Rich's for the Home

Swivel and Sit

When I was young, my grandmother had unique chairs in her living room that I’ve yet to see anywhere else. They were round, upholstered chairs with backs, and they swiveled at 360 degrees. Well, you guessed our fun in life. When allowed, my brothers and I would go there first (after greeting Grandma) and spin away. We would brace our feet on the nearby brick from the fireplace as leverage and our little dachshund would bark away at us as we spun. Until the adults broke up the fun, of course.

As an adult, I see why my grandma placed them where she did. Faced one direction they were a part of the living room and faced the other, part of the dining area. The parameter of movement is a benefit of swivel stools and swivel barstools can feature this same function.

A swivel barstool from Rich’s allows ease of access. Instead of pulling it out from under the bar/table/counter to sit down, one can swivel and sit. Anyone with back/leg/knee pain will thank you for that. And it makes it easy to turn and face another person while talking as well.

Be aware that swivel stools do not make the best perch if using them to change light bulbs, reach a high shelf, etc. I recommend (from experience) that you get a safe step-stool instead.

Conserving Your Generator

When I was a teenager, I sang in the church choir and we had prepared a program that was well-attended. It was a stormy Northwest day and I kid you not-with our voices raised in a resounding crescendo, singing "He is the light..."-all the lights went out in the church, and stayed out. The choir director frowned, but continued directing adamantly. After a short pause while we listened to the tittering from the now-dark pews, we continued singing.

My brothers and I loved it when the power went out. It meant popcorn and hot chocolate (and maybe more) cooked on top of our woodstove. And as I look back, I think it also held meaning that everyone would come out of their bedrooms and gather near the stove-together. I re-create the family time with my kids now when the same happens. With no (or limited if we are hooked into a generator) TV or electronic distractions, it’s an ideal time to play board games all together by the light of a lamp.

If your Rich’s stove has a surface that can be cooked on and heats enough to do so (check with Rich’s or the manufacturer about that first as some surfaces do not get hot enough to cook on), here are some things to remember:

• Cast iron works the best at distributing heat evenly and taking the wear and tear.
• Recipes requiring temperature adjustments are more difficult, unless it is a gas stove with various heat settings.
• Food should be watched carefully while cooking as it may heat (and burn) faster.
• Multiple dishes are harder. Try for the one-skillet combination meals.
• Keeping a pot on the stove with hot water is handy and acts as a humidifier-just make sure the water doesn’t all evaporate.
• Supplies you would normally buy for a camping trip-such as a long-handled butane lighter or camp stove toaster (see pic)-will make your cooking easier.
• If your refrigerator is not being used to store food, it comes in handy to stack dirty dishes in until you can clean them (also keeps smell to a minimum).

What's your favorite power outage story? Please comment and let us know.

Emergency!

"I’ve had it! I’m moving!" I insisted this winter-for the fifth time. The endless rain, power outages, hurricanes (hello?) and tornadoes (hello, hello?) threaten my beloved home (and psyche) more often than I care to admit. And in my corner of the woods, we had a four-day outage last year and a six-day outage this year, when even the land lines and cell phones were down.

Talk about a return to the past! Suddenly communication had to be passed door-to-door and often didn't happen at all. With 911 service down, neighbors had to count on each other more. Fortunately, we had already as a community determined where emergency centers were and while conserving gas and limiting trips out, we could still convey emergencies through local Ham radio operators who were set up at those centers. The local radio station (who bought a generator after last year's 4-day outage) became our only source of official information-including when to expect services to return. Although we also had to conserve batteries (highways into our area were closed due to tree blockage so supplies were limited), it became a high priority to listen to the news only until an update was given.

If you love the Northwest like I do, it is much harder to actually follow through with moving when the disasters are over. Because when the sun does peek out-and I get a chance to walk some trails, see some beautiful northwest scenery, find a beach, tilt my face to the blue sky and warm sun-I SO love my Northwest.

