Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Celebrate Administrative Professionals Day!



Administrative Professionals Day and Administrative Professionals Week are widely observed in many workplaces in the United States and other countries around the world. Many employers and supervisors arrange events to show their appreciation of the work carried out by administrative professionals, to highlight their importance to the organization and to enhance their work-related skills.

About Administrative Professionals Day
During World War II, there was an increased need for skilled administrative personnel, particularly in the United States. The National Secretaries Association was formed to recognize the contributions of secretaries and other administrative personnel to the economy, to support their personal development and to help attract people to administrative careers in the field. The association's name was changed to Professional Secretaries International in 1981 and, finally, the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) in 1998.

These changes in name reflected the changing nature of the tasks, qualifications and responsibilities of the members of the organization. IAAP now has an international orientation and continues to provide education and training and set standards of excellence recognized by the business community on a global perspective. The organization's vision is "to inspire and equip all administrative professionals to attain excellence".

The first National Secretaries Week was organized in 1952 in conjunction with the United States Department of Commerce and various office supply and equipment manufacturers. The Wednesday of that week became known as National Secretaries Day. As the organization gained international recognition, the events became known as Professional Secretaries Week® and Professional Secretaries Day®. In 2000, IAAP announced that names of the week and the day were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of the modern administrative workforce. Many work environments across the world observe this event.

Customs, Traditions and Celebrations
All over the world, Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated with an assortment of celebrations, parties and other events. In the U.S, it is common for people to give gifts of candy or flowers to their secretaries on this day.

WE COULDN'T DO WHAT WE DO WITHOUT THEM!




Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Lexington Open Studios



THE 10TH ANNUAL
LEXINGTON OPEN STUDIOS! 



 50+ ARTISTS WHO LIVE, WORK, TEACH, CREATE OR ARE AFFILIATED
WITH THE ARTS COMMUNITY IN LEXINGTON!

VIEW EXHIBITS IN A PREVIEW SHOW AT CARY MEMORIAL LIBRARY, APRIL 3-29


THE LEXINGTON ARTS AND CRAFTS SOCIETY
WILL HOST A NUMBER OF MEMBERS EXHIBITING
AND DEMONSTRATING THEIR WORK


MUNROE CENTER FOR THE ARTS
MANY RESIDENT ARTISTS WILL OPEN THEIR STUDIOS AND
OTHER LEXINGTON ARTISTS WILL EXHIBIT AS WELL


DROP BY OUR SPONSORS AND THANK THEM FOR
 SUPPORTING THIS WONDERFUL EVENT






Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Top 10 Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Lexington Home


Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about spring cleaning your Lexington home. You owe it to yourself and family to enjoy a clean that’s more than dirt-deep. Think allergen-deep. And spring cleaning isn’t something to dread—just follow our easy spring cleaning tips and tricks.

1. Make a Schedule
Scope out your Lexington home: What areas need the most work? Where do you skip during routine cleaning? Those are the best places to start. Regardless of where you start, having a plan for when you’re tackling each room will keep you focused on the task at hand. Our printable room-by-room Spring Cleaning Checklist can help. 

2. De-clutter
Studies have shown that a disorganized home adds to your stress level. The scientific implications of inhaling dust gathered in your home – combined with the psychological stress of coming home to a pile of unsorted laundry after a hard day at work – can take a sudden, unexpected toll. Spend some time organizing your closets, spring cleaning your office, and looking into that junk drawer to eliminate unnecessary stress from your life.

3. Always Work from Top to Bottom
When you think about how to spring clean your Lexington home, it’s important to start from the ceiling down. This will force debris downward and keep you from having to re-dust or re-clean your space. If you have a vacuum with a long extension hose, use it to get cobwebs and dust from your ceilings and fans. Then dust your furniture and other items before vacuuming all the dust from your floors.

4. Use a HEPA Vacuum
Many people shampoo carpet or have it professionally cleaned during the springtime. If you’re not looking for that level of commitment, you should at least vacuum with a high-quality HEPA vacuum. It’s one of the best spring cleaning supplies you can arm yourself with. Using a vacuum with HEPA filtration will remove dirt and dust, but it will also remove allergens and impurities from your air. You’ll see this suggestion on just about every spring house cleaning list. Most vacuums come with attachments, like dusting brushes and crevice tools, and hoses that can be used to clean any location. Use these tools to clean ceiling fans, cobwebs in corners, furniture, pillows, and tight spaces like behind furniture. Be sure to move your furniture too (or at least vacuum under it).

