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Spring is in the air—an opportunity for many to work on their spring cleaning projects. Clean out closets, do minor or major repairs around the house, spruce up the yard and get it in tip top shape for backyard fun! And with this season SPRINGing you into action to clean and organize, why not take the time to clean up and organize your financial house too?

Spring is all about new beginnings, making changes, and getting on track. And with just finishing tax season, this is the perfect time to organize your important documents, review outstanding debt, and get into a position to plant a fantastic financial plan that will blossom for years to come. Use the following steps:

Step 1: Box or shred documents from 2017.

It is recommended that you keep documents for seven years. Be sure to place 2017 documents in a large envelope or box and mark it “2017.” Documents that should be saved include: Federal and state tax returns, property tax bills, mortgage-related documents, earned interest forms from bank accounts, capital gains statements, and any credit card statements or receipts that were used as expenses on tax returns.

Step 2: Create an organized filing system for documents.

With tax season behind you, this is the perfect time to start an organized filing system. Documents can be organized in a filing cabinet using hanging folders, a filing box with hanging folders, or even an accordion file. Simply label each folder by account. For example, Mortgage/Rent; Electricity/Gas; Cell Phone; Water; Credit Cards; Medical Bills; Bank Statements; Paycheck Stubs; Auto Loan; Insurance, etc. Have a separate folder for each and every account. If you receive statements online, simply create individual separate folders in your inbox, then print and file the statements away monthly.

Having an organized filing system allows you to easily access documents when needed. You can also use the documents to prepare a budget and identify areas where expenses could be cut, debts paid down (and eventually eliminated) and savings built.

Step 3: Review credit card and student loan debt statements.

If you carry a balance on credit cards or have student loan debt, take the time to gather the monthly statements and document the total outstanding debt. Items to note include:

-Creditor Account
-Balance
-Minimum Payment
-Actual Payment
-Interest rate

Knowing the above information will help you prepare a plan to pay off debt efficiently.

Step 4: Determine if spring is a time to refinance or purchase a home.

Home prices in the Bay Area have risen over the last few years which has resulted in increased equity positions for homeowners. With interest rates still at historically low levels, now may be the perfect time to access the equity in your home and do home improvements, lock-in a fixed rate loan (if you currently have an adjustable rate mortgage), or purchase a home for the first time, to start building your equity now.

Spring offers so many great opportunities to improve your financial health. A healthy tax return can provide funds for a down payment, funds to pay off debt, or funds to build a savings account. Regardless of your goal, use this time of year to determine your unique financial path.

Jodee Brydges has been in the financial industry for over 25 years. She is an Industry Speaker and loan officer with RPM Mortgage in Alamo. She is passionate about helping clients achieve their dream of home ownership and educating individuals nationally/ locally on a variety of financial literacy topics. She is the author of the upcoming book “Digging Out” (Summer 2018). For questions or comments, you can reach Jodee at jbrydges@rpm-mtg.com or 925-552-3863.

 

Merle Streep is coming back with yet another Mama Mia, the movie version of the Broadway musical. Now it hasn’t hit the theaters yet but this is pretty much the same cast and they haven’t gotten any younger and in my opinion were pretty dismal to start with in the first movie. The first time around, I took the bait because of Pierce Brosnon but this time I’m more than likely going to pass. Having said that, I recently saw the amazing one woman play, Shirley Valentine in our local Regional Theater and it was absolutely wonderful. So, I’m here to say, don’t spend your movie money on Mama Mia, rent, stream or buy the movie version of Shirley Valentine, you’ll be glad you did.

Shirley Valentine is about a 45-year-old Liverpool matron who decides it’s finally time to do what she wants to do for a change. Trapped in a humdrum existence, Shirley Valentine (British actress, Pauline Collins) wonders when she lost her hopeful, youthful self. Isolated and lonely, she talks to the wall in her kitchen. No one seems to really notice her including her well meaning but demanding husband (Bernard Hill), her snooty neighbor (Julia McKenzie), or her self-absorbed grown children (Tracie Bennett and Gareth Jefferson). About now, you are thinking, “I’ve never heard of any of these actors,” but that’s okay, go with me here because the film was made across the pond in 1989 and it’s good.

