Rear Seat Reminder

If you leave your car parked in the sun during the summer months, when you get back in the car the temp can be 130 degrees after an hour. Even with all the windows open, you should never leave a child or an animal in the car.

Rear Occupant Alert

Some cars have alerts to flash a dashboard reminder, warning drivers to check the back seat when the vehicle is shifted to park or the engine is turned off. If your car doesn't have this feature, place your cell in the backseat. 

Tips to remind parents, grandparents and caretakers there's a baby in the back seat.

Waze 

Can help you beat traffic but it can also set up a reminder to check the back seat and you can even customize a sweet message. 

Elepho eClip Baby Safety Reminder 

Small device clips onto the carseat strap, connects via Bluetooth to an app on your phone and pings you if you step more than 15 feet away from your car. 

Never leave a child alone in a car, even for a single minute. 

The number

 

All about 13 

New York's insurance letter 13 taking action to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, and transgender status to ensure that all New Yorkers are protected. 

The number 13 is known in some Western culture as a symbol of bad luck, hotels, hospitals, and skyscrapers sometimes omit the 13th floor or room, but in some cultures it has a positive, associations with transformation, femininity, and mathematics.  In Italy the number 13 is linked to fertility considered a lucky number, representing abundance and positive energy. And in Hebrew, the number 13 symbolizes love, unity, and coming of age, marking the Bar Mitzvah age where a Jewish boy becomes religiously responsible.  The United States has a strong connection, with the original 13 colonies. Reflected on the Great Seal with 13 stripes, 13 stars, 13 arrows, and 13 olive leaves.

In most cultures the superstition linked  to Friday the 13th combines the unlucky number with Friday, the day of Jesus's crucifixion. Judas, the disciple betrayed Jesus at the last supper, was the 13th person at the table. The devil, is mentioned as a dragon  13 times in the book of Revelations. The number 13 follows the "perfect" number 12 (12 months, 12 apostles, 12 hours on a clock), so 13 represents chaos or evil. 

 

Is it the planet's unluckiest number? 

The Asteroid 99942 was discovered in 2004 with a chance that during its April 13th 2029 close encounter with Earth, it would pass through a gravitational keyhole which would have set up a future impact exactly seven years later on Easter Sunday, April 13, 2036. As per NASA, Astronomers closely tracked the asteroid and recalculated to impact in 2068 and later, found there is now no risk of it impacting Earth for at least 100 years.  

On April 13 2029 the asteroid  99942, now also known  as  Apophis will, for a short time, be closer to Earth than satellites and visible in the night sky to the naked eye.  

The Nostalgia of closed Floor Plans

Evolving lifestyles and closed floor plans

The post pandemic evolving lifestyles have prompted a re-evaluation of how we use our homes. 

Granny Chic

 

A 2024 report by Houzz says 73 percent of homeowners renovations included adding enclosed spaces to their layout. The open-plan layout is giving way to a return of walls. Maybe it's the memory of Grandma’s house, and its old-world charm with little rooms and defined dining rooms. A nostalgic, warm and welcoming space with vintage charm.

In 2025, according to the American Institute of Architects, there’s a 40 percent increase in demand for historical design. The classic six, a Living Room, Kitchen, 2 Bedrooms and a Bathrooms. Cozy is the new approach to modern living. 

Stop. Think. Check the Back Seat

Leaving a baby in a car seat is a real and serious danger

It is heartbreaking and a very real danger. On average, 38 children die each year in the U.S. from vehicular heatstroke. 

This tragic phenomenon is often unintentional and typically happens when someone forgets a child is in the back seat. It can result from a change in routine, such as a caregiver who doesn’t normally do daycare drop-off—as well as distraction, sleep deprivation, or stress.

There are ways to prevent this 

Thankfully, it’s preventable. Many newer vehicles now feature rear seat reminder systems, and some car seats come equipped with built-in alarms. 