5. Walls and Windows Need Love too
People almost always think to clean their floors, but they typically forget about walls and windows. Most dust settles on the floor and other surfaces, but not all of it. Just use a damp towel to wipe down walls and blinds (starting from the top). On the outside, remove and wipe down the window screens. When it comes to the actual window, using a steam cleaner with a squeegee is a great way to clean windows.

6. Think Green When You Spring Clean
You want to start spring off on a clean note, so don’t expose yourself to chemicals and toxins. A steam cleaner is one of the best green products for spring cleaning. It can be used to clean your microwave, tile, hard floors, kitchen appliances, bathrooms, and even outdoor areas. Since steam cleaners only use hot water vapor, they are a 100% natural and chemical-free cleaning solution.
If you don’t have a steam cleaner, one of the best natural combinations for cleaning is white distilled vinegar, baking soda, and water. These ingredients are affordable, non-toxic, and have worked for ages when it comes to cleaning. Goodhousekeeping.com also has an extensive list of other green spring cleaning products.

7. Don’t Be Scared of the Kitchen and Bathroom
No longer fear cleaning your bathroom! You’ll get through it. Here are a few spots you may forget about:

Kitchens
Wipe down your cabinets
Go through your pantry and refrigerator, wipe down the shelves, and throw away any old items
If you have stainless steel appliances, be sure to use gentle cleaners or a steam cleaner to avoid scratching or other issues

Bathrooms
Consider installing a new bathroom fan. Replacing an existing fan or adding a new one can help to ensure your bathroom remains in top notch condition. Not just great for ventilating moisture during showers, these fans are great for odor and vapor removal too. Depending on the unit you select, it may even come with built-in lighting, automatic operation, and other user-friendly features. Other tips for the bathroom include:
Change your shower curtain
Go through your cosmetics drawer and throw away any expired items

8. Don’t Forget About Your Air
Replacing furnace and HVAC filters is one of the most important and overlooked parts of spring cleaning. In fact, replacing a standard filter with a more robust one with a high MERV rating does wonders for improving your indoor air quality. When ducts build up dust over winter, and these filters catch those unwanted particles so they don’t enter your space. It’s an inexpensive way to make sure you’re breathing clean, healthy air. If allergens, indoor chemicals, or odors are a larger concern for you, you can also consider getting an air purifier.

9. Spring Cleaning Safety
Cleaning will more than likely unsettle all the winter dust on furniture and fixtures. If you suffer from allergies or are using heavy-duty cleaners, be sure to read the labels. For safe spring cleaning, wear rubber gloves, masks, scarves and even hairnets. Protective clothing will help guard against skin irritations and allergic reactions.

10. Let Spring Cleaning Set a New Tone
If your space feels dark and heavy, you can make small changes to help make it light and fresh for spring. Adding new colorful pillows or art are great ways to change up your space. Replacing items like bedding, towels, table linens, and even window treatments are other ways to transform your rooms for spring and warm weather ahead.

Don’t forget to download our full printable room-by-room spring cleaning checklist, also includes the best supplies for spring cleaning your entire home. We hope it makes the task a bit easier for you. Courtesy of Sylvane.com







Friday, April 6, 2018

Spring Lawn Care for Lexington MA Homeowners

After the cold and snowy winter we've had this year, I’m sure your Lexington MA yard could use some TLC! Get it ready for spring, and for the Lexington real estate market if you’re gearing up to sell, with these handy tips. As your Lexington real estate agent, here’s what I suggest you start with:

1.  Pull up dead turf. If you see dead patches of lawn, pull them up. This is easy to do, there are no more roots!
2.  Replace with sod. Lay sod on dead patches if you can afford it. If not, reseed the area after the last frost, when soil temps reach 50-65 degrees.
3.  Add topsoil. If you’ve got an uneven yard, add topsoil, and then sod or seed, to the low areas in your yard. This will prevent water from settling and freezing, which will save your grass next year.

Now you’re ready to mow, fertilize and water until you have green grass again! When ready to accomplish your Lexington MA real estate market goals this spring, contact me, your Lexington real estate agent. I am here and ready!

