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It's no surprise to anyone that children need time withtheir parents. And even though most parents are extremely busy, whether they work outside of the home or not, they do find time to spend with their children. But they want that time to count in helping prepare their children for the world they will find outside the home.

What counts most is what we say and do at home, not howrich or poor we are or how many years of school we have finished. When children can count on getting attention at home, they have a greater sense of security and self-worth. This will help them do better not only in school, but also when they grow up.

If you think about it, school, while very important, doesnot really take up very much time. In the United States, the school year averages 180 days; in other industrialized nations, the school year can extend up to 240 days, and students are often in school more hours per day. So, the hours and days a child is not in school are important for learning, too.

Communicating. This is probably the most importantactivity we can do in our home, and it doesn't cost anything. Ask questions, listen for answers. These are no-cost, high-value things to do.

Think of conversation as being like a tennis game withtalk, instead of a ball, bouncing back and forth. Communication can happen any time, any place--in the car, on a bus, at mealtime, at bedtime.

When our children enter and continue school with goodhabits of communication, they are in a position to succeed--to learn all that has to be learned, and to become confident students.

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90. Instant Polaroid cameras and disposables are getting smaller and smaller. Invest in a couple for those off-the-beaten track moments or people who want a snapshot of themselves. Share moments and memories inexpensively while making good friends along the way! Nothing can be better (and cheaper) than that.

91. Do not sweat the small stuff. If you cannot afford tipping near the end of your trip due to a drained budget, do not worry about tipping! A heartfelt thank you or honest explanation, smile and kindness, even a hand with the luggage is sometimes enough for people to know you care and appreciate their effort, gesture and service.

92. An inexpensive, fold-up raincoat or poncho can be a life and money-saver. Always have either that or the collapsible umbrella mentioned earlier with you. Being prepared for the occasional downpour is better than being soaked and getting sick in the process.

93. A staple essential is tissue and toilet paper in your shoulder bag. Some suggest toilet seat covers as well. Hygiene will go long way to protect you from disease and illness. Something you definitely do not need while on vacation is getting sick or infected! Hand sanitizer and wipes are other small travel essential you can consider for your pockets or travel bag when you are out and about your dream destination, taking in the sights.

94. Be SMART and informed about public holidays , special events , concerts and attractions in the countries and are as you plan to be visiting. By doing your homework early and coming up with budgetary categories and discretionary funds for entertainment and special events helps you with priorities, plan itineraries, save and execute a memorable and unforgettable trip.

95. Seating arrangements on the plane can be done in advance or at time of booking even. Ensure you get what is comfortable for you, verify upon check- in, and boarding that you have what you need, requested and paid for. Who knows, you might just score and upgrade if seats are available.

This is also important for parents traveling with infants, special needs and pregnant passengers and travelers alike. Save money, avoid additional costs, ensure detail and be SMART when you book your flights, early or late, with specific seating requirements or without stating preference. It is all up to you to personalize, customize, plan and budget for your perfect vacation!

96. Utilize local resources and access their expertise knowledge in order to cut down on costs. Get information and coupons for special attractions, family passes and two-for-one offers, free coupon booklets or special discounted offers and tickets you might not be able to find anywhere else. They also send material and guides in advance that can help you plan, budget, compare and decide when, where, how and why, soon, sooner, soonest!

97. Another money-saver is a travel accessory often overlooked: a lightweight plastic flask can also be filled with water, fruit juice, or whatever you prefer is a good budgeting trick. Carry it in your shoulder bag and again resist the urge to splurge! Even if it is just on a coffee, bottled beverage or alcoholic beverage to quench your thirst!

98. Budget for inexpensive but thoughtful regional gifts for friends at home or newly made friends abroad alike . Packaged flower seeds are a good option.

99. Always verify your luggage allowances and flight details . Valued advice from another frequent traveler serves us well here to stretch our dollar: 'Without exception, always check in advance on the amount of luggage you may take. Planes, trains and motor coaches, all have regulations regarding amount and size of luggage . It is considered courtesy to stick to their requirements and can save you a lot of embarrassment, added expense, aggravation, and trouble.?

