Vacation at Home

A New Addition

2012-02-24T11:57:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Debby and I welcomed a new grandson into our family. Our youngest daughter Liana and her husband Sebastian are now proud parents, of a healthy baby boy, Hudson Diesel Rhodenizer. Within an hour of his birth, we were able to announce his arrival to all our friends and most of our family. Pictures were taken using our phone cameras and posted to social media sites, proudly introducing Hudson (or Baby H as he has been known to many in the months leading up to his birth) to the world. We were also able to email announcements to friends around the world, with picture attachments, in a matter of minutes. Soon congratulations were being posted on Facebook, or arriving by email. Having said that when I got up yesterday morning I did still have to make a few phone calls, and the first one was to my father, who does not have a cell phone or computer, so the only way I could let him know about Hudson's birth was to use the old fashion land line, and he in turn congratulated all of us the old fashioned way, verbally.

Today I started to wonder if in fact there were others that I should call, maybe those who are not friends on Facebook, or if they are friends they may not check Facebook daily, or even those who I just forgot to email or call; assuming they knew through social media. Maybe that is one of the problems with society today, we are starting to relay more and more on newer technology that we forget how to actually interact personally with our friends and family. Oddly as I was writing this my brother Ralph called to congratulate me the old fashioned way, verbally and I must say I appreciated it. I wonder what the world will be like when Baby H or I guess I should start calling him Hudson welcomes his first born into the world. Will he relay on even newer technology that we cannot even begin to imagine, and then days later realize that his grumpy old Papa may not even know because he has not yet embraced this new technology. I can only hope that this new unimagined technology does not farther remove us from interacting personally with those we love.

As I have mentioned before in one of my blogs one of my favourite books is "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson, and in business I realise that for us to stay current we constantly need to Move Our Cheese around. We need to embrace change, but I also realise that change is not always good, or should I say better. There have been times that we tried something new only to find out that the old fashioned way was a better way to do it, somewhat like verbal communication for those really important moments in life.

For now though I would like to welcome Hudson into our family, knowing that he will be loved by many people. I would like to congratulate his parents Liana (who many of you know as she has written many of our blogs) and Sebastian, and also his Big Sister Kalana or fondly known as Lil K, as I know you will be the best big sister ever. I would also like to congratulate his other grandparents Heather and Brian Rhodenizer. Hudson we are thrilled to have you as part of our family.

- Mike

New Beginnings

2012-02-17T11:43:00.000-08:00

As some of you may have heard, we are very pleased to have a new member of the Holland Home Leisure team. Anne Hale has joined us this month, taking on the position of New Minas location General Manager. She has only been with us a couple of weeks now, and it is easy to see that Anne’s fresh ideas will be a great asset to the company.

“I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself in the leisure industry. My name is Anne Hale, the newest member of the Holland Home Leisure team. I’ve been living in the Annapolis Valley my entire life, and it’s a wonderful place to reside in.

I am very excited to be starting my new position at Holland Home Leisure. I have worked in retail my entire career thus far, and look forward to making new acquaintances as well as meeting others in the leisure industry.

Although I have only been working at Holland Home Leisure for a short time, I believe their focus and commitment to their customers, staff, and business is truly inspirational. I look forward to being a member of this amazing team and getting to know our customers and helping them in their pursuit of creating a paradise in their own back yard.” - Anne

Things are certainly changing here at HHL (or as Mike would say “our cheese is moving”) and we couldn’t be more excited for the upcoming season!

Welcome to the Holland Home Leisure team Anne!

2012 a New Beginning!

2012-01-05T09:05:00.000-08:00

January is the month of new beginnings. Everyone is making attempts to change something about themselves in the start of the new year, such as quitting smoking, spending less, and enjoying life more! While I never make an official New Year's resolution, it is still a time of year that I reflect on the things I could improve in.

My personal goal this year is to spend less on groceries per week, while still eating the same things. Don't worry you won't see me on Extreme Couponing anytime soon, but I am amazed what you can save with a little effort, and extra time on your hands! (Some may say I have too much time on my hands!) Did you know that companies send you coupons for free? Just saying!

I was so happy to read online that one of the most made resolutions for 2012 was to spend more time with your families. Coming from someone who barely leaves her house (my family may wish to spend less time with me?), I think it should be not just the time spent but the quality of the time.

Recently, it has become my pet peeve (8 months preggo hormone induced I'm sure) to look around my living room after dinner and to see the TV on, the lap top on, and a mobile device on (most likely checking FaceBook). Yes, here we are spending "time" together, and yes we are even in the same room, but are we spending quality time? No! Since December we have decided that after supper we will all do something together. We have quite the Sequence tournament set up in our kitchen! We laugh, we joke and we communicate in a way we wouldn't with technology surrounding us. It has improved the quality of our relationships to even just spend an hour of uninterrupted time as a group.

This year families should invest in quality time together. Imagine Sunday afternoons around the pool. peaceful snowy evenings in the hot tub, and conversations around the outdoor fire pit. It isn't the amount of minutes you spend under the same roof, it is the quality of those minutes. Holland Home Leisure can help you achieve your own family getaway so everyday can feel like a holiday.
Stop into either location and check out the available options for 2012, plan ahead and make this the best year yet!!

Talk soon,
Liana Rhodenizer

Cheers to the HHL Family!

2011-12-22T06:07:00.000-08:00

Holland Home Leisure is a company that has been built by family. Starting as a small family business and every year since 1980 our HHL family has grown. No matter how many staff we have or how many square feet our showroom is...We are family. At work you are with people daily that you celebrate birthdays and holidays with, the people you laugh with and bicker with and those that you see stressed and relaxed.. sounds like family to me.
The HHL crew is lucky to be given the opportunity multiple times a year to kick back, relax and to celebrate a job well done. After seminars and sales we gather and we are encouraged by owners to come out as a group and relax, laugh, joke and break bread together. Every summer we are blessed to have the chance to meet spouses and and children and play games, eat and let loose and enjoy time together. The holiday season is no exception.
Our holiday party is usually being planned by owners in the summer, and because of hard work and preparation we have been given some memorable parties! Casino Nights, Pool Championships and great meals. This year the HHL family gathered at McGill's restaurant to start the evening. Cocktail hour was lit by Christmas lights and a beautiful tree, followed by what I've heard was one of the best dinners we have shared. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings is a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit. 35 staff and spouses attended and celebrated a closing of 2011 and a job well done. During the meal Rick Rooseboom, our construction manager, was honored with a gift to acknowledge his 20 years with HHL! WOW, what an accomplishment! Thank you Rick!
Following dinner, we brought out our competitive side with a friendly game of glow bowling! Teams were picked randomly throughout dinner so we were sure to get to spend time with someone we may not know well, since there are so many categories in our company. Fun, laughter and holiday spirits were in the air (not necessarily talent) and a great time was had by all.

I would like to thank Mike and Debby and Brad for planning, hosting and always encouraging us to have fun together!
Here is to another great year as family in 2012!

-Liana Rhodenizer

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure!

2011-12-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

It’s cold and dreary outside and the weather is reminiscent of your mood. It’s been a long hard day with your nose to grind-stone and the only thing keeping you sane is the thought of soothing heat, massaging jets, silky cleansing water and an ambiance that speaks of simple solitude, engaging in one of the oldest and purest forms of relaxation. You get home, flip the cover off your hot tub and get ready to sink in, but wait, something isn’t right…

No one wants to be outside in their skivvies in sub zero weather wondering why their tub water is cloudy and asking themselves if they should get in. No, a hot tub is an investment to be used and much loved! So naturally we want to take good care of it and it’s contents, and so I have compiled for you a few tips to ensure you get the most out of the cold season, because it goes without saying that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

• The Essentials; Sanitizer and Stain and Scale Control:

First out of the starting gate, Bromine and Chlorine. In order for your water to be safe and clean, one of these two must be present at all times. Be sure to test the spa water each time before you get in to ensure a level of 3-5 ppm and always throw in a teaspoon after you get out, to regenerate what you have used up. Stain and Scale Control prevents staining and scaling from occurring and keeps your hard earned investment free of harmful build-ups, so be sure to add it each week!

• Filtration & Circulation:

Be sure that all of your jets are turned on, even if you don’t use them, and that you are turning on your RFM jets at least once per week to ensure that sanitized water is going through all of your plumbing. Be sure to be rinse and clean your filter at least once per month and change it as needed to ensure optimal filtration.

• Aeration:

You should turn on your air for about 10-15 seconds after you do your weekly shock of your spa water so that the super chlorinated/brominated water (depending on what you use) has a chance to reach all of the plumbing.

• It’s a good idea to be brushing or wiping down the interior surface and

water-line in your spa to prevent the possibility of a biofilm build-up.

• You should be adding Bromine or Chlorine every day to your spa, even if it’s not being used. Find you don’t always have time to be out there every day? Try a floater with Bromine/Chlorine tablets!

• Last but not least; balance, balance, balance! Having your water

properly balanced with your pH in range will help your sanitizer work more effectively and your water feel softer. Bring in a water sample monthly to your favourite HHL location for a professional analysis by our expert staff!

Now is that H20 sparkling or what?! Until next time folks, Happy Soaking!

-Angela Welch-Rhodenizer

Holiday Favorites

2011-12-17T09:16:00.000-08:00

When I asked my seven year old what her favorite part of the holidays was... she answered food, followed by family and then of course the gifts... She is seven!
I couldn't agree more with the first two, as you get older you get more and more excited for your favorite holiday treats and meals, and a it is such a special time for everyone to gather. Having the opportunity to host family meals and having friends visiting are the highlights of the season for me. I love having company over and serving special treats that for some reason only come out once a year. Why is that? Because it is tradition of course.

