Archive for category: Friday Afternoon

As thermal processing experts, we know a thing or two about temperatures and solving your PIA (pain in the @%$) Jobs! For those of us incredibly lucky folks living along the beautiful North Coast, we also know about frigid weather – bone chilling winds and finger tingling cold. Add to that unpredictable “snow bands” – sort of like lines of snow that start over the lake and then make their way onto our driveways. Once you add some wind,  you’ve got some nasty weather. Of course, rather than just staying inside, we venture out – walking, skiing, snowboarding, hiking and more, trying hard to insulate our bodies to the cold and wind chill – remember to layer! But sometimes, it’s not quite enough, as our human body is constantly working to maintain a healthy internal temperature, roughly 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. When we get hot, regulating body temperature is a relatively simple fix: we sweat, the sweat evaporates, and our body cools down. But the opposite problem, holding onto heat when it’s cold out, isn’t as straightforward. Our bodies have a built-in mechanism that rushes to protect our “core” from the nasty elements. (I firmly recommend running in place to stay warm but admit it looks funny sometimes.) Here’s some fun info on how our bodies cope with the elements. Special thanks to Britannica.com, health.harvard.edu, clevelandclinic.org, uclahealth.org, mayoclinic.org, npr.org, and princeton.edu. Enjoy!

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With Valentine’s Day coming up, you can show your love in a bunch of different ways – a dozen red roses, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a home-cooked meal, a candlelight dinner night out, a love letter (not email!!), or a classic gesture, a little sweeter … a box of Sweethearts conversation hearts. These classic treats are the only ones to state right on the candy how much you adore that special person in your life, sharing simple messages such as “Kiss Me,” “Be Mine”, “Love U,” and more with your valentine. I still remember as a kid having these candies around the house and at school (they sort of taste like sweet chalk). My girls would bring them home from school, organize them by saying and color, and then begin trading!   My grandkids enjoy looking through the bowl for just the right one, running over to say “hey Grandpa”, showing me what they found, then quickly eating it while running away giggling. Of course, I need to do the same while adding chasing, yelling, and tickling to the mix! Originating in the mid-19th century, these little “messages” remain one of the most popular ways to share a Valentine’s Day “kiss”. Here is some history and facts about the candies, and the meaning behind signing cards with “XOXO”. SMOOOCH – Enjoy!

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Just the word Wham-O, and I immediately think of my childhood and fun toys – hula hoops, super balls, slip n slide, hacky sacks, and of course, frisbees. There are not many toys out there as easy, fun, and everlasting as a frisbee. Before it was a staple of college quads, picnics, beach days, and backyard games, it was actually just a pie tin. My kids and now grandkids love throwing/trying to throw the frisbees – especially AT Grandpa and Grandma! Read more

It’s easy to take our bodies for granted, but if you stop and think about it, they’re home to an array of wonders. Consider, for example, that our eyes can see distant galaxies, our hair contains traces of gold, and our veins could stretch for 60,000 miles if laid end to end (that’s enough to go around the world twice). I did some fact-finding and gathered some fascinating facts about the human body. Now I realize that this post is much longer than most. I couldn’t help myself; there are so many incredible facts!  Perfect for wowing your friends or, in my case, making my girls and Jackie just shake their heads! Enjoy!

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With all the sports on TV over the past month, I’m really enjoying one thing – the celebrations. Seems like every sport has created its way to celebrate.  And once it’s set, the kids come up with something new. If you’ve ever played, there’s nothing like celebrating a win (you should see my Euchre shuffle) – and we do it all the time here at KHT – when one of our engineers “nails it”, or one of our gang on the floor figures out a way to do it better.  A nod, smile, or traditional “pat on the back” is good, but it’s more fun when we go the extra mile.  I got a big kick out of the Mariners handing the home run hitters a giant gold trident and the Blue Jays dug out jacket. From college helmet awards to the hockey bench fist bumps, it’s just fun. I did some internet searching to find some of the traditions we’ve all come to enjoy and got a kick out of the ones I remember as a kid. What started as a gentleman’s handshake “back in the day” to tearing jerseys, back flips, and fist bumps, it’s all a blast. I have to admit, in football I’m still partial to a quick kneel – sign of the cross and tossing the ball to the ref does it for me! ENJOY!

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