Jane (Alison Steadman), a divorced friend, wins a two-week vacation to Greece in a magazine contest and asks Shirley to accompany her. After much soul searching, Shirley leaves her husband behind with a post-it note on a Greece travel poster behind the pantry door (next to the wall she talks to) that simply says, “Gone to Greece be back in 2 weeks.” Her vacation gets off to a rocky start when Jane meets a man on the flight over and doesn’t show back up for several days and Shirley finds herself talking to a rock on the beach. The sun-drenched islands are all she dreamed and although she does have a romantic “fling” with a Greek tavern owner (Tom Conti), the real surprise of the trip is her inward journey towards finding the Old Shirley.

As always, producer/director Lewis Gilbert has done an amazing job transforming this award winning one woman (also played by Collins) stage play into an exotic and heartfelt film. He impresses us with his unique fly-by cinematography, beautifully displaying the lidos and sandbars of the Aegean Sea, but the major triumph of this warm, witty, and buoyant comedy is Pauline Collins’s depiction of Shirley Valentine.

This story was award winning back in the 80s and I found it timeless today. Shirley Valentine’s irrepressible spunk will win you over whether she’s squaring off against the master of the house, responding to her daughter’s put-downs, experiencing the dizziness of sex, or telling off some boorish British tourists. In the end, you will cheer Shirley as she learns to love just being Shirley Valentine once again.

Meryl Streep, move over, Shirley Valentine is back and she’s not trying to carry a tune! This movie, or even the stage play for that matter, will make your heart sing, but unlike most of the movies I review it’s probably not kid friendly, so watch it when the kids or grandkids are tucked in bed—just don’t wake them with your laughter!

As always, I welcome your comments at Carolyn@carolynhastings.com.

It is said that April showers bring May flowers, but we know that’s just the beginning of nature’s bounty. Many signs of spring are cropping up at the farmers’ market, but most significant of all is the arrival of cherries.

Cherry season starts off slowly with the Black Tartarian and Burlat; followed by the blushing yellow Royal Anne and Rainier. (Sour cherries, like the Montmorency and Morello are less common, as they are primarily grown outside of California.) Most agree the West’s dark, meaty Bing is the quintessential cherry, with Lamberts, Sweethearts, and Vans the runners-up in popularity.

Few things are sweeter than eating Bing cherries out of hand, one after another. Day after day. But once I’ve stained my fingers red—and made endless fruit salads and brandied cherries and cherry pie and cherry chutney and cherry clafoutis and cherry-studded rice pudding and cherry ice cream—I often explore unpaved territory for unique ways to make the most of their short season. Enter this easily-made condiment to add a taste of spring to any occasion.

Cherry-Apple Relish

1 1/2 teaspoons cider or balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons local honey
2 cups Bing cherries (about 12 ounces), stemmed, pitted and coarsely chopped, juices reserved
1 small Granny Smith or other tart apple, skin-on, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed through a press
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a bowl, mix together the vinegar and honey until blended. Add the cherries and their accumulated juices, the apple, green onions, mint, garlic, salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Toss gently to mix well. Taste, adding more salt, pepper, or vinegar if needed. Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Relish This!
–Serve Cherry-Apple Relish alongside grilled or roasted chicken, duck, pork, tofu—or even a gooey Jack cheese quesadilla. It’s also delish spooned over plain or vanilla yogurt.
–You may want to switch things up by changing the herb in the relish. Instead of mint, try a bit of chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
–Mound Cherry-Apple Relish on top of a wheel of baked or room-temperature brie and drizzle a bit more honey over all.
–For individual appetizers, arrange California endive leaves on a serving platter and place about 1 1/2 teaspoons of soft goat cheese on the cut end of each leaf. Just before serving, spoon a bit of Cherry-Apple Relish over the cheese.
–Include a small bowl of Cherry-Apple Relish on cheese and/or charcuterie boards, surrounded by crackers or crostini.

Cherry Trivia

The Bing cherry was cultivated in Oregon in 1875 by horticulturist Seth Lewelling and named after his longtime Manchurian orchard foreman, Ah Bing.