Two of my favorite items to make are chocolate covered peanut butter balls and homemade chocolate truffles, and the best thing is they always look more impressive and time consuming then they actually are!
Both of these recipes are easy to make, take very few ingredients and are fun to make with the kids!

Peanut Butter Balls

3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup icing sugar

Mix all ingredients well and form into small balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put into the freezer.

Melt a bag of your favorite chocolate chips in the microwave. (Only melt for 30 seconds at a time and than stir) When fully melted take your peanut butter balls out of the freezer insert a toothpick and dip into the chocolate. Place back on the wax paper and freeze until hard (10 min).

When you are done you can either freeze them until they are needed or put into the fridge. (Let's see how long they last!)

Chocolate Truffles

1 1/2 bag chocolate chips
1 can condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Melt chocolate over low heat on the stove (use a heavy pot), when it is fully melted add the can of condensed milk and mix well. Remove pot from heat and mix in vanilla.
Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
Take out and form into balls, the warmth of your hands will warm the chocolate so you can roll them into your favorite toppings. I used crushed candy cane and coconut.

These are perfect treats to sit and enjoy a glass of wine in the evening with or to have hot chocolate with the kids after a day sledding.
Be creative and have fun!

-Talk soon,

Liana Rhodenizer

Almost Turkey Time!

2011-12-14T13:39:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is upon us. Lights are going up, cookies are being frosted, and everyone is running around fighting for the best parking spots to pick up the last minute deals. Quick reminder....11 more sleeps!

This year I am slightly ahead of schedule due to my extended maternity leave, and being currently on partial bed rest. The tree was up abnormally early, presents are not only purchased but wrapped and I have baked (and eaten) numerous batches of cookies. Yes...I am bored, so I have decided to stay in touch with you all from home! I have missed you all.

While I have been off big changes have happened at HHL! I wanted to send out a big congratulations to Jenn and her new position at our New Minas location. Starting in the new year she will be our new chemistry manager. Since she has taught the majority of our staff all that they know about chemistry and water care this couldn't be a more perfect position for her!

Think you have what it takes to join our upbeat and energetic staff? We are now hiring for a new General Manager for our New Minas location, check out our website and our facebook page to find out the details!

Talk to you all soon,
Liana Rhodenizer

Tis the Season! What is your Christmas Tradition?

2011-12-05T06:06:00.000-08:00

Ah! This is my favorite time of year! Everywhere you go there are trees decorated, wreaths hanging, and of course - Christmas music! There are so many things you can count on seeing, hearing, and smelling this time of year.

Now, if I had my way I would start listening to Christmas music at the end of November, but if I did that I would probably drive my wonderful husband absolutely crazy and we can’t have that. What a lucky man he was to marry the biggest Christmas freak in the world! So I thought it would be neat to ask some of the staff what their Christmas traditions were and post their answers. So grab your cocoa, put your snuggie on, and enjoy!

Brad –

“A great memory for me is reading “Twas the Night before Christmas” to my children on Christmas Eve. It started with one child and grew to four wanting to sit on my lap before excitedly heading off to bed in anticipation of Santa’s arrival a few hours later. This tradition has changed as my kids, now in their teens no longer want to sit or can fit for that matter on their dad’s lap. But every year we still get a photo of our entire family of six by the tree with our storybook so we can have that memory and picture to reflect on in the years to come.”

Jenn –

Jenn, our Store Manager, loves Baileys at Christmas! Her new husband Dohn (that’s right, she is now an old married woman) makes mulled wine and loves the Boney M Christmas album, which gets played at her house quite a bit. I had never heard of this group but Jenn gave us a preview of one of the songs and it seems like it would be glorious to listen to. The other thing that Jenn looks forward to is her Mom’s Christmas Quiche! Yum!

Katie –

“One of my favorite Christmas family traditions is coming home after Christmas Eve supper at my Grandparents and watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” with my Mom. It is her favorite Christmas movie and it has definitely become one of mine! It just doesn’t feel like Christmas without it!”

Cathy –

“Last year my husband and I hosted a Christmas Eve party for our families. I made seafood chowder and we had other snacks, beverages, and treats. We video-skyped my sister who could not be home for the holidays; this was a real treat for my parents and Grandmother who do not use the internet and had not seen her for some time. It was so nice to get together to eat, drink, laugh, and sort of take a deep breath before the big day. I think we will do it again this year!”

Angela –

“Every year my Mother has a Christmas Eve Party for all of my family and friends. We drink cherry brandy annually without fail. We include this bevvie in all the adult stockings, and mom sets out a buffet of homemade treats! This year my hubby and I are starting our own traditions. We will be putting up our first tree in our new home and with my plea for an artificial tree being overruled, he suggested we make a Sunday out of getting our real one. We are going to pick out our real tree and decorate it while drinking copious amounts of Baileys and watching our favorite Christmas movies. My favorite movie is the Jim Carey version of the Grinch who Stole Christmas followed by the original, and my husband’s favorite movie is Home Alone. Also, we are going shopping together to buy each other presents. We are both really picky so this will save on some of the holiday stress, but we are filling each other’s stockings this year without the other’s help to open on Christmas Day with our Baileys.

Megan –

As for me I have a few traditions that I hold very dear to my heart. Every year on the Saturday before Christmas, my father’s side of the family has the annual Family Christmas Party. This has been a tradition in my family since before I was born and ever since I was a small child I remember how exciting it was to have all the family together and play with my big kid cousins. This tradition has changed since we have all grown up and some have families of their own. The real blessing is seeing the excitement in the next generation as they open presents, stay up too late, and eat too many sweets. As a child every Christmas Eve was as anticipated as Christmas Day itself. We would go shopping, even if we didn’t need anything, because we just loved watching the people buying last minute gifts! Also, every year on the way home from church we would drive around and look at Christmas lights. Now that I am an adult and married my husband and I are in the process of creating our own traditions. Every year on Christmas Day we read the Christmas Story from the Bible and reflect on how blessed we have been during the year and ponder what the coming year will bring for us.

To all our families, friends, customers and their families, we hope this Christmas is full of special moments and warm memories.

-Megan, and the rest of the staff at Holland Home Leisure

48 Days to go!

2011-11-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

The leaves have changed, and the mornings and evenings are getting too chilly to ignore, I’ve caved and put on the heat, and actually have to start wearing socks! As much as we like to try to forget, October is gone and November is here. If I log onto Facebook someone’s status will kindly remind me how many shopping days until Christmas.

Now, I look forward to Christmas as much as anyone else, the food, the company and the seasonal fun! I have to admit the stress of the holiday season sometimes does get me down. What time do we have to be there, and what do I have to bring when we go here… Splitting “prime” holiday time between the families can be somewhat of a challenge. My husband and I started a Holiday tradition last year, on Christmas day we invited both families for brunch and then stayed home for the rest of the day, no driving in the snow, no rushing from place to place, a complete day dedicated to our family.

Is that selfish? Maybe! I am a sucker for holiday traditions, and look forward to things happening the way they always have, which makes me so excited to start our own traditions as a family. That is something I think is very important, to not only please everyone else but to do things your own way too!

So 48 days left to make lists and check them twice and of course to shop!

Don’t forget Holland Home Leisure on your “places to go” list. Now here we have the ECO-FEU ethanol table top fireplaces that make an amazing gift for that special someone! Also, our Christmas Clear Out has begun on hot tubs, and you can get up to a $1000 prepaid Visa with the purchase of a 2011 Beachcomber Hybrid! WOW, just think about how many people you can cross off your list with that, plus maybe a little extra for yourself!

Remember we have complimentary coffee, so come on in warm up with a cup and get out of the cold!

-Enjoy your weekend,

Liana Rhodenizer

The owners are away so we can PLAY!

2011-11-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

The yearly pool show in Vegas has our "head cheese" away, so it is time for a little fun at HHL :)

Every year in the fall HHL employee’s gather funny pictures and quotes throughout the year and assemble them into a collage. We actually keep a folder which is labeled “Funny Things 2011” which is filed and full of sticky notes and scrap paper with random sayings and funny moments. If you don’t write them down when it happens you won’t remember!

One of our favorite activities is to read the bristle board sized collages from past years and reminisce about the events. Having a bad day, there is always something on the funny board that will make you smile! Sometimes, we get caught gathered around the wall giggling and discussing our favorite HHL moments. Luckily for us, our bosses tend to given in and laugh with us!

Today is the day where we sort through the funny quotes and attach them to funny pictures and remember the great moments!

Some gems from 2011

Remember when… a certain someone ripped her bum out of her pants vacuuming the pool. Oops!

“As per typical”-Katie

“Mike is omnipresent”- Liana

Discussion on who would win HHL Big Brother if we were all to be locked in the store.

“Enjoy the birth…and the after birth”- Brian to Jessica

“I know what not to eat! I know less today than I did tomorrow”- Anoymous

So as you can see the chlorine may be getting to us! Usually when we re-read out funny moments we either don’t remember it happening, or don’t understand why it was said in the first place. Moral of the story, after a busy summer Saturday we tend to say things completely backwards and than write it down so we can poke fun at ourselves later.

Hope everyone has a great day!

-Liana Rhodenizer

Little fish...Big Pond!

2011-10-31T09:17:00.000-07:00

I have written about 10 versions of what I want to say to you all today about HHL’s debut into fundraising. Frankly, I think I have writers block!

My mother recently wrote about following in her families footsteps and giving back to the community. How the values her parents taught her, help her to have focus and drive in giving back to those in need. I agree (thanks for stealing my idea Mom), but watching your parents work full time, and always be volunteering for something or someone make you feel as though you too can accomplish that as well, and make a difference.

