Announcements, Updates, & Reminders

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Gifts, Gifts, Gifts: Last month, I forgot to announce the November gift! You may have seen the entry about it on the Here We Are page on Facebook, if not, it is a new copy of the Essentials of Roasting from Williams-Sonoma. The winner will be announced in the January Announcements entry. This is an amazing book for anyone who likes to cook.

Speaking of roasting, if you have a picture of your turkey, post it on the HWA page on Facebook. We are having a "turkey" photo contest until midnight, Dec. 4, 2009...so far, the odds are good, only one FB friend, John, posted his turkey -- it is a good looking one! Pssst, don't tell anyone, but there is a prize. The only catch, you must also be a HWA FB fan for your Tom Turkey to be eligible.

Don't forget the Twilight "secret word" contest continues until midnight Dec. 15, 2009. Listen to the radio show, then email the secret word to be eligible to win one of three copies of Hot Blooded.

Calling all comments for a good cause. Instead of a subscriber gift in December, a donation will be made to Canine Companions for Independence. For every comment on the HWA blog, $1.00 will be added to the base amount of the donation. Most of the posts are open for comments, so feel free to drop by any to share, add a tip, cheer, or jeer. It's free to you except for a few minutes of time and typing. Here is an example of the good work they do; this group helps to improve the daily lives of children through adults.

Get Cooking! The Recipe Contest from Cuisinart continues until Jan. 31, 2010. They are giving away a set of their latest and greatest counter-top appliances. It's easy to enter, all you have to do is submit a recipe. Looking to speed up dinner? Read our review on the Cuisinart Rice Cooker.

UPDATES

Poll: The results are in on the HWA Thanksgiving Day Favorite Dish Poll. "Stuffing" took first place at 23%, with "Sweet Potatoes" closing in at 21%. Interestingly, "Cranberry Sauce" tied with "A Stiff Drink" at 17%. Perhaps a vodka with cranberry juice might make these readers merry?

Laundry Detergent: Okay, so it isn't sexy, but we all do laundry, right? I am in search of the best "green" laundry detergents on the market (to test for an article). Powder or liquid is fine. Tell us your likes and dislikes on products you've tried. In my search I stumbled across this video from Seventh Generation, a company with a conscience.

Cold and Flu Are Not Merry Makers: While there is no way to completely guard against catching a bug this winter, there are ways to lessen the chances. Refresh yourself with one of HWA's most popular posts, Cold and Flu...10 Easy Tips to Keep The Germs Away. It might come in handy this season.

REMINDERS

Make Good Use of Holiday Cards: Go GREEN while you help abused and abandoned children by collecting all the Used Holiday Cards...Repurposing Paper for a Positive Purpose. This is a much better destination than the recycling bin or the landfill. This season the program is open until February 28, 2010.

Make Merry = To revel; Be festive. May you and yours enjoy each day in the final chapter of 2009!