Parents and caregivers can also use simple habits to prevent tragedy, like placing a phone, purse, wallet, or even a shoe in the back seat. That way, when you go to step out of the car and realize something’s missing, you’re prompted to check the back seat—and potentially save a life.

Boxed Carrot Cake

Boxed Carrot Cake on steroids 

Preheat oven to 350. Follow the instructions on the box, combine the eggs, water and vegetable oil, 

Take cake to the next level.by adding 1/2 can chopped pineapple, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup shredded carrots and 1 Tspn vanilla extract. 

Mix for 2 minutes, pour batter into greased bundt pan and bake for aprox 40 minutes.

Let it cool for 30 minutes. Pour melted cream cheese frosting over cake and sprinkle with sweetened coconut. 

Happy Birthday America

More American than Apple Pie

All American Coca Cola cake

A delicious collaboration between Coke and Cracker Barrel in the 1950’s in GA. Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Cake 

1 cup Coca-Cola, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup salted butter, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 2/3 cups sugar, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9x13 pan. 

Mix together granulated sugar and flour.

In a saucepan, add butter, Coca-Cola, vegetable oil, and unsweetened cocoa, stir and bring to a boil over med heat. 

Combine the butter mixture with the sugar/flour mixture. Beat on low-medium speed for one minute.

Add eggs to the butter and sugar/flour mixture, next add buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla. Beat for a minute on medium. Bake for aprox. 30 minutes

frosting

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup Coca-Cola, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract.

Combine butter, cocoa powder, and Coca-Cola in saucepan over med heat. remove from heat and whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Pour it over the cake and spread it evenly.

Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.Enjoy! And Happy 4th of July.

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Source:sweet and savory meals 

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What’s new

See what’s new on your iPhone. Did you know you can remove the background of a photo. Touch and hold it to copy and paste it. 

Bake This

 

Happiness comes from within and a slice of this pound cake with an espresso.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake 

 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1.5 cups butter, room temperature 

1 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbspn vanilla

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

Directions:  mix butter, cream cheese and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon. Mix in  the flour, baking powder and salt. Pour into a greased  pan. 

Bake at 325° for 1.25 or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

Scary times

Nobody’s talking about it

The changes in the auto insurance that I’ve heard from agents across the industry in the last few months are unprecedented. Allstate announced last winter they were collecting 50% down for new policies, most people like to spread installments over 6 months, then Kia and  Hyundai’s $200 Million class action suit due to car theft frighten Progressive, Allstate, GEICO and State Farm causing some carriers to refuse to insure certain model years due to high theft rates.

Next came the underwriting guidelines changing for some companies, reducing eligibility. Drivers can only have 1 accident in 5 years and need a good credit score to qualify. 

Most carriers are filing with the state of NY asking to pass on premium increases of 20% to 40%  to the customer.

To say these are scary times is an understatement. In this new post covid world, with the mainstream of the autonomous car technology around the corner, it’s probably a matter of time before we’re all driving in them and maybe the insurance companies are preparing for the risk.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/01/27/business/progressive-state-farm-hyundai-kia/index.html

Baked Empanadas

Here’s how I made baked pulled pork empanadas. 

Ribs in the Dutch Oven 

Mix 

1/4 cup of  Worcestershire sauce 

1/4 cup Soy sauce

3 tbsps oil 

3 minced garlic cloves 

add water or beef stock

Bake at 325 for aprox 4 hours or until cooked

It’ll be juicy and tender. Let it rest for a few minutes before pulling. Using a fork, it’ll just fall apart.

Mix in 

1  Tbspn of ground Cumin

Parsley

1 Tbspn of Chilly Powder

1 Tbspn of salt

Shredded cheese

Fill into empanada disks 

Brush with egg wash 

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, broil for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

White rice on the side. Dinner is served!

Thanksgiving

Champagne Turkey with a blend of spices and too easy Tres Leches cake  

November is a time to reflect and be thankful for all our blessings. Sending good wishes and sharing  these two easy recipes for Thanksgiving.