Whether you are a fellow BioGuard Dealer who are part of the Splash for CF Challange, a small business or someone who just needs a push, my hope for you is that Holland Home Leisure somehow inspired you this summer/fall season to see that little fish can change the big pond.

All summer, I am sure each one of my fellow staff members including myself, had a moment when they looked around at their peers and were proud. 8am on a Sunday morning setting up for a yard sale, showing off baked goods and being dunked in a freezing tank all for an amazing cause and nothing else. How can you not be just a little bit proud to call these people your fellow employees and friends? I think this adventure has been a wonderful team building experience, as well as the opportunity to support an amazing cause.

No Time? Yes, most people feel they don’t have time! Fundraising is on top of your normal daily duties, tends to overlap into your free time and just takes energy sometimes you don’t have. I feel like after each event we did, we became more determined and more energetic to succeed at the next event. So, as much as we all enjoyed giving back, we all got a little out of the desire to do a bigger and better job next time.

The auction I feel was an example of this determination to take it one step further. We started out behind schedule, overwhelmed by details and without any prior practice, stressful yes, but an opportunity to learn! As a team…we did it! (I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who participated, bought tickets, bid on items and especially to Drew Rudderham of Acton’s and Pamela Barnes of CF Canada’s NS Chapter.)

I am not only proud to be apart of the $11,000 earned for Cystic Fibrosis this year, which still blows my mind, but I am so thrilled to of been given the opportunity to show what can be accomplished with a little bit of effort, a little bit of heart, and a lot of determination, and to hopefully encourage someone out there to do the same!

Thank you to all of those who took this journey with us, all of those who supported each and every event. A special thank you to Cystic Fibrosis Canada who helped in so many ways to keep us on track and BioGuard who encouraged and planted the seed!

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result”
Mahatma Gandhi

-Until Next Time

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!

Liana Rhodenizer

Setting an example!

2011-10-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

While Thanksgiving has come and gone each of us know it is never too late to give thanks, besides, I feel it is my turn to write a blog and I am feeling thankful!

Two days ago Holland Home Leisure had the privilege along with Drew Rudderham of Acton’s in Wolfville in hosting an amazing dinner and auction in support of Cystic Fibrosis.

The success of the evening can be attributed to the wonderful support of local business as well as many individuals who purchased tickets and bid so generously on the items that were up for auction. The generosity of local companies and private individuals make me thank full to call Nova Scotia my home.

While our family has been fortunate enough not to have a member touched by this disease, our heart goes out to others. CF was introduced to the staff of Holland Home Leisure this past winter in Toronto while on a chemical training course. Collectively we agreed to embrace this cause and shortly after began our fundraising.

One of the things I am most thankful for is being raised by parents who understand the value of giving back to the community. My parents raised a large family on very little money while teaching each of us the value of helping out where, and however you can. Sometimes when we watch program’s on TV we are deceived into believing that only the rich and famous can raise money for charity. I am happy to say our dinner and auction raised a total of $7000! WOW!

On April 6^th 2010 I had the privilege of attending a presentation at the Kentville Municipal building to witness my Mom, Barbara Meisner be presented with a plaque in honor of her volunteerism with the Jolly workers in her community. For as long as I can remember Mom was either on the phone organizing a dinner or tea at the local community hall or she was baking for a function. There are hundreds of these small communities where men and women work tirelessly to help others.

On Thursday evening Mike and I had the privilege of being involved with the Cystic Fibrosis dinner and auction. The bulk of the organizing of this event was done by our daughter Liana and while it was her first major fundraiser she proved to have inherited her Grandmothers talent.

I hope some day our children will also have the privilege of watching their children contribute to the community they live in.

Thanks Mom for setting a great example!

-Debby vandenHof

Santa’s dressed as a pumpkin man!

2011-10-19T05:56:00.000-07:00

I always thought there was an unwritten rule, that Christmas decorations could not go out until Halloween was over!

Apparently I was wrong.

In the seasonal section of the stores you have a Harry Potter costume next to the Christmas bulbs! You think that is bad? The other day we were driving along and saw a pumpkin person on a lawn with a wreath on the door! YIKES (I considered taking a picture to show you, in case you don’t believe me, but I do believe there are laws prohibiting that. Sorry!)

Every year time seems to go by faster; no one takes the time to enjoy one holiday before thinking about the next. I’m no exception to that rule; I am usually the one reminding family members that at our Thanksgiving gathering we draw names for Christmas. I also admit I have begun Christmas shopping. The sooner the decorations are in the store, the sooner I think I’m running behind in my shopping! What a stressful cycle.

As a parent, an employee, or a student you are constantly planning for what is next! Tests, performance reviews, big sales or promotions and birthday parties. The list goes on and on and it makes it almost impossible to enjoy each moment, because you are thinking about the next.

One of our slogan’s here at HHL is “Why wait? Live life NOW”. How do we even accomplish that in our fast paced world?

Play with the kids in the pool, and do not worry about what is for supper (or breakfast the next day or lunch even). Enjoy an evening soak with your spouse in the hot tub, and don’t mentally prepare for your meeting in the morning (Also, try to refrain from smuggling your smart phone into your robe and attempting to check a message with wet hands. It will end badly!).

So, for those of you reading…STOP! (Well don’t actually stop reading)

Relax! Enjoy this very moment, and the next! This evening, take time to enjoy the little moments, turn the TV off during supper, and don’t take your computer to bed with you. Enjoy your loved ones company to the fullest!

Why wait? Live life NOW!

-Until next time

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Giving Thanks

2011-10-07T07:09:00.001-07:00

Five years ago this weekend we celebrated the grand opening of our new store here in New Minas. We were overwhelmed by the support we felt that day. We were surrounded, by staff, vendors, customers, community leaders, and family. We can never thank everyone enough for their support not only that day but over the past 31 years. 31 years in the pool industry, some days it feels like an eternity, and others it feels like it was only yesterday. Being Thanksgiving Weekend I would like to thank some of those that have made it possible

Our Staff; being in the service industry staff is an essential part of success. We have been blessed to have many of our staff members make it their career to work at Holland Home Leisure. For others it was a summer job, while attending university, often staying for 4 or more years. We have seen continued growth in each of their abilities, and they have risen to the many challenges we have placed in front of them. Their dedication to our company, and also to our customers, has been instrumental in our growth and success. Thank you to all of our staff members, past and present for your commitment and dedication.

Our Vendors; Over the past 31 years we have had the opportunity to work with many different vendor partners. Over those years we have built some lasting partnerships, with vendors that not only supply us with a high quality service or product, but have also invested back into our company through staff training and incentives. I have been blessed to work with some of the top individuals in the industry, who have challenged us and helped us as we strived to supply our customers with a higher level of service. Many of these partnerships have also developed into lasting friendships. Thank you to our many vendor partners both local and national, for your continued support and understanding.

Our Customers; What would we be without our customers? It always amazes me at the continued support we receive, and we never take it for granted that this support will continue. We understand that to maintain this support we also have to supply you with a high level of service and product, and that there have been times that we may have failed to do so. Our commitment is to continue to grow in the level of service we provide. We would like to thank all our customers for their support, and friendship over the past years.

Our Community; What can I say, we live in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. Not only are we surrounded by some of the most scenic beauty in the world, we are also blessed to have some of the most caring business and community leaders. A great example of that is the support our company has received from business leaders in support of our fundraising efforts for Cystic Fibrosis, with generous gifts of service and products for our auction. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have not only supported us in these efforts, but all those who give back to our community through the many other great causes.

My Family; Where to begin? When we started in the pool industry 31 years ago, it was not always easy, and sometimes I think it was my family who had to suffer the most through those early years. Without the love and support of my family we would not be here today. Thank you to Deb my wife, and to Scott, Anitra, Jasmine, and Liana my kids for being there for me. It is only with your love & support through those years, and your continued support through the next 31 years that we were able to grow and be successful.

Last I would like to thank my parents. It is always a bittersweet memory when I think back on our grand opening here in New Minas 5 years ago. I was blessed to be able to celebrate that day with both my parents, but I will also always remember that weekend as the time my mom became ill, and she passed away shortly after. I was blessed to have parents, who encouraged me to not only work hard, & dream big, but also that success is not only measured in dollars and cents, but in how we interact and treat one another. This is something I continue to strive to accomplish, but I guess that is a lifelong goal to accomplish. Thanks for being there for me.

Mike vandenHof

Big Green Egg Cookout!

2011-10-06T06:15:00.000-07:00

BIG GREEN EGG

COOKOUT

October 8^th, 2011
11am-2pm

Holland Home Leisure

8794 Commercial Street

New Minas

Big Green Egg Samples

(Pork, Chicken, Potatoes, Sausage)

Thanksgiving Coloring Pages

Splash for CF BBQ

Join us this Thanksgiving weekend and help Support Cystic Fibrosis!

Free will donation for BGE Samples and Coloring Pages would be appreciated but are not necessary!

Let's be thankful!

2011-10-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

I thought with Thanksgiving just around the corner I would give you an idea of what some of our staff members are most looking forward to this turkey season (besides the extra day off)!

Debby says she is thankful for “Family, friends and stuffing!”

Also, I want to say a huge “thank you” to all of the supporters for our upcoming Splash for CF Auction and Dinner event on October 27^th. I must say HHL is overwhelmed with the amount of support we have received from local companies who have donated items and from all of those who have purchased tickets. There are a few tickets left so if you are interested in joining us for a 5 course meal (including wine) give me a call at 681-3030!

