way of thinking. It’s a journey to a simpler, less worry filled life.
Where are YOU in your emergency preparedness goals? How can I help you achieve those goals?
As a mom, I really liked all the tips you got here! Thanks for this!
These are SUPER great tips! Even when you are low on space (such as being in a smaller apartment) you can still find little spots to store these much needed (and frequently forgotten) preparedness items!
These are great tips. We aim for having a month’s worth of food for each person in our house (4 of us) at all times.
Great, practical tips here. You should always be prepared!
I agree. I think it’s less stressful to buy “just a little extra” every time you go shopping. That way you don’t have to carry home a bunch of stuff all at once and there’s always a spare of whatever you need around. Ideally, you’d buy most of what you’d need for the rest of your life sooner rather than later just for economic reasons–prices are going to keep going up, I suspect. Then there’s inflation.
Thanks a lot for the advice! These posts are always full of great information. Going to keep an eye out for those contractor bags.

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Prepping for basic emergencies does n’t have to be overwhelming . It does n’t have to be a huge expense . I work with many people who immediately get that dear in the headlights look when the topic is preparing families for emergencies .
 Prepping for basic emergencies can be as easy as taking a trip to your local grocery or big box store .
 Nobody likes to be stuck in the dark . These items are inexpensive and will make getting through an emergency a much safer experience .
 Water is your friend , boys and girls . Make sure you have 1 gallon of water per person per day . More if you are hoping to flush toilets , or brush your teeth .
 I ’d suggest a LifeStraw water filter that can easily fit into a backpack .
 Ready to eat , shelf stable foods .
 Quick and easy is the name of the game . Peanut butter . Crackers . Those ready to eat packets of tuna . Again , things you can pick up a little at a time each time you make a grocery run .
 As a BIG fan of Freeze Dried Meals in emergency situations , the Mountain House Just in Case Essential Bucket is one of my favorites . Unlike many other buckets of this kind , Mountain House has put together a trio that even my kids will eat . You ’ll need a way to heat water to add to these meals . Do n’t forget the matches !
 Do n’t be stuck spraying your sweet patoot clean with a honey bear filled with cold water unless the apocalypse really is in full swing . Until then stock up on the TP .
 After Hurricane Harvey , toilet paper was listed as one of the 6 most sought after items . Hurricane survivors underestimated how much toilet paper they needed to make it through the aftermath . Toilet paper is used every day and when it runs out , things can get disgusting … … quickly .
 Duct tape is truly the stuff miracles are made of . In case you need some inspiration check out our post on this glorious product .
 Line a 5 gallon bucket with a contractor bag for an emergency potty .
 Cover broken or blown out windows after an earthquake .
 Here are more ways to use these versatile bags .
 Aspirins . Allergy Medication . Cough Syrup . Prescription medications . I have a week ’s worth of medications sorted by day in one of these handy little travel pill organizers . In an emergency you want to make things as simple as possible .
 Chances are you ’re not a doctor , nor do you play one on T.V. You are n’t going to be performing a tracheotomy or needing to crack someone ’s chest to massage their heart . A basic First Aid Kit will serve you well .
 There is a good chance that during or after an emergency event the air quality may be less than stellar .
 N95 Respiratory Masks will protect you from dust , allergens and other forms of air pollution .
 We ’ve broken down the respiratory mask code to help you decide which mask will best protect your family .
 Have some cash on hand , with small bills being best .
 Make copies of all important papers and include them in your basic emergency kit .
 Can you take preparedness to a higher level ? Of course ! Most people start with the basics , get the bug , so to say , and then continue to grow their preparedness goals . The point is that you do n’t have to jump onto the Expert Level to make sure your family can make it through a rough time . And every thing listed above can be purchased either at your grocery store or a big box store , on sale , and often with coupons .
 Start simply . Pick up a few items each time you get paid . Sell some of your stuff that you are no longer using , and put that money towards a prepping goal . Put your foundation in place and then work to meet your personal preparedness goals .
 Self sufficiency is a mind set , an every day way of thinking . It ’s a journey to a simpler , less worry filled life .
 Where are YOU in your emergency preparedness goals ? How can I help you achieve those goals ?
 As a mom , I really liked all the tips you got here ! Thanks for this !
 These are SUPER great tips ! Even when you are low on space ( such as being in a smaller apartment ) you can still find little spots to store these much needed ( and frequently forgotten ) preparedness items !
 These are great tips . We aim for having a month ’s worth of food for each person in our house ( 4 of us ) at all times .
 Great , practical tips here . You should always be prepared !
 I agree . I think it ’s less stressful to buy “ just a little extra ” every time you go shopping . That way you do n’t have to carry home a bunch of stuff all at once and there ’s always a spare of whatever you need around . Ideally , you ’d buy most of what you ’d need for the rest of your life sooner rather than later just for economic reasons – prices are going to keep going up , I suspect . Then there ’s inflation .
 Thanks a lot for the advice ! These posts are always full of great information . Going to keep an eye out for those contractor bags .


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I’m sometimes asked whether Hypnotherapy can help with skin complaints. Indeed it can- the use of hypnotherapy for skin complaints is backed by solid scientific evidence.
The “Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis: Theory, Research and Practice” is published by Oxford University, one of the most highly respected Universities in the world. Chapter 15 of this large textbook discusses the research into hypnotherapy for skin disorders. This chapter is written by Dr Grant Benham PhD of the University of Texas, and Dr Jarred Younger PhD of Stanford University in California. Stanford has produced 59 Nobel prize-winners, 30 living billionaires, and 17 astronauts!
Benham and Younger quote from 53 scientific studies supporting the effectiveness of hypnosis in treating various skin disorders, including eczema, psoriasis, and warts.
An important element of the therapy in many skin disorders is to get the patient to stop scratching. This is achieved partly through modifying the patient’s perception of the itching sensation, making it more bearable. A similar approach is effective with chronic pain. Hypnosis also helps by enabling the patient to notice when they are scratching and to stop immediately- because often the scratching is so habitual that the patient hardly knows they’re doing it.
This entry was posted in Psychological Problems on 15th April 2015 by Pete.

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I ’m sometimes asked whether Hypnotherapy can help with skin complaints . Indeed it can- the use of hypnotherapy for skin complaints is backed by solid scientific evidence .
 The “ Oxford Handbook of Hypnosis : Theory , Research and Practice ” is published by Oxford University , one of the most highly respected Universities in the world . Chapter 15 of this large textbook discusses the research into hypnotherapy for skin disorders . This chapter is written by Dr Grant Benham PhD of the University of Texas , and Dr Jarred Younger PhD of Stanford University in California . Stanford has produced 59 Nobel prize - winners , 30 living billionaires , and 17 astronauts !
 Benham and Younger quote from 53 scientific studies supporting the effectiveness of hypnosis in treating various skin disorders , including eczema , psoriasis , and warts .
 An important element of the therapy in many skin disorders is to get the patient to stop scratching . This is achieved partly through modifying the patient ’s perception of the itching sensation , making it more bearable . A similar approach is effective with chronic pain . Hypnosis also helps by enabling the patient to notice when they are scratching and to stop immediately- because often the scratching is so habitual that the patient hardly knows they ’re doing it .
 This entry was posted in Psychological Problems on 15th April 2015 by Pete .


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We are so confident of the quality of ERA products, we cover them with the UK’s most comprehensive home security guarantee.
Provide your customers with security and up to £5,000 worth of benefits with the ERA Five Star Guarantee.
To qualify for the ERA Five Star Guarantee you must buy windows / doors from a registered ERA Five Star Manufacturer. To check if your supplier is part of the scheme please contact us. All installer registrations will be validated before being added to the scheme.

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We are so confident of the quality of ERA products , we cover them with the UK ’s most comprehensive home security guarantee .
 Provide your customers with security and up to £ 5,000 worth of benefits with the ERA Five Star Guarantee .
 To qualify for the ERA Five Star Guarantee you must buy windows / doors from a registered ERA Five Star Manufacturer . To check if your supplier is part of the scheme please contact us . All installer registrations will be validated before being added to the scheme .


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The proposed project is expected to provide jobs for 150 people during the construction phase and 1,366 personnel during operation phase.
In the proposal, the US Embassy said the existing office that spans on two plots in an area of 1,13,200 square metre (sqm) in Chanakyapuri faces a number of challenges.
The utilities are outdated and inefficient, and there has been no major architectural and infrastructural improvement in the embassy since 1965. The environment ministry recently examined the proposal and gave the final environment clearance to the US Embassy for its Rs 200 crore project with some riders, the document said.
The project will involve partly demolition of existing structure and vegetation. The existing built-up area of 13,189.03 sqm of the building will be demolished and about 205 number of trees will be felled.
Among the conditions specified, the embassy has been asked to plant one tree for every 80 sqm of land.
The proposal entails addition, alternation and erection of the existing embassy for development of new office building and residential units.
The master plan also aims to build new consular facility to increase capacity and enhance quality of experience for visitors as well as update campus to meet current security requirements.
It also aims to update campus utilities to maximize efficient and sustainable systems, the proposal added.
The US was the first country to exchange ambassadors with independent India in 1947. The embassy in New Delhi is one of the largest US diplomatic missions in the world.