Champagne Turkey

Line a large turkey roaster with long sheets of aluminum foil long enough to wrap over the turkey. Rub the turkey with lemon and put it the roaster.

Stir parsley, rosemary, sage, garlic, thyme, lemon pepper and salt in a bowl and rub the herb mixture into the cavity of the turkey. Cut and orange in half and insert it into the cavity of the turkey. 

Pour a bottle of Champagne and chicken broth over the turkey, making sure some champagne gets into the cavity of the turkey. Bring the aluminum foil over the top of the turkey and seal it loosely.   

Bake at 350 in a preheated oven according to its weight. Uncover the turkey about 30 minutes to an hour before its done and continue baking another 30 minutes or until the skin turns golden brown.  A thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F.

move over Pecan and Pumpkin pies

too easy Tres Leches cake

Cake

Blend two boxes of Duncan Hines white cake mix with two 12-ounce cans of flavored seltzer for about 2 minutes. Pour batter into pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, cake is done when toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for about 1 hour.

Cream

Whisk two cups of heavy cream, one 12-ounce can evaporated milk and one teaspoon ground cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Set cream mixture aside. Whisk one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk and one teaspoon vanilla into the cream mixture.

Using a fork, poke holes into the top of the cooled cake and pour the cream mixture over the cake.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. 

Whip one cup of heavy cream with one cup of powdered sugar with a mixer for about 2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy whipped cream. Spread the whipped cream over the cake and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Be blessed, enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving

Sweater Weather

It’s been a minute 

Let’s give ourselves permission to cope with the stresses of the past few years. News about politics, vaccines, crime and the economy will never stop playing, but we can choose to tune into something else. 

These past few years I’ve learned to embrace self care through exercise, prayer and meditation. It’s been my release, given me life changing peace. I no longer let things that are beyond my control dictate my attitude.  

Tires on electric vehicles require replacement more frequently than tires on other cars

KBB advice on tires for EV

Fall and everything Pumpkin 

Here’s a Pumpkin Muffin recipe from Kathy, my car pool friend from my old GEICO days.

2 slightly beaten eggs

2 cups sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 cup solid pack pumpkin

2 ½ cups flour

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

⅛ teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12- 18 muffin cups or use paper

liners.

2.Combine eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in large bowl; mix well.

Combine flour, pie spice, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Add to

liquid ingredients and mix just until combined. (Do not overmix)

4. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Spoon batter into muffin cups (about 2/3 full) and bake 20-25 min or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool

Teresa

Side Effects

So much has happened in one year.  I tried to be an independent broker, failed and got my old job back. Since then the whole world changed.  There was a worldwide pandemic, we went into isolation and held our breaths for a Vaccine. 

Once you fall hard you learn to fail harder. The concept that failure is learning, the more you fail the more you learn. It’s side effect is less fear.

The big “C” word

One of the many side effects of the pandemic is it has people thinking about their future. If you have anxiety about death in the time of the Covid crisis, now more than ever is the time to talk about LIFE.  Health exams may be waived and depending on the pandemic’s mortality rate life insurance prices might rise in the future. There’s  uncertainty about how the virus affects long-term health and life expectancy.  The best thing to do is to guarantee insurability before insurance application questions include covid exposure or diagnosis.

Tires and nails

Change a flat tire like a girl

You're in a remote area and emergency roadside can't reach you.  Trust me, you don't want to be in a situation stuck late at night having to wait for roadside assistance.  Here's tips that might make a stressful situation easier to handle.  And with a little bit of luck maybe you'll do it without chipping a nail.

Be prepared - have a jack and a wrench

1. TURN ON YOUR HAZARD LIGHTS 
2. APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE 
3. LOOSEN THE LUG NUTS USING A WRENCH
4. PLACE THE JACK UNDER THE VEHICLE 
5. RAISE THE VEHICLE WITH THE JACK 
6. UNSCREW THE LUG NUTS 
7. REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE 
8. MOUNT THE SPARE TIRE 
9. TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS 
10. LOWER THE VEHICLE

Look for the jack under the car

Usually, the jack goes under the vehicle. Most car frames have a particular indented area that’s designed to accommodate the jack. Feel for it and make sure the placement is sturdy. Your owner’s manual may specify exactly where to put the jack, double check.