For our live auction we have received the following items:

$500 in Free Chemicals- BioGuard

2500 Air Miles- Frasers

A pair of Windward Loungers- Holland Home Leisure

Diamond Hoop Earrings- L/S Rhodenizer

Fine Dining Dinner for 8 in your home- Acton’s Grill & Café

For our silent auction we have received the following items:

$100 G/C- Duggars Brunch for 2 X3- Old Orchard Inn

Hot Stone Massage-Eau Spa Necklace/Earrings/Scarf-Country Stoves & Sunrooms

$50 G/C- My Mothers Bloomers Massage-Kings Physio

$50 G/C- Phinneys 2 Income Tax Returns- Herritt Income Tax

8X12 Canvas Print-Matt Kozera $85 G/C- Prince George Hotel

$25 G/C-Maxwells Shoes 12lb Lobster-B. Spinney

Original Artwork- C. VanderHeide $50 g/C- City Girl Cakes

$20 G/C-Beleaf Spa Burning Push-Briar Patch

$50 G/C-Port Pub Free Range Chicken- D. Meisner

Pair Season Tickets to Acadia Basketball- Acadia Athletics

Pair of Season Tickets to Acadia Basketball with Signed Jersey- Acadia Atheltics

WOW, I am not sure what I’m going to bid on yet, there are so many great items!

Also a big thank you to K-Rock who is our Official Media Sponsor, and to Pam from Cystic Fibrosis Canada-Scotia Chapter who has been incredibly helpful in the planning of the event!

Kristi’s favorite Thanksgiving tradition is “picking out the turkey with her dad, and always getting one that is bigger than her mom sent them out to get”.

Katie says “My favorite part of thanksgiving is having two turkey dinners! Trying not to fill up too much on the first one, then racing to the in-laws for the second meal of the day. Always a fun day spent with all of my family.”

Coming up on this Saturday, October 8^th 11am-2pm we are having a Big Green Egg cookout in our New Minas location (8794 Commercial Street). There will be lots of free samples cooked on the BGE and Thanksgiving coloring pages for the kids! Free will offering for Splash for CF would be appreciated but is not necessary! We will be having a Splash for CF BBQ at the same time, so come join us for lunch, all proceeds go to the fight against Cystic Fibrosis!

Jenn says “My favorite part of Thanksgiving is my husbands amazing stuffing (made with REAL butter! Mmm so good….) Of course getting to spend time with family and we always have a card tournament after we clean up supper”

Brad says “I am most thankful for my family and the fact they are all healthy. I am also very grateful to have a great group of friends to enjoy a glass on vino with this long weekend. Oh yeah, my favourite meal is a turkey dinner WITH stuffing so hopefully I’ll get to taste some of that.”

As with my fellow staff members I am also thankful for family, friends and good food! As much as you try to appreciate your family and friends all year, I love that this is a time to be able to express your thankfulness and all spend time together! I am also thankful for my Mom’s gravy and my Dad’s turkey, since mine just never turn out as good!

Until next time,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

P.S. Don’t forget to bring out the stretchy turkey pants!

Fun Fact For You - Kristi

2011-09-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

If you are thinking hmm…that name sounds familiar, you are probably right! If you get us to open and close your pool, or service your hot tub then most likely you have talked to Kristi over the season. She is the one who organizes the service crews to make sure every job gets done, and she is the one calling you to let you know when the “boys” are most likely to arrive.

Kristi has been with Holland Home Leisure since April of 2005, starting as a summer staff member and then staying with us and working her way through University! In 2011, she decided to turn her job into a career and has since progressed into her official title “Service Advisor”. Congrats Kristi on your new role with Holland Home Leisure!

Kristi is lucky enough to start her day bright and early at 7:00am (that’s earlier than I get up…ever!). She needs to be at the store, awake and alert, to round up the crews and send them off in the right direction. Good job Kristi, that’s not a job everyone could handle at noon let alone 7am!

Kristi, along with the rest of the HHL crew, has a few things that she is known for around the store! Number one being, she knows every code in the store (or it feels like she does), and if you are frantically searching for a code she will most likely bump you out of the way to get the job done! I’m sure she is very curious to know, when we are going to step up our game and memorize the codes! Kristi is a lover of pre-packaged foods, and sometimes it is surprising to see what she finds. (I really don’t blame her, anything to make those early mornings easier.) Did you know that they made pre-packaged apple slices? To her defense she is actually a wonderful baker and even makes her own salsa! YUM! Maybe we need her recipe!

Kristi has many great qualities that make her a huge asset to HHL! She is hard working, dedicated to her job, and even though her days are busy and hectic she will be the first to arrive and the last to leave if that’s what it takes to get the job done! That means in the peak season she puts in many 12 plus hour days! (I’m not jealous of that!) She is also the first to volunteer for anything extra that is needed, such as coming in on days off to work a Splash for CF event, host a bridal or a baby shower, and possibly even a bachelorette! (Like mine!)

Working at the Splash for CF Dunk Tank!

Great job Kristi

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Time to Winterize!

2011-09-23T09:21:00.000-07:00

Winterizing Above Ground and In-Ground Pools:

It’s that time of year again; the days are getting shorter, the nights colder and the mornings are far more difficult to motivate yourself out of bed. It’s pool closing season! So here are some tips and chemical advice to ensure that you protect your investment and open up to clear water in the spring.

Let’s start with the procedures you will need to follow before you start to unhook your equipment:

Balance the water: It’s as important to balance the pool for the winter season as it is in the summer when it’s in use. Your pool will be sitting without any circulation or filtration for over 6 months, so you need to be preparing the water for the changes in chemistry, and the biological contamination that will occur over the off-season. Holland Home Leisure recommends bringing in a 1l. water sample one week before the pool is going to be closed to ensure the proper balance for the winter season. The chemistry of your pool water during the winter season is similar to the summer months, but we balance the water at a higher pH (7.6-7.8) to fight the corrosive nature of freezing water.
Add the right chemicals: As I mentioned above, the water becomes more and more corrosive as the water becomes colder and begins to freeze over the winter, so adding the correct chemicals formulated for cold water is essential in protecting the pool at low water temperatures. Adding winter chemicals will also help to prevent scaling (calcium or metal deposits) on the liner, prevent organics from staining the liner, remove the excess waste from the water and prevent algae from blooming in the warmer temperatures in the autumn and early spring. We recommend the following to keep the pool clear into the spring months:

- Super-chlorination for winter temperatures: One bag of Biogaurd Hiber Shock per 40,000L of pool water added directly into the pool.

- Cold water algaecide: 120 ml of the Bioguard Hibernate Algaecide per 10,000L of pool water added around the edges of the pool.

- Stain and Scale Inhibitor for cold temperatures: 120 ml of Bioguard Hibernate Stain and Scale Inhibitor per 10,000L of pool water added around the edges of the pool.

- Enzymes: Add one bottle of BioGuard Pool Refresh into any size pool. Enzymes help to decrease build up on the surfaces of the pool as well as preventing scum lines from forming at the water line over the winter, making your spring clean-up that much easier. Pool Refresh is included free this season with the purchase of a Hibernate Deluxe Kit which contains all three of the above chemicals, and treats up to 80,000L of pool water!

- Circulate: Allow the chemicals enough time to properly mix into solution to maximize their efficiency; we recommend 12-24 hours prior to shutting down the system and draining down the water level.

Now that you have taken the time to properly balance the pool and add the correct chemicals to protect it, its time to begin to unhook the equipment. I am not going to go over the procedures to close both above ground and in-ground pools in this blog, but the information is available in a hand out at either Holland Home Leisure location, or if you’re looking to have us close the pool for you, our service procedure is listed on our website @ hollandhomeleisure.com. Just come into the store or call to book an appointment.

Here are some helpful tips to ensure your pool closing goes as easily as possible, and you open with clear, ready to swim water:

- Winterize the pool fully: I know closing the pool can be both time consuming and a pain, but properly winterizing your pool every season is protecting your investment and will save you a lot of time and money when you open up in the spring.

- Put on your winter cover: This I can’t stress enough, the winter cover protects the pool from falling debris, heavy snow fall and damage from foreign objects that might find their way into your pool. The cover also helps to reduce your chemical cost when you start up in the early spring by preventing large amounts of untreated water from getting into the pool and throwing off the balance and diluting those winter chemicals you spent your hard earned money on. Algae blooms are also far more likely to form in uncovered pools, and occur earlier due to the dissolution (watering down) of the winter chemicals and the direct exposure to UV light. The use of a winter cover will also help to prevent staining on your liner from leaves and other organics that fall into the pool (especially in the autumn when everything seems to end up in the pool.)

- Close late and open early: Even if you aren’t using your pool you should avoid closing early (before October) and opening late in the spring/summer (after early May). Your pool will operate in September and October with the addition of less chlorine then it needs in the summer, and won’t cost you much to keep an adequate sanitizer reading present in the cold water. Also, try to open up in the spring as early as you can, I know its cold and you aren’t ready to get in and use it yet, but opening up by May 15^th will help to ensure the pool is clear and algae free, saving you at least $100.00 for an algae treatment, and that’s on a small above ground. In-ground pools can cost upwards of $150-200 depending on the severity of the bloom.

The BioGuard Guarantee:

Bioguard

Canada

has offered to pay for your shock and algaecide (up to the value of the Hibernate Kit, $61.95) to treat an algae bloom in the spring if you have done the following:

- Brought in a water test and can prove you’ve added the chemicals to treat it (we take care of that.)

- Purchased a Hibernate Deluxe kit and added the winter closing chemicals.

- Covered the pool with a solid cover, not a leaf net or secure cover that allows water to drain in.

- Open the pool and have brought in a water sample prior to May 15^th 2012.

