In honor of National Book Lover’s Day, our agency has come
up with a list of our favourite books/authors, and why we love them. Hopefully
this list can be some inspiration for new books for your own collection!

Jessika Hobbs (Reception/Social Media) – “I don’t think I
can pick a single book as my favourite, so I’ll have to go with my favourite
author. I love Ellen
Hopkins because she’s a very honest author. She writes about the things in
the world that most of us would rather pretend doesn’t exist, and she does it
with characters that make you fall in love with them so you’re able to
sympathize and relate. The way she writes, you’re really able to get inside her
character’s heads and they’re very realistic.”

Glenda Perez (Commercial Lines) – “I am an avid reader and
my two favorite books of all that I have read are a Stephen King novel “The Stand”
and a novel by Robert McCammon
“Swan Song”. Swan Song is a story of post-Apocalyptic nuclear war and the
wasteland that results and follows a young girl named Swan and others in a
fight for survival and the battle between good and evil that determines the
fate of humanity. “The Stand” is another book about the struggle between good
and evil after a plague (a super flu) is accidentally spread to the world’s
population and wipes out almost everyone. It is an epic story of those who
remain.”

Jamie Pilgrim (Individual Health/Health Care Reform Expert)
– “Black Beauty: It’s a
sweet story about a horse that I couldn’t put down when I was a kid.”

John Sweeney (Owner/Health Care Reform Expert) – “The Willie Mays book” (I think
one could safely assume any book about Willie Mays J)

Roberta Johansen (Personal Lines Manager/Commercial Lines
Representative) – “A Kick in the Attitude by Sam
Glenn: Having a positive attitude and outlook in your life, whether it is
personal and/or professional is continuous work. I have read this book a few
times – it is an basic old fashion reminder of how to jump start your attitude
when your life is on a roller coaster. I laugh throughout the whole book –
out loud!”

Paris Derochea (Personal Lines Representative) – “I have
enjoyed many books by the author John
Grisham. I love a good legal thriller but even more I like true crime
writing. Although he is mainly a fiction writer, one of my favorite books is a
true story he wrote called The Innocent Man. The book is about a man wrongly
convicted, put on death row for 17 years and eventually exonerated by DNA
evidence after 20 years in prison altogether. The research that went into this
book is astounding. I also find it interesting the story behind the story.
 Grisham was named in a libel suit due to the controversial topics in the
book in which he was subsequently named ‘an innocent man’.”

Keri Orcutt (Commercial Lines Manager) – “My favorite book
to read to my daughter is Goodnight
Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.  It’s so simple and quiet, it makes the
perfect bedtime story for a two year old!  She has to point at the mouse
on every page and say, “squeak, squeak, squeak”.  When  I am finished
she says,  “’gain mommy”.”

Cheryl Benjamin (Health Department Head/Health Care
Reform Expert) – “I have books that I always read when I’m sick – no matter
what – and I never read them when I feel healthy. Every year as fall starts I
always have to bring out the Harry Potter series and read it again, even though
my daughter is now grown and away from home, I love those books and all the
memories of her childhood that they bring back to me. When I get really busy or
am pushing a deadline I love to read Indiana Jones-type books, horror stories
or adventure/spy books. I can always take time out to read a Jane Austin book
because she is such a great author and makes me wish I lived back in that past
era (upper class, of course!). I grew up in a family of readers. It has always
been a joke for my family and friends that I am a speed reader like my Dad. You
would think that is a good thing, but really it’s not. I share books with my
sister and friends and am ALWAYS waiting for them to get done so that I can
have the book they are reading. Then, I get it, a few hours later it is done,
and I’m saying to myself, ‘What will I do with the rest of my morning?’ 
It makes it hard to have a relaxing Saturday lazy day when you have to find
another book to read again and again!!!  When I go on vacation I have to
plan my reading material so I don’t run out (literally). Thank goodness for a
Kindle so I don’t have to lug 7 – 10 books in the suitcase along with my
vacation clothes anymore! Well, happy National Book Lover’s Day to all the book
lovers out there!!!!”

The first week in August is Simplify your Life Week. In
honor, we’ve come up with a few … simple ways to help simplify your world.

• Go paperless – Instead of receiving your bills in the mail,
  many companies will actually offer you deals and discounts for going paperless
  and using their online services. Not only does this help unclutter your mailbox
  (and often your counter tops) but it also helps you to produce less waste.
• Say “no” – It can be easier said than done when you really
  want to be able to help out everyone (and don’t get us wrong, that’s an
  excellent ambition) but sometimes you just can’t be everywhere all the time.
  Trying to say “yes” for everyone can cause you to overbook yourself which
  causes you stress. Try limiting yourself to only saying yes when you actually
  have the time to commit.
• Condense your online shopping – Shopping around at many
  different stores online can make things a little crazy trying to remember which
  store had that amazing LBD you had your eye on. Downloading the Hukkster app can help you keep
  track of everything you have your eye on, and even alert you to when the items
  you’ve collected go on sale, so you never miss out on a deal on the things you actually care about.
• Use a social aggregator – Condense all of your social media
  sites into one. There are a ton of sites out there—RebelMouse, Hootsuite,
  Flock, FriendFee, Streamy, etc.—that can help you out with this endeavor. This
  way, you can keep up with what’s going on with your friends, without logging
  into 3, 4, 5 different sites!
• Have you heard about Manilla? – Manilla is this great site
  where you can organize all of your bills, daily deals, and subscriptions in one
  place. You can even set up alerts to remind you how much to pay on which bill
  when. I don’t know about you, but I’m always forgetting about my PG&E bill
  until the last minute.

There are plenty philosophies out there that talk about “simplifying
your life”, but I think most of us feel like this is easier said than done.
Thanks to the wonders of technology, this concept is getting easier and easier
to grasp. Another great way to simplify your life is to have all of your
insurance policies in one place. Call up Sweeney & Sweeney for a quote on
your life. We handle everything from your home and auto, to your business, to
your health/life insurance! J

No kid looks forward to the end of summer and school
starting back up again, but there are some steps you can take to ease them back
into the school year.

• Easy the kids back into their school-year routine – Start getting
  them to go to bed earlier and getting up earlier so that it won’t be such a
  shock to the system when they have to start getting up so much earlier again.
• Get organized ahead of time – Many stores have already
  started their back-to-school sales. Get out there and start shopping for your
  school supplies and new school clothes now, so that you’re not scrambling and
  stressed out in the first days of school starting up, trying to get everything
  your child needs.
• Plan school-time activities now – Start talking to your kids
  about what extra-curricular activities they’d like to get involved in. If you
  can start getting prepared early, that will also take some stress off when the
  first day of school/sports/clubs rolls around.
• Set up a pre-determined homework routine – talking to your
  kids now, and agreeing on a homework routine for when school starts also takes
  some of the stress out of getting your kids to get their homework done. No one
  likes homework, but it’s a fact of life, and if you and your yougins come up
  with a plan together, this can help alleviate some of the chaos.

For more back to school tips check out these websites! Great
Schools WebMD
Parenting
Teen

Are you finding that you’re spending more at the pump than you think you should be? It may actually be true! There are a simple things you can do to help increase your fuel efficiency.

• Driving calmly can actually increase your fuel economy by 5-33 percent. Speeding up and braking wastes gas.
• Observing the speed limit will also help you save gas. The more you speed the more rapid decline in your fuel economy. Really 45 mph is optimal for gas mileage for most vehicles, although this speed is a little unreasonable for most areas. So retaining the speed limit will actually help your fuel economy by 7-14 percent.
• Keeping excess weight out of your vehicle can also help boost your MPGs, only by about 1-2 percent per 100lbs, but hey, any bit counts!
• When you can, using your cruise control can improve your fuel economy because you’re not hovering up and down on your gas pedal to maintain speed.
• If you have them, using your overdrive gears can both help save your money at the pump and actually reduce wear and tear on your engine because those gears cause your engine speed to go down.
• Another lesser-known fuel economy tip is inflating your tires to 10% above their suggested pressure. This practice reduces tire friction with the road and can decrease your fuel consumption by 6-8 percent.

Learning how to reduce your fuel costs combined with using Sweeney & Sweeney to find you the best possible rate on your auto insurance (whether it be for your business or your personal life) puts some extra money in your pocket and saves you time so you can spend it doing something a little more enjoyable with your family.

Buying a car can be fun and stressful all at the same time. Buying a used car can also be full of pitfalls if you’re not careful. I know the first car I bought wasn’t exactly in pristine condition. Purchasing the right car for you is just as important as finding the best car. We’ve come up with a sort of checklist to help your buying experience go a little more smoothly.

• First, always make sure the car you’re checking out, is on level ground. This will ensure that you can get an accurate portrayal for checking tires, suspension, sagging, etc.
• Check the exterior of the car for rusting, any indications that tape may have been holding something together, a new paint job, etc. All of these things could be signs of some major damage done to the car that will affect performance.
• Check the trunk for any signs of rust or other water entry which can indicate both how the car was treated, and its usage.
• You should check under the hood of the car for any obvious damage. However, always have your mechanic check out the car before final purchase. If the seller has a problem with this, it’s probably a good indication that there’s something significantly wrong with the vehicle. Also, just inside the bumper where the hood joins, there should be a decal with the car’s VIN number. If that’s missing, the bumper has been replaced, meaning the car was in an accident.
• Check all hoses and belts for cracks and other damage.
• Check interior for damage.
• Make sure all electric systems work (i.e. AC, heat, stereo, electric windows, etc.)
• Check odometer. Cars age by years and mileage. An average driver puts between 10,000 and 15,000 miles on a car/year.
• Always test drive a car before purchasing. Not just to make sure there aren’t any weird/concerning noises/feels, but you also need to make sure that you like the way the car drives, and are comfortable with that.
• Every responsible owner will have service records for their car. Make sure to check these out before purchase so you know both what issues have already been addressed, and what issues you can probably expect.

We hope this list has aided you in your search for your perfect car. For a more thorough list, click here. Once you find your perfect automotive match, call up Sweeney & Sweeney to find the best rates and coverage for the new addition to your life. Have a happy and safe weekend everyone!

Today is Amelia Earhart Day! We all know about Amelia’s amazing accomplishments, but we thought it might be interesting to come up with some more obscure facts about the icon other than she was the first aviatrix to fly solo across the Atlantic.

• Amelia received the nickname Meelie from her younger sister who couldn’t pronounce Amelia’s name correctly.
• Amelia was originally engaged to a New Englander named Sam Chapman whom she met in LA while visiting her parents.
• Amelia helped to finance a date farm in Arizona for her former mechanic who developed tuberculosis.
• Amelia was the first female, and one of only a few to date, to receive the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross.
• Amelia used to have a 1922 Kissel Goldbug named Yellow Peril.
• Amelia used to have a stuffed donkey named Donk who would accompany her on journeys.
• Amelia and her younger sister had two imaginary friends named Laura and Ringa.
• Amelia created a whole tribe of imaginary creatures that she called Dee-Jays described as being a cross between a Krazy Kat cartoon and a jabberwocky.

Hope you found this to helpful for getting a little more insight into the spectacular woman we honor every year on this day, and that your adventures be just as fruitful. Have an amazing and safe week! Click here to learn more about Amelia Earhart.

With summer smoldering away, many people are turning to
grilling. You may know how to grill up a perfect steak, but are you fully aware
of all the safety precautions you should be taking. We’ve gathered a list of
safety tips for you to consider the next time 
you break out the briquettes and grill.

Picking the right place to put your grill is extremely
important. Make sure the area is well-ventilated (i.e. away from anything that
could catch fire) and away from where pets and kids will be playing.

Never add lighter fluid directly to hot coals. The flame can
travel up the stream and burn you. If your coals are taking a while to start,
put some lighter fluid on a few new briquettes and, using long-handled tongs,
and add them to the warm coals and light a match.

Do not close the lid until you are ready to cook. Doing so
could cause the fire to go out, or a rush of flame when you open the lid again.
Closing the lid can also keep the lighter fluid from completely evaporating and
leave your food with an odd taste.

Always use insulated, flame-retardant mitts when working
around the BBQ as coals can reach temperatures up to 1,000°F.

To put out the fire, place the lid on the grill with all
vents closed, and let the ashes cool for at least 48 hours before disposing in
a non-combustible container. If you have to dispose of the coals before they
are completely cool, burry them in a heat-proof container filled with either
sand or water. Do not pour coals into water or water over coals as the steam
could burn you.

Everyone here at Sweeney & Sweeney hopes you have a fun,
safe summer grilling with your friends and family. Share some of your favourite
grilling recipes!

July is also National Ice Cream month! Most people love to
enjoy this treat, especially in the summer, to help chase away the heat, but
have you ever thought about how the ice cream we enjoy today came to be. Well,
we did, and it turns out that ice cream actually has kind of a crazy history.

The origins of ice cream can be traced back as far as 400 BC
in Persia where they made a frozen dish of rose water and vermicelli mixed with
saffron, fruits, and various other flavours. Various other versions of ice
mixed with fruits, nuts, and even pastas/rices have been recorded all over the
middle east, western Europe, and Asia. The Chinese are even credited with
inventing a device to make sorbets and ice cream combining snow and saltpeter
around a container containing syrup which is very much akin to modern ice
cream-making.

Historically, ice cream and sorbet was a dish that was
reserved for royalty. It was even said that in the 1630’s, Charles I of England
was so impressed with the concoction that he offered his own ice cream maker a
lifetime pension in exchange for keeping the formula secret, so that it could
remain a royal prerogative.

The first recipe for modern-day-styled ice cream appeared in
London in 1718 in Mrs. Mary Eales’s
Receipts. Ice cream was brought to the United States by Quaker colonists
who sold it in their confectioner shops. First Lady Dolley Madison was reported
to have served ice cream at her husband, James Madison’s, Inaugural Ball in
1813. Surprisingly, it was actually an African American confectioner by the
name of Augustus Jackson that not only created multiple recipes for ice cream,
but also invented a superior technique for manufacturing the frozen delicacy.

Hope we’ve piqued your interest a bit, maybe even enough to
come up with your own concoction! Just don’t forget to call Sweeney &
Sweeney when you open up your first shop. J For a taste of some
local, home-made goodness, check out Shubert’s on 7^th St!