Viva

Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com

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Pebblecreek Lifestyle

The beautiful Estancia model offers 2 bedrooms, 2 baths. From the moment you walk in, the vaulted ceilings and natural light fills the space. The kitchen offers an abundance of cabinetry, granite countertops, center island and built in desk. The laundry room has extra storage space and can also be used as a hobby room. The backyard patio is perfect to relax and unwind. Roof replaced 2022. New HVAC & water heater 2023.

From Me To You...

There is something mesmerizing about nature. I can watch waves crash on a beach or leaves blowing in the wind for hours. It is soothing and relaxing for me. I can watch the movement and let my thoughts drift. Many years ago I played an online multi-player game, and even though I had to concentrate on my quests (and honestly trying to remember how to move, jump, run and fight) it was equally relaxing. Stepping out of the world we live in and being in a space where your responsibilities fade away can be rejuvenating. Reading can accomplish the same thing but for that I need a quiet room and a comfortable chair - two things I cannot always guarantee in my house.

The game was fun, I eventually rose to become a level 74 Night Elf, which tells many of you exactly which game it was. The amount of detail in the world of gaming is incredible and allows for the suspension of belief. I truly believed I could cast a spell and command my pet to help me fullfil my missions. I did avoid fighting as much as possible, partly because I don’t generally enjoy violence, but mostly because I would panic and

forget how to use my sword at the same time as casting a spell and jumping out of the way of my opponent. My skirmishes usually involved pressing any combination of buttons I could imagine until I either won or was annihilated.

As I think about it, perhaps it was not as relaxing as looking at the wind blow gently through the trees, but it certainly allowed me to escape to another place, even for a short while. Games promise a world where if we follow the rules and try hard enough, anything can be overcome – a comforting idea that particularly resonates when we’re making our way through hard times. Whether your hard times are monetary, familial, or situational I can certainly see the appeal.

Now if I could just remember my username and password for that Night Elf, I suddenly have a hankering to cast a few spells.

Catherine Uretsky Editor, Viva magazine catherine@estrellapublishing.com 623-398-5541

Ask Dr Jen

I am new to Arizona, and I am finding it hard to meet people and make new friends. I had plenty of family and friends where I used to live, and I thought I would find it easy to meet people here but I am struggling to make connections. What am I doing wrong? ~ Shannon

I’m so glad you’re trying to connect, Shannon. In fact, social support is the best protection against mental health problems that is available to humans. I’m not sure what you’ve tried, but here are some suggestions I use with my patients who are looking to branch out socially:

1. Start close. Reach out to neighbors to get acquainted. Take over baked goods or a house plant or just go say hello. Get to know them and see what they’re interested in. Host a wine tasting, potluck or block party and invite them over.

2. Go to Meetup.com to search for gatherings in your area: book clubs, brunch, game night, hiking, meditation, stargazing, Bible study, football and so much more. You name it, there’s probably a free Meetup group for it.

3. Check out Groupon.com for offerings for discounted activities and events in your area. Even if you go alone, you’re putting yourself out there in your community, and this creates the opportunity to meet people.

4. Click on the Facebook “Events” tab for information about goings on in your area:

concerts, festivals and gatherings of all kinds.

5. Find a local house of worship and attend services. I always tell patients to go 3 times before they make a decision to stay or move on to the next one.

6. Get outside of yourself by finding a place nearby at which you can volunteer and meet kindred spirits.

It’s normal to feel anxious about meeting new people or putting yourself out there socially. There’s no magic, though; you simply have to feel the fear and do it anyway. If you don’t have the confidence to go behind getting out there, act “as if” you do and give it a try. Success breeds confidence breeds success.

Have a question for Dr. Jen? Email it to AskTheDoc@EstrellaPublishing.com.

DISCLAIMER: Material is for informational purposes and not intended to be a substitute for evaluation or treatment by a licensed professional. Material is copyrighted and may only be reproduced with written permission of Dr. Bellingrodt.

Legal Advice

BENEFICIARY DEED: BETTER THAN PROBATE

If you want one or two adult to receive your home or real estate upon your death, a Beneficiary Deed is an effective, inexpensive way to avoid probate. A Beneficiary Deed is basically a “pay on death designation” for real property.

The Beneficiary Deed is fully revocable. The owner retains control of the property. There is no need to consult the beneficiaries upon sale or be concerned about the beneficiaries’ creditors. This is not the case when the property is owned as joint tenants with right of survivorship.

The Beneficiary Deed is a great tool for people who have all other assets in accounts which have beneficiary designations of some type.