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The proposed project is expected to provide jobs for 150 people during the construction phase and 1,366 personnel during operation phase .
 In the proposal , the US Embassy said the existing office that spans on two plots in an area of 1,13,200 square metre ( sqm ) in Chanakyapuri faces a number of challenges .
 The utilities are outdated and inefficient , and there has been no major architectural and infrastructural improvement in the embassy since 1965 . The environment ministry recently examined the proposal and gave the final environment clearance to the US Embassy for its Rs 200 crore project with some riders , the document said .
 The project will involve partly demolition of existing structure and vegetation . The existing built - up area of 13,189.03 sqm of the building will be demolished and about 205 number of trees will be felled .
 Among the conditions specified , the embassy has been asked to plant one tree for every 80 sqm of land .
 The proposal entails addition , alternation and erection of the existing embassy for development of new office building and residential units .
 The master plan also aims to build new consular facility to increase capacity and enhance quality of experience for visitors as well as update campus to meet current security requirements .
 It also aims to update campus utilities to maximize efficient and sustainable systems , the proposal added .
 The US was the first country to exchange ambassadors with independent India in 1947 . The embassy in New Delhi is one of the largest US diplomatic missions in the world .


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This Dennis Real Estate Advertorial space on Dennis Builders and Contractors, is available. Call 508-945-6443 to promote your Dennis Builders and Contractors business or click here.
No Priority Links for Dennis Builders and Contractors.
Do You have a Builders and Contractors Business in Dennis?
There is room for more Listing Links on Dennis Cape Cod dot com Builders and Contractors.
Dennis Builders and Contractors Ad for under $8 per Month!!

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This Dennis Real Estate Advertorial space on Dennis Builders and Contractors , is available . Call 508 - 945 - 6443 to promote your Dennis Builders and Contractors business or click here .
 No Priority Links for Dennis Builders and Contractors .
 Do You have a Builders and Contractors Business in Dennis ?
 There is room for more Listing Links on Dennis Cape Cod dot com Builders and Contractors .
 Dennis Builders and Contractors Ad for under $ 8 per Month ! !


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This 19th century villa is a listed building, richly decorated in bright colours, and enjoys an ideal location just 200 metres from the beach. Free Wi-Fi is available.
Families with children are particularly welcome in this hotel. Here you are only a short stroll away from the Baltic Sea thermal baths, several shops, restaurants, a bank and post office.
Hotel guests may use the ample hotel car parking facilities. A host of other leisure options is also available nearby.
Please inform the hotel of the total number of adults and children travelling with you and their ages prior to arrival.
Please note that Villa Albus will contact you after reservation to inform you about the bank details for paying your deposit.
Guests arriving after 17:00 must contact the hotel in advance.
One free parking space per room is available at Villa Albus.
Guests are entitled to free WiFi for one device per apartment/stay. Please inform Villa Albus in advance of your expected arrival time. You can use the Special Requests box when booking, or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation.

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This 19th century villa is a listed building , richly decorated in bright colours , and enjoys an ideal location just 200 metres from the beach . Free Wi - Fi is available .
 Families with children are particularly welcome in this hotel . Here you are only a short stroll away from the Baltic Sea thermal baths , several shops , restaurants , a bank and post office .
 Hotel guests may use the ample hotel car parking facilities . A host of other leisure options is also available nearby .
 Please inform the hotel of the total number of adults and children travelling with you and their ages prior to arrival .
 Please note that Villa Albus will contact you after reservation to inform you about the bank details for paying your deposit .
 Guests arriving after 17:00 must contact the hotel in advance .
 One free parking space per room is available at Villa Albus .
 Guests are entitled to free WiFi for one device per apartment / stay . Please inform Villa Albus in advance of your expected arrival time . You can use the Special Requests box when booking , or contact the property directly with the contact details provided in your confirmation .


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As many of you already know, the IUS holds a camp at least twice a year where young brothers and sisters from around the country attend a 3 day event in different locations around the country. At these camps, we are enlightened by a number of Alim's and Speakers who give talks and workshops around a central theme for each camp. We also have a number of activities for the youth to participate in all within a friendly, scenic and islamic environment.
This year we will be holding a camp between on the 10th-12th July in the beautiful village of Eyam in the peak district. The theme will be centred around Leadership and Imamate.
We aim to take 60 people charging £89 per person which leaves us with a shortfall of approximately £1800. We hope that your generous support will allow us to continue with this project. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details (info@ius.org.uk).
Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Islamic Unity Society gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
We are empowering young British Muslims to develop, grow and engage in a multicultural Britain through the universal principles of Islam. Events & activities in London and Manchester. National projects like residential trips. International campaigns to tackle education, poverty and deprivation.

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As many of you already know , the IUS holds a camp at least twice a year where young brothers and sisters from around the country attend a 3 day event in different locations around the country . At these camps , we are enlightened by a number of Alim 's and Speakers who give talks and workshops around a central theme for each camp . We also have a number of activities for the youth to participate in all within a friendly , scenic and islamic environment .
 This year we will be holding a camp between on the 10th-12th July in the beautiful village of Eyam in the peak district . The theme will be centred around Leadership and Imamate .
 We aim to take 60 people charging £ 89 per person which leaves us with a shortfall of approximately £ 1800 . We hope that your generous support will allow us to continue with this project . Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details ( info@ius.org.uk ) .
 Donating through Justgiving is quick , easy and totally secure . It ’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me : Islamic Unity Society gets your money faster and , if you ’re a UK taxpayer , Justgiving makes sure 25 % in Gift Aid , plus a 3 % supplement , are added to your donation .
 We are empowering young British Muslims to develop , grow and engage in a multicultural Britain through the universal principles of Islam . Events & activities in London and Manchester . National projects like residential trips . International campaigns to tackle education , poverty and deprivation .


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The Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, named after Andrew Henry known for discovering and exploring the area in the early 1800s, is arguably one of the finest trout streams in the lower forty-eight states.
In fact Trout Unlimited voted the Henry’s Fork the number one stream in the country. The upper section of the Henry’s Fork is formed where Henry’s Lake Outlet, a lightly fished meadow stream bound by willow trees, meets Big Springs, the primary source of water to the Henry’s Fork.
Downstream from where the Outlet is joined by Big Springs, the Henry’s Fork flows past Mack’s Inn and Upper Coffee Pot Campground. This portion of the river is primarily a put-and-take fishery containing mostly smaller trout. This area is also a popular recreation spot for rafting and canoeing. Further downstream larger rainbows can be found in the productive pocket water of Coffee Pot Rapids. Fall fishing can be quite exciting here when large rainbows follow spawning Kokanee out of the reservoir.
Below Island Park Reservoir the Henry’s Fork flows into the famed Box Canyon. This short 3 1/2 mile stretch of river produces some of the best fishing you will find anywhere on the river. This fast flowing section is primarily nymphing water due to an abundant food supply consisting primarily of stonefly nymphs.
From the bottom of Box Canyon the river slows as it flows thru the community of Last Chance and Harriman State Park. This section of the Henry’s Fork, most famous among dry fly fisherman the world over, is known for large rainbow trout, beautiful sunsets, prolific hatches, and perfect presentations . Fish this area in mid-June and you might find twenty-inch rainbows gorging themselves during a green drake hatch.
Below Harriman State Park the river picks up speed again near Riverside Campground as it drops into Cardiac Canyon. From the campground to the Hatchery Ford takeout, you’ll find approximately 4 miles of deep runs and pocket water with some class 2 white water rapids. Like the Box Canyon this section can produce good numbers of rainbows with some of the largest fish being taken out of some of the deep runs. The Hatchery Ford takeout is the last easy access before Lower Sheep Falls and Mesa Falls.
The section of river below Lower Mesa Falls may be the most scenic and least-fished portion of the river. Rainbows and browns can be taken here in good numbers and size. Access is limited due to steep canyon walls and floating this stretch is advisable only for the experienced oarsman.
From the confluence with Warm River to the Ashton Reservoir the Henry’s Fork becomes more easily fishable with lots of deep pools, riffles and good of access. Excellent dry fly fishing can be found in the many back eddies and current seams. Large populations of rainbows and brown trout reside here making this one of the most diverse sections of the river.
From the Ashton Dam to St. Anthony the Henry’s Fork consists mostly of long riffles and runs. This section fishes best early and late in the season, good hatches in June and July can produce some of the best dry fly fishing on the river. Open all year, the hearty angler willing to brave the cold during March and April can get in some great early season fishing.
Island Park can provide you with all of your Fly Fishing needs on the South Fork of the Snake or Teton River. Rowing Clinics and Fly Fishing Guide Schools are also offered throughout the season. Please give us a call for more info.
We do not email on a regular basis.