Before you balk at the price of organic cherries, consider that organic crops yield about 25 percent fewer cherries than those grown with conventional farming methods. Such is the price of healthy eating.

When shopping, look for cherries that are shiny, plump, and firm.

A pliable green stem is the sign of a just-picked cherry. Cherries-on-the-stem also tend to last longer.

Refrigerate cherries, unwashed and with stems intact, in an open plastic bag. It’s best to eat them within 5 days of purchase.

Cherries weigh in at about 80 calories per cup, with 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein. They are high in anti-oxidants and a good source of vitamin C.

Cherry Arithmetic: 1 pound cherries = about 3 cups pitted cherries

To preserve stemmed pitted cherries for baking year ‘round, flash-freeze them on a rimmed baking sheet until solid; then pack into freezer-safe bags or airtight plastic containers. Use frozen, not thawed.

A cherry-pitter is an inexpensive kitchen tool that makes the job a breeze. (It works a bit like a paper punch, forcing the pit out of the cherry.) Lacking one, just remove the pit with the tip of a small, sharp knife or the pointed end of a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler.

Cherry juice can stain your hands, so you may want to wear latex gloves—and an apron—while pitting them. To prevent the juice from splattering you or your kitchen, try pitting them inside of a gallon-size plastic bag.

For a casually delicious ending to any meal, rinse picture-perfect ripe cherries and pat them dry. Working one at a time and holding each by the stem, dip the cherries in melted dark or white chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet; then refrigerate until the chocolate coating is firm. (This is an especially charming presentation for “twins”—2 cherries joined at the stem.) Just be sure to warn your guests these cherry-chocolate bonbons contain pits.) The same effect can be had (with a lot less labor on your part) by serving a big mound of cherries with a warm pot of creamy chocolate fondue.

Eschew those scary iridescent cherries sold in jars, and make your own boozy ones to garnish cocktails and desserts. For each pint jar you’ll need about 1 pound of fresh cherries. Rinse them well and pat dry; pit them or not, as you like. (If you don’t pit them, prick each cherry 2 or 3 times so the liquor will penetrate the fruit.) Pack cherries into the sterilized jar, cover with bourbon, rye, brandy, kirsch, or Maraschino liqueur, and refrigerate. When all the cherries have been eaten, mix the remaining alcohol into Manhattans or other cocktails.

The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad & Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM, or visit their web site at www.pcfma.org. This market is made possible through the generous support of the Town of Danville. Please show our appreciation by patronizing the many fine shops and restaurants located in downtown Danville. Buy fresh. Buy local. Live well!

If you had a thorn in your foot would you take an anti-inflammatory and a narcotic for it? That is the apparent status of much of medical practice. I acknowledge this example is extreme, but it is not out of the reality of our present medically accepted standards.

Over the years I have treated many patients that were on multiple prescriptions. In these cases I bring in an expert pharmacologist for help. Every time I have done so we have found out that some of the drugs were interfering or counteracting other drugs and sometimes creating side effects that required the use of even another prescription to treat. Luckily, in every one of these cases, I and my consultant, have corrected the multiple problems and returned the patient to health.

In my practice of TMJ disease (Temporomandibular joint, aka. jaw joints), which deals with headaches, jaw, facial and neck pain, I never give drugs. The most common cause of TMJ pain is holding the teeth together. The teeth are not supposed to contact each other more than sixteen minutes a day. They should only come together when swallowing. (When eating, there is food in between the teeth.) Those in pain average over sixteen hours of pain a day. WHY?

STRESS
As in the above example of a medication for a thorn in your foot, a lot of practitioners give a drug for stress and anxiety, without asking one question about habits. It is now vitally important, especially in alternative medicine, to find out if your habits are literally destroying you. In this article a common cause of self-destruction rarely considered, will be introduced. It turns out that mitochondria can be the source of the problem.

Mitochondria are tiny cells within our cells, from one to 10,000 of them per cell. They have their own DNA and reproduce on their own. These beautiful friends supply you and me with all of our energy. Our cells cannot reproduce without them. They are also responsible for the anatomy of our bodies and, very importantly, a phenomenon called apoptosis. Apoptosis is the destruction of cells that perform improperly, like cancer. Don’t you think we had better provide a healthy environment for these miracle workers? Inactivity and poor nutrition habits murder mitochondria.

