Aahhh,
it's finally here: Summer! Skies are blue,
temperatures are balmy, and the tomato
plants are growing like crazy. If you're
like me, Summer is your favorite time
of the year. It's a time to slow down
and really enjoy life.
This
newsletter is full of ideas to help you
get more out of your Summer. As ever,
it is our goal to provide useful information
and tips to help you keep your life in
balance, and to be on call for you when
you need help. We'd love to hear from
you what you would like to see in upcoming
issues of our newsletter.
With
watermelon wishes and dreams of lazy days,
Ellen
Lovelace, Founder and President
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June Calendar |
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14
Flag Day
Flag
Day started as a grass-roots movement
in New York and Pennsylvania in the
late 1800s to display the flag on June
14, the date of the official adoption
of the Stars and Stripes in 1777. In 1949,
President Truman made it official with
an Act of Congress. Be sure to display
the flag proudly this year and take a
moment to ponder what this symbol of freedom
means to you.
17
Father's Day
Father's
Day is always observed on the 3rd Sunday
in June. It was started by a woman who
was raised by her father, and who decided
there should be a day to celebrate Dads.
In 1924, President Coolidge proclaimed
it a national celebration. Let your Dad
know how much he means to you this year.
QCS can be sure he has the perfect gift
waiting for him on his special day.
21
Summer Solstice
In
the northern hemisphere, the Summer Solstice
is the day of the year with the most daylight
hours, marking the first day of the season
of Summer. In civilizations both ancient
and modern, there are many festivals and
celebrations around this day. Why not
plan your own solstice celebration this
year? There's simply no better day to
get outside and enjoy all that Summer
has to offer.
Have
other dates this month that are important
to you: birthdays, anniversaries, etc.?
Visit our
Forget Me Not page
on our website to learn how QCS can make
sure no important date ever goes forgotten
again.
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| Be
a Sport: Recycle! |
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The
school year is over, maybe your kids are heading
off to college in the Fall, and you're thinking
it's about time to clean out the garage
of all the old sports equipment. Baseball
gloves from when your teenager played t-ball,
cleats she hasn't fit into in years...it
all piles up, but how do you get rid of
it?
You
could always donate to one of the usual
suspects: your church, a school, Goodwill.
Instead, here are some interesting and
worthwhile ways to recycle that great
gear.
I
Love Schools:
Head to www.iloveschools.com and search a nationwide
database of teachers and coaches who have
posted requests for specific items ranging
from basketballs to climbing shoes.
The
Freecycle Network:
At www.freecycle.org you can find folks
locally who are looking for the same items
you're looking to unload.
Nike's
GO! Campaign:
Learn how you can drop off old sneakers
and see the rubber recycled into new playgrounds
and athletic fields at www.nikego.com
Sports
Gift, Inc:
A great group that provides athletic equipment
to needy kids worldwide. www.sportsgift.org
Remember,
decluttering doesn't have to be a pain.
Contact QCS and let us show you how we
can quickly help you reclaim your garage!
(information
from Prevention Magazine, February, 2007)
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| Make
the Most of Each Mile |
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Gas
prices are enough to make you cry each time
you "filler-up"!
We
have a few suggestions to help you get the
most mileage out of each tank:
- Don't
forget the air. Fill
your tires to the maximum recommended
air pressure.
- Don't
be a "lead foot".
By accelerating and braking gently you
can increase your mileage slightly, reduce
your stress level greatly, and make the
world a safer place.
- Don't
speed. Avoid
being a target for the local highway patrol
and keep your speed close to the limit.
You would be amazed what that extra 5
to 10 miles per hour will cost you over
time. Truth is, you arrive at your
destination around the same time whether
speeding or going the speed limit.
The only difference is, when you speed
you show up with less pocket change.
- Let your
car slow itself down.
Anticipate your stops, leave plenty of
room and just take your foot off the gas,
letting the car slow down on its own before
you apply the brakes.
- Lighten
Up.
By lightening your load, your car will
move along the road with less effort.
Remove bulky, unnecessary items from your
trunk and cargo spaces.
- Maintain
your service. Follow
the manufacturer's recommendations for
tune-ups, oil changes and filter replacements.
A dirty air filter will cause your car
to work harder.
- Don't
overuse your air conditioner.
This can be difficult in the summer months.
If it's not too hot, try recirculating
your air and using the AC only during
the mid-day heat.
- Do more
errands in one trip.
Make a list before you head out for the
day and do more than one thing while out
and about.
Not
only will taking the extra measures to get
the most of each tank save you money,
it will also help cut down on air pollution.
To really breathe easier, try the ultimate
way to get your errands done: let QCS handle
them! We never charge a fuel surcharge while
we save you time, money, and gasoline!
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| You
Can Do THAT For Me?! |
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As
we talk about the work we do, invariably
folks are stunned to find out about some
recent task we handled. So, each month we'll
tell you about something interesting we've
done. It might also spark an idea for how
we can help YOU!
Every
once in a while, a simple automobile service
appointment isn't as simple as planned.
We recently took a client's car in for service,
waited for it, and returned it to the
client's home. The car then died in
traffic the next day! We would have
been happy to rush to the client's assistance,
but they arranged to have the car towed
back to the dealership, where it was discovered
they had neglected to install a part.
Once
the part was installed, we retrieved the
vehicle, at which time we noticed a
film on the chrome rims. We asked
that these be cleaned immediately. Unable
to do so, the dealership removed the rims
and sent them out to be polished, giving
us a ride to the office so as not to leave
us stranded.
The
clean rims were returned to the dealership
at 4:45 pm on a Friday. Wanting to
save our client any further inconvenience,
we insisted the car be towed to the client's
home that night. We met the tow company
at 9pm at the home, inspected the car
with a flashlight, and handed the keys to
the client personally.
Very
rarely does such an occurrence take place,
but it was reassuring to our client that
we had the situation controlled and they
didn't need to worry.
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