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The Henry ’s Fork of the Snake River , named after Andrew Henry known for discovering and exploring the area in the early 1800s , is arguably one of the finest trout streams in the lower forty - eight states .
 In fact Trout Unlimited voted the Henry ’s Fork the number one stream in the country . The upper section of the Henry ’s Fork is formed where Henry ’s Lake Outlet , a lightly fished meadow stream bound by willow trees , meets Big Springs , the primary source of water to the Henry ’s Fork .
 Downstream from where the Outlet is joined by Big Springs , the Henry ’s Fork flows past Mack ’s Inn and Upper Coffee Pot Campground . This portion of the river is primarily a put - and - take fishery containing mostly smaller trout . This area is also a popular recreation spot for rafting and canoeing . Further downstream larger rainbows can be found in the productive pocket water of Coffee Pot Rapids . Fall fishing can be quite exciting here when large rainbows follow spawning Kokanee out of the reservoir .
 Below Island Park Reservoir the Henry ’s Fork flows into the famed Box Canyon . This short 3 1/2 mile stretch of river produces some of the best fishing you will find anywhere on the river . This fast flowing section is primarily nymphing water due to an abundant food supply consisting primarily of stonefly nymphs .
 From the bottom of Box Canyon the river slows as it flows thru the community of Last Chance and Harriman State Park . This section of the Henry ’s Fork , most famous among dry fly fisherman the world over , is known for large rainbow trout , beautiful sunsets , prolific hatches , and perfect presentations . Fish this area in mid - June and you might find twenty - inch rainbows gorging themselves during a green drake hatch .
 Below Harriman State Park the river picks up speed again near Riverside Campground as it drops into Cardiac Canyon . From the campground to the Hatchery Ford takeout , you ’ll find approximately 4 miles of deep runs and pocket water with some class 2 white water rapids . Like the Box Canyon this section can produce good numbers of rainbows with some of the largest fish being taken out of some of the deep runs . The Hatchery Ford takeout is the last easy access before Lower Sheep Falls and Mesa Falls .
 The section of river below Lower Mesa Falls may be the most scenic and least - fished portion of the river . Rainbows and browns can be taken here in good numbers and size . Access is limited due to steep canyon walls and floating this stretch is advisable only for the experienced oarsman .
 From the confluence with Warm River to the Ashton Reservoir the Henry ’s Fork becomes more easily fishable with lots of deep pools , riffles and good of access . Excellent dry fly fishing can be found in the many back eddies and current seams . Large populations of rainbows and brown trout reside here making this one of the most diverse sections of the river .
 From the Ashton Dam to St. Anthony the Henry ’s Fork consists mostly of long riffles and runs . This section fishes best early and late in the season , good hatches in June and July can produce some of the best dry fly fishing on the river . Open all year , the hearty angler willing to brave the cold during March and April can get in some great early season fishing .
 Island Park can provide you with all of your Fly Fishing needs on the South Fork of the Snake or Teton River . Rowing Clinics and Fly Fishing Guide Schools are also offered throughout the season . Please give us a call for more info .
 We do not email on a regular basis .


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The Cycle That Never Arrived..... Untill Today!
Discussion in 'Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle' started by LineRat, Mar 26, 2010.
New to the forums and wanted to share my cycling ordeal with you all.
Now, I have never owned any fish but my wife has and we both thought (well mostly I thought) It would be fun to start an aquarium especially since the price was right.
Got it home and set it up.. decorated it and filled it with de-chlorinated water (The kit came with a packet of Tetra Aqua Safe).
I then sat down and scoured google for all the info I could find on this new hobby I had just committed myself to and saw that I needed to let the tank cycle before we add any fish. Okay I say.. lets start on that and wait so off to our LFS just down the street to see what they had to help that along and fish gaze a bit lol.
I mentioned that we weren't buying any fish for a few weeks to let the tank cycle first and that's when the clerk suggested TSS. GREAT! Now we can "Add Fish Immediately" as the package says.
So we take them home and add the TSS and then we add the fish.
Water tests seemed great for 2 days 0,0,0 no anything in there.. as far as I knew at the time things had worked out. Till day 3 when I had 0.5,0,0.... did a 50% water change and the next day we had 1,0,0.. did back to back water changes and this has been the story of my cycle ever since.. I have even added a second bottle of TSS just incase I used it wrong the first time... numbers are still consistantly 1,0,0 and this is now week 6 going into week 7.
So 2 weeks ago ( knowing alot more now.. knowledge is power right?) We purchased a 55g kit from walmart.. again the price was right. Set it up and decided to cycle it fishless and just move all the fish into it once it's good to go and till then coninue the daily water changes to keep them atleast alive.. poor fish.
Got a cup of gravel from the LFS (all they would give me but I wasnt counting on any) placed it in a new nylon and dosed the tank with ACE brand ammonia ( yep the pure stuff.. did my research this time around lol. I can learn sometimes) to 5ppm and waited for the magic to happen..... it didn't.
For the last 2 weeks my 55 has been sitting at 5,0,0 ph is 7.6, KH is 87ppm temp 86.
So I did more and more reading... I have asked around at work and no one I know owns an aquarium which since most of them live on base in Navy barracks isn't surprising I figured I was SOL as far as cycling anything went. Till I read a short post where someone mentioned Fritz Turbo Start #700. I had never heard of it but figure I'd google it and see if it was worth even considering ( So far I have tried TSS twice, BioZyme once.. that stuff is utter and used gravel) Everything I had read seemed like it was the real deal... so now in desperation I ordered some.
My 4oz bottle arrived yesterday in an inflatable Ice chest box liner thingy with an ice pack in it I was now curious.. I know it has to be refrigerated but hey this was cool.. the bottle also had a use by day for 3 months from now... even better.
So I dose my tank with 2 oz of it ( package says 1 oz treats a 40g and one can dose 5x more than needed so I went for just over my needed amount) And waited.
I'm can't sit still I'm so happy to see a color other than light blue on my nitrite kit and Yellow on my nitrate kit lol!! I've had them for 6 weeks now and they never were any color but the one for 0!
It usally takes a few weeks for notice in cycle change doesn't happen over nite Lol!!! Bio chemicals don't work like the bottle reads takes time for tank to go thru cycle!What did these tanks come with? Are they under gravel filters or hang on the back? At most tanks in fresh take around 4 to 6 weeks to gain strenght and even then can take longer depending on what your setup is can you give me more info on all that you have so far?
Yeah, I know a fish in cycle takes a while but 6 weeks with nothing but ammonia spiking and nothing else even hinting at registering is getting tiresome. I'm also concerned for the long term health effects it will have on my fish ( which I can't return.. my LFS is really a crappy little store).
In my 28g I have a Penguin 150B HOB filter and a Aquatech 10-20 HOB with a combined flowrate of 270g. I'm going to upgrade to a second Penguin 150B as soon as I can afford to.
Substrate is Gravel and the plants are plastic.
The ph and kh is the same as the 55g I'm doing the fishless in and the temp is kept at 80.
I'm not expecting an instant cycle with the turbostart.. I'm just thrilled to finally see a cycle going period.
Yeah I totallty understand. It takes a good while to cycle a tank but with no fish or a bacteria start will take twice as long. If there is no fish in your tank then there is a faster way to acheive this buy a shrimp not frozen but a fresh one and hang it in your tank for a week and let bio load get started this way it's alot cheaper this way and you will see a change don't let shrimp totally decay but just enough to see a spike in ammonia levels then as well as nitrites. You do know about cycle I suppose ? this will happen much faster this way.After tank cycles slowly introduce fish into your tank like 1 or 2 every other week but make sure all ammonia and nitrites are at 0 levels.
Welcome to Fish Lore LineRat!
Yep, I now know all about the Nitrogen cycle lol.. have done nothing but research it for the last 6 weeks since my 28 was set up.
You are talking about doing a fishless cycle.. thats what I am doing in the 55 gallon that I added the ammonia and Turbostart to.
You need to feed bacteria to start up and I would just put in a few gold fish to help out and feed them every day the thing that's happening is there is nothing in your tank that bacteria can feed on so I suggest doing this to help bio lload to produce or other wise you spent money on bottled stuff that has nothing to eat and end up dying so try this and you will see.
Stang Man, I have been feeding the bacteria 5ppm of ammonia once a day since adding the bottled stuff. So far my ammonia is going from 5ppm down to 1 ppm in a 24 hour period.
Nitrites have been holding steady at 1 ppm but the nitrates are climbing by 5-10ppm a day.
I'm not sure if my first post was confusing or not but I am pretty sure I explained that I was dosing the 55g with ammonia maintaining 5ppm in there.... I wrote that after a long day at work so it's possible it was un clear.
Okay so ammonia has done it's job and nitrites are next sounds alot better than nothing happening. Have you tested water for ammonia and nitrites?
If I'm reading your thread correctly, you did a water change when TSS was in the tank? If so, that might have led to the TSS failing you. You're not supposed to do a water change until the tenth day of having TSS.
I was going to buy Fritz in case my TSS failed me, but I saw the high shipping costs ($22) and I think I'm just going to do daily W/C's or get some SuperBac if TSS fails.
B what kind of pleco? Most types of pleco will out grow your tank within a year. I'd suggest looking it up and if he isn't one of the ones that stay small let him go to a better home and buy a different type.
I agree that it was most likely the water changes that caused the TSS to fail. I've used it twice on two separate tanks and IME, as long as you follow the directions carefully and completely it works well. Since the TSS didn't work, I would recommend getting a bottle of Prime or Amquel+ and starting a daily water change routine until the cycle is complete.
I'm sorry this part is a bit confusing, are we talking about the 28 or the 55 here? You start and end with what seems like the 55, but there are parts where it sounds like you are talking about the 28. ??? You mention that you used TSS and BioZyme, but were those supplements added to the 28 with fish, or the 55 without? Which tank did you add the Fritz to? and which tank do these readings belong to?
It came with the setup. I also have an AquaTech 10-20 running as a supplement to the penguin.
Thats been the game plan so far. I have been doing daily W/C on my 28g since day 3.. going on 7 weeks now.
Yep, it is kinda confusing... thats what I get for posting at the end of a 14 day stretch of 12 hour work days lol.
Let me try to clear that up... That bit is referring to the 55g I am cycling without fish. I haven't used any TSS in it only the 28g was ever treated with that and only that.
The 55g has had Used Gravel, BioZyme and Fritz added to it.
So far everything looks to be on track. My Ammonia is dropping daily and the nitrates are climbing while the Nitrites have held steady at 1ppm the whole time.
That was day 4. I dosed it up to 2ppm ammonia right after taking the readings. Ill keep updating with where the numbers are at this afternoon.
Hi. Just weanted to say welcome to the forums! Looks like the other members got you covered. Good luck with the rest of your cycle.
Congrats that your cycle is appearing! It seems you are doing all you can for now, best of luck, it gets easier once this is all done!
You're right that the bottle of TSS doesn't really give sufficient information regarding proper use for success. Our mods were kind enough to ask Tetra directly about the proper use of TSS and received a very detailed response. Q & A With Tetra on TSS If you would like to try TSS one more time, we can help you ensure that this time would be more successful. If so, please post your readings for your 28g, and we can give you a step by step on how to proceed with TSS. It would also be a good idea to test and post results of your tap water so we can get an idea of what your base parameters are.
Your 55 seems to be coming along great! Just keep up with that one and you should be good to go in no time.
If you would like to try TSS one more time, we can help you ensure that this time would be more successful. If so, please post your readings for your 28g, and we can give you a step by step on how to proceed with TSS. It would also be a good idea to test and post results of your tap water so we can get an idea of what your base parameters are.
I read the info contained in the Q & A With Tetra about Tetra SafeStart post and purchased another (and hopefully the last) bottle of TSS.
My base tap water readings are.
I have not done any water changes in 3 days so the water would be free of any conditioners or ammonia purifiers etc.
So today will be day one and I will update as it goes along over the next couple of weeks. Now if I can only restrain myself from testing the water over the next 48 hours I'll be good lol!
Good luck! Remember even if you test NO water changes until you test on day 10. If your cycle isn't done then you'll have to go back to daily water changes. If it is done than generally all you need is one water change to get nitrate levels down for your regular maintenance.
I am starting day 5 of the 28g TSS cycle and just thought I'd post my readings over the last 4 days..
Day 2 Did not test as per instructions.

