Gambling Shuffle

Borrego Springs is a small town in the middle of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Everyone there is proud that it is the largest state park in the US. The small town is located in a desert valley thus you can imagine how hot it can get during the summer. In fact, when looking over places to stay and eat, many mention that they are closed during the summer. I don’t blame them. We planned a one night stay a few weeks in advance. Borrego Springs Resort seemed the choice that combined reasonable prices and solid comfort so we went there ….

We made our way into town from Julian. Once on Borrego Springs road you would imagine that there would be a sign directing you to the resort. Well, no. Luckily, we spotted Tilting T drive as we sped down the road and made a quick turn. After a short drive we arrived at the resort and checked in. The resort was clean and basic. Our room was quite large. It had everyting we needed apart from a safe. The bathroom was well furnished. The bed was very comfortable. They only had very large pillows making it difficut to sleep if you are used to small pillows. The view outside the room displayed the desert in all its autumn beauty. The weather was perfect during our stay which helped. In the evening we spent some time at the pool. The pool was also very basic, not really resorty, but served its purpose. A full golf course is adjacent to the property but we did not take advantage of that. In the morning, continental breakfast was included. It was not very good. The coffee was bad. The view from the Arches restaurant though, where breakfast is served is absolutely magnificent. Service was quite solid.

All in all, for the price, this was a pretty good place to stay. When visiting Borrego Springs again, we would strongly consider staying here again. Note: The web site for the resort is very well done and looks much better than the actual place.

1112 Tilting T Drive
P.O. Box 981
Borrego Springs
CA 92004
888-826-7734

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

Christmas gift-giving can be a trying experience. Shopping for just the right gift for everyone on your list requires much thought. What do they need? Is it the right size, color, and style? What about the quality? The long lines at the stores for returns the next day prove just how challenging it can be.

And after all that effort, how long will your purchases really last? In today?s world of disposables, planned obsolescence, and ever-changing trends, it?s rare to receive a gift that lasts more than a few seasons.

For these reasons, Christmas presents at our house were sparse. To my perennial disappointment, my parents weren?t much into buying gifts. They had no patience for the whole process. My father especially lost interest when everything started being manufactured in China. Dad was a proud veteran of World War II, and he didn?t like the notion of our goods being produced on foreign shores.

I recall one Christmas, after some gentle prodding, he agreed to buy me a robe, but on two conditions. First, I had to pick it out. If he was going to buy it, he didn?t want any guesswork. Second, it had to be American-made. Simple enough, I thought. So together we went to the local mall, trudging from store to store, in search of a robe made in the U.S.A. Dad pored through the racks, scrutinizing every label: Made in China. Korea. Cambodia. Vietnam. (That one really perplexed him.) Surprisingly, there wasn?t one to be found. In each store, he confronted the sales clerks and asked why they had no robes made in the United States. I was frustrated and embarrassed, but he persisted. It was really important to him, and he wanted to make his point.

That Christmas, I didn?t get a robe. But I got a different sort of gift — a subtle, unexpected one that doesn?t wear out, become obsolete or fall out of fashion: the gift of understanding that it?s important to take a stand for your beliefs.

My father was always a man of strong principles. He?d go to great lengths to argue his case if he thought something was wrong or unfair. As a teenager, I often viewed him as stubborn, difficult, and even embarrassing at times. But now, with the wisdom of age and experience, I see him in a different light.

Through his commitment to his values, he taught me an important lesson that day at the mall. I didn?t realize it at the time, but it influenced me deeply. Now as an adult, I, too, am compelled to speak out when I feel something isn?t right. So much so that I chose a career around it. The values I speak out for may in some cases be different from his, but it?s the commitment to them that matters.

Sometimes the gifts we receive from others are not wrapped in paper and bows. They are not manufactured, bought or sold. They are the gifts of teaching by example, of inspiring and motivating, of passing on lessons of living. After the flurry of the holidays has come and gone, these are the gifts that endure.