Theresa D'Antuono

Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Other Events in Observance of Patriot's Day


Each year in mid-April, thousands of people flock to historic Lexington and Concord and Minute Man National Historical Park to celebrate Patriots' Day. Patriots' Day is a special Massachusetts State holiday commemorating the opening battle of the American Revolutionary War, April 19, 1775.
The holiday (Officially observed on Monday, April 16, 2018), and the entire weekend, is celebrated with parades, reenactments and commemorative ceremonies. Below are additional events outside of Lexington.

Saturday, April 7th
Bedford Pole Capping
Willson Park, Bedford
10:30 a.m.
This ceremony features a march, displays of musketry, and fife and drum music. The main event is the raising of a tall wooden pole, which is climbed by a Bedford Minuteman and affixed with a red knitted cap.

Meriam’s Corner Exercise
737 Lexington Rd, Concord
1:00 p.m.
Minute companies, fife and drum, and the Concord Independent Battery commemorate the fight at Meriam’s Corner. There will be musket and cannon firing and fife and drum music.

Paul Revere Capture Ceremony
200 North Great Rd, Lincoln
3:00 p.m.
The Lincoln Minute Men observe the historic capture of Paul Revere with a dramatic re-telling of Longfellow's famous poem, fife and drum music and a musket fire salute.



Saturday, April 14th
Battle Road Demonstration: “Parker’s Revenge”
Battle Road Trail behind Minute Man Visitor Center, Lexington
1:00 p.m.
This event will feature hundreds of reenactors, musket firing and fast-paced battle
action along a hotly-contested stretch of the actual Battle Road of 1775.

Ample parking is available at Minuteman Regional High School, 758 Marrett Road, Lexington MA


Sunday, April 15th
"Warlike Preparations" and the Search of the Barrett Property
Colonel James Barrett House (448 Barrett's Mill Road, Concord)
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. (British soldiers arrive at approximately 3:00 p.m.)
Visit the home of Colonel James Barrett and his family. Learn about the intense military preparations that took place in and around the home in the weeks leading up to the outbreak of war (April 19, 1775). Help make cartridges for the minute men. Keep watch for British soldiers and help hide the military supplies before they arrive!


Monday, April 16th (Patriot's Day observed)

Lexington Battle Reenactment
Lexington Green, Lexington
5:30 a.m.
British and Colonial reenactors stage a reenactment of the early-morning battle.

Commemoration of the North Bridge Fight / Concord Parade
North Bridge, Concord
8:45 a.m.
British and Colonial reenactors will commemorate the “Shot heard round the world” with a battle demonstration. Immediately following, the Concord Patriot's Day parade will arrive around 9:30 a.m. NOTE: all of the roads in the center of town are closed to vehicles beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Visitor Center Hours:
North Bridge Visitor Center: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Minute Man Visitor Center: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, April 18th
Patriot Vigil
North Bridge
Lantern light procession: 7:50 p.m. (step off at North Bridge Visitor Center)
Ceremony at North Bridge: 8:00 – 8:45 p.m.
As darkness descends upon the North Bridge battlefield we invite you to come and reflect on the events of April 19, 1775 and the meaning of liberty. The evening ceremony will feature a lantern-light procession, poetry, music, and a recitation of the names of the soldiers who gave their lives on that “ever-memorable” 19th of April. Please note, if you would like to participate in the procession at 7:50 p.m. we ask you bring your own enclosed candle lantern - no flashlights in the procession please.

 Thursday, April 19th

Dawn Salute
North Bridge, Concord
6:00 a.m
The Concord Minute Men and the Concord Independent Battery observe the
opening battle of the Revolution in a 21 gun salute with musket and cannon fire.

Visitor Center Hours:
North Bridge Visitor Center: 5:30 am - 5:00 pm
Minute Man Visitor Center: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Remembering the Ladies
North Bridge, Concord
10:00 a.m.
On April 19, 1775, when many men had gone in response to the alarm, women in some communities armed themselves and provided local security in the midst of the crisis. In commemoration of these brave Daughters of Liberty, the Molly Cutthroats, a living history group dedicated to the role of women in the Revolution, will fire a ceremonial volley of musketry from North Bridge.

Arrival of the Sudbury Militia
North Bridge, Concord
11:30 a.m. (approximately)
The Sudbury Companies of Militia and Minute will make their annual march to
North Bridge from the Town of Sudbury. They will fire three musket volleys off North Bridge as a soldierly salute.

Sons of the American Revolution, Henry Knox Color Guard
North Bridge, Concord
12:30 p.m. (approximately)
The Henry Knox Color Guard will fire three volleys from North Bridge in honor of our Revolutionary Forbearers.