National Devil’s Food Cake Day!

Today, May 19, is National Devil’s Food Cake Day!

Devil’s food cake is the creme de le creme of chocolate baked goods. It is a decadent cake, rich in flavor with an irresistibly moist texture that is a national favorite. Hmm, I somehow have a sudden craving for Devil’s Food Cake now…

Devil’s food cake is not your ordinary chocolate cake. It’s a unique mix of ingredients that brings out the chocolate. Recipes often call for boiling water, instead of milk, and some even add coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor! Mixing science with desserts, the cake gets its darker color from its higher pH levels due to the added baking soda. The cake uses cocoa instead of chocolate squares, making it even fluffier! Some say the cake gets its name to distinctly contrast from the Angel’s food cake, which is much lighter in comparison. As more and more types of cakes have been created over the years, “devil’s food cake” is often used as a catch all name for a super-choclatety cake that doesn’t have nuts.

Enjoy this recipe!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/devils-food-cake-recipe-1928104?fbclid=IwAR3CcCcgJCmsBh2K95HcKDZpv69e-KWBRgKy8oKDg79s4RVCQQHC2MZUXhs

National Do Something Good For Your Neighbors Day – Part 2

May 16th was National Do Something Good For Your Neighbors Day! Here is an opportunity to ask yourself – What would Mr. Rogers do? Here are suggestions for how to do something good for your neighbor:

Even if neighbors have to physically distance, you can still do good for each other.

Examples:

-Ask (call or text) if your neighbor needs anything before going out shopping. You can leave it outside their door and they can either let it sit for a while to be rid of any possibility of infection (such as a container of laundry detergent), or they can clean it at their own house if it is something like bread.

-Signs or notes! Post a friendly sign on your window or front yard that brings positivity and goodwill to your neighbors!

-Simple greeting. Saying ‘Hi, good morning!’ to your neighbor in the yard next door is a simple but easy way of showing kindness.

-Yard work. Elderly neighbors or people who are front line workers may not have the ability or time to tend to their yard. Helping clear some branches in the yard or pruning a bush would be very appreciated!

-Technical Assistance! If you have tech skills and have a neighbor with a fussy computer, you can help log in remotely and fix it for them. Or, if your neighbor’s wifi is down and their kids need to access their virtual classroom, you can share your wifi for a bit until theirs is fixed.

-Call an elderly neighbor to say hi and let them know that you are thinking of them!

There are so many ways to get creative and do something good for your neighbor! What are your experiences or suggestions??

National Visit Your Relatives Day!

Today is National Visit Your Relatives Day! Nowadays it is especially important to stay connected, even if we cannot do so in the exact way we could like. The good news is that there are so many options to still stay connected while social distancing! A visit can be a phone call or a face-to-face live chat on the computer. With today’s technology, we are now able to communicate with loved ones living far away, yet seeing them as if they are right beside us. You can also meet up at an open place like a beach and set chairs farther apart so everyone can stay safe!

National Visit Your Relatives Day on May 18th encourages family members to stay connected. Our hectic lives makes it easy to get so caught up in the busyness of today’s fast-paced lifestyle. We often lose touch with our relatives. Take some much-needed time and visit those relatives we care about and have not seen or spoken to for a while.

Life is much too short not to make time for family.

Reopening Massachusetts Phase 1 – Start!

On May 18:

Essential Businesses stay open and continue to operate. Must comply with safety standards and self certify by May 25 2020.

Manufacturing

Construction

Places of Worship

Hospitals/Community Health Centers who attest to specific public health/safety standards can provide high priority preventative care, pediatric care, and treatment for high risk patients.  

Reopening Massachusetts will not be a very speedy process, but if everyone continues to stay safe and healthy then we can keep going forward! That is encouraging news!

No Dirty Dishes Day!