I may have been shortchanged at Christmas when it came to getting presents. But my father gave me a gift much more precious and lasting than anything he could have bought at the store. Top quality, perfect fit, and no exchange or return needed. He gave me strength of character and conviction. A belated thank-you, Dad.

Deborah Akel is a writer living in Washington, DC. Originally from Canton, Ohio, she has worked in TV news, writing, and politics in San Francisco, Sacramento, Cleveland, New York, and the District of Columbia. She wrote this article in loving memory of her father David. Her website is http://home.earthlink.net/~creativewritingsvcs/

Christmas parties are something that most people look forward to all year long because they are a joyful gathering of friends, family, great food, and shared memories. There are lots of things that probably go into your Christmas parties such as preparing food, having a good music selection, sending out beautiful invitations, creating or buying Christmas table arrangements, or preparing your home for overnight guests. The great thing is that you can make your home look very festive without spending a lot of time or money on it, so that you can spend more time visiting with your guests and catching up with many people that you may not have spent much time with since your party last year.

Christmas crackers

Christmas crackers, cookies, and some simple foods will make feeding your guests quite simple. If you want to have more filling foods, you might want to consider having the party catered or purchasing pre-cooked foods so that you do not have to worry about cooking great food for you and all of your guests to eat at your party. If you really want to have homemade food at your Christmas parties, you may want to have some friends or family members come over and help you prepare the food and make a tradition out of that as well. Or, you can always make your Christmas parties potlucks so that you have a different selection of foods to offer your guests every year and simply say that you’ll provide the Christmas crackers, cookies, and one prepared dish every year but you want help feeding the masses! Most people love potlucks, so you’ll find that most of your guests will be quite receptive to this idea.

If you are busy preparing food and Christmas table arrangements and other decorations and you just can’t seem to get your home cleaned, think about employing your kids or a neighbor to help you get things tidied up quickly. Just one extra pair of hands can help you get the job done in a lot less time. Or, create a checklist for yourself that will help you get a few things done each day before your Christmas parties so that you do not have stress about cleaning the day of your party.

If you want Christmas table decorations as well as other decorations to make for your party, the Internet and craft stores offer many great ideas for Christmas crafts that will make your home look even more festive. Just hanging strands of garland on your door frames is a simple and inexpensive way to make your home look great for your Christmas parties, so don’t think you have to spend a ton of money to make your home look great. A great Christmas party table decoration is to simply buy a pre-decorated wreath to place on the table and then find a great scented candle to put in the middle of it. If you have a large table you might think about placing more than one on the table.

Christmas parties should be a lot of fun, so don’t let yourself get stressed out as you plan for the party in your home. Some of the best Christmas parties are that way because of great planning and because the hostess isn’t afraid to be thrifty and even ask for help. Christmas is about bringing family and friends together to have fun, not to stress you out! So focus on enjoying friends, family, and fun at your next Christmas party!

Designer Crackers Christmas Crackers provide party supplies for all occasions, including Christmas Parties wedding parties as well as Christmas.

Because our mothers do so much for us, we should demonstrate our appreciation more than once a year, but especially on Mother’s Day we can let Mom know what she means to us. Here are some suggestions:

1. Make her breakfast and clean up afterwards.

Here’s an easy breakfast: Get some fruit of different colors. Two kinds of melonhoneydew and cantaloupe would work. Cut it up into chunks and serve with a wedge of lime on the side. If you want to be fancy, add a stemmed maraschino cherry on top. If melon isn’t available, you could use strawberries, which are always in season around Mother’s Day. Buy some cinnamon rolls to go with the fruit. Wrap them in foil and warm them in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 20 minutes. If you must use the microwave, be sure to set it on half power, or the rolls will turn out tough.

With breakfast, give her some flowers. If they are cut flowers, don’t make her find a vase and arrange them; you do it. If the budget is tight, buy a single flower or pick some wildflowers from your garden, or ask a neighbor who has a flower garden if he or she would give you one.