- Have a copy of the algae free guarantee form that is in your Hibernate Deluxe Kit and have kept your proof of purchase.

* Pease note: the guarantee does not apply to pools that have had their cover fall into the pool.*

-Craig McNutt

Fall in Love...With Fall

2011-09-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

Who else gets excited about baking and making big meals when it starts to get chilly out? I definitely do! Last Sunday I was so happy to putter around the house, bake cookies, and have my folks and sister for supper. I lit candles, I read a good book, and it wasn’t too hot to run my dryer or to use the oven so I was cozy all day! I made a big chicken dinner, and guess what, all of my veggies were done relatively close to the same time! Impressive I know! My mom even said I may be ready to host Christmas dinner…gee thanks Mom!

The most beautiful time of year in the valley is when Fall rolls in! Yes, everyone is slightly disappointed by the weather we had this summer, but so far Fall has been beautiful! I realize it hasn’t officially started but I am being optimistic!

As busy as back to school is, I find that by the time Fall comes around everyone is calmed down slightly from the hustle and bustle of summer (especially those in the pool business). People are planning their family portraits, winter getaways, Thanksgiving festivities and making the most of the weekends when the kids are home from school by taking trips to the local exhibitions and soon the pumpkin festival! Yes, the kids are back into their after school activities and Mom and Dad’s taxis are back on the road for another season! But isn’t Fall beautiful?

Most importantly, I find that Fall is the time to remember quality family time! With the kids gone during the week, you really have to plan in those weekend family events. From a Friday night movie night (mmm popcorn), to Saturday morning bike rides, and maybe a Sunday afternoon soak in the hot tub!

If a hot tub is a way you would like to see your family connecting, give us a call! Our 3-day Hot Tub Clearance starts tomorrow and you could save up to a $1000 on a 2011 Beachcomber Hot Tub! With those savings the little ones can join dance class or hockey!

So instead of concentrating on how dark it is when you wake up, or how cold your toes are when they hit the floor, take a look outside and admire what a beautiful spot you live in! Take time to appreciate the little things (like a Tim Horton’s Tea and a SMILE cookie!) and the quality time with your family!

Why wait? Live Life Now!

Talk soon everyone!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Mr. September

2011-09-14T09:06:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, it seems like summer is over! I am not 100% sure when it actually started, or even if it did, but now it is officially over. Kids are back in school, the morning trips to the bus are getting colder, and believe it or not people are closing their pools! How depressing. Luckily for those hot tub owners the perfect hot tub season is just beginning, and for those dreaming of a hot tub your timing is perfect! Our 2011 Clearance is on our anniversary weekend September 23^rd and 24^th but come see us any time for details!

Now, that all of our summer staff have gone off to university, we are finding our first weeks of pool closings busy! So a big thank you to all of our patient customers who have had to wait at the water lab this past week, and don’t forget to enjoy a complimentary coffee while you wait!

Currently, not only are we preparing you all for closing your pools, but we are working hard at the first of the fall projects. Next on the agenda is our very first HHL promotional video that will be showcased on the Yellow Pages Website. Debby and I are testing out both our producing ability and our acting ability! Oscar worthy, I think not but we are definitely enjoying the opportunity to work together and showcase Holland Home Leisure at its BEST! I will update you when the job is completed and how you can watch!

Speaking of videos, did you catch our first “How To” video on our Facebook page? This is hopefully the first of many videos, but please bear with us as I read through all of your requests for which videos you would like to see. Send me an email if you have an idea! We are slightly limited on how long the videos can be. I know you are all hoping we can showcase a pool closing segment, but that may be out of my 7 year olds digital cameras capabilities! I will have to hit the bosses up for an upgrade!

Our fundraising team is still working hard at making our Auction and Dinner a huge success so if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet give me a call at (902) 681-3030 or send me an email at liana@hollandhomeleisure.com

So, in the theme of turning up the heat, I thought I would share this beautiful picture with you all (not so much for me, it is my brother!) . Service Crew Calendar fundraising for CF next year?? I think so! Check out Mr. September.

Talk soon everyone!

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Hot Tub Hoedown

2011-09-08T13:02:00.000-07:00

One question I always hear when talking to people about hot tubs is “I am just not sure I will use it.” Having been lucky enough to grow up with a hot tub in the backyard I have so many memories of me and my family with the hot tub as the centerpiece. So I thought I would gather my top three favorite reasons why I LOVE a hot tub!

#3 on my favorites list is Birthday Parties!

Lucky for me my birthday is in the winter…yes, pool parties are fun but hot tub parties are better! In my younger years after a day of sledding or skating the best party finale was a soak in the hot tub, there really is nothing better after a cold day! Then when you are all done with your bathing suit snow ball fight you can head inside and have hot chocolate with your cake (so much better than pop!). My mom is also known for making the best homemade hot chocolate… I wonder if she would share her recipe (hint hint Mom). After sledding was no longer “age appropriate” we graduated to “spa themed” parties with the hot tub soak as the highlight. The vandenHof Spa was very popular and our clients always left happy!

#2 on my list is Holidays!

Every family has their own holiday traditions, but I loved the Christmas Day soak in the hot tub, especially when there was a nice light snow! Come on now, doesn’t that sound picture perfect? I am also pretty sure the hot tub got some attention on some other holidays, such as the New Years Eve parties (those always made for some comical moments) and any other holiday where the family was all together. The hot tub served as the quiet relaxation that holidays are supposed to include but often get missed in the hustle and bustle of it all.

#1 on my list Quality Family Time!

The hot tub was the center of many serious conversations in my family. I can’t speak on behalf of my siblings but I can definitely tell you the hot tub was where my father and I had our best “father daughter talks”. The hot tub was our safe spot, where we could share secrets and solve problems! Lucky for me my dad is a pretty amazing problem solver! In high school years I told him the truth about which boy I liked, how I was really doing in school, and all of my hopes and dreams for the future. It was where he got all the juicy gossip (which I’m sure he then shared with my Mom!). There were no distractions and in a large busy family, who doesn’t want to escape for 20 minutes and have your own personal one on one time. Our hot tub chats were never complete with out us hashing out the best players on the local basketball teams (Go Acadia!)

Now, my job is to help people find the best hot tub to suit them and their lifestyle. My favorite part is to see how excited they are when they come in after having the tub for a few weeks, and they tell me about the new traditions their family has developed. They usually mention that they should have done it years earlier! What a fun product to sell!

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Miss me?

2011-09-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

Well, I had an absolutely amazing week off, full of day trips and a wonderful night in the city and some amazing meals! Did you miss me?

You may have heard that Holland Home Leisure is planning one more event for Splash for CF this season and our fundraising team couldn’t be more excited. We are planning an Auction and Dinner event at Acton’s Grill and Café in Wolfville, on October 27^th 2011. I have to admit I really am blown away with the support we have been receiving from local and non local companies!

We will be starting the evening at 6:00pm where attendees will be given the opportunity to bid on some quality items in our silent auction. Items have been donated from various Annapolis Valley and Halifax area companies including massages, fresh lobster, gift certificates for cakes and flowers and even local artists painting and photography! (Plus So Much More!!)

The dinner will begin at 6:30pm and will consist of a five course culinary masterpiece by Chef Drew Rudderham of Acton’s, wine samplings will be served with each course. We will finish the evening with a live auction which will include a few of our larger donations. Samples of our live auction items are a night away at the Prince George Hotel and a dinner for eight in your home provided by Chef Drew of Acton’s plus much more! To keep track of our auction items join our Holland Home Leisure FaceBook page to see items as they have been donated.

We have been working hard to make this event an evening to remember, we invite you to join us and take this opportunity to support Cystic Fibrosis. The night will be full of fun and celebrating the support we are able to give to Splash for CF.

Tickets are $100 per person (price includes tax and gratuity) and a tax receipt will be issued for donation portion. Tickets can be purchased in either location and over the phone at (902) 681-3030 or (902) 847-9392.

If you are interested in any more information please let me know at liana@hollandhomeleisure.com and I would be more than happy to help you! If you are an owner of a company who would like to donate an item for our auction that would be greatly appreciated!

For more information on Cystic Fibrosis please check out http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/en/index.php

On other big HHL news, September is our Anniversary month, September 25^th marks our 31 years in business! Congrats HHL! To celebrate our anniversary we are having a month of savings including daily door crasher sales (can be downloaded on our website or FaceBook page), and a huge Hot Tub promotion on our anniversary weekend September 22^nd-24^th!

Talk soon everyone,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

A Special Thank You to some of the Auction's Major Sponsers

So many more to Thank!!!

Storm Watch!

2011-08-26T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Irene Preparation:

With the possibility of a hurricane (or tropical storm) making landfall this Sunday and/or Monday I thought it would be a good idea to address some issues that may arise with your pool and hot tub. The easiest and most efficient way to deal with hurricane damage is of course to prevent it from happening in the first place, and by preparing your pool and/or spa for such an eventuality you can protect your investment and save yourself a few headaches in the process.

The most common damage that occurs in hurricane conditions is from high winds (those of you who suffered during the wind storm earlier this year know this all too well.) Strong Winds not only put strain on pool walls, but also turn any object on your deck, patio or lawn into a possible projectile. This leads me to my first point; remove all objects not bolted down (or heavy enough to withstand high winds) away from your pool or spa. Patio furniture, solar rollers, patio umbrellas and pool/spa accessories are some of the more common objects that should be moved or secured prior to any high wind situation. Secondly, the best way to prevent objects from entering your spa is to firmly secure the straps holding your cover. Hot tub covers that are not secured properly can be lifted away, or damage cover-lifters and even the sides of the tub itself.