The Beneficiary Deed is not a good tool if you want to leave your real property to more than two people, to minors or to adults with special needs receiving government assistance. In those instances, a trust is the best non-stress way to avoid probate

PA, Sun City and Phoenix offices, Sravenscroft@CavanaghLaw.com or (623) 815-7451; legal practice focused on Wills, trusts, probate and trust administration.

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Sharon Ravenscroft, M. Scott Rowan, Attorneys, Cavanagh Law Firm,

The Bug Guy

Ah, October in the West Valley! The weather is finally cooling down, pumpkin-spiced everything is in full swing, and oh yes, the pests are on the prowl. It seems like just when you’ve put away your shorts and brought out your cozy sweaters, the unwanted invaders decide it’s time to move in and crash on your couch. But fear not, for we have some hilarious tales and tips on how you can battle these unexpected house guests.

First up, we have the notorious spider invasion. Picture this: you’re sitting down to enjoy your favorite scary movie when suddenly, a spider rappels down from the ceiling and lands right on your popcorn. Talk about a jump scare! Make sure to keep your broom handy to send these uninvited guests back to where they belong –outside. And don’t forget the vacuum cleaner for those who decide to take up residence in your cozy corners.

Next on our list are the earwigs – those little critters that crawl out of the woodwork, literally. As soon as the temperature takes a dip, they slither their way inside and make themselves

comfortable. It’s like they have a radar for the coziest spots in the house. Remember that time you reached into your slipper to find a creepycrawly surprise? Yeah, that was them. Prevent these uninvited guests by sealing any cracks and crevices around your house. You don’t want them hiding in your underwear drawer!

Last but certainly not least, we have the surprising invasion of rats and mice. As if you needed any extra Halloween scares, these furry little devils decide it’s time to cozy up for the winter, right under your roof. Be prepared for unexplained rustling noises in the walls and the occasional nibble on your favorite sweater. Sealing any entry points and setting up traps should do the trick.

So there you have it, folks – the not-so-spooky tales of pest control in the West Valley in October. Remember, laughter is your best weapon against these unwanted house guests. Stay on top of your pest control game, and maybe, just maybe, you can turn these misadventures into hilarious stories to share at your next Halloween party. Happy pest hunting!

Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella MountainPest Control, Estrella resident

Yum Yum

There’s no better way to welcome the crisp air and colorful leaves of fall than with a comforting bowl of homemade butternut squash soup. Earthy sage and rich browned butter infuse freshly harvested butternut squash in this easy-to-make dish, creating a symphony of fall flavors.

Start by melting 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 8 minutes to soften, but not brown. Stir in apples and butternut squash and cook until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to cook evenly.

Once the apples and butternut squash have softened, pour in chicken stock, bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper; cover and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the squash is very tender. Use an immersion blender or pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in heavy cream.

While keeping your blended mixture warm, melt a stick of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sage leaves and pan fry for about 30 seconds or until crispy. Drain the sage leaves on a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. Continue to cook the butter until browned and nutty, stirring to avoid burning. Transfer to a bowl after 1 to 2 minutes of cooking.

Once your soup is ready to serve, drizzle with browned butter and sprinkle with optional salted seeds and a few fried sage leaves and enjoy!

Money Matters

We all make mistakes in many areas of life. — we took a wrong turn while driving, used the wrong ingredients in a recipe and so on. But sometimes, our mistakes can be costly — especially those connected to investing. Here are some of the most common investment mistakes:

• Too much buying and selling – Frequent trading can work against you in a couple of ways. First, it can be expensive — you could rack up taxes, fees and commissions. More important, though, excessive purchases and sales can make it difficult to follow a cohesive investment strategy. Such a strategy requires, among other things, careful construction and management of an investment portfolio that’s appropriate for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon.

• Failing to diversify – If you only owned one type of asset, such as growth-oriented stocks,

your portfolio could take a hit when the financial markets go through a downturn. Not all investments will respond the same way to the same forces — for example, stocks and bonds can move in different directions at any given time. And that’s why it’s usually a good idea to own a mix of investments.

• Trying to “time” the market – “Buy low and sell high” might be the original piece of investment advice, but it’s pretty hard to follow — because no one can really predict when an investment will reach “low” or “high” points. Trying to “time” the market in this way can lead to bad decisions, such as selling investments whose price has dropped, even if these same investments still have good business fundamentals and strong prospects.

Investing will always have its challenges — but you can help make it easier on yourself by staying away from as many mistakes as possible.

Submitted by Wayne Polk, AAMS, Financial Advisor, of Edward Jones

Samurai Sudoku

This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Good Luck!

Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com

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