With the flowers, give her a sentimental Mother’s Day poem, like this one:

You Let Me Know You Love Me

You let me know you love me
In so many different ways.
You make me feel important
With encouragement and praise.

You’re always there when I need you
To comfort and to care.
I know I’m in your thoughts;
Your love follows me everywhere.

Thank you for all you’ve done
And given so generously.
I love you, my wonderful mother,
You’re a heaven-sent blessing to me.

By Joanna Fuchs

You can find more mother poems like these at www.poemsource.com. These copyrighted poems are free for personal use, according to the Terms of Use detailed at the site.

2. Take over all her chores for the day. You may not have noticed what those are, but you will now. Every time she starts a chore, you take over. Say to her, “I love you and I want to show you that I appreciate you on your special day.” Say it every time; she won’t mind the repetition. She’ll love hearing it.

3. Take her out to dinner or make dinner at home for her and whoever else is there. If others are coming over, ask each of them to bring something.

You’ll need the following:

A green salad. You can buy this in a plastic bag at the supermarket if you want. Some even come with dressing. If the budget is tight, make it from scratch. Wash and cut up some romaine and iceberg lettuce. Add some washed and peeled, thinly sliced or shredded carrots and some washed, peeled, sliced cucumber. Make or buy some ranch dressing. Everyone likes that.

An entrée. You can cook something if you like, or you can buy a frozen, family size entrée, like lasagne, at the supermarket.

Rolls and butter.

Dessert. Make your own. Something really easy is chocolate puddingNOT instant, but rather the Jello brand kind you cook. It says “Cook and Serve” on the box. Making it in the microwave is really easy; just follow the instructions on the box. Make more than you think you’ll need. Cook it in a big glass bowl so it won’t boil over. Put it into individual servings. You can use little dishes, if you have them, but you can also use juice glasses or wine glasses. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time. Buy a can of whipped cream and spritz some on the top of each serving.

Or you can buy a pie or cake from the bakery. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if appropriate.

If Mom drinks coffee, be sure to make some.

4. After dinner, surprise her with a gift. A personalized gift is nice. You can find some nice ones at personalizationmall.com. They have a special section for mothers. If the budget is tight, go to the dollar store. Or go to a used bookstore and get her a book by her favorite author.

5. Finally, tell her you’re glad she’s your mom. I know it’s hard to express feelings for some people, but it will mean so very much to her. Moms are like that. You cannot know how much time is left with her to tell her what she means to you. She could be around another fifty years or she could be gone tomorrow. Just say something like, “Mom, I just want you to know I’m really happy that you’re my mother. You’re the best.” Or whatever feels right to you.

Do these things, or even some of them, and you Mom will have a great Mother’s Day!

Joanna Fuchs writes greeting card poems for poemsource.com. In addition to mother poems, there are anniversary, baby, birthday, Christian, Christmas, father, friendship, get well, graduation, love, New Year, teacher, Valentine and wedding poems. To see the mother poems, go to http://www.poemsource.com/mother-poems.html

Venice is an old and somewhat eccentric city in Italy. Built long ago on marshlands, I was surprised to find myself spending my first night in the city with the bird lady.

Rent a Room

As is common with many cities in Europe, one can rent a room in a private home at the train station. The advantage of renting a room is you get to live with a family and the costs tend to be a lot cheaper than a hotel room. If you’re lucky, the family will take a liking to you and haul you around to see the “real” city you are in.

I had just arrived in Venice on a train from Paris. It was late, I was tired and in no mood to be picky about lodging. As I walked up to the rent a room desk, I had two priorities: sleep and a shower.

The elderly lady at the desk smiled at me and we got down to business. Apparently, arriving in Venice around midnight in the middle of August wasn’t a wise move. I was told most everything was sold out, but there were two rooms still open. The first was 45 minutes outside of the city while the second was just off Piazza San Marco, the central square you see in all the movies. I booked the San Marco room, given a map and off I went.

As it was late and I was tired, it never occurred to me to ask why a room so close to Piazza San Marco was open when everything else was taken. As I walked through the very narrow streets of Venice, I was too tired to really care.