There is a lesson, however, in preparation. And part of living here (or anywhere for that matter), should include preparations for emergencies. We have it on good authority that our natural disasters will someday get worse. And, trust me, a stove or fireplace from Rich’s will greatly decrease the anxiety and stress in an emergent situation when there is no power and suddenly all your time is spent trying to stay warm, preparing food and concentrating on the once-simple art of keeping the dishes clean. Not only will the gas-powered options provide heat (that can spread even further with the use of a small generator for the fan) but it can provide a surface as well-necessary for cooking and boiling water.

I recently read the Restoration Series by Terri Blackstock. It's a fictional account of what might occur if there was a long-term, worldwide outage. I was impressed with the details and the accuracy. I found out, at the end of the second book, that the author has also lived through it short-term, thanks to Hurricane Katrina.

Don’t be left out in the cold this year. Remember that our storms often continue into March and April. Get your stove or fireplace installed and keep an emergency stash of supplies nearby.

Hydro-Sleep

What beats feeling like a cooked noodle after a soak in hot, jetted streams of water?

Not much. Except maybe a good night’s rest.

I bet you already know this-but hydrotherapy is a way to increase the quality of your sleep-and therefore your life. We have it on good authority that sleep is essential to good health of the mind, body and spirit. Heading for that spa before you hit your bed can make a big difference in how much your body relaxes-and therefore how quickly you move into Stage 4 sleep-where real rest occurs.

Here are some other ways to help you gain a restful night’s sleep:

• Limit activity before bed.
• Have a wind-down time with reading, writing, relaxation, etc.
• Leave work at work.
• Drink caffeine only before 6pm.
• Prioritize your sleep time.
• Try not to take naps, if at all possible.
• Use meditation, prayers, journaling or talking to someone to express your feelings.
• Make sure that your bed is supportive and works for you.You should not be waking up with pain or stiffness.
• See a doctor if sleep eludes you or you don’t feel rested upon awakening (on a consistent basis).

How has hydrotherapy helped you relax and live better? Please comment and let us know.

The Warmth of a Spa Gathering

What do you do for fun-time? Too many video games? You are not alone. According to the most recent stats from the Entertainment Software Association, "…Sixty-nine percent of American heads of households play computer and video games".

Wow! And you thought your kids were playing them all!

As you know, there are additional ways to plan together times that will enrich relationships, keep brain power running, and increase communication amongst your family members, friends and neighbors (uh-besides texting).

Why not have a gathering that includes time in the spa without the interruptions of life or a push to get to the next event? When you sit around the spa, you are face-to-face. You either talk or end up staring at each other, right? Well, it's the perfect time to make that talk time happen. Take advantage of the huge clearance sale at Rich's and order the spa today that you have always dreamed of.

We will look back and fondly remember the quality times we spent talking and listening to each other. We learn from each other then, and we grow. We advise each other and return home with more to think on. We feel cared for and loved. And we know the people that we spend time with in this way are ones that we can rely on.

Communicate in the spa-and make the greatest impact.

January Clearance Sale at Rich's!

Nothing, and I mean NOTHING beats a month (or more) of rain in the Northwest. And you all know what I am referring to. Is there anything more chilling than our rain (don’t answer that-I see a bucket of ice coming)? I have my doubts.

Greetings to you and welcome to the blog for Rich’s for the Home. My name is Julie and I am a member of Rich’s team. From here on out, you can visit this blog for a wealth of information on fine spas, outdoor furniture, fireplaces and stoves-as well as sales and manufacturing information for all the above and more. We’ll make it easy for you. As the blog grows, you will see categories listed in your areas of interest. Click on those categories for a direct path to the information that you need on the products that you want. We look forward to reading your comments and questions, and getting to know you a little bit better too.

Speaking of sales, there is a huge one happening right now for the month of January. Many of the 2007 products are discounted so it is the perfect time to order that spa or outdoor furniture that you have been craving. If you act now, you will be ready for those first warm days of spring and summer which-I promise-will arrive before you know it.

With four locations in the Puget Sound to serve you and the ability to ship wherever needed, Rich’s for the Home is truly all you need to kick off quality, outdoor entertaining and relaxing, healthy family time.