It turns out that good and healthy habits cannot only help your mitochondria, but can greatly reduce TMJ dysfunction as well as many medical problems. There is a website called “The Care and Feeding of Your Mitochondria” where you can learn more.

In my practice I want my patients to be proactive and do their own research. I can assure you that very few doctors get out of the pharmaceutical box to do their own research. There are numerous new findings in this field like making sure PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone), which stimulates the reproduction of mitochondria, is in our diet. The supplement is available, but foods like parsley, one of the best sources, are also incredibly loaded with other nutrients. RESEARCH!

Foods to avoid: all processed foods, grain-fed animals (grass fed is okay), farmed fish, excessive out-of-season fruits, grains, cereals, dairy (aged cheeses are okay). Never buy foods in which the labels include “natural seasonings” (that’s MSG), nitrates (buy “uncured”), BHA, BHT, and avoid all chemicals additives. Use only Sea salt, Himalayan salt, or others that are natural salts of several minerals, not just sodium. Avoid water from BPA plastic. Just be as close to nature as possible.

One of the greatest rewards I find in my practice is watching patients get their lives back.

For more information about Advanced Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Center, my TMJ and sleep apnea practice in Danville, please visit: www.aodtc.com.

Q. I want to plant Raspberries and Blackberries in a six-foot-wide side yard. How might I control the underground runners? I’m considering planting the vines in the ground or building a raised bed with a root barrier. Which option do you favor?

A. You’re correct in being concerned about the underground stems or rhizomes. Raspberries and Blackberries, also known as cane berries, are very intrusive and do not respect a property line. Planting them on any shared fence is a major mistake. You’ll have a difficult time controlling the vegetative growth that grows through and under the fence into your neighbor’s yard. Cane berries are a guaranteed expensive, neighbor dispute waiting to happen. So, I’d be looking to plant them off the fence line in a two-foot high, four-foot wide raised bed. A ‘root barrier’ is always a good idea whether the vines are in a raised bed or in the ground as another layer of protection. In the center of the bed construct a ‘T-bar’ trellis; a 4×8 post every six feet with a 2×4 cross beam, with wires running between the supports and attach the vines to the wire. Also, with the vines off the fence line, you are able to harvest the berries from both sides as each side should get an equal amount of light. Cane berries fruit only on the second year wood, so once you have finished harvesting the crop, you cut the fruiting canes off at the ground, otherwise, you’ll create a thick, thorny, unmanageable, vegetative mess. The new growth at the base of the plants is then attached to the trellis for next year’s crop. Runners will eventually escape and appear in the space between the bed and the fence. The shoots are controlled by hand pulling them or spraying them with a nonselective herbicide.
There are now two dwarf varieties: Raspberry Shortcakes, and Baby Cakes Blackberry, that give you a third option and it’s the option I prefer. They have a compact, upright growth habit, growing three to four feet, so they don’t require staking or trellising. I’d plant them in a raised bed and grow them as a fruiting hedge. The fruit is borne on the second year growth, so you still have to prune off the stems after harvesting. Raspberry Shortcakes and Baby Cakes Blackberry are ideal for individual containers. Joining strawberries and blueberries, they expand the homegrown fruit available to be grown on a deck, patio, or balcony. Fresh raspberries and blackberries are a now reality for all types of gardeners.

Q. We have a ten-year-old Photinia hedge that is approximately six-feet tall. Previously, some of the plants died. The leaves began to wilt, then they turned brown and finally, the whole plant died. They were replaced, and we thought the problem was corrected, but now it’s beginning again. What do we need to do to correct whatever is going on before we lose the whole hedge?

