Thanksgiving to-do lists

This isn't my first Thanksgiving in the US, every year it feels like it actually is (in a good way, of course!). I want everything to be perfect, even for those friends who couldn't make it to my house this year. So I decided to scour the web and try to find a website that could help me out with flower delivery.

I ended up using 1-800-Flowers, just because I like shopping online all in one place, although they have such a variety of gift baskets it was hard to narrow them down! All of the recipients loved their flowers and were touched to know I was thinking of them, and they made rain checks to come up and visit soon :)

My future garden

My husband has plans for a big garden when we eventually buy a house, but I really have no idea what to put in it. I'd like there to be a lot of color, so probably a nice variety of flowers - I want it to look like a rainbow. But, not only am I probably going to have to deal with a lot of insects, the colors might get a bit too intense!

I was checking out 1-800-Flowers recently and noticed that they had a plants section (not just cut flowers), some of which were almost like miniature gardens, which gave me some interesting flower arrangement ideas. Hopefully when we do get a nice garden I'll be able to create a really nice space for lounging/gardening. Or, maybe I'll just get my husband to do it :)

Flowers as a special gift

I recently took a trip to see my aunt. She lives on the other side of the metro area so I have to take two or three trains, which makes it difficult to get to see her regularly. So when I do, it always becomes second nature to buy her some flowers. I know her pretty well, so I remember that her favorites are daffodils.

That's what makes it difficult for me to choose flowers as a gift for people I don't know too well. I figure if I can't figure out or don't know their favorite, then I would rather just play it safe and get a mixed bouquet instead (I usually buy online from 1-800 flowers if I have enough notice ahead of time).

My aunt isn't fussy anyway, and she loves anything that's given as a gift. Flowers have always been her soft spot, though, so usually when the daffys are out of season I'll get her something with a daffodil print, or a painting or drawing of daffodils I did for her.

Seeing The World With YMT Vacations

My grandparents have been bitten by the travel bug recently, after seeing me do a spot of globetrotting. They're a little concerned that their age (they're in their 80s) might be a bit of a hindrance for traveling, but I suggested they try Your Man Tours, a vacation company that specializes in tour packages for mature travelers.

My grandparents had been on fantastic vacations when they were younger, but felt a bit out of the loop. They mentioned to me later on that they were surprised by the variety of options Your Man Tours had for what they considered to be a "forgotten market". I think they'll be using Your Man Tours in the future. They still say they have a lot of the world to see.

United American Insurance Company as a Health Insurance Choice

My roommate is a martial arts instructor, and was talking to me about the various benefits studying different styles. He recommended I try Kung Fu, mainly because you learn practical moves quicker than, say, Tai Chi. The only problem with that is that you need health insurance much sooner. He suggested I try United American Insurance Company to see what they had to offer.

Being from the UK, I've never had to buy health insurance, so I'm a bit unsure as to how to go about getting the right type of cover, but United American Insurance Company were helpful in letting me know what my options were. I'm still shopping around at the moment, but I have spoken to other people in the same boat as me and suggesting they give United American Insurance Company a call, too.

Amos Tamam as an Entrepreneurial Example

My father always complains about the level of inconvenience when he takes taxis. Generally, when he travels, he tends to rent a car, but it's harder in places outside of the EU where he holds his driver's license. So when he comes to the US, taking taxis is a bit of a pain, as he never carries much cash on him.

I was talking to him the other day about how this businessman named Amos Tamam was implementing credit/debit card machines in NYC taxis, and that hopefully that might catch on. It seemed like quite a great grassroots-type idea, so my dad was particularly impressed by what Amos Tamam was doing. It'd be a lot more convenient for people to just use their debit cards in ways that Amos Tamam was implementing, rather than having to find an ATM that doesn't charge you, then running around with cash on you! Maybe that might encourage my dad to visit more often.

SRC Leads as a Sales Resource

My uncle is considering working in sales, because he misses the busier lifestyle he had when working as a realtor. The only thing is he's quite concerned about the sales market he's been missing out on for the past five years or so. I was doing some internet browsing and happened upon SRC Leads, who generate sales leads for their client.

I suggested to my uncle that he take a look at SRC Leads and see what they had to offer. He seemed pleasantly surprised by the level of service he received from SRC Leads, considering that my uncle is kind of a crotchety guy who's pretty fussy about what he pays for. Hopefully he'll get back into the swing of things soon.