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The Cycle That Never Arrived ..... Untill Today !
 Discussion in ' Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle ' started by LineRat , Mar 26 , 2010 .
 New to the forums and wanted to share my cycling ordeal with you all .
 Now , I have never owned any fish but my wife has and we both thought ( well mostly I thought ) It would be fun to start an aquarium especially since the price was right .
 Got it home and set it up .. decorated it and filled it with de - chlorinated water ( The kit came with a packet of Tetra Aqua Safe ) .
 I then sat down and scoured google for all the info I could find on this new hobby I had just committed myself to and saw that I needed to let the tank cycle before we add any fish . Okay I say .. lets start on that and wait so off to our LFS just down the street to see what they had to help that along and fish gaze a bit lol .
 I mentioned that we were n't buying any fish for a few weeks to let the tank cycle first and that 's when the clerk suggested TSS . GREAT ! Now we can " Add Fish Immediately " as the package says .
 So we take them home and add the TSS and then we add the fish .
 Water tests seemed great for 2 days 0,0,0 no anything in there .. as far as I knew at the time things had worked out . Till day 3 when I had 0.5,0,0 .... did a 50 % water change and the next day we had 1,0,0 .. did back to back water changes and this has been the story of my cycle ever since .. I have even added a second bottle of TSS just incase I used it wrong the first time ... numbers are still consistantly 1,0,0 and this is now week 6 going into week 7 .
 So 2 weeks ago ( knowing alot more now .. knowledge is power right ? ) We purchased a 55 g kit from walmart .. again the price was right . Set it up and decided to cycle it fishless and just move all the fish into it once it 's good to go and till then coninue the daily water changes to keep them atleast alive .. poor fish .
 Got a cup of gravel from the LFS ( all they would give me but I was nt counting on any ) placed it in a new nylon and dosed the tank with ACE brand ammonia ( yep the pure stuff .. did my research this time around lol . I can learn sometimes ) to 5ppm and waited for the magic to happen ..... it did n't .
 For the last 2 weeks my 55 has been sitting at 5,0,0 ph is 7.6 , KH is 87ppm temp 86 .
 So I did more and more reading ... I have asked around at work and no one I know owns an aquarium which since most of them live on base in Navy barracks is n't surprising I figured I was SOL as far as cycling anything went . Till I read a short post where someone mentioned Fritz Turbo Start # 700 . I had never heard of it but figure I 'd google it and see if it was worth even considering ( So far I have tried TSS twice , BioZyme once .. that stuff is utter and used gravel ) Everything I had read seemed like it was the real deal ... so now in desperation I ordered some .
 My 4 oz bottle arrived yesterday in an inflatable Ice chest box liner thingy with an ice pack in it I was now curious .. I know it has to be refrigerated but hey this was cool .. the bottle also had a use by day for 3 months from now ... even better .
 So I dose my tank with 2 oz of it ( package says 1 oz treats a 40 g and one can dose 5x more than needed so I went for just over my needed amount ) And waited .
 I 'm ca n't sit still I 'm so happy to see a color other than light blue on my nitrite kit and Yellow on my nitrate kit lol ! ! I 've had them for 6 weeks now and they never were any color but the one for 0 !
 It usally takes a few weeks for notice in cycle change does n't happen over nite Lol ! ! ! Bio chemicals do n't work like the bottle reads takes time for tank to go thru cycle!What did these tanks come with ? Are they under gravel filters or hang on the back ? At most tanks in fresh take around 4 to 6 weeks to gain strenght and even then can take longer depending on what your setup is can you give me more info on all that you have so far ?
 Yeah , I know a fish in cycle takes a while but 6 weeks with nothing but ammonia spiking and nothing else even hinting at registering is getting tiresome . I 'm also concerned for the long term health effects it will have on my fish ( which I ca n't return .. my LFS is really a crappy little store ) .
 In my 28 g I have a Penguin 150B HOB filter and a Aquatech 10 - 20 HOB with a combined flowrate of 270 g. I 'm going to upgrade to a second Penguin 150B as soon as I can afford to .
 Substrate is Gravel and the plants are plastic .
 The ph and kh is the same as the 55 g I 'm doing the fishless in and the temp is kept at 80 .
 I 'm not expecting an instant cycle with the turbostart .. I 'm just thrilled to finally see a cycle going period .
 Yeah I totallty understand . It takes a good while to cycle a tank but with no fish or a bacteria start will take twice as long . If there is no fish in your tank then there is a faster way to acheive this buy a shrimp not frozen but a fresh one and hang it in your tank for a week and let bio load get started this way it 's alot cheaper this way and you will see a change do n't let shrimp totally decay but just enough to see a spike in ammonia levels then as well as nitrites . You do know about cycle I suppose ? this will happen much faster this way . After tank cycles slowly introduce fish into your tank like 1 or 2 every other week but make sure all ammonia and nitrites are at 0 levels .
 Welcome to Fish Lore LineRat !
 Yep , I now know all about the Nitrogen cycle lol .. have done nothing but research it for the last 6 weeks since my 28 was set up .
 You are talking about doing a fishless cycle .. that s what I am doing in the 55 gallon that I added the ammonia and Turbostart to .
 You need to feed bacteria to start up and I would just put in a few gold fish to help out and feed them every day the thing that 's happening is there is nothing in your tank that bacteria can feed on so I suggest doing this to help bio lload to produce or other wise you spent money on bottled stuff that has nothing to eat and end up dying so try this and you will see .
 Stang Man , I have been feeding the bacteria 5ppm of ammonia once a day since adding the bottled stuff . So far my ammonia is going from 5ppm down to 1 ppm in a 24 hour period .
 Nitrites have been holding steady at 1 ppm but the nitrates are climbing by 5 - 10ppm a day .
 I 'm not sure if my first post was confusing or not but I am pretty sure I explained that I was dosing the 55 g with ammonia maintaining 5ppm in there .... I wrote that after a long day at work so it 's possible it was un clear .
 Okay so ammonia has done it 's job and nitrites are next sounds alot better than nothing happening . Have you tested water for ammonia and nitrites ?
 If I 'm reading your thread correctly , you did a water change when TSS was in the tank ? If so , that might have led to the TSS failing you . You 're not supposed to do a water change until the tenth day of having TSS .
 I was going to buy Fritz in case my TSS failed me , but I saw the high shipping costs ( $ 22 ) and I think I 'm just going to do daily W / C 's or get some SuperBac if TSS fails .
 B what kind of pleco ? Most types of pleco will out grow your tank within a year . I 'd suggest looking it up and if he is n't one of the ones that stay small let him go to a better home and buy a different type .
 I agree that it was most likely the water changes that caused the TSS to fail . I 've used it twice on two separate tanks and IME , as long as you follow the directions carefully and completely it works well . Since the TSS did n't work , I would recommend getting a bottle of Prime or Amquel+ and starting a daily water change routine until the cycle is complete .
 I 'm sorry this part is a bit confusing , are we talking about the 28 or the 55 here ? You start and end with what seems like the 55 , but there are parts where it sounds like you are talking about the 28 . ? ? ? You mention that you used TSS and BioZyme , but were those supplements added to the 28 with fish , or the 55 without ? Which tank did you add the Fritz to ? and which tank do these readings belong to ?
 It came with the setup . I also have an AquaTech 10 - 20 running as a supplement to the penguin .
 That s been the game plan so far . I have been doing daily W / C on my 28 g since day 3 .. going on 7 weeks now .
 Yep , it is kinda confusing ... that s what I get for posting at the end of a 14 day stretch of 12 hour work days lol .
 Let me try to clear that up ... That bit is referring to the 55 g I am cycling without fish . I have n't used any TSS in it only the 28 g was ever treated with that and only that .
 The 55 g has had Used Gravel , BioZyme and Fritz added to it .
 So far everything looks to be on track . My Ammonia is dropping daily and the nitrates are climbing while the Nitrites have held steady at 1ppm the whole time .
 That was day 4 . I dosed it up to 2ppm ammonia right after taking the readings . Ill keep updating with where the numbers are at this afternoon .
 Hi . Just weanted to say welcome to the forums ! Looks like the other members got you covered . Good luck with the rest of your cycle .
 Congrats that your cycle is appearing ! It seems you are doing all you can for now , best of luck , it gets easier once this is all done !
 You 're right that the bottle of TSS does n't really give sufficient information regarding proper use for success . Our mods were kind enough to ask Tetra directly about the proper use of TSS and received a very detailed response . Q & A With Tetra on TSS If you would like to try TSS one more time , we can help you ensure that this time would be more successful . If so , please post your readings for your 28 g , and we can give you a step by step on how to proceed with TSS . It would also be a good idea to test and post results of your tap water so we can get an idea of what your base parameters are .
 Your 55 seems to be coming along great ! Just keep up with that one and you should be good to go in no time .
 If you would like to try TSS one more time , we can help you ensure that this time would be more successful . If so , please post your readings for your 28 g , and we can give you a step by step on how to proceed with TSS . It would also be a good idea to test and post results of your tap water so we can get an idea of what your base parameters are .
 I read the info contained in the Q & A With Tetra about Tetra SafeStart post and purchased another ( and hopefully the last ) bottle of TSS .
 My base tap water readings are .
 I have not done any water changes in 3 days so the water would be free of any conditioners or ammonia purifiers etc .
 So today will be day one and I will update as it goes along over the next couple of weeks . Now if I can only restrain myself from testing the water over the next 48 hours I 'll be good lol !
 Good luck ! Remember even if you test NO water changes until you test on day 10 . If your cycle is n't done then you 'll have to go back to daily water changes . If it is done than generally all you need is one water change to get nitrate levels down for your regular maintenance .
 I am starting day 5 of the 28 g TSS cycle and just thought I 'd post my readings over the last 4 days ..
 Day 2 Did not test as per instructions .