Following the map, I walked into the square and started heading toward the glass shops at the far end. The walk through the otherwise delightful square was a killer on my headache as the mini-orchestras dueled the night away. Reaching the end, I found the little alley indicated on the map and through I went into more winding little streets.

Eventually, I found the door and gave it a knock. Like a bad Monty Python movie, a little viewing slot opened, eyes looked at me and my backpack, the door opened and I was literally pulled inside. Before me stood a little older lady with wild hair. At this point, I started to understand why the room was available. Turns out I was wrong, as “Michelle” turned out to be very sane and nice.

Michelle gave me the run down on the house and her basic rules. She went into a long diatribe about keeping the doors closed because of something she didn’t know the English word for. I kept nodding and we proceed to the door that would let us into the house proper.

Inside the door, the house took on an entirely new atmosphere. Michelle was a big fan of birds. She had little yellow birds, red birds, black birds and I swear a few humming birds. None of them were in cages. I had booked a room in an informal Aviary!

Fortunately, my room had been bird-proofed by keeping the door closed. As I lay in bed, however, I could hear chirping and wings flapping as the other guests flew around the rooms. Over the next two days, I never got use to opening the door and seeing birds whipping by or perched and staring at me. I imagine this is where Alfred Hitchcock picked up some of his ideas.

As far as I know, Michelle is still in Venice and still renting out rooms. If you’re a bird enthusiast, just ask for the bird hotel at the train station in Venice.

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of writing journals. Travel journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for student travel, family vacations and adventure travel. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more travel articles, travelogues and travel stories.

When you think of a perfect stag weekend with exciting stag parties and nightlife, the first place that comes to your mind is Birmingham. With its central location and reasonable price, Birmingham is the hottest stag weekend venue. This stag venue boasts of having the largest lap-dancing club in the world, with thrilling nightlife activities, stag friendly bars and curry houses, stag clubs and much more.

Stag Weekend Activity – the fun of a Football Match

If you are looking for some fun filled challenging stag weekend activity, the 5-a-side football tournament in Birmingham is the right option for you. The best part of this stag weekend activity is that you get to work as a team, thus building a sense of team spirit and unity among the players. All information regarding the rules and regulations of this stag event is provided to the individual teams prior to the start of the match. Each team will get to display their skills for 45 minutes with a minimum of three games each. You will get the feel of a real contest, as this stag event will be officiated by fully qualified FA referees.

Do not worry; Chillisauce will not leave you starving. On your arrival, freshly brewed coffee/tea and biscuits will welcome you. A bar and a lounge are there at your disposal throughout the duration of this exciting stag do. That is not all. There is a delicious buffet for all the players. If your team wins, be prepared to grab the engraved tournament cup along with seven individual engraved trophies. If your team is the runners-up, don’t be disappointed, as the team members will be given an engraved trophy each. A case of Carlsberg is presented to the winning team!

Advantages of Stag Do in Birmingham

Birmingham is the best place for a stag weekend where you indulge in stag parties and stag nights. All your needs while you are on a stag weekend in Birmingham will be catered by Chillisauce, a high quality tour operator that specializes in organizing the best stag weekends, parties and stag nights. The main objective of a stag weekend in Birmingham is to enliven and cheer you up, thus bringing out the best in you.

chillisauce.co.uk/stag-weekends/birmingham/five-a-side-football/

When searching for Angel Costumes, there are so many choices online, so the heavenly question is, “how good, or how bad of an angel would you like to be?”

Whatever suites your character best, when Halloween rolls around, you can choose which side you want to bethe good, or the bad and look great!

The angel costume is extremely popular this year, and if you’re concerned that there may be too many angels at your next party, don’t worry, because we can never have enough halos at a good Halloween party! With the variety of options currently at your fingertips, you can easily choose to be the beautiful, heavenly angel, or the sexy, dark, and mysterious fallen angel. This outfit screams with non-purity as the sleek long gray dress fits every curve of your body, and the eerie flow of the wings give the impression that your pure soul will be challenged during the evening!

