Courtesy of Bryan Mundo

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

bryan@bryanmundo.com www.BryanMundo.com 780 909 3547 REALTOR ® Bryan Mundo

VOLUME 34 ISSUE 3

UPGRADE YOUR EXTERIOR, UPGRADE YOUR HOME’S VALUE Giving the exterior of your home a facelift may seem like a big project, but it doesn’t have to be. And if you’re planning on selling, an exterior refresh is a must. It’s all about the old saying – you never get a second chance to make a first impression. What potential buyers see on the exterior of your home can draw them in – or push them away. So the very first thing you should do when updating your exterior is simply give it a good cleaning. Grab a hose – or a pressure washer for stuck-on muck – and give your home a wash. Once it’s sparkling, assess if there are any pieces of damaged siding or shingles that need to be replaced. Next, repaint the front door. Choose a colour that highlights your siding while also adding a bit of a wow factor. Red is always classic, but if you prefer neutral, a black or grey door are both modern and timeless. Last up, add some greenery in your flowerbeds or planters. If it’s winter, put out an evergreen in a pretty pot – or add a simple wreath to say, “Welcome!”

VEGAN CHICKPEA NOODLE SOUP RECIPE Courtesy of www.ehow.com INGREDIENTS: 15 ounces canned chickpeas 2 tablespoons oil 1/2 large yellow or white onion, diced 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 large carrots, sliced 3 celery ribs, sliced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf 4 cups vegetable broth 4 cups water (or more vegetable broth) 8 ounces eggless pasta, cooked 1 small bunch dill and/or parsley

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes or until the onions are tender and translucent. 2. Add the garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for another 30 seconds. 3. Add the broth/water, chickpeas and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are easily pierced with a fork. 4. Remove the soup from the heat. Mix in the pasta. 5. If you haven't already, roughly chop the dill and/or parsley. Feel free to use other fresh herbs of your choice. 6. Scoop the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh herbs. Enjoy! 5 REASONS WHY NATURAL LIGHT IS SO GOOD FOR YOU Aside from being nice to look at, what is it about natural lighting that makes it such an integral part of a healthy home? Nowadays, we spend so much of our lives indoors, yet studies have shown time and time again that exposure to nature greatly improve our physical and mental state. Even though our lives are structured around indoor living, there are several ways to bring the health benefits of nature indoors, perhaps the most important being lots and lots of natural light. Here are five reasons why natural lighting is so good for you. 1. Natural lighting has been shown to improve concentration. In fact, studies comparing employees who work under artificial lights to those who work near windows have shown increased productivity in the latter group. 2. Natural lighting can boost your immune system. Exposure to sunlight produces Vitamin D, which is beneficial to our health in its own right. But Vitamin D also wakens T-cells in our bodies, and T-cells fight off foreign pathogens. 3. Natural lighting is good for your eyesight. Staring into the sun may be bad for your eyes, but indirect sunlight is the best for reading and doing any other tasks that require focused vision. Natural light reduces eyestrain and it also helps the brain to produce dopamine, which is key for healthy eye development in children. 4. Natural lighting gives you more energy. Feeling sluggish? You might feel better if you head on over to a window.

Sunlight slows down the making of melatonin, which is the hormone that regulates sleep. If you’re spending your day somewhere dark and dreary, your body might start thinking it’s time to produce melatonin. 5. Natural lighting can help you sleep better. When it’s finally time to get some shut eye, your body will thank you for spending time near natural light. One study even showed that people exposed to more natural light during the day slept an average of 46 minutes more per night.

FUNWAYS TO UPCYCLE PLASTIC CONTAINERS We all know we should recycle our plastic containers, but what about upcycling instead? If you’ve never heard of the term, upcycling means taking things that are considered “trash” and turning them into something useable – and cool! One of the most fun ways to reuse your household plastics is to turn them into an oversized game of checkers. Save up various plastic bottles, then paint half of them white and half black. Make a giant checkerboard out of cardboard and let the games begin. For a more practical upcycling project, use your plastic containers to sort things like rubber bands, paperclips, nails and so on. You can either leave them plain or decorate them as you please. Are you a green thumb? Or maybe you’d like to be one? Plastic containers are great for starting seeds. Simply cover the bottom with a shallow layer of rocks for drainage, add your soil and seeds, then place the containers in a sunny windowsill. To make your upcycling extra eco-friendly, make your own cleaning supplies and then store them in old plastic bottles. You can even make cute labels to identify which is which. Lastly, if you’ve got a crafty kid in your house then definitely save up your plastic bottles and containers. Give them a project idea and watch them go to town. Or, hand them the containers, scissors, paint, glue, coloured paper and ribbons and see what they come up with all on their own.