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I’m back in Boston! I had a wonderful vacation in Italy with my parents. It was everything I thought it would be, and more. The sights were amazing and of course the food was great. I loved spending time with my mom and dad, and I’m looking forward to future family vacations – with my two sisters next time!
1. I know that it is the fashion capital of the world, so I was expecting everyone to be very well dressed and for the whole city to be chic.
2. I was also expecting to do a lot of shopping.
3. I was very excited to see the Last Supper painting by Michelangelo.
1. It wasn’t chic, at least not all of it. Milan is actually an industrial city, so some parts were a little gritty. And instead of the runway fashion on the street, everyone was dressed kinda normally. Not badly, don’t get me wrong, but not… exquisite. But the men – oh, the men – that’s another story. They all wore fitted Italian suits (well, since they are Italian maybe I should just say “fitted suits”) and rode motorcycles all over the city. Well tailored Italian suits + motorcycles = hubba hubba.
2. I did some shopping, but it was very expensive. In fact, everything was expensive – not just the bags, shoes, and clothes, but the food and drinks too! I actually bought very few pieces (investment pieces, as I’d like to call them) and my mom bought more (hehe) but overall it wasn’t the shopping mecca I thought it would be.
3. The Last Supper was AMAZING. And it was actually not a framed portrait but painted on the wall of one church! I had no idea. It was breath-taking and definitely worth the one-month-in-advance tickets that my dad thoughtfully got.
Torino’s Bull. Notice its balls are missing. They say if you put your right heel in the hole and turn 3 times, it will bring you good luck! So of course we did.
And, let’s not forget – The Food. It was delicious, of course.
During our entire stay in Italy, I ate gelatto every day (sometimes twice a day)! My favorite flavor was nocciola (hazelnut). Soooo good.
Pork Milanese and roasted veggies. Whoever said food portions in Italy were small was lying.
The pasta dishes were really, really good. This was prepared with a simple tomato sauce. It was just the primi (first course) portion.
I couldn’t eat in Italy without ordering carbonara!
Baked salmon with roasted eggplant and tomatoes. This was the secondi (second course) and contorni (side dish).
No carb left behind. Pizza and all kinds of bread were everywhere.
I’ll post Parts 2 and 3 soon!
How to Make Tsokolate (Filipino Hot Chocolate)… and a Giveaway!
I had the same expectations and thoughts after visiting. We made the best of it by going to Lake Como and eating good food. The pasta! So simple yet so delicious. My husband jokingly referred to it as Mila-no as in don’t go there…lol! We still had a great time.
Hi! I’m Bianca Garcia. I love food, running, yoga, sangria, and my job. I'm an advertising professional, social media enthusiast, blogger, freelance writer, and obsessive list-maker. I think about dessert constantly.
©2019 Confessions of a Chocoholic. Design by Purr.

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I ’m back in Boston ! I had a wonderful vacation in Italy with my parents . It was everything I thought it would be , and more . The sights were amazing and of course the food was great . I loved spending time with my mom and dad , and I ’m looking forward to future family vacations – with my two sisters next time !
 1 . I know that it is the fashion capital of the world , so I was expecting everyone to be very well dressed and for the whole city to be chic .
 2 . I was also expecting to do a lot of shopping .
 3 . I was very excited to see the Last Supper painting by Michelangelo .
 1 . It was n’t chic , at least not all of it . Milan is actually an industrial city , so some parts were a little gritty . And instead of the runway fashion on the street , everyone was dressed kinda normally . Not badly , do n’t get me wrong , but not … exquisite . But the men – oh , the men – that ’s another story . They all wore fitted Italian suits ( well , since they are Italian maybe I should just say “ fitted suits ” ) and rode motorcycles all over the city . Well tailored Italian suits + motorcycles = hubba hubba .
 2 . I did some shopping , but it was very expensive . In fact , everything was expensive – not just the bags , shoes , and clothes , but the food and drinks too ! I actually bought very few pieces ( investment pieces , as I ’d like to call them ) and my mom bought more ( hehe ) but overall it was n’t the shopping mecca I thought it would be .
 3 . The Last Supper was AMAZING . And it was actually not a framed portrait but painted on the wall of one church ! I had no idea . It was breath - taking and definitely worth the one - month - in - advance tickets that my dad thoughtfully got .
 Torino ’s Bull . Notice its balls are missing . They say if you put your right heel in the hole and turn 3 times , it will bring you good luck ! So of course we did .
 And , let ’s not forget – The Food . It was delicious , of course .
 During our entire stay in Italy , I ate gelatto every day ( sometimes twice a day ) ! My favorite flavor was nocciola ( hazelnut ) . Soooo good .
 Pork Milanese and roasted veggies . Whoever said food portions in Italy were small was lying .
 The pasta dishes were really , really good . This was prepared with a simple tomato sauce . It was just the primi ( first course ) portion .
 I could n’t eat in Italy without ordering carbonara !
 Baked salmon with roasted eggplant and tomatoes . This was the secondi ( second course ) and contorni ( side dish ) .
 No carb left behind . Pizza and all kinds of bread were everywhere .
 I ’ll post Parts 2 and 3 soon !
 How to Make Tsokolate ( Filipino Hot Chocolate ) … and a Giveaway !
 I had the same expectations and thoughts after visiting . We made the best of it by going to Lake Como and eating good food . The pasta ! So simple yet so delicious . My husband jokingly referred to it as Mila - no as in do n’t go there … lol ! We still had a great time .
 Hi ! I ’m Bianca Garcia . I love food , running , yoga , sangria , and my job . I 'm an advertising professional , social media enthusiast , blogger , freelance writer , and obsessive list - maker . I think about dessert constantly .
 © 2019 Confessions of a Chocoholic . Design by Purr .


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witch its story is about a father and his son live in a poor area, near the Bulgarian-Turkish-Greek border.
Add to Calendar Asia/Qatar Katara false YYYY-MM-DDThh:mm:ssZ. 01/19/16 07:00 PM 01/19/16 09:00 PM Katara The Judgment Cultural village foundation Katara and the Embassy of Bulgaria presents a film titled The Judgment The Opera House is the only facility of its kind in Qatar and home to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.