Power outages can also cause you some grief with both pools and spas. If the power should go out for any prolonged period of time (24 hours or more) it’s a good idea to give your pool and spa a shock when the power comes back on as the filtration and circulation of both pools and spas depends on power going to various pumps. Pool pumps are easily reset by flipping the tripped breaker or turning the pump switch back on. In the case of a spa, tripping the breaker and other interruptions to power will cause the spas’ controls to reset back to the default setting. Those customers who own a Beachcomber spa, the default setting is the standard mode or ST on the control panel and most customers will normally operate their tub using this mode. If you have your spa set on economy mode EC, or sleep mode SL you will need to change it back after a power outage by hitting the key that looks like 3 side-by-side up and down arrows, then the key that looks like a sun until you reach the desired setting.

Lastly we come to rain, something we are far too familiar with this season. Rain fall is a normal part of our pool routine here in the Maritimes and isn’t hard to deal with. In the case of heavy rainfall, the biggest concerns to our customers are throwing off the water balance of the pool and overflowing. If you currently have the water level in your pool up to the maximum line (or ¾ up the skimmer) it may be a good idea to drain the water level down a few inches prior to the storm to prevent overflowing or flooding. Please remember however, the water level in your pool must be around ½ ways up the skimmer in order for the pump to properly function and not run dry. The rains effect on the water balance is measured by the amount of rainfall we get, so if we do get hit with a lot of rain it may be a good idea to bring in a 1 L. water sample to check the balance.

Remember call with any questions or concerns and we will be happy to help you out!

-Craig McNutt

Holland Home Leisure

Belize It or Not!

2011-08-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

When I met my husband Ricky he was telling me about himself and how he was born in

Belize

. I had no idea this country even existed or where it was. I had to have him explain it to me and then I needed a visual of its location because lets face it he didn’t marry me for my geographical knowledge.

Belize

shares a border with

Mexico

Guatemala

, and the Caribbean Sea. He was born and lived there until he was eleven at which point his family moved to

Canada

I can tell you from first hand experience just how beautiful

Belize

actually is. We went there for two weeks on our honeymoon. The biggest decision we had each day was what we would have for dinner! I know what you are thinking deciding what you want for dinner isn’t really that difficult, but when you are faced with choices like fresh red snapper from the sea or chicken enchiladas it becomes harder than you think. So what did we do? Obviously he ordered one and I ordered the other and then we ate from each others plates. I know that sounds like something newlyweds do but almost five years later we still do it!

Beautiful beaches aren’t the only thing that

Belize

has going for it. It has a fascinating history including incredible Mayan civilizations. The famous Blue Hole is a huge attraction. The architecture is a mixture of different styles that reflect different phases of its history. Music is a key part of Belizean life and of course the food! All of this plus the fact the official language is English makes it a tourist’s dream come true.

Oh the food…….glorious Belizean food! You have not tasted anything until you have tasted Belizean BBQ chicken or Disco with homemade flour tortillas. So here are the recipes and method of cooking for some of the most delicious food you will ever have! In fact I bet your mouth will have died and gone to

Belize

So the key spice in these recipes is Recado, however you cannot purchase it in

Canada

that I am aware of, but you can make it from scratch! The following are recipes for Belizean BBQ Chicken, Disco, Flour Tortillas, and Ice Tea. Let’s be honest no cookout is complete without homemade ice tea!

Recado

1.5 Tbsp. Achiote Seeds

½ Tbsp. Coriander Seeds

½ Tbsp. Black Peppercorns

½ Tsp. Cumin Seeds

3 Whole Cloves

2 Tsp. Dried Oregano

5 Gloves Garlic

1 Tsp. Salt

1-2 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar

Preparation Instructions

Grind the first 6 ingredients to a powder in an electric spice mill. Achiote seeds are very hard, so it will take a little time. Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar, and then gradually work in the ground spices. A hot red chili pepper could be added; crush it with the garlic. Moisten with the vinegar or bitter orange juice so that you have a smooth paste.
Form the paste into small disks or balls and let them dry, or put the paste into an airtight container to dry. Whether dried, or as a paste, the recado will keep for several months if refrigerated. 3.
If you don't have an electric spice mill, a regular coffee grinder works well. However, it's hard to get the spice flavor completely cleaned out, and you may decide to keep one for spices and a different one for coffee beans.

Flour Tortillas

2 Cups Flour

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

2 Tbsp. Lard

1 Tsp. Salt

Water

Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Mix lard with dry ingredients - This works best if done by hand. Mix water in to create dough.
Dough will be sticky in the beginning. Knead dough thoroughly, rip it apart periodically, and then ball it back up again. Separate dough into golf sized balls and place in a lasagna pan. For best results refrigerate overnight.
Spread lard onto countertop and place a ball in the centre, rub lard onto your hands, and use your fingers & hands to spread dough out. Spread it as far as possible without making holes and make sure the thickness is consistent. Place tortilla into hot non-stick frying pan. Rotate in frying pan until cooked – no longer doughy. To keep tortillas warm wrap plate with tea towel.

Disco – Approximately 10 Servings

This dish is cooked outside on an open fire in a metal bowl that sits on a stand in the fire.

4lbs. Ground Beef

1 Cup of Ginger ale, Sprite, or 7 Up

2 Cups diced tomatoes

Tomato Juice

1 Cup diced sweet peppers

1 Cup diced onions

1.5 Tbsp. Recado

Tex Mex

Season Salt

¼ Cup White Vinegar

Instructions

Begin cooking beef in the Ginger ale, Sprite, or 7 Up and a dash of tomato juice. Allow beef to cook for 5 – 10 minutes before adding spices and vegetables. If Recado is in a dry ball form mix it into ¼ cup of vinegar with Tex Mex and Season Salt. The more flavor you want the more Tex Mex and Season Salt you should add. If recado is in a paste add the spices until you reach the desired flavor. Add vegetables and spices to beef. Add tomato juice as needed to keep from drying out. Continue to cook until the beef is thoroughly cooked. Mixture should not be too wet. Serve with flour tortillas.

Belizean BBQ Chicken – 8 Servings

This dish is cooked outside on an open fire on a rack that sits in the fire.

8 Pieces of chicken

2 Tbsp. Recado

Season Salt

BBQ Sauce

¼ Cup White Vinegar

Instructions

Mix recado in vinegar with season salt. Rub mixture onto chicken. Place chicken on rack to begin cooking. Flip chicken to ensure even cooking. Add BBQ sauce during the last 2 minutes of cooking for extra flavor. Do not add it before this time or it will completely burn! Serve with flour tortillas.

Homemade Ice Tea

6 Orange Pekoe tea bags

2 Cups Sugar

Ice

2 Cups Boiled Water

Cold Water

Instructions

In a juice jug place the tea bags and add the boiled water. Place lid on jug and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes. The longer it steeps of course the stronger the tea. Add the sugar and mix thoroughly. Add cold water and lots of ice. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

-Megan Banman

Aylesford Assistant Store Manager

A big Thank You to Megan!! Sounds Delish!

Proud to be a Member!

2011-08-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

The HHL staff enjoyed an early morning gathering this past Sunday, which is our regular day off! We all met at the New Minas store at 8:00am sharp and no one was in poor spirits. Everyone was chipper, smiling and ready to raise money for a great cause. Staff members, husbands, fiancés and their children all working together and laughing together! What a great sight to see! Everyone dressed casually in their Splash for CF shirts, working together with a positive attitude.

We had a great team pull this together and I would love to share a big special thank you to some key organizers! First off, Cathy, thank you so much for your organization of this event. Everything went smoothly and we couldn’t have asked for a better leader! Also, a thank you to her husband Mike, who was with us all day working as hard as everyone else! Cathy had a team of some wonderful helpers as well, so thank you to Katie and Jessica who assisted in the planning! Katie and her fiancé Nic, and Jessica, along with her husband Leigham and daughter Elizabeth, also spent the whole day working hard! These 3 ladies also brought in huge amounts of items to be donated to the CF tables! WOW!

Mike and Debby vandenHof also spent the entire day helping and selling! A big thank you to you both, and I’m sure Cathy enjoyed “bossing” you around for the day!! Jenn and her son Gabriel sold raffle tickets all day and did a wonderful job! Big thank you to both of you! Kristi and Megan also were there pitching in for the day and the extra hands were appreciated! My husband Sebastian and I had a wonderful time renting our own table and helping where needed. On the way home, we both agreed that the event could not have gone better!

Congratulations to all HHL staff for a job well done, and thank you to all of those who rented tables, donated items and came to shop!!

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Fun Facts about MIKE!

2011-08-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

So, it is slightly intimidating to write a Blog about your boss, but luckily for me I do have more of an inside scoop than your average employee. He is Mike here at work (my mother still finds it odd to hear me say that out loud) but during time off he is “Dad” or more commonly these days “Papa”.

Our “Head Cheese” is our In-Ground pool guru. Mike makes it his job to remember his customers every detail. Most likely if he helped you create your dream backyard, he knows the size and shape of your pool, as well as where you live and the color of your house (he tends to not forget facts such as these).

For those of you who have read his three decades of HHL Blogs, you know how he has grown Holland Home Leisure from the ground up. He is known for putting customer satisfaction and product quality at the top of his priorities, and because of that he is well respected in the industry among his peers. We can all see why!

Some of Mike’s quirks (those of which I can share with the world): His glasses come on and off of his face approximately 623 times a day (give or take a few), they are usually being bent into abnormal shapes and flung around in a carefree way (more so when deep in thought). He is extremely sarcastic and the majority of the money in the sarcasm jar comes from him! He now has the satisfaction of giving to charity, which I believe encourages his sarcastic comments.