A. Photinias that wilt, turn brown and then die are suffering from root rot. Another tattle tail sign is that before the foliage wilts the leaf color fades. Instead of being a bright glossy green, it’s a dull, muted, greenish-yellow color. Excessive summer watering, especially following a wet winter, poor drainage, and plants that are planted too deep in the ground are the primary reasons for root rot. Similar problems occur with other ornamental shrubs like junipers, azaleas, ceanothus, and grevilleas, along with fruit trees such as cherries, apricots, peaches and others. Because of the age of the hedge, I’d suspect that excessive moisture is the reason for the decline. Established Photinia does not require constant moisture from frequent waterings. They’re waterwise, so once every ten days to two weeks depending on the temperatures, April through October is sufficient. To accomplish this, you may have to cap off the sprinklers around them and then hand water when necessary. By changing the watering pattern now, it may be many months before you see a noticeable change and then again you may not. You need to key on those plants that look healthy. With root rot, what’s going on under the ground is not always apparent above the ground until later.

Q. What can apply to eliminate clover in my lawn?

A. Ortho Weed-B-Gone and Bonide Weed Beater Ultra are two of several selective herbicides available that will remove clover and other broadleaf weeds without harming the grass. You could also apply a ‘Weed and Feed’ type turf product as it should control the clover along with many other broadleaf weeds. So, eliminating clover shouldn’t be that difficult. Another option is to leave the clover. A mix turf of grass and clover is not that undesirable. Clover doesn’t require much care, and it’s water-wise.

The condition known as Sciatica is one of the most common conditions that we treat at Align Healing Center. Some of the typical symptoms of Sciatica are sharp pain in the low back and/or buttocks accompanied by numbness, tingling, aching or burning down the back of the leg. In severe circumstances, weakness in the leg may also be seen.

The Sciatic Nerve is large and travels down the back of the leg to the foot. The nerve is buried deep within the muscles of the buttock and leg making it difficult to treat with common physical therapy methods. The Sciatic Nerve is composed of several smaller nerves and originates from the low back. It passes under the piriformis muscle (underneath the main buttock muscles) on its way down the leg. Irritation of the Sciatic Nerve at any point along its path is commonly known as “Sciatica.”

Understanding Sciatica
Let’s talk about nerves for a moment. Nerves are the electrical wiring of the human body. They carry the signals that allow us to move, feel, digest, detoxify, respond to our environment, and so much more. Plain and simple, if the nerves do not work the body will not work. That being said, it is important to understand that unlike other tissues, the primary blood supply to nerve tissue is actually located WITHIN the nerve itself. So, if a nerve becomes impinged or compromised, so does the blood supply to the nerve. Without proper blood supply, the nerve does not receive the energy and nutrition that are needed for the nerve to heal. Over time, neural impingement leads to a painful chronic condition called Neuropathy. The definition of neuropathy is a disease or injury affecting nerve cells. The common symptoms of Neuropathy include sharp pain, burning, muscular weakness, numbness or tingling either at the site of the nerve injury or wherever the nerve travels. The condition known, as Sciatica is a form of Neuropathy that specifically affects the Sciatic Nerve.

What can I do to relieve my Sciatica without drugs or surgery?
Since 1999 Align Healing Center has been offering many different modalities to heal Sciatica. We have found that a combination of Class IV laser therapy and spinal decompression offer outstanding results in healing stubborn Sciatica. Class IV Laser Therapy allows the practitioner to stimulate healing within the damaged tissue by delivering the necessary energy directly to the injured area. This creates an optimal healing environment that reduces pain and inflammation, swelling, muscle spasms and stiffness. In addition to laser therapy we implement spinal decompression to restore spinal disc health. Decompression works by gently stretching the spine, creating a vacuum effect, which can restore disc height and even reduce the severity of bulging disc conditions associated with chronic pain and neurological symptoms.

We have found laser and decompression therapy to be most beneficial for patients with pinched nerves, arthritis, herniated discs, and degenerative disc disease. This unique combination of non-invasive therapy offers a chance for realizing a permanent cure. The treatment is finite and typically lasts for about a month. This eliminates the long-term care commitment forced upon patients by other symptomatic sciatica treatments. With proper care and rehabilitation of your spine and nervous system you can be back to your healthy self quickly!

Dr. Niele Maimone, DC of Align Healing Center in Danville, CA has been active in natural health & wellness since 1999. For more information or to set up a consult call 925.362.8283 or visit www.alignhealingcenter.com.

(And More Stylish This Season)

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