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witch its story is about a father and his son live in a poor area , near the Bulgarian - Turkish - Greek border .
 Add to Calendar Asia / Qatar Katara false YYYY - MM - DDThh : mm : ssZ. 01/19/16 07:00 PM 01/19/16 09:00 PM Katara The Judgment Cultural village foundation Katara and the Embassy of Bulgaria presents a film titled The Judgment The Opera House is the only facility of its kind in Qatar and home to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra .


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"All our discontents about what we want appeared to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have."
# 505. ... for some beautiful, unseasonably warm weather in the middle of February.
# 507. ... for a wonderful friend who also happens to be an accountant who can help me with my (pain in the neck) taxes!
# 508. ... for a sweet husband who took care of me while I was sick.
# 509. ... for hot mint tea and thin mints.... oh yeah.
I love the quote! It's says, with greater impact, something I quoted and covered re. Gratefulness in my last blog post! How I want to embrace thankfulness each day!
I often think I'm a thankful person, but it I'm honest, it's always clouded by anxiety and fear of the future. Wondering if my world will be rocked tomorrow, keeps me from embracing God's grace today! Such anxiety cripples true thankfulness!
Love your title here -- the list that never ends! Indeed, His mercy endures forever . . . so the list must go on!
hope you are feeling better! I love discovering new places...you are blessed to have so many nieces and nephews..
Love seeing your parents in these photos!! Also glad I'm not the only one who runs behind on these weekly lists, haha... A resounding "amen" to #510; I am SO thankful God is patient with me!

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" All our discontents about what we want appeared to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have . "
 # 505 . ... for some beautiful , unseasonably warm weather in the middle of February .
 # 507 . ... for a wonderful friend who also happens to be an accountant who can help me with my ( pain in the neck ) taxes !
 # 508 . ... for a sweet husband who took care of me while I was sick .
 # 509 . ... for hot mint tea and thin mints .... oh yeah .
 I love the quote ! It 's says , with greater impact , something I quoted and covered re . Gratefulness in my last blog post ! How I want to embrace thankfulness each day !
 I often think I 'm a thankful person , but it I 'm honest , it 's always clouded by anxiety and fear of the future . Wondering if my world will be rocked tomorrow , keeps me from embracing God 's grace today ! Such anxiety cripples true thankfulness !
 Love your title here -- the list that never ends ! Indeed , His mercy endures forever . . . so the list must go on !
 hope you are feeling better ! I love discovering new places ... you are blessed to have so many nieces and nephews ..
 Love seeing your parents in these photos ! ! Also glad I 'm not the only one who runs behind on these weekly lists , haha ... A resounding " amen " to # 510 ; I am SO thankful God is patient with me !


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Look just like your favorite YouTuber with Spirit’s official JoJo Siwa costumes and accessories! Your little girl will look like the spitting image of the popular singer when she rocks out in a familiar colorful bow skirt, or the pink dress from her “Boomerang” video. This internet sensation isn’t just talented, she’s also got an amazing sense of style. Your daughter can belt out her favorite tunes and show off her moves like the Dance Moms star, as all her friends applaud her. Dress her in accessories including colored braids, that familiar big pink bow in her hair and earrings, with a JoJo Siwa rainbow kit. There’s nothing more fun as a kid as following a performer close to your age, except for pretending you’re her for the day. Now she can get as glam as JoJo with these colorful outfits. With our authentic and affordable JoJo Siwa Halloween costumes, she’ll be sure to dazzle everyone when she trick or treats.
Your little girl will love dressing up in our JoJo Siwa Halloween costumes this year! With her signature pink bow and colorful clothing, YouTube star JoJo Siwa is a phenomenon. Any girl who adores the singing and dancing star will want to look just like her! Make trick or treating even more fun when you dress her in an officially licensed JoJo Siwa costume. Part of JoJo Siwa’s popularity stems from her wardrobe, which is easy to adore in all its boldness. Your daughter will be immediately recognizable when she wears the official Nickelodeon costume kit, featuring JoJo’s colorful skirt bedecked with bows, big pink bow in her hair and patch set she can put on her vest. Or she can dance and sing along in a pink JoJo Siwa “Boomerang” video dress. If she prefers to style herself, she can accessorize as JoJo perfectly with a JoJo Siwa ribbon kit in rainbow or pastel, complete with colored braids, hair bow and earrings. These JoJo Siwa outfits are perfect for Halloween, a costume party, a dress-up event or even a night in. You’ll love seeing the smile on her face when you let her belt out JoJo’s biggest hits while dressed as her favorite singer.
If you have any questions about which JoJo Siwa Costume is right for your child, or any of our other kids costumes, please contact the costume experts at Spirit Halloween. We’re available to assist you with your questions about size, fit, material, color and other aspects of dressing up in these popular costumes so your family can have the best Halloween ever. Contact us by clicking the “Help” button above or by calling our Customer Service Department at 866-586-0155.

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Look just like your favorite YouTuber with Spirit ’s official JoJo Siwa costumes and accessories ! Your little girl will look like the spitting image of the popular singer when she rocks out in a familiar colorful bow skirt , or the pink dress from her “ Boomerang ” video . This internet sensation is n’t just talented , she ’s also got an amazing sense of style . Your daughter can belt out her favorite tunes and show off her moves like the Dance Moms star , as all her friends applaud her . Dress her in accessories including colored braids , that familiar big pink bow in her hair and earrings , with a JoJo Siwa rainbow kit . There ’s nothing more fun as a kid as following a performer close to your age , except for pretending you ’re her for the day . Now she can get as glam as JoJo with these colorful outfits . With our authentic and affordable JoJo Siwa Halloween costumes , she ’ll be sure to dazzle everyone when she trick or treats .
 Your little girl will love dressing up in our JoJo Siwa Halloween costumes this year ! With her signature pink bow and colorful clothing , YouTube star JoJo Siwa is a phenomenon . Any girl who adores the singing and dancing star will want to look just like her ! Make trick or treating even more fun when you dress her in an officially licensed JoJo Siwa costume . Part of JoJo Siwa ’s popularity stems from her wardrobe , which is easy to adore in all its boldness . Your daughter will be immediately recognizable when she wears the official Nickelodeon costume kit , featuring JoJo ’s colorful skirt bedecked with bows , big pink bow in her hair and patch set she can put on her vest . Or she can dance and sing along in a pink JoJo Siwa “ Boomerang ” video dress . If she prefers to style herself , she can accessorize as JoJo perfectly with a JoJo Siwa ribbon kit in rainbow or pastel , complete with colored braids , hair bow and earrings . These JoJo Siwa outfits are perfect for Halloween , a costume party , a dress - up event or even a night in . You ’ll love seeing the smile on her face when you let her belt out JoJo ’s biggest hits while dressed as her favorite singer .
 If you have any questions about which JoJo Siwa Costume is right for your child , or any of our other kids costumes , please contact the costume experts at Spirit Halloween . We ’re available to assist you with your questions about size , fit , material , color and other aspects of dressing up in these popular costumes so your family can have the best Halloween ever . Contact us by clicking the “ Help ” button above or by calling our Customer Service Department at 866 - 586 - 0155 .


text:
You Are Here: Home » RELATIONSHIOP TIPS » How to maintain long lasting relationship?
This is very complicated question many people fail to understand this and as a result their relationship came to an end. Many people talk about long term marriage relationship and write articles but some core facts are ignored. The purpose of writing this article is to share my knowledge and experience to maintain a long lasting relationship between wife and husband. Before starting reading this article make your mind, do you really want to maintain the relationship or not?
You cannot only expect taking in a relationship, your habits your likes and dislikes are not only matters. If in a relationship one gives and other take and they think this is love. So here I tell you it is not the beginning of long lasting relationship because this will not help at long term as each individual has its unique identity and needs as a person so apart from love both members should respect the other’s habits and personal qualities. Compromise must be needed from both sides, one side Compromise will frustrate that person. Love is important but bearing one another as they are is the true key of successful relationship.
No matter will be solved by keeping quite. You must talk to each other. Sometimes one of the couple needs a child while other does not this is very important issue you both must talk on it and try to convince other but the communication must be healthy and fruitful. Open and direct communication helps as a oxygen which help the relationship to be alive. There are many issues at home and all must be solved by communication as there is no other way to solve the issues.
I will not ask you to don’t fight at all as it is unnatural. When two people live together they fight on some issues but you must decide correct topic to be fought. You must not create a huge mess on opened cap of toothpaste or wet towel on bed. These are small issues and can be resolved with a smile. Many couples turn such small issues into world war. Don’t do these foolish mistakes if you really want to live with your partner till your old age.
Sometime in the beginning one partner feel so much love for other partner that he or she gives up all his / her need for other partner. One leaves career , child demand or any other thing to support other partner but as an individual person your mind will ask you to do something for you it will create restlessness in you and frustration will increase which start minimizing the love. To prevent this try to be loyal by yourself and don’t sacrifice uselessly. Tell your Partner about your needs.
No one in this likes to be suspected all the time. So trust your partner as he is in your life and he is your part and parcel now. Suspecting the partner will realize him/her that you both are unknown to each other.

