Courtesy of Mary-Ann Kennedy

PARKSVILLE QUALICUM BEACH REALTY

Mary-Ann Kennedy Real Estate Agent, REALTOR ® Office 250.248.4321 | Cell 250.616.2332 maryann@maryannkennedy.ca maryannkennedy.ca

173 Island W Hwy Parksville, BC V9P 2H1

YOUR HOME GUIDE

Volume 17 | Number 11

CUSTOMIZING GENERIC

FURNITURE PIECES Furniture from a big box store is great - it’s affordable, easily accessible, functional and a blank canvas for you to customize. Imagine if everyone in your family received the same piece of furniture and free reign to adjust it to suit their needs. Each unit would look and function completely different. That’s the benefit of purchasing simple furniture pieces that are rather generic to begin with. As your decor and tastes evolve, you can change them rather easily. From paint, to peel and stick tiles, to hardware and feet, the options are really endless. Then, if you grow tired of the piece or it’s no longer functional, you can change it again, sell it or donate it without feeling guilty. Therefore, before your next big purchase, consider buying something you can personalize yourself. Look online for inspiration or head to your local craft supply or home improvement store to see what inspires you.

CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP IN A BREAD BOWL

Courtesy of tasteofhome.com

Yields: 6 servings | Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS • ¼ cup butter, cubed • ½ cup chopped onion • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 4 cups broccoli florets • 1 large carrot, chopped • 3 cups chicken stock • 2 cups half-and-half cream • 2 bay leaves • ½ teaspoon salt • ¼ teaspoon pepper • ¼ cup cornstarch • ¼ cup water or additional chicken stock • 2½ cups shredded cheddar cheese • 6 small round bread loaves

DIRECTIONS 1. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat butter over medium heat; sauté onion and garlic until tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in broccoli, carrot, stock, cream and seasonings; bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 10-12 minutes. 2. Mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cheese until melted. 3. If using bread bowls, cut a slice off the top of each bread loaf; hollow out bottoms, leaving ¼ inch-thick shells (save removed bread for another use). Fill with soup just before serving. 4. Serve soup with toppings as desired.

Optional toppings: Crumbled cooked bacon, ground nutmeg and pepper ,additional shredded cheddar cheese

Edith Sitwell (Sept 1887 - Dec 1964) was a British poet who published her first poem in 1913 which started a life long career where she received the Benson Medal of the Royal Society of Literature.

WINTER IS THE TIME FOR COMFORT, FOR GOOD FOOD AND WARMTH, FOR THE TOUCH OF A FRIENDLY HAND AND FOR A TALK BESIDE THE FIRE: IT IS THE TIME FOR HOME. - Edith Sitwell

TIME FOR AN ANNUAL FIREPLACE INSPECTION

Before the temperatures drop and you start using your fireplace to warm your home, industry experts suggest having it inspected. An inspection will ensure your fireplace is safe to use, is performing efficiently and complies with local codes and standards. An inspector might also suggest tips on how to prolong the life of your fireplace and how to keep it burning clean to keep your emissions and environmental impact low. This annual task should be performed by a professional but that doesn't mean you can't keep an eye out for potential issues throughout the season. Look for any signs of damage to the exterior, if dust or debris has collected in or around the fireplace, if

the flame isn't consistently blue or shows irregular flickering patterns and other changes in typical function. These are signs that something could be amiss and should be checked out as soon as possible.

SNOW SHOVELLING TECHNIQUE

Even if it's your thousandth time shovelling snow, it doesn't hurt to review proper snow shovelling technique. Like any activity, be sure to stretch and warm up before starting. Stretch your arms, legs, shoulders and back and then march in place for a few minutes to loosen up your body so you're less likely to get injured. Take frequent breaks if the snow is heavy or your area to shovel is large. Remember to stay hydrated and don't shovel on a full stomach; wait a couple of hours after eating. As for technique, aim to push the snow out of the way rather than lift it. Shovel small amounts at a time, especially if the snow is particularly deep or wet to prevent injury. Keep your core engaged (tighten your stomach muscles) when pushing or lifting and avoid twisting your body. Keep your feet hip width apart for balance and hold the shovel close to your body and near the base for maximum leverage and to reduce lower back strain. Always bend at your knees and lift with your legs instead of your back.

SURPRISING SNOWFLAKE FACTS

SUDOKU

The 9×9 square must be filled in with numbers from 1-9 with no repeated numbers in each line, horizontally or vertically. Furthermore, each of the 3×3 squares can't have any repeat numbers either.

Even though winter doesn't officially begin until December 21, and not everyone in Canada will see snow this season, here are some unique facts about snowflakes for your information.

The largest snowflakes ever reported were in Fort Keogh, Montana in 1887 and were reported to be around 15" wide!

Snowflakes are extremely cold, water droplets that freeze onto a pollen or dust particle in the sky forming an ice crystal. As this ice crystal falls to the ground, water vapor freezes onto the crystal building new crystals and thus the snowflake.

A snowflake can take hours to fall from a cloud to the ground as they tend to float down from about 1.6 kilometers to 6.4 kilometers per hour.

Solution:

BALANCED MARKET OFFERS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

PARKSVILLE-QUALICUM

$498,600 apartment DOWN 1.7% year-to-year

$896,400 detached UP 1.4% year-to-year

$642,000 townhouse DOWN 0.2% year-to-year

BENCHMARK PRICES

47 TOTAL SOLD LISTINGS

November 1, 2024 - The Vancouver Island Real Estate Board (VIREB) recorded 722 unit sales and 4,015 active listings (all property types) board-wide on the MLS ® System in October 2024. Active listings of single-family homes were 1,352 in October, up from the 1,157 posted one year ago. VIREB’s inventory of condo apartments was 366 last month. “We saw healthy sales increases in October, ranging from 36 per cent for condo apartments to 45 per cent for single-family homes,” says VIREB CEO Jason Yochim. “With an absorption rate of 18 per cent and around five months of inventory, the VIREB market is currently in balanced territory.”

Balanced markets with healthy inventory levels offer buyers and sellers the best of both worlds. Current listings aren’t flying off the market, but they’re also not lingering for too long. “It looks like we’ll close out 2024 on a good note, with about 7,400 sales, significantly higher than the 7,114 sales seen in 2023,” adds Yochim. The Parksville-Qualicum area saw its benchmark price increase by one per cent to $896,400. Stats Reflective of October 2024 | Source: Vancouver Island Real Estate Board | Market values stated are of the benchmark of Parksville-Qualicum. Individual home market values will vary and are affected by factors such as location, size, interior and exterior condition. Please call to get an up-to-date evaluation of your home.

Call me with all your real estate needs and questions.

Mary-Ann Kennedy Real Estate Agent, REALTOR ® Office 250.248.4321 | Cell 250.616.2332 maryann@maryannkennedy.ca maryannkennedy.ca

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