100. Another final, last minute check: as mentioned earlier, it is advisable to check every detail and aspect of your luggage. This will include the handles, wheels and zippers on every suitcase and bag before leaving on your trip. Be sure and budget for the worst- case scenario that you have to replace your luggage and suitcase. If it ends up not being necessary, you have a little bit of extra cash to treat yourself and some discretionary budget spending!

101. People often say the only thing you really need to travel is money and a sense of humor. We hope that this guide provided you useful insights on both. There is a lot of truth on both sides of this spectrum.

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Carroll Shelby's Chili

1/2 lb suet or
1/2 c oil,cooking
1 lb beef round,coarse grind
1 lb beef chuck,coarse grind
1 cn tomato sauce(8oz ea)
1 cn beer(12oz ea)
1/4 c red chile,hot,ground
2 garlic cloves,finely chopped
1 onion,small,finely chopped
1 1/4 t oregano,dried,pref. mexican
1/2 t paprika
1 1/2 t cumin,ground
1 1/4 t salt
1 cayenne pepper
3/4 lb monterey jack cheese,grated

1. Melt the suet or heat the oil in a heavy 3-quart (or larger) pot over medium-high heat. Remove the unrendered suet and add the meat to the pot. Break up any lumps with a fork and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is evenly browned.

2. Add the tomato sauce, beer, ground chile, garlic, onion, oregano, paprika, 1 teaspoon of the cumin, and the salt. Stir to blend. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Stir occasionally.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings, ading the cayenne pepper. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour longer.

4. Stir in the cheese and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin. Simmer 1/2 hour longer, stirring often to keep the cheese from burning.

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We distinguish soft soaps (potash soaps) from hard soaps (soda soaps), and filled soaps from grain soaps. In regard to the organic ingredients, we lay arrange them in two groups, rosin soaps and fat or oil soaps.

Among the latter, we may mention as the more important, tallow soaps, palm oil, coconut oil, and olive oil soaps. In addition to these, however, there are many mixtures of fatty substances in combination with alkalis, known as soaps.

In good soap there is a definite proportion between the water, the alkaline base, and the fatty acids. It must be neutral, i.e., there should be no excess either of the base, or of the constituents of the fat, and at the same time it must be free from salt, or an excess of water, which is virtually as much of an adulteration as an admixture of salt, soda, alum, bone ashes, glauber salt, or other substances.

A good soap is easily soluble in alcohol, leaving scarcely 1 percent of solid residue, and forms a gelatinous liquid in boiling water. I once received a whitish-gray marbled soap for analysis, which showed the following properties: It was much softer than an ordinary curd soap, so that it could be cut like butter, and drops of water issued from each cutting. When I left it in a dry place, it did not only effiloresce a good deal of soda, but also crystals of soda were formed in the interior, so that the soap cracked throughout. Heated on the water-bath, it soon became liquid, and left upon evaporation 22 percent of a solid residue, consisting of coconut oil soap and carbonate of soda.

It may here be mentioned, that a hard or marbled soap should not contain more than 25 percent of water, rosin soap not more than 40, and a soft soap not more than 52. For coconut oil soaps, however, a larger amount of water than 52 percent may be allowed. In the yellow soap, a part of the fat is justifiably replaced by 10 to 25 percent of rosin.

The proportions here named may be regarded as a standard, and whenever they are increased or replaced by a substitute, it may be said that they generally diminish the good quality of the soap.

The introduction of a foreign substance may, in a few cases, be justifiable. Some believe that an excess of alkali is necessary, in order that the soap may be used in spring water without loss.

It may be mentioned, that in this case, the salts of lime and magnesia contained in the water, form insoluble compounds with the fatty acids of the soap, and these are of no cleansing effect. But whenever spring water is used for washing, a small admixture of carbonate of soda is more advantageous than the appliance of a soap containing free alkalis.