Moving the Family Pet

In all the things that we do to prepare for a move, the one thing we sometimes overlook is how it will effect the family pet.

Our pets thrive on our love, but they also thrive on routine.   A move can be a hectic time, where daily walks, feedings, and sleep schedules may be interrupted.

Here are five tips to make your move more pet-friendly.

1. Veterinary Visit. Your veterinarian is a wonderful source of information and resources about your upcoming move. Be sure to ask them about sedation options for air or car travel, vaccination boosters, and even micro-chipping. Your dog or cat may be disoriented by the move, and using micro-chipping and updated tags can be helpful in recovering a lost pet.

If moving to a new area, be sure to scope out a local vet's office if needed, as well as an emergency vet clinic, for those accidents that always seem to happen when we're least expecting.

2. Car Travel. It is best to hold food from your dog 4 hours prior to travel, especially if they are not used to car trips. Even dogs get car sick! Take frequent bathroom breaks along the way, and be sure to offer water during stops.  

3. Familiar items. Part of a healthy transition is to surround your dog with familiar pieces, such as bedding and toys. If your dog is used to sleeping in a bedroom, consider setting up their space first thing during the move. This can help them to feel secure, even in the chaos of a move.

4. Food. Sensitive digestive tract or not, a move is not a time to change the type of food you feed your pup. So be sure to stock up on their preferred variety before the move to ensure you don't run out. Also, be sure to feed at your normal time in order to keep up your daily routine.

5. Dedicated Playtime. Exercise is extremely important for the physical and emotional health of your dog. A move can be a stressful time, making exercise even more important. Be sure to take your dog on daily walks, and to spend a good amount of time on stimulating play.

Use these simple steps to help your pet transition smoothly into his new home

Buying land, is it a sound investment?

People are living longer healthier lives so there are longer retirement years. Also people want to be able to travel, possibly have a second home, and generally have money in order to enjoy their retirement years. There are many ways of saving money and planning for the future. A great solution is land investment.


Purchasing land can be done with two missions in mind, either anticipating building a second home or newer/retirement home on it or re-selling it for a profit one day.  You may find you might even change that mission as you go along.  Having the knack of knowing what area maybe in demand someday that a developer would pay millions for is a big bonus when picking a plot of land, but we can't all be so lucky.  But make a decent some is perfectly reasonable.

Land investment is a solid way to turn a profit in a fairly short period of time, especially if the land is located in a growing area. There will never be more land created, so it is a closed market. The taxes on undeveloped land are very reasonable so the investment is cost effective. There is no maintenance involved and land prices are usually not affected by the stock market. This makes for a sure, sound investment if you are looking to expand your portfolio.

Saturday’s Great Gastronomic Adventure

After reading the recent issue of Edible Finger Lakes, I decided to plan an outing with my family that included several stops at places I had read about.

The journey began at 8:30AM. We piled into the car and headed to Bruegger’s (not mentioned in the magazine BTW) for bagels, coffee and chocolate milk for Jack. And then on to King Ferry and our first stop.

At 10AM we arrived at the McGarr Farm and Dairy for a visit with Keeley McGarr, cheese maker extraordinaire! http://www.keeleyscheeseco.com/ We sampled her two semi-soft creations both made from raw milk and one washed with Chardonnay from the King Ferry Winery. One of them reminded me of one of my Italian favorites, Taleggio. We bought a chunk of each and made our way to the next stop.

At 10:30AM we pulled into the King Ferry Winery, http://www.treleavenwines.com/, the first unplanned but necessary stop. Someone had too much coffee! Feeling obliged we bellied up to the counter for a tasting. Admittedly, New York State wines are not a favorite but two which we sampled were palatable enough to buy. We left with a bottle of the estate Pinot Noir and the barrel fermented Reserve Chardonnay. An expensive pit stop!

After the tasting we dashed back to route 34B and south along the sunny shores of Cayuga Lake, through Ithaca, and north, now on the Lakes east side, on route 89. Next stop lunch!

At Noon we arrived at The Copper Oven at Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery in Ovid. http://www.slowfoodonthego.com/ Our repast, two mouth-watering wood fired pizzas made with local ingredients. Delightful and sated now a stroll through the vines and short repose on the winery’s rolling hills before the last leg of our trip.

On our way north we made the second unplanned stop. The Normal Bread Company in Geneva. http://www.normalbread.com/ A round of Sourdough, 7 Grain, Cheddar and of course cookies for Jack and we were back on the road to our last stop in Lima.

At 3PM we arrived at the Seven Bridges Farm to pick-up some hormone free, pasture raised beef. http://www.sevenbridgesfarm.com/ Along with the beef we bought a couple of chickens and a few heads of site grown garlic for the pantry. On the way home we busted out a bag of their beef jerky. Succulent, smoky and sweet.

Finally back home we prepare our dinner. Pondhopper cheese from Keeley McGarr and 7 Grain bread. Pinot from the King Ferry Winery. Porterhouse steak on the BBQ. Next time join us for a caravan excursion!

Is Your Home Redy to Show?

So you put your house on the market, you're ready to get that thing sold!  You just sit back and wait for the hoardes of buyers to come through and one will buy, just like that?  No.

A good test is to get a friend to come over, one who doesn't come over often, and give you their opinion.  Would they buy your home?  Doesn't it look appealing?  Clean?  Inviting?  And then ACT on their advice.

 One of the most common complaints is that homes have too much clutter.  Most buyers don't have the ability to see past the "stuff" and just look at the house.  So, you, the home owner must present your home in the best possible light.  You need to get rid of the "stuff".  Less is more. 

The best way to get rid of the clutter is to throw out, give away, or sell what you don't need.  If that is not possible, get a temporary storage unit and put as much as you can in there, just keeping minimal furniture and personal items in the house.  What personal items you do keep in the house (i.e. jewelry, toiletries, figurines) should be kept in cabinets, drawers, closets, etc. 

And most importantly, keep your home clean.

Credit Score Myth Busters!

There are many misconceptions about what effects a credit score. Here are a few myths about what effects your credit score:


1. Bouncing a check. A returned check for insufficient funds in your checking account will not reduce your credit score. Information from your bank accounts is not reported to any of the credit bureaus, thus it has no effect on your credit score.

2. Checking your credit report. Checking your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com once a year from each of the three credit bureaus will not only not effect your credit score, but it is a wise idea. This credit check will not be a ding on your credit and it will help you keep an eye on what is on your report and what shape your credit is in. Do not buy into any of the scams that make you sign up for a service and spend money. AnnualCreditReport.com is all you need to know.

3. You need to get rid of all of your debt. Wrong! You need to show that you have some ongoing, current credit. It is wise to have at least one credit card and use it once a month and pay it off or make on time payments each month, to show that you have active credit.

4. Pay off your mortgage. Again… wrong. It’s good to have a mortgage; it shows you have assets and equity. It provides a lot of leverage in the credit world.

There are many more myths and tips. It is wise to speak with a credit specialist such as a banker or mortgage broker if you have concerns or questions on your credit. Your best offense is to find out your credit score and consult a financial expert with questions.