Sources: Bridgestone

Changing a car for dummies

familiarinsurance.com

Going Places

Press a button 

Imagine having to read a map or even worse having to ask somebody for directions.  Today we ask siri, type into our phones, or just press a button and ask the car for directions.  What would happen if GPS stopped working?  Drivers would be slowing down traffic, looking at street signs or stopping to read road maps.  And how on earth would Uber ever know where to pick us up?

Everything is based on GPS, from emergency services to containers in ports, to factories, power grids and more.  It is estimated the cost of GPS crashing to be a loss of about 1 Billion per day.

The Global Positioning System consists of 24 satellites synchronizing with time in such an exact degree of precision that when we ask our phones for directions, it picks up signals from some of those satellites based on the time the signal was sent and where the satellite was.  If the clocks on those satellites are not exact,our route will be off by miles.  

Re-fold it back to the way it was

Not so long ago, before GPS, reading a road map was the only way to get around.  You can still find  maps at some gas stations and rest areas.  Maps are huge but fold down small enough to keep in the glove box. 

Reading a Road Map 

The index on the map lists the names of all of the cities listed on the map in alphabetical order and the corresponding location of each listing. Across the bottom of a map there may be sections that are labeled A, B, C and on the left side of the map, the grids may be labeled numerically. If a town’s location is described as B4 in the index, you would look in the grid where column B and row 4 meet to find the town. When using a map to navigate, locate your current location and your destination first.

Source: BBC 50 things that made the modern economy- GPS  and Driving-test.org

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Let's Talk about it

Familiar Insurance Services Inc.

Everybody says it's ok to talk about it, but nobody wants to talk about it.  We all know somebody that suffers from anxiety or depression, or we know somebody that knows somebody that has a drug or alcohol addiction.  Almost all of us know somebody that is affected by mental illness.

Your health should be the most important thing in your life 


Finding time for mental health is important. Meditating, working out or talking to somebody should be a priority and now there's apps that can help.  Here's a link for the total wellness site. Total Wellness

Let's use this Open Enrollment period as reminder for mental health

The Enrollment period for Health coverage lasts only a few weeks and coverage sold during Open Enrollment starts January 1, 2020.

If you don't enroll during open enrollment you might not be able to get coverage for next year unless you qualify for the Special Enrollment Period which includes a life event like getting married or having a baby.

Enrollment is open all year for Medicaid and Child Health Plus.  It depends on which programs you are eligible for,  it's based on your age, income and other factors. 

New York State of Health has health options available through the Health Plan Marketplace where people can shop and enroll in Health Coverage.  It is also the place to get help from the government for low cost or free coverage from Medicaid if you qualify.

visit NY State of Health or call 1-855-355-5777

Familiar Insurance Services Inc.


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Superhuman Powers

Familiar Insurance Services Inc.

Save a Life

According to DMV's website there's a huge need for organ donations in New York.  Nearly 10,000 New Yorkers are currently waiting for an organ transplant, and every 13 hours someone dies waiting for an organ transplant.  Did you know just one organ donor can save up to eight lives? Yet only 29% of New Yorkers are enrolled in the Donate Life Registry compared to the national average of 51%.

At the DMV website you can create an account, update your address, view the status  of your license and register to become an organ donor.   

NY DMV

DMV offices play a huge role in promoting Donate Life℠, a program to motivate the public to register as organ, eye or tissue donors.  Next time you register a vehicle or renew your license sign up to be an organ, eye or tissue donor.  And now you can make an appointment online before you visit DMV.

Please register as an organ donor and you might be someone's superhero.

Familiar Insurance Services Inc

Bread Crumbs

Familiar Insurance Services Inc.