DOWNTON ABBEY INTERIOR STYLE The television series may be long over – and the film is already more than a year old, but the beloved characters and location of Downton Abbey will live on in the hearts of fans forever. So much so that some homeowners want the interior of their homes to imitate the famed castle where it all took place. And while this may sound a little extreme, there are ways to bring the Edwardian style into a modern home that feels both grand and contemporary. White linen tablecloths and a silver tea setting can add charm to a sitting area. Four-posted beds layered with tailored bedding and embroidered pillows dress up the bedroom. And beautiful chandeliers dripping with crystals hang from the ceiling – they don’t have to be real crystal to be lovely. Meanwhile, pay tribute to the loveable servants of Downton with a large, wooden kitchen island and lots of bustling around it.

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” – Leo Tolstoy QUOTE: Leo Tolstoy, born 1828, was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina , are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist fiction. Many consider Tolstoy to have been one of the world's greatest novelists. He died in 1910 at the age of 82.

DIY NATURAL KITCHEN CLEANING SOLUTIONS Ever wonder what homeowners did before the invention of cleaning products? They used items they had around the house, of course! The truth is, you don’t really need harsh chemicals to keep your kitchen clean. All you need is baking soda, vinegar – and some lemons! • Got crud stuck to the bottom of your favourite frying pan? Sprinkle it with baking soda and then add some vinegar, leave the combo to work its magic overnight and in the morning your pan should easily come clean. • When your kitchen sink is clogged, pour baking soda into the drain and follow it up with vinegar and very hot water. The bubbly reaction of the baking soda and vinegar will push the clog down and the water will rinse the drain clean. • Vinegar is acidic, making it a powerful grease remover. Mix it with water and then spray greasy surfaces like stovetops or your cabinets. Leave a few minutes and wipe clean. • Vinegar is also a great glass cleaner. You can use it to polish your glasses, clean your windows, or wipe clean any other glass surface in your kitchen. • Mix vinegar with warm water and a few drops of lemon juice and you’ve got yourself an all- natural floor cleaner. You can even pour the mixture into your swiffer-style mop. • Hate cleaning the microwave? Of course you do! Make the job so much easier by adding a few lemons to a bowl of water and microwaving for five minutes. This trick loosens any baked on food and makes it a breeze to wipe clean. • Slice a lemon in half and rub vigorously on countertop stains. Let sit a few minutes, then wipe clean. • Make a paste out of lemon juice and baking soda and use it to scrub clean tiles and grout. To really get into the crevasses, use an old toothbrush.

MOODS AND EMOTIONS WORD SEARCH

Find and circle all of the words that are hidden in the grid. Then unscramble the remaining 12 letters to spell an additional word.

HIDDEN WORDS:

Afraid Agitated Anguish Blue Bored Cheery Dark Down Dread Edgy

Irked Jaded Jovial Lonely Love Mellow Merry Misery Offended Ornery Panic Pleased Remorse Somber Sunny Sympathy

SOLUTION:

Additional Word: Astonishment

Elation Furious Genial

Gloomy Grouchy Helpless Hopeful Humiliated Hurt

Uneasy Upbeat Weary

Courtesy of www.puzzles.ca

Privacy Disclosure: We respect your privacy. The sponsor indicated on the front panel provides a complimentary subscription of this publication to you, a valued client. If at any time or for any reason you do not want to receive this publication, please contact the sponsor using any of the contact info on the front panel, and your personal information will be removed from the mailing list immediately. Without response to this cancellation offer, we assume your implied consent and permission to continue provision. Disclaimer: This publication is distributed for the purpose of information only. It is not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract by a real estate firm or under contract with another Broker, nor is it intended to cause or induce breach of any existing agreement. Distributed By: DMS Marketing Inc. Copyright© 2021 All Rights Reserved / Printed on recyclable material The trademarks REALTOR ® , REALTORS ® and the REALTOR ® logo are controlled by CREA and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. Thinking Of Buying Or Selling Real Estate? Call Today!