tokenized:
You Are Here : Home » RELATIONSHIOP TIPS » How to maintain long lasting relationship ?
 This is very complicated question many people fail to understand this and as a result their relationship came to an end . Many people talk about long term marriage relationship and write articles but some core facts are ignored . The purpose of writing this article is to share my knowledge and experience to maintain a long lasting relationship between wife and husband . Before starting reading this article make your mind , do you really want to maintain the relationship or not ?
 You can not only expect taking in a relationship , your habits your likes and dislikes are not only matters . If in a relationship one gives and other take and they think this is love . So here I tell you it is not the beginning of long lasting relationship because this will not help at long term as each individual has its unique identity and needs as a person so apart from love both members should respect the other ’s habits and personal qualities . Compromise must be needed from both sides , one side Compromise will frustrate that person . Love is important but bearing one another as they are is the true key of successful relationship .
 No matter will be solved by keeping quite . You must talk to each other . Sometimes one of the couple needs a child while other does not this is very important issue you both must talk on it and try to convince other but the communication must be healthy and fruitful . Open and direct communication helps as a oxygen which help the relationship to be alive . There are many issues at home and all must be solved by communication as there is no other way to solve the issues .
 I will not ask you to do n’t fight at all as it is unnatural . When two people live together they fight on some issues but you must decide correct topic to be fought . You must not create a huge mess on opened cap of toothpaste or wet towel on bed . These are small issues and can be resolved with a smile . Many couples turn such small issues into world war . Do n’t do these foolish mistakes if you really want to live with your partner till your old age .
 Sometime in the beginning one partner feel so much love for other partner that he or she gives up all his / her need for other partner . One leaves career , child demand or any other thing to support other partner but as an individual person your mind will ask you to do something for you it will create restlessness in you and frustration will increase which start minimizing the love . To prevent this try to be loyal by yourself and do n’t sacrifice uselessly . Tell your Partner about your needs .
 No one in this likes to be suspected all the time . So trust your partner as he is in your life and he is your part and parcel now . Suspecting the partner will realize him / her that you both are unknown to each other .


text:
Win & Win Printer is a dynamic design and printing company in Singapore founded by Ms Anne Kiew in 1995. Over the last 22 years, we have provided a wide variety of designing and instant, offset and digital printing services to our customers in the private and public sectors.
Get in touch with us and call us today! Our helpful team will give you hand.
Join our mailing list to hear from us about specials, sales, and events.
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tokenized:
Win & Win Printer is a dynamic design and printing company in Singapore founded by Ms Anne Kiew in 1995 . Over the last 22 years , we have provided a wide variety of designing and instant , offset and digital printing services to our customers in the private and public sectors .
 Get in touch with us and call us today ! Our helpful team will give you hand .
 Join our mailing list to hear from us about specials , sales , and events .
 Copyright © 2019 Win & Win Printer Pte Ltd - All Rights Reserved .


text:
I am constantly being asked about best sellers, top flavours, most popular Toques and I just thought I'd compile a top 10. I hope this is of assistance.
You'll have to buy tons of it to get it into the top 10. It's around the 40 mark.
This is probably addressed elsewhere, but what's the difference between ToqueUSA Whiskey and Honey and Toque Whisky and honey?
Very interesting. Is this from the Toque website sales only or combined with other shops ?
I wonder why Toast&Marmalade isn't in the Top10, ridiculously good craftsmanship.
We want more Infos, I want to see all of the statistics !
This is only from Toque Online. Toast and Marmalade is in the top 20. I'll count the sales and let you know its exact position.
ToqueUSA Whiskey and Honey is on a blend of toast and rustica, flavoured with bourbon whiskey and a couple of other ingredients. Toque Whisky and Honey is on a toasted base and flavoured with malt whisky and other flavourings.
Thanks - sounds like I need to try both!
I'm surprised to see that the Ambrosia made the given that it hasnt been out long.
Aamon, It has sold like crazy. The big ad on the front page really helped to catch peoples attention.
I should also say the top 3 dominate. The old Whisky and Honey used to have the number one spot but has been usurped by the young pretender.
LOL! Don't say that it will go to Aamons head. He takes the credit.
ahahaha no credit due at all, anyway who's the pretty lady on the Ambrosia add?
@Roderick So are you the crazy looking guy on the Silver Dollar Banner ?
This is a great thread. I hope they become regular features.
Are these top 10 by number of tins sold, by grams sold, or by revenue ?
I wish! I'm the daft old guy seen here.
I'm just adding up the kilos of the top sellers. Some of the worst sellers hardly even register a few gram's a week. Violet only sold 20g's this week, Rose only sold 130g's, Champagne 260g's and Lavender 430g's. I'm not giving away the figures for the top sellers. I'm afraid that is too confidential.
I love the Violet and Pomegranate! Oh, and the Whisky and Honey USA!
Only two of the ones in the top sellers list are in my personal top 10 Toque's, but all that does is show how our tastes vary.
These top seven are always close to the top ten or there about. It amazes me what pops in every so often. Raspberry Menthol is a big seller but St Clements is hardly in the top 20. All it takes is a number of 400g bags and a snuff shoots up the list. However the top three are very unlikely to change position and Cheese and Bacon, Whisky and Honey, Natural Toast and Original are always hoping around.
I can't believe cheese and bacon sells at all!
I see a lot of snus and pipe users on FB starting to buy snuff. I always point them to http://www.toquesnuff.com And rave about the service, selections and quality.

tokenized:
I am constantly being asked about best sellers , top flavours , most popular Toques and I just thought I 'd compile a top 10 . I hope this is of assistance .
 You 'll have to buy tons of it to get it into the top 10 . It 's around the 40 mark .
 This is probably addressed elsewhere , but what 's the difference between ToqueUSA Whiskey and Honey and Toque Whisky and honey ?
 Very interesting . Is this from the Toque website sales only or combined with other shops ?
 I wonder why Toast&Marmalade is n't in the Top10 , ridiculously good craftsmanship .
 We want more Infos , I want to see all of the statistics !
 This is only from Toque Online . Toast and Marmalade is in the top 20 . I 'll count the sales and let you know its exact position .
 ToqueUSA Whiskey and Honey is on a blend of toast and rustica , flavoured with bourbon whiskey and a couple of other ingredients . Toque Whisky and Honey is on a toasted base and flavoured with malt whisky and other flavourings .
 Thanks - sounds like I need to try both !
 I 'm surprised to see that the Ambrosia made the given that it has nt been out long .
 Aamon , It has sold like crazy . The big ad on the front page really helped to catch peoples attention .
 I should also say the top 3 dominate . The old Whisky and Honey used to have the number one spot but has been usurped by the young pretender .
 LOL ! Do n't say that it will go to Aamons head . He takes the credit .
 ahahaha no credit due at all , anyway who 's the pretty lady on the Ambrosia add ?
 @Roderick So are you the crazy looking guy on the Silver Dollar Banner ?
 This is a great thread . I hope they become regular features .
 Are these top 10 by number of tins sold , by grams sold , or by revenue ?
 I wish ! I 'm the daft old guy seen here .
 I 'm just adding up the kilos of the top sellers . Some of the worst sellers hardly even register a few gram 's a week . Violet only sold 20 g 's this week , Rose only sold 130 g 's , Champagne 260 g 's and Lavender 430 g 's . I 'm not giving away the figures for the top sellers . I 'm afraid that is too confidential .
 I love the Violet and Pomegranate ! Oh , and the Whisky and Honey USA !
 Only two of the ones in the top sellers list are in my personal top 10 Toque 's , but all that does is show how our tastes vary .
 These top seven are always close to the top ten or there about . It amazes me what pops in every so often . Raspberry Menthol is a big seller but St Clements is hardly in the top 20 . All it takes is a number of 400 g bags and a snuff shoots up the list . However the top three are very unlikely to change position and Cheese and Bacon , Whisky and Honey , Natural Toast and Original are always hoping around .
 I ca n't believe cheese and bacon sells at all !
 I see a lot of snus and pipe users on FB starting to buy snuff . I always point them to http://www.toquesnuff.com And rave about the service , selections and quality .