Mike’s top sayings that you won’t go a day without hearing at HHL are as follows: “Excellent” (usually for a job well done, but also can be a purely sarcastic remark), “the reality of it is” (this is “serious” Mike talking) and “well there you go” (that is one of our favorites).

“Well, I have known Mike for close to 18 years now and I must say, he hasn’t changed a bit. Mike has always been a pleasure to deal with from a business perspective and over time we have become good friends as well. Mike is the kind of guy that if you ever needed anything, he would be there for you which is just one of the many attributes I admire him for.” Mike Godfrey, BioLab

Canada

Godfrey also adds at the bottom of his email “Now by saying all this nice stuff about Mike, do I get a bottle of wine from the ‘special section’ in the vandenHof wine cellar?”

Mike is easily distracted with conversations revolving around food and wine, and if you were to ask him which restaurant you should go to while staying in the city you are guaranteed a 30 minute break from work! (Why is it in the valley people refer to the city like it’s the only one? I mean Halifax for you out-of-towners)! We love his enthusiasm and easy going attitude, his ability to crack a joke or tell a good story, but above all his constant drive in the work place. Mike has learned to embrace change and that is one of the qualities I personally admire, and he is well aware of what is necessary to guide his staff and ensure quality customer service.

We appreciate his hard work and providing us with a wonderful working environment! Thanks Mike "Dad" vandenHof

-Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Backyard and Pool Safety!

2011-08-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

Pools can be the center of fun in the summer months, but can also cause stress to parents of young ones. Here are some simple tips to help make your backyard oasis safe!

Fence your pool on all four sides with a five foot fence (whether or not your county bi-laws require it).

The fence should be equipped with a self locking gate, with the latch high enough to be out of reach of little hands.

Do not place patio furniture close to the outside of the pool fence. Kids are known to climb and will use this as a boost to get over the fence and into the pool area.

Infants and toddlers (under the age of 4) should be wearing a life jacket and not inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties”. They should always be within arms length of a supervising adult, this is called touch supervision. Even if the child has participated in swimming lessons they should not be left alone in the pool.

All doors and windows leading to the pool area should be locked and secure to avoid little ones escaping to the backyard unnoticed. Keep pool toys packed away when not in use to make the backyard less tempting!

Keep rescue items and a telephone close by when the pool is in use. Every family should also have a 1^st aid kit close by to the pool! Taking a course on CPR is also beneficial for parents and guardians.

Remember to keep yourself and your family safe from the sun as well as the water! Ask your family doctor which SPF is recommended for each member of your family. Most doctors also believe infants younger than 6 months of age should stay completely out of the sun, and always be kept in the shade when outdoors! Remember to coat on the sunscreen even on cloudy days!

Remember to stay hydrated and keep a cooler full of drinks close by! Monitor how much children are drinking when outdoors, sometimes there is just too much fun going on to remember!

Make sure your family is familiar with your Pool Rules, and make sure your guests follow them as well. Sticking to the rules daily and having a system in place when rules are avoided! Make sure babysitters are also comfortable supervising the pool and aware of any rules in place that you may have.

Ask in the store for details on different safety devises we have available, such as gate alarms, to help make pool safety easier!

HAVE FUN!

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Sauna Low Down!

2011-08-08T05:21:00.000-07:00

So whenever I tell anyone that I work at Holland Home Leisure, they usually reply with “ohhh, that’s the pool store right?” or “I know someone who got a hot tub there” and then of course there’s always the “can you get me a good deal?”. It seems that almost everyone knows about pools and hot tubs, and the benefits of owning them! There is a real interest in creating that backyard oasis that can be fun, refreshing, and beneficial to your health.

Not everyone knows that Holland Home Leisure also sells the perfect item for your INDOOR oasis! Infrared Saunas have been steadily increasing in popularity since they were introduced to our leisure line-up in 2007. Aside from being a great way to break that chill you can’t seem to warm up from, these indoor saunas also have HUGE health benefits associated with them!

Benefit #1: DETOXIFICATION
Toxins such as sodium, alcohol, nicotine, cholesterol and carcinogenic heavy metals (lead, zinc, nickel) accumulate in the body during modern daily life. The body eliminates most toxins naturally by sweating. A quick session in your infrared sauna can stimulate the sweat glands that cleanse and detoxify the skin. The heat simply speeds up the body's natural process.

Benefit #2: PAIN RELIEF
Heat relieves pain by expanding blood vessels and increasing circulation. Better circulation allows more oxygen to reach injured areas of the body and helps reduce pain and speed up the healing process.

Benefit #3: WEIGHT CONTROLPerspiring is part of the complex thermoregulatory process of the body that increases the heart rate, cardiac output, and metabolic rate. The process requires a large amount of energy and reduces excess moisture, salt and subcutaneous fat. Fat becomes water-soluble and the body sweats out fats and toxins.

Benefit #4: EXERCISE

REALLY?

I can exercise just by sitting on my bum, listening to some tunes in a little room?

During a 10-20 minute sauna session, your heart rate increases by 50-75%. This provides the same metabolic result as physical exercise. The increased cardiac load is the equivalent to a brisk walk. AWESOME!

Benefit #5: REDUCE STRESS
Heat therapy loosens the muscles and relaxes the body. Many massage therapists use heat to provide more thorough and effective treatment. Who doesn’t need a good stress reliever in their life!

Holland Home Leisure has saunas of various shapes and sizes, for the person who wants to sweat it out alone, and also for those who like to detoxify in the company of family or friends! Our saunas also offer some great bonus features, such as light therapy and built in radio/CD players!

Why not stop in and check them out, and if you ask REALLY nicely, we’ll even heat one up for you so you can see what all the fuss is about J

-Katie McLean

Q&A with an Industry Expert!

2011-08-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to sit down with Mike Godfrey, the Director of Sales of Bio-Lab

Canada

. Technically I was sitting at my desk in New Minas, Nova Scotia and he was sitting at his in Toronto, Ontario, but with his great people skills and personality he had me laughing and smiling over speaker phone.

I had emailed Mr. Godfrey (Too many Mike’s to call him Mike) recently, presenting him with the idea of doing a Question and Answer session on some key pool and hot tub questions that I hear everyday. Who better to answer these questions than an industry expert! Mr. Godfrey started off with Bio-Lab

Canada

in 1994 (“wow, I’m getting old” he says) and now is in the position of Director of Sales.

Here are some notes on our conversation:

1. What do you think are the most common mistakes new pool owners make, and what are some great pointers on maintaining great water?

The most common mistakes pool owners make are as follows:

· Not paying enough attention to water balance

· Not keeping the skimmer basket and pump basket clean from debris

· Not backwashing at all or backwashing too much

· Not brushing the walls of the pool.

2. Mike we are often asked about Salt Water in Hot Tubs, what is your opinion?

I’m not a huge fan on running a salt system on a hot tub. The main reason for this has to do with pH. It is very common for the pH in a hot tub to rise due to aeration (jets) and high temperatures. By using a salt system on top of everything you are perpetuating the problem as a salt system in itself tends to cause an increase in the pH level.

With a combination of high pH and warm water in a hot tub, scale is much more likely to form which can negatively affect your heater element and also if the cell from the salt system gets scale on it then you lose the ability to sanitize the water.

3. Do you think people are becoming more cautious of what they are adding to their pool or hot tub, and what is BioGuard doing to stay ahead of the game?

Absolutely, whether it is products being added to the pool, hot tub or used around the home consumers are much more aware of what they are using.

BioGuard’s commitment is to produce quality products that perform at the highest level and provide pool & spa owners with great results.

With our responsible approach to water care we have developed such products as SYNERGY, Smart Sticks, Smart Shock, Brominating Concentrate and Spa Lite to name a few that are both multi-functional and concentrated. These types of products allow consumers to use less while achieving consistent proven results.

4.What about the “magic” one step products that seem to now be available everywhere?

I always caution people that you will see devices and products pop up out of no where making bold claims such as ‘just plug it in turn it on and your pool or spa will be perfect’ These types of claims seem to be too good to be true…and they are just that, too good to be true.

By following the ‘5 keys to basic pool/spa care’ and working with the educated team at Holland Home Leisure you can get the results you want.

5. So what are these 5 steps Mike? Refresh my Pool School Memory!

CIRCULATION
Pool water must be circulated for maximum sanitizer effectiveness. The more your water is in motion, the harder it is for bacteria and algae to take hold. Debris is captured by your filter, too. The best time to circulate the water is during the day, for 10 hours or more, ideally 24 hours!

FILTRATION
The filter is one of your most important pieces of equipment. It removes both visible debris and most microscopic matter. Generally, a filter should be backwashed (the removal of material trapped on or in the filter media) when the water pressure in the filter reaches 8 to 10 psi above normal. (Check manufacturer's guidelines.) Because backwashing does not remove oils and deeply embedded debris, every filter needs to be chemically cleaned regularly. Your BioGuard Dealer can help you establish a filter maintenance program.

CLEANING
Some swimming pools have areas with little or no circulation. This is where algae and bacteria can begin to grow. At least once a week, the walls and floor should be brushed and vacuumed to remove debris that the filter misses. Brushing is a must, even if you use an automatic pool cleaner or retain a weekly service.

TESTING
Every pool has characteristics that must be regularly measured and adjusted. Most important are the pH and the level of active sanitizer. By testing these two factors at regular intervals, you'll understand how bather load, weather and product application affect the water. Test your pool water two or three times per week. Also, take a sample to your BioGuard Dealer when you open and close your pool, and every four weeks during the season. This will help you maintain proper water balance and greatly reduce the potential for problems.