Be creative, and fashion your own unique style of angel! Have fun with it by adding personal costume accessories, or if you’re the angelic traditionalist, and enjoy to dress as the classic angel with the halo, velvet dress, belt, and wings, then do as you please, because in the end you will be a glowing vision in white!

So you have that devilish side in you, right? then take it a step further and check out the great new gothic angel costumes now available. Wear the tattered wings, seductive dark dress, and the men will be completely spellbound! If you’re wondering where to find these fascinating costumes, you will unearth most, if not all of these impressive costumes online at specialty Halloween costume sites.

There are so many different types of costumes to choose from, and the best part is, you can do one angel costume this year, and the other next year! So if you’re a very sweet person, spice it up this year and go for the bad angel! Or, if you’re more of the rebel type, dress as the heavenly angel and surprise everyone by showing off your sensitive side!

Angel costumes are fun, easy to wear, and simple to shop for online at specialty Halloween Costume sites! A fair number of the angel costumes come complete with your angel accessories so you’re good to go for your next Halloween party! Remember, no matter which angel costume you decide to go with, whether it be good or bad, one thing will be for sure: you will surely make for a beautiful angel!

About the author: Maria is the the author of “1st In Halloween Costumes” available at http://www.1st-in-halloween-costumes.com A great source for Sexy Halloween Costumes online! You can easily find and compare halloween sites offering quality adult costumes, naughty costume, and sexy fantasy costumes in one convenient location.

A frugal gift is measured first by it’s usefulness. Speaking from my own experience, I would say that my most appreciated gifts are those that I not only find useful, but that I would have had to purchase myself at some point. With that in mind, the frugal mind that is, the gift actually serves two practical purposes; It is useful and saves me money.

If you are a frugal gal, this task will be much easier for you. If great minds think alike, the same is true of frugal minds. Simply look within yourself. The frugal gal can get excited about the most ordinary of items. For the rest of you, here’s a little help.

Although you may question some items on the list, remember, the frugal gal enjoys frugal things! She looks to get the best value for her money and this IS what makes her happy! It just makes sense that providing a practical frugal gift that may also save money, will make her happy. Isn’t that what great gifts should do? So here’s to happiness and the pursuit of the frugal lifestyle! Happy holidays, happy birthdays, happy Mother’s day, etc. etc. etc….

FRUGAL GIFT BASKET IDEAS

Some of these unique gift baskets might seem odd or unusual to the average person. If you’re a frugal gal, you’ll completely understand. The rest of you will just have to trust me.

Now don’t worry frugal gals, I’ve got your back! I wouldn’t want your friends and family to think you will be offended if they give you a non-frugal gift. So here’s my last thought……

Although the frugal gal will love and appreciate the practical, useful, gift like no one else can, she is indeed a woman. So, if the notion strikes, you may certainly reward her with a luxury gift. The frugal gal will enjoy a luxurious treat that she would not normally consider for herself. For example, a trip to the salon for a professional manicure, pedicure, or hair style.

If you know your frugal gal has had her eye on an outfit, or other item, that she’s convinced she doesn’t need but secretly admires and wants, of course (if your budget allows) Get It For Her! Odds are she won’t buy it for herself and she will surely be happy to receive it as a gift. She’ll get to have something she wants but doesn’t actually need, and still remain faithful to her lifestyle or financial commitments.

I hope these ideas help you create beautiful gifts for anyone in your life. Choosing a basket theme to suit the recipients interests or needs is always a winning gift. Personalized gifts are more appreciated and keep on giving. Each time the recipient uses the item/s they are reminded of the thoughtfulness of the giver.

Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become and remain debt free. Publisher of Simple Debt Free Living at http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com – a self-help plan, ideas, and resources for a simple proven debt elimination strategy, household budget planning, frugal living, and practical home business ideas . Money saving tips for monthly bills, home decorating, gifts, weddings, groceries, clothing and much more save money every day.