text:
Okay, I admit it, I drank the Italian Kool-Aid wine the month of April last year. I’m also guilty of building daily itineraries-based from months of research, even down to the distance between point A and point B. I kept a diary and tracked all “Euro money” spent by converting the current daily exchange rate, every night before bed, so that I knew exactly how much I had spent.
This was not my first journey to Europe. I’m lucky to say that I can count on all my fingers and some toes, how many times I’ve been there. The exception to this was that I witnessed spring blooming in Tuscany, the Amalfi Coast and Rome, just shy of a month-long trip. Another goal was to live among the Italians, walk their streets in tandem, wash laundry that dried on clotheslines and immerse myself in their lifestyle by taking apartments in all three locations.
I would like to share just a few highlights and the impact on how and why this trip affected me so profoundly — an indelible imprint, which brought me such joy.
Torrents of wind and rain thrashing and splashing sideways greeted us at the Rome airport before our drive of three-plus hours to the walled city of Lucca, which was our home base for nine nights and eight day-trips. Charming Lucca was founded by the Etruscans and became a Roman colony in 180 BC in northern Tuscany.Once the rains stopped, we were amazed to see the vistas surrounding Lucca, the snow-capped Apuan Alps off in the distance, the vineyards beginning to green their woody vines of flowering plants growing on 50-degree slopes going up or down a hill, and the olive trees with their silvery leaves that were beginning to blossom. Immense patches of wildflowers cascaded the countryside in vivid yellow gorse, and fields of red poppies and banks of wild roses ignited my senses.
Our second destination took us six-and-a-half hours from Tuscany, skirting Naples proper, to the Amalfi Coast. Our apartment in Vico Equense was pushed into a crevice, two floors overlooking the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea, with glorious patio views and church bells that chimed in late afternoon.
The Lattari Mountains colonize homes dripping down or nestled in between valleys sliced into the hills, gushes of lemon tree orchards with bright green netting protecting them as they grow to the size of grapefruits were everywhere, narrow streets literally the width of an American minivan and the occasional tour buses listing and belching past, motorcycles veering in and out of traffic, and last but not least, hairpin turns everywhere. Seven miles can literally take 45 minutes at five miles per hour.
The estate of Ravello (a known favorite of Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy), 19 miles from our apartment, took us an hour to drive. No guard rails, traversing one mountain belt to another, European toy-sized cars, more tour buses, white knuckles stuck to the steering wheel or me holding on for dear life grabbing the dashboard, and massive grey mesh support sheeting drilled into the sides of the mountains for safety from falling rock and debris. We finally reached yet another high ground, cutting through the mountain to our final destination. The higher we went, the cloudier it became and after touring the estate and the abundant gardens, we lunched under a tremendous purple and white wisteria trellis, had our daily half-carafe of wine, and were transfixed literally in the clouds. It was otherworldly.
On to Rome, in our 5th-floor (top floor) apartment and on our patio that overlooked an inside courtyard akin to “Rear Window,” we clearly heard Italian conversations, smelled the aroma of Italian cooking, and saw laundry hanging on lines to dry, ours included, since there are no dryers. Simply, roaming Rome and either revisiting favorite sites or finding new ones, each day was filled with sunshine and azure blue skies, a blue that is indescribable and unforgettable. Lunch was at two o’clock, and dinner was at eight o’clock, with an afternoon break when everything shuts down and reopens at dusk.
I assume by now that you understand the gist of how we travel. There were no scheduled tours, no time requirements or restraints, no guides with microphones nor air-conditioned buses. We had the freedom to drive our Fiat 500 equipped with a soft-top and came and went as we pleased on our own time, driving at 120 km per hour totaling 1,400 miles before dropping the car in Rome. Thanks to modern technology, we were able to use our phones that guided us where to drive to a destination while in Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast. Once we were in Rome that technology became invaluable information for directions and distance it would take on foot or where to find the closest streetcar or hop on a bus to traverse Rome to reach our apartment two blocks from the American Embassy.
It was mid-April while we were on the Isle of Capri that I found myself again — almost a reintroduction of the innocent child that I had cast away and forgotten about decades ago. I was at peace, content, living in the moment, introspective and grounded, and my only desire was to retain the light that ignited my soul and transformed me.
No, it wasn’t the Italian wine, the food, the cooking class, nor the mountains or sea or the breathtaking sights, or the ruins, the history, the art, the serene churches, Florence, Pistoia, Sienna, San Gimignano, Volterra, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Rome, or the Caravaggio’s, Michelangelo, da Vinci, Bernini, and Borromini masters; this went much deeper within me, a profound epiphany. My perspective changed about how I view myself, how to prioritize, how to maintain my own tranquility and how to think and process and balance my internal self — in a much larger world than the one I thought I was living in. People will ask me now, “Aren’t you sad to be back?” I don’t think my answer will ever change: I tell them, “I haven’t left Italy, I’m still there.” Guilty as charged, I drank the Italian Kool-Aid wine and loved every drop!
Heidi Nast is the Executive Director of the Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City and Co-Founder of KC Studio Magazine.
Covering Kansas City's performing, visual, cinematic and literary arts.

tokenized:
Okay , I admit it , I drank the Italian Kool - Aid wine the month of April last year . I ’m also guilty of building daily itineraries - based from months of research , even down to the distance between point A and point B. I kept a diary and tracked all “ Euro money ” spent by converting the current daily exchange rate , every night before bed , so that I knew exactly how much I had spent .
 This was not my first journey to Europe . I ’m lucky to say that I can count on all my fingers and some toes , how many times I ’ve been there . The exception to this was that I witnessed spring blooming in Tuscany , the Amalfi Coast and Rome , just shy of a month - long trip . Another goal was to live among the Italians , walk their streets in tandem , wash laundry that dried on clotheslines and immerse myself in their lifestyle by taking apartments in all three locations .
 I would like to share just a few highlights and the impact on how and why this trip affected me so profoundly — an indelible imprint , which brought me such joy .
 Torrents of wind and rain thrashing and splashing sideways greeted us at the Rome airport before our drive of three - plus hours to the walled city of Lucca , which was our home base for nine nights and eight day - trips . Charming Lucca was founded by the Etruscans and became a Roman colony in 180 BC in northern Tuscany . Once the rains stopped , we were amazed to see the vistas surrounding Lucca , the snow - capped Apuan Alps off in the distance , the vineyards beginning to green their woody vines of flowering plants growing on 50 - degree slopes going up or down a hill , and the olive trees with their silvery leaves that were beginning to blossom . Immense patches of wildflowers cascaded the countryside in vivid yellow gorse , and fields of red poppies and banks of wild roses ignited my senses .
 Our second destination took us six - and - a - half hours from Tuscany , skirting Naples proper , to the Amalfi Coast . Our apartment in Vico Equense was pushed into a crevice , two floors overlooking the Bay of Naples and the Tyrrhenian Sea , with glorious patio views and church bells that chimed in late afternoon .
 The Lattari Mountains colonize homes dripping down or nestled in between valleys sliced into the hills , gushes of lemon tree orchards with bright green netting protecting them as they grow to the size of grapefruits were everywhere , narrow streets literally the width of an American minivan and the occasional tour buses listing and belching past , motorcycles veering in and out of traffic , and last but not least , hairpin turns everywhere . Seven miles can literally take 45 minutes at five miles per hour .
 The estate of Ravello ( a known favorite of Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy ) , 19 miles from our apartment , took us an hour to drive . No guard rails , traversing one mountain belt to another , European toy - sized cars , more tour buses , white knuckles stuck to the steering wheel or me holding on for dear life grabbing the dashboard , and massive grey mesh support sheeting drilled into the sides of the mountains for safety from falling rock and debris . We finally reached yet another high ground , cutting through the mountain to our final destination . The higher we went , the cloudier it became and after touring the estate and the abundant gardens , we lunched under a tremendous purple and white wisteria trellis , had our daily half - carafe of wine , and were transfixed literally in the clouds . It was otherworldly .
 On to Rome , in our 5th - floor ( top floor ) apartment and on our patio that overlooked an inside courtyard akin to “ Rear Window , ” we clearly heard Italian conversations , smelled the aroma of Italian cooking , and saw laundry hanging on lines to dry , ours included , since there are no dryers . Simply , roaming Rome and either revisiting favorite sites or finding new ones , each day was filled with sunshine and azure blue skies , a blue that is indescribable and unforgettable . Lunch was at two o’clock , and dinner was at eight o’clock , with an afternoon break when everything shuts down and reopens at dusk .
 I assume by now that you understand the gist of how we travel . There were no scheduled tours , no time requirements or restraints , no guides with microphones nor air - conditioned buses . We had the freedom to drive our Fiat 500 equipped with a soft - top and came and went as we pleased on our own time , driving at 120 km per hour totaling 1,400 miles before dropping the car in Rome . Thanks to modern technology , we were able to use our phones that guided us where to drive to a destination while in Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast . Once we were in Rome that technology became invaluable information for directions and distance it would take on foot or where to find the closest streetcar or hop on a bus to traverse Rome to reach our apartment two blocks from the American Embassy .
 It was mid - April while we were on the Isle of Capri that I found myself again — almost a reintroduction of the innocent child that I had cast away and forgotten about decades ago . I was at peace , content , living in the moment , introspective and grounded , and my only desire was to retain the light that ignited my soul and transformed me .
 No , it was n’t the Italian wine , the food , the cooking class , nor the mountains or sea or the breathtaking sights , or the ruins , the history , the art , the serene churches , Florence , Pistoia , Sienna , San Gimignano , Volterra , Pompeii , the Amalfi Coast , Rome , or the Caravaggio ’s , Michelangelo , da Vinci , Bernini , and Borromini masters ; this went much deeper within me , a profound epiphany . My perspective changed about how I view myself , how to prioritize , how to maintain my own tranquility and how to think and process and balance my internal self — in a much larger world than the one I thought I was living in . People will ask me now , “ Are n’t you sad to be back ? ” I do n’t think my answer will ever change : I tell them , “ I have n’t left Italy , I ’m still there . ” Guilty as charged , I drank the Italian Kool - Aid wine and loved every drop !
 Heidi Nast is the Executive Director of the Arts Engagement Foundation of Kansas City and Co - Founder of KC Studio Magazine .
 Covering Kansas City 's performing , visual , cinematic and literary arts .