CHEMISTRY
The last step in a total pool maintenance program is applying the right products to your pool water at the right time.

This will help you:

Provide a sanitary swimming environment.

Balance the water to protect the equipment and pool surfaces

Unbalanced water can permanently damage both.

Provide brilliant, sparkling water that's inviting.

6.I'm curious, how are the Splash for CF fundraisers going this year? What are your 2011 goals?

The Splash for CF campaign which is a program geared at raising money and awareness to fight Cystic Fibrosis is going very well. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal genetic disease affecting Canadian children and young adults.

Through various events our goal is to raise $50,000 this year through the BioGuard network of Dealers across

Canada

. It has been a pleasure to work with the staff at Cystic Fibrosis of Canada and our BioGuard Dealers like Holland Home Leisure towards achieving this goal for 2011.

WOW, $50,000 is a great goal, and all of us here at HHL feel like it’s a great cause Mike, which we are happy to help support!

Thank you so much Mr. Godfrey for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and Blog with me, it is greatly appreciated!

Yes, this is our trusted chemistry expert! Very excited to have a piece of our 30th Anniversary Cake!

Until next time,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Strange Home Beauty Remedies

2011-08-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

So, I've been asked to share some home beauty remidies. You asked for it and you got it!

Have you ever seen the slightly off the wall lady on the Ellen show who is always mixing up home beauty treatments, and covering herself in them on TV? She is actually full of some pretty great ideas for making you bathing suit ready with items you have at home or can pick up at the grocery store (Kym Douglas is her name, Google her)!

Here are some of my favorites:

Almond Peach Edible Face Mask- Perfect for freshening summer skin!

½ cucumber

1 tbsp plain yogurt

½ cup sliced peaches

1 tbsp almonds

1 tbsp honey

Blend all together and cover face for 15-20 minutes, wash off with a damp warm cloth.

Has the summer heat taken a toll on your hair, leaving it dry? Have you thought of syrup for your dry ends?

Massage ½ cup of syrup (regular old syrup) into the scalp and ends and then cover your head in plastic wrap for 25 minutes to seal in the moisture. Much less expensive then the hair masks available out there!

Alright, so I have kept it pretty tame so far, I know, boring! Now, when I think of summer beauty I think of exposing those slightly pale areas that stay hidden all winter, and because they are pale I feel like they are illuminating their flaws! What happened to the knee to chin bodysuit style bathing suits anyway?

Looking to firm your chest? Who isn’t? So, if you are looking to forgo walking to the drugstore counter with breast firming cream (although I do love making awkward eye contact with the 15 year old boy who is ringing me in blushing and smiling equally as awkwardly back at me) I’ve got you covered!

1 tsp of vitamin E oil

1 tbs of plain yogurt

1 tbs honey

1 egg

Massage and cover (your chest region) and then cover up with an old bra for 25 minutes.

I would also recommend showering afterwards!

Need a bum lift? No problem!

Take any face firming mask you have at home already, and mix a small amount with a small amount of this mornings left over coffee grinds. The caffeine gives you a lift and the firming mask does just that firms!

Remember, after you have a nice cup of tea ring out the tea bag and let it cool to place on your dark under eye circles, you’ll be a new woman (or man)!

Hit the pool or the beach with confidence this summer (just remember to wash the coffee grinds off your bum first)!

Enjoy and have fun!

Talk soon,
Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Tales from a Charity Bake Sale Kitchen!

2011-07-29T12:04:00.000-07:00

I am not Suzy Home Maker! Those who know me well know this as a fact and for those who don’t…well I guess you do now. My Mom could very well change her name to Suzy. She seems SO organized in the kitchen, somehow when she is done it is cleaner than when she began. (That whole cleaning as you go thing hasn’t quite registered for me).

Strangely I do enjoy my time in the kitchen, I am not as hopeless as I sound (as long as I am not rushed and preferably am alone). I feel confident having company for dinner and them not leaving hungry, and my husband has certainly not lost weight since we united in marriage (sorry Seb). I can cook and bake (and I’d like to say I’m not bad at it), but it just isn’t always pretty (and my surroundings when I am complete, also not pretty). I can make a delicious cake and have my guest laugh at the outside beauty. Why are people so judgmental anyway?

So Holland Home Leisure is hosting a bake sale and all of the Suzy Home Makers of the staff filled the sign up sheet in record time. Relatives (also named Suzy), and friends also quickly joined the pack. So what do I do? Pretend to those around me, that I too am a Suzy.

They will not be there to witness the head to toe icing, the chocolate on the walls, and the stress in my eyes. I warned my husband to stay clear, unless I quickly decided I needed his help, he then may be in trouble for being so far away, and I prepared to impress those who know me well with my baking ability, and was determined to raise money for a great cause!

I baked until 11:30pm last night, making 12 quarts of Caramel popcorn which tastes and looks wonderful, and is wrapped up in pretty bags with ribbon. On my way to being a Suzy!

This morning, I awoke to my biggest challenge, 30 cupcakes and mini cakes …oh boy!

I dug through the cupboards and found “the gun”! The item I unwrapped at my Bridal shower not having a clue what it was (insert awkward thank you and minimal eye contact) from the long lost relative who clearly is not aware my name is Liana and not Suzy. Well, I was about to find out the use of the weapon, an icing distributor (yes, I made up the name). I had not applied icing in any other manner than a knife, and it had never been that good looking, so I was a little nervous to say the least.

The actual baking portion went very smooth, no serious splatters with the beaters, only a small amount of chocolate on the walls, nothing that couldn’t be easily wiped down. I took them out and let them cool and then literally stood there and stared at them for 5 minutes pondering my next move, and then I took another 10 minutes trying to assemble the so called icing distributor and put icing inside of it. Phew, I am ready to frost…but how?

One of my first attempts!

Two hours later (a few grumbles about Suzy), and I stood back and took in my glorious masterpieces. OK, that may be stretching the truth… but I bet you anything my Momma will be proud! I feel great for being able to support such a good cause, and maybe set the bar for future attempts at operating the icing gun/distributor (haven’t decided which name I like better).

I think I got the swirl down!

Thank you to all of my fellow staff members and friends and relatives who showed off there baking ability to support our Splash for CF bake sale! Everything looks great (cakes, breads, squares, brownies, cookies, rice krispie squares, cupcakes and much more) and it is making me hungry just looking at it all!

See you all tomorrow, bright and early at the County Fair Mall!

Talk soon,

Liana (middle name temporarily Suzy) vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Homemade Strawberry-lime Popsicle

2011-07-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Who else can barely believe it is the end of July? This summer is flying by! HHL is preparing for August, which includes our end of the Season Sale August 19^th and 20^th! It feels like all of the pools just opened, so here’s hoping everyone is still swimming in September! We had our mid-summer marketing meeting today, and I am excited for some changes at HHL coming this fall. So, keep your eye out for a new website, social media upgrades and some fun promotions!

Thought I would share an awesome recipe for homemade popsicles, we made them in our new Zoku Quick Pop maker (yes, I caved and bought it!), but they can be made in any popsicle mold that you have! We had them for desert and it was nice, light and refreshing, and it was great to know exactly which ingredients were used!

Blend the following (until liquid)

1 ½ cups fresh strawberries (hulled and sliced)

3 tbsp sugar (amount depends on how sweet the berries already are)

1 tsp or slightly more of lime zest

½ cup water

We layered them with pink lemonade. Pour strawberry mixture a 1/3 of the way up the mold, freeze fully, and then pour lemonade to the 2/3 mark. Freeze that portion fully and then fill the mold with the strawberry mixture.

The quick pop maker freezes the popsicles in less than 10 min, so it is much easier to do the layered effect. If you find it too time consuming to layer, make some all-strawberry and some all pink lemonade if you wish! Who says you can’t eat two?

They were by far the best fruit popsicles I have ever had! So fresh and full of flavor! The lime zest gave it a great kick and they smelled delightful! What a fun project to do with the kids. See how long the layers take to freeze, do certain types of liquids freeze faster than others?

Look closely to see the layers, next time we will have to use two drastically different colours!

Enjoy a nice cool treat on a hot day! Let me know how yours turned out, and if you know any other great flavors I should try!!

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Hot Hot Hot

2011-07-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

With the weather we have all been dreaming for now upon us, of course we are all complaining about being too warm! I guess it is impossible for us to stay 100% satisfied for any amount of time!

For those of us lucky enough to beat the heat in AC during the work day, we complain about being inside and missing out on the sun! For those who are in the heat all day long (Such as our AWESOME crew members), they are delighted to walk into the nice cool store after their long days.

During our time off we must be creative with how we stay cool! Swimming, running through the sprinklers, coming to work slightly early to enjoy the AC, grocery shopping the frozen food’s isle and my favorite, enjoying a nice “cool treat”!

Here at HHL it is common for us to decide as a group to have a slushie day, iced capp day, and anything else that is not only tasty but cool (Mind you Brian has expanded this to include poutine days- we will miss his great influences in food choice!).

Has anyone heard of the new Zuko homemade Popsicle makers? I am beyond tempted to purchase one, and my daughter and husband are not holding me back! They have so many awesome recipes both in their book and on their website and the unit itself freezes the “pops” in less than 10 minutes! How handy is that? Plus they give you directions on how you can make picture perfect pops so you can show off to all of your summer company! Check it out http://www.zokuhome.com/pages/products-quickpop-maker

So, we are very sad to say this is Brian’s last week here at HHL, no more poutine days for us! As much as we would all love him to stay, we can’t very well hold him back from Med School, can we? Congratulation’s Brian, we will miss you and please don’t forget about your HHL family! We will remember your amazing sense of humor, hard work ethic and your positive attitude