Whether you’re a mother, father, sister, brother, or roommate, no one likes dirty dishes. That is why on May 18, we celebrate National No Dirty Dishes Day. A holiday most likely created by an upset parent, National No Dirty Dishes Day has sinks around the world rejoicing at the thought of having a light workload and a clear space on this day. So keep sinks happy, and do your part by saying, “NO” to dirty dishes. We all deserve a break once in a while from dishes, and today is the day!

How to:

1. Order take out! You do not have to soil any pots and pans, but you are supporting local businesses!

2. Use paper plates and plastic cutlery. This quick switch will keep your sink clear and make clean up a lot faster. Allowing you more time to enjoy doing what you desire.

3. If all else fails and you still have to dirty some dishes, clean them right away. Start by cleaning any dish that may be in your sink, then wash everything you use thereafter. If you’re lucky, this may even become a habit.

Grab Your Golf Clubs and Let’s Get Out on the Course!

Reports straight from the putting greens bring more good news!

They say that all of the golfers they encountered have been readily cooperative with the new golfing safety restrictions. They certainly felt safe to be out golfing, and regulations largely did not effect the game or the experience on the golf course. Golfers are golfing just as enthusiastically as before, if not more!

Many things have changed in the world recently, but its a relief to know that golf is still the same game that you enjoy and love! Take advantage of the beautiful weather and golf for your health!

Phases to Reopening

When are things going to reopen?! That is the million-dollar question!

The Governor of Massachusetts has announced the strategy for reopening our state and keeping everyone safe and healthy. There are four stages:

Stage 1: Start – Limited industries resume operations with severe restrictions.
Stage 2: Cautious – Additional industries resume operations with restrictions and capacity limits.
Stage 3: Vigilant – Additional Industries resume operations with guidance.
Phase 4: New Normal – Development of vaccine and/or therapy enables resumption of “new normal”.

We can’t wait for the state to increase the reopening of places!

As we know, during every phase it is still important to follow the usual health and sanitation guidelines like washing hands regularly, covering your cough or sneeze, and staying home if you are sick.

Get Out and Golf! Mass Golf Safety Guidelines

Golf is reopened in MA, and here are the safety rules laid of by Mass Golf to ensure that everyone can have fun and stay safe!

-Security personnel can be delineated by each club (ex. A pro and the head starter) and will be present to enforce social distancing. There can be no other employees working at the recreational component of the golf operation.
-All staff must wear face coverings while on property.
-Course facilities including but not limited to the clubhouse, golf shop, restaurant, bag room and locker room must remain closed.
-No caddies allowed.
-No golf carts allowed, except as outlined below:
-The use of a motorized cart may be permitted for any individual with a disability who is seeking a reasonable accommodation to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A golfer who wants to use a cart should provide documentation or otherwise certify in writing to the golf course that he or she has a disability that requires the use of the cart.
-Any carts used must be cleaned and sanitized after each use. -The course operator may not use non-essential employees to handle the renting and/or cleaning of the carts. Only security and groundskeeping personnel are permitted on the premises.
-Push carts may be used. Players must either carry their own bag or use a push cart.
-All golfers must maintain proper social distancing of at least 6 feet at all times.
-Groups of players are restricted to no more than 4 players at one time.
-Members-only clubs can allow guests as determined by the security personnel on the golf course.
-Private clubs that allow non-members to make reservations can do so at their discretion.
-Maintenance personnel are permitted to work on the golf course.
-Tee Time Policy must be 15 minutes between groups.
-Golfers must stay in their car until 15 minutes before their tee time and must return to their car immediately following play.
-Online and remote payment options must be utilized.
-All golfers must use their own golf clubs. Sharing golf clubs or rental golf clubs is not allowed.
-Flagsticks must remain in the hole. Hole liners must be raised so picking a ball out of the hole doesn’t occur.
-Bunker rakes must be removed, and ball washers must be removed or covered.
-Practice putting green, driving range, and chipping areas must be closed.
-Facilities must have readily accessible hand sanitizer.