Different Paths...

I have a ton of admiration for my sister. She is smart, creative, artistic and funny. We are, however, polar opposites in many ways. Given there are only 18 months between us and the fact we grew up in the same household, one would think there would be nearly twin-level similarities. There are not.

My sister, Eve, is far more stable than I am. In the last 25 years, she's been at the same job and has lived in the same house. I, on the other hand, have spent ten years building two companies of my own, and bounced around the country for work for 10 years before that. And I've had at least 7 different homes over the same time-frame (and that's not counting all the places I lived while working on the road!).

We are both creative, albeit in different ways. She can draw anything and she makes quilts, jewelry, pottery and awesome paper crafts. In fact for the last seven years she and her non-profit sorority have been creating over 200 tray favors every month to brighten up the lives of the elderly who participate in Meals on Wheels and at a local retirement home. She is amazingly talented.

I can't draw stick people. Or do any of those artistic crafts. Writing is my forte and I am also a problem solver. I can come up with all sorts of creative ideas -- often completely 'over the top' ideas -- and bring those ideas to fruition (often with Eve's help!). So while she spends much time laboring over creative pursuits, I spend more time with my brain ping-ponging around.

We are, one might guess, like the tortoise and the hare. She is slow and steady in her approach to life and I am bouncing and running all over it. She is more left brained and I am more right. She is pragmatic and nothing seems to rattle her, while I over-analyze everything.

I am in awe of my sister and her talents; yet, I believe we are equal in our ability to put good out into the Universe. We both live happy lives and have successful, amazing children. In fact, her son and his wife are recently pregnant with their first child so Eve is soon to find out how wonderful being a grandparent is (YAY! And congratulations!)

The point is: we all have differences and we should celebrate them. The key to living a good life is learning how to recognize and leverage your own unique abilities and to choose the path(s) that make you happy. It doesn't matter how fast or slow you go about it or even what path you choose to follow. It only matters that you follow your passions because when we do, life is pretty sweet.

I'm proud of Eve and her accomplishments, her talents and who she is as a person. We were never really close as kids and, truth be told, it's only been the last few years where we've forged the bond we share today. And even though we weren't close for so many years, she was always there for me, no matter what. I am so grateful for her. Happy Birthday Eve.... I love you!

Summer Projects
& Maintenance

We are in the midst of quite a number of summer projects for our clients, both big and small.

Now is the time to have things done so when you return in the Fall, all your work is already done!

If you have a project on your 'to do' list, let us quote it for you! And don't forget we are a California State licensed general contractor so no matter what you need done, we can do it!

And please be sure to do your home maintenance!

Your home and windows should be cleaned at least once or twice over the summer.

Sand is insidious, getting into every nook and cranny. It's better to keep your home up, than it is to leave it go.

If we haven't yet done HVAC maintenance, it needs to be done ASAP! We do it twice here in the desert and we can do it for you!

Once again, sand gets in everything and clogged condensate lines are a leading cause of home flooding. Don't take a chance... Let us get your AC serviced!

To request a quote or to schedule a service, please contact us at 760.898.9604 or admin@executive-errands.com

4th of July Trivia

How many of these can you answer? (Answers at the bottom)

How many signers actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4^th?
How many of the first five presidents died on July 4^th?
When did the 4^th of July become a National Holiday?
Is 'Yankee Doodle' a patriotic song?
Why were the stars on the original American Flag arranged in a circle?
How many dollars per year are spent on importing fireworks from China?
Who designed the US flag?
How many words are in the Pledge of Allegiance?
How hot does a sparkler burn?
What is the favorite 4th of July food?

Answers:

Two. The rest signed on July 2^nd
Three. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe (note: Adams and Jefferson died on the exact same day - July 4^th, 1826)
1938
No. It was sung by British officers making fun of Americans
To show that all 13 States were equal
$200 Million
Not Betsy Ross. It was actually Mr. Francis Hopkinson who created both the flag and the US seal
31
1200 Degrees! Hot enough to cause 3^rd degree burns!
Hot dog

Summer Travel and Giving Back

Did you know that the Palm Desert It's...In The Bag retailer has two wonderful outreach programs? For the last 25 years, whenever anyone buys a new piece of luggage, duffle bag or backpack, they can take their old one in and get a trade in allowance. Your old bags will then be used for humanitarian efforts (shipping medical supplies for example) or for the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission (CVRM).

Second, when you travel, please collect all the toiletries and other small amenities in your hotel rooms, then take them to It's...In The Bag and they will donate them to the CVRM as well.

It's...In The Bag is located in the Target shopping center at 72-363 Hwy 111 A2, Palm Desert. Let's help someone in need this summer! Donate your old luggage and toiletries today!

Palm Springs Life Article about Concierge Services

Executive Errands� is featured in this month's Palm Springs Life magazine! Read the article called Welcome Back! It talks about the importance of absentee home care and what can happen at your home over the long hot summer. In addition to the issues mentioned in this article, other problems we've encountered in empty homes include:

--broken refrigerators

--termites

--leaky roofs

--broken irrigation valves

--leaky pool equipment

--bad shower cartridges

--hard water problems

--gas leaks

--frozen bar refrigerators

The list goes on and on -- if you don't live in the desert full time, it's hard to imagine how so much can go wrong, but it does. And often. Finally, our locals are getting in on the absentee home care bandwagon too! We signed up several full time resident clients who want us to care for their home while they are gone on vacation.

The fact we don't have monthly minimums and the hours you buy never expire, makes having an account with us extremely cost effective. It doesn't matter if you're gone for a weekend, a week, a month or the whole summer. Your home is a big investment and you should make sure it is checked regularly. We are here to do that for you!

To read the Palm Springs Life article, click here

To set up your own Executive Errands� account, please call us at 760.898.9604 or email us at admin@executive-errands.com