Getting smarter and smarter

I think it's safe to say we’ve all gotten used to searching on-line for a product and next thing we know,  there’s ads about that product popping up on our social media. But what about when advertisements for things similar to our interests start showing up on our social media?  Like it’s reading our mind. Scary!  Not really, it's part of AI, machine learning.  It uses our patterns to predict outcome. Tracks your cookies (bread crumbs that you leave as you search the web) and compares it with data and people with similar interests and searches to create a personalized experience. These amazing things are happening and the technology is evolving every day. Including the perfection of self driving cars. Insurance companies in most states are using telematic devices and working with electronic logging devices on vehicles to offer discounts to customers that agree to share their usage data.  All this sharing may seem scary but this is our new reality and it's getting smarter and smarter.

www.familiarinsurance.com

There’s a new place in town

Familiar Insurance Services Inc.

 Pumpkin everything

Autumn begins next Monday.  Fall is the best time of year - The weather’s usually still nice with sunny skies, but leaves start to change colors, and with this comes Pumpkin Latte, Pumpkin Pie, and Pumpkin … everything.  Then starts the countdown to Halloween.  And last but not least, does anything sound better than Sunday Pasta and Football?

Cook like an Italian

I’m not Italian, I learned to cook spaghetti and meatballs from my Husband and his family when we got married 25 years ago.  Since then I cook mainly Italian dishes and I love Italian food!  There’s an awesome new place in town called Narducci’s Pizzeria & Restaurant.  They have the best Meat Lovers Pizza, Gluten Free Pizza, an awesome Penne Carbonara and lots of other yummy dishes on the menu. Mention Familiar Insurance Services to get a 10% Discount.     

  

Falling for Fall

Decorating for fall and winter holidays is arguably one of the most fun things to do.  Spending time with friends and family is priceless.  But with lots of traffic, sometimes accidents can happen.  Protect your assets from an unseen event with a Personal Liability Umbrella Policy which is liability insurance covering above and beyond claims directly relating to your home and auto.  An Umbrella policy also provides coverage for claims that may be excluded by other policies.  Umbrella is affordable and a peace of mind. 

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Short-Term or Longer

Millions of Americans rely on Life insurance to protect their financial security.  What type should you buy?

The Cost of Waiting

In general Life insurance quotes increase as you get older.  When you are young, healthy and insurable is the time to buy and lock in the rate.  Polices are based on a few things, including your age.  The older you are, the higher the risk for the company, the more expensive the policy will be.  Companies also look at your medical history and current health.  If you’re healthy, you’ll get a better rate. 

Temporary Coverage

The best thing about Term polices is that they’re inexpensive and depending on your age, you can get a lot of coverage for about $20 per month.  Term insurance covers you for a certain period of time, like 10, 20 or 30 years.  So, if you buy a 30-year Term policy when you’re 25, you'll choose an amount of coverage and choose one or more beneficiaries.  That policy will cover you for 30 years, until you’re 55.  You are locked into that price for the 30 years, AKA life of the policy.  If you die during those 30 years, your beneficiaries will get paid the amount of insurance you bought. The only time this type of policy pays is unfortunately if you die.

Permanent Coverage

Whole Life is one type of permanent insurance, it covers you during your entire life or 100 years.  The upfront cost is more expensive than Term policies but in the long run it’s more affordable because after you buy, it never increases in price, yet it increases in value.  It provides Life insurance but it also puts money aside for the future. Which you can borrow against or cash out.

Two Questions

Life insurance can be simplified by answering just two questions.  First we figure out how much coverage you need, then you see how much you can afford.  A licensed agent can help you quote different types of policies and different amounts.  And increase or reduce the amount, depending on what you can afford.   

Life Changes

It's important to review your policy at renewal every year.  If your income increases, your Life insurance should increase accordingly.  Update your marital status.  Update your beneficiaries by removing or adding your spouse and any new additions to the family to make sure your family is fully protected.    

Do you need term coverage or longer?