This light house of Alexandria was one of the useful of the seven wonders of the world (for the sailors to return to the Great Harbor), which is a small differentiates it, when compared with the other wonders of the world. The mirror which was mounted on this lighthouse could reflect the light more than 35 miles off-shore. Of the 6 ancient destroyed wonders, this was the last to be destroyed around 1480 AD.

Location:

On the ancient island of Pharos, now a promontory on the harbor of the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

Description:

This lighthouse was built around 280 BC and was around 134 m in height. This was built in the city of Alexandria.

The light house had a good mirror which can reflect the sun light to a very long distance. Mythical stories used to say that this mirror was used to burn the enemy ships.

The Macedonian conqueror, Alexander during his successful reign, had tried establishing approximately 17 cities in the name of Alexandria. The only one survived long was the one in Egypt. That too even this city was not completely built by Alexander. The completion of the construction of this city was achieved by his commander Ptolemy I Soter.

Ptolemy connected Alexandria to the Pharos island by a bridge. It was realized that the sailing in this coastal region is very dangerous. That is why he decided to build a light house. This project was initiated during Ptolemy’s reign in 290 BC and completed after his death by his son Ptolemy Philadelphus. Sostratus who lived in the same time as Euclid, was the architect. This used to remain in the harbor for centuries. This wonder of the world also depicted in the Roman coins that time.

The writings of the Arab conquerors are very good source of information about this lighthouse. The new rulers moved the capital to the Cairo. So this place had lost its importance. Three earthquakes stuck in various periods (around AD 956, AD 1303 and AD 1323 ) have damaged the lighthouse significantly. The during AD 1480 the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, has built a medieval fort at the same place. That was the end to the story of the light house.

There are some more tales to the light house. Sostratus after he completed the lighthouse wanted his name to be carved on the light house. This was not allowed by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Ptolemy II wanted his name to be carved on the structure. But what Sostratus did is he first carved his name underneath, put plasters on it and then carved Ptolemy II’s name. After some years, the plasters worn out and his name has come out to be known to all.

The design of the lighthouse was unlike the modern slim lighthouse towers. This was built in 3 stages, each built on top of the lower.

This lighthouse was so popular that the word Pharos came into French, Spanish and Italian to mean lighthouse.

About The Author

Muthukumar.V

Seven Wonders of the world – Ancient Times

http://www.sevenwondersworld.com

Thousands of snowboarders will before long be trying to find their salopettes and darting forth trying to find the deepest snow.

And beyond question the result of your carbon footprint will be almost as far down the list of holiday to dos as a turkey sandwich after the Christmas vacation.

Merely last Christmas, a sluggish snow made the the newspaper headlines and tourists were panicky about the flakes of snow dissolving nearly as soon as they put down.

Skiing holiday company Chalet1802, placed at the bottom of Mont Blanc in Chamonix ski resort in the French Alps, is one of the first independent businesses to go carbon negative and provide snowboarders an environmentally friendly choice when reserving their ski trip.

Chalet1802 proprietor Raanan said: Last winter was a bit of a surprise with the most warm winter in fifty yrs in Europe. Snowboarding skiing areas such as Superbagneres, Val-d’Isere and Portes du Soleil suffered.It was balmy and the snow did not settle so a lot of the early skiing season in the mountains was limited. We determined to become carbon negative to help preserve the ski resort.

Raanan said: We’re not trying to dictate to guests only I think it is all important to grant the clients the selection without augmenting the cost of the ski holiday. When the customer book with us and goes on holiday to our Chamonix ski chalet they can further off set their carbon output and we soak up the other prices. Naturally we still have a sauna and a hot tub – holiday makers require opulence but not at the expense of the environs, so we looked at means of decreasing the affect of a skier traveling over here for a holiday.”

The business have also linked up with organisation Climate Care, who attacks global warming by providing carbon dioxide deductions for people and firms.

For more info on luxury chalets and carbon negative snowboarding holidays offered by Chalet1802 visit www.chalet1802.co.uk.