It just occurred to me last night as I was planning my costume for this evening, but a nice New England inn, such as a Massachusetts bed and breakfast or a Rhode Island bed and breakfast, would be a great place to celebrate Halloween.

I think bed and breakfasts lend themselves really well to fall decorations, don’t you?  It must be something about the antiques most of them are furnished with — they just remind me of a Victorian sitting room with a fire snapping and popping in the fireplace.

Anyway, I could totally see putting up fall decorations in a bed and breakfast and having a little costume party, maybe where everyone dressed up as a period in history.  I don’t know about you, but I’d totally stay at a B&B that did that!

I could imagine other activities, too — pumpkin carving, harvesting (if the B&B has a garden), etc.  I would also make special fall-themed breakfasts for the guests, such as certain types of quiche.

I guess maybe I would make a good event planner or a bed and breakfast owner, because I can actually feel myself getting excited at just the thought of planning all of this.

Technorati Tags: Halloween, New England inn, Massachusetts bed and breakfast, Rhode Island bed and breakfast, Victorian sitting room

Earlier this year, there was a case that received a lot of national attention: Wal-Mart was suing Deborah Shank, a former employee who had been severely injured in a truck accident, for a settlement that she received from the truck company to cover her long-term care.

Basically, Shank suffered severe brain damage as a result of the accident, and will have to be institutionalized for the rest of her life.  The settlement she received from the truck company was put into trust to cover those expenses, but Wal-Mart — her former employer and the source of her health insurance — felt that they had first dibs on the money, since they’d paid her medical bills up until then.  And they would stop at nothing — not even robbing a brain-damaged woman of her ability to pay her medical bills — to get it.

Luckily, Wal-Mart received enough negative publicity over the case that they dropped their suit.  However, this case demonstrates the importance of having disability insurance, especially for professionals who have their own practices, such as dentists and doctors.  Physician disability insurance protects you from loss of income if you become sick or disabled, as does dentist disability insurance for dentists.  Disability insurance companies all offer slightly different policies, though, so you should be sure to shop around for the one that will fit your needs the best!

Technorati Tags: Deborah Shank, Wal-Mart, disability insurance, physician disability insurance, dentist disability insurance, disability insurance companies

Whenever I think about getting away, I imagine an Island paradise.  Even now, the very idea of sitting on sandy beaches surrounded by palms,  being serenaded by cascading waves by day and relaxing in elegant Hawaii hotels  and resorts at night,  is tantalizing enough for me to start packing my bags for a well earned vacation.

To make that fantasy a reality however, one has to make plans and vacation planning often begins with locating a great hotel.

In order to locate the proper hotel, you have to consider the area of Hawaii you’d like to visit. The price of your vacation package could greatly depend on where you would most like to go.

For instance, if you desire to visit Maui, investigate   the hottest Maui hotels  and comparison shop.  There are a select few beachside properties that may be supremely affordable.

If Kauai is the place you’d like to get away to, Kauai hotels  would be the perfect starting place to look for deals.

Once you have a location and a few Hawaii based hotels in mind, consult with a travel agent to see what kinds of packages may be available for the locale and the hotels, you desire.  They may have several deals for you to assess that’ll make your Hawaii vacation an event to remember.

Technorati Tags: Hawaii  hotels, Maui Hotels, Kauai Hotels, travel agent

When I was in my twenties, my grandmother had a heart transplant. I dutifully volunteered to stay with her at home for a few weeks while she recovered.  I had no idea of the challenges involved.  I gained a new respect for caregiver workers and considered attaining some home health care training myself.

As a college student I could see the advantages of looking into caregiver training programs. The hours are flexible, easily fit in with a school schedule and the work is steady, especially with an aging baby boomer population. Most training companies offer online classes and caregiver wellness DVDs.

With medical technology and science advancements the population is living longer, healthier lives. Being a caregiver or assistant to the elderly has many advantages for a college student. Beyond some extra cash, being a caregiver is also a great summer job. Especially for those non-traditional age college students that don’t want to be stuck in the summer - youth camp club. The caregiver experience allows both young and old to interact and learn from one another. The time I spent with my grandmother was invaluable to me, not only did I learn about our family, I also learned about history from a first- hand witness. Those kind of conversations are life enriching.

Technorati Tags: home health care training, caregiver training programs, caregiver wellness dvds

Are you having friends over for dinner around Halloween?  If so, give your dinner party a Halloween theme.  Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

1. Serve Halloween- or fall-themed meals.  For instance, sweet potato dishes are great for a fall theme, as are summer squash dishes.  Pumpkin bread arranged on a plate makes a great dish for leaving out on the table, and roasted pumpkin seeds in strategically placed bowls give guests something to snack on while they socialize.  For dessert you just can’t beat a pumpkin pie!
2. Decorate the house for Halloween.  Cobwebs, skeletons and scarecrows, and pumpkins and Jack-o-lanterns are all great decorations for Halloween.  You can also play some spooky music to help set the mood.
3. Have guests come in costume.  You can let them choose for themselves what costumes to wear, or you can set a theme, such as Renaissance clothing or couples Hallowen costumes, that guests have to stick to.  If it’s a family event, request that children come dressed in Halloween costumes for kids.
4. Play Halloween games or watch a Halloween movie.  Particularly if children are coming, some type of Halloween games or a movie are a necessity to keep everyone entertained.  Of course, if there are no children involved, that places less restrictions on what kind of games or movies you can play…

A Halloween-themed dinner party can be a lot of fun to plan, so let your imagination run wild!  What other things can you think of to serve or do at a Halloween-themed dinner party?

Technorati Tags: dinner party, Halloween theme, sweet potato, Renaissance clothing, couples Halloween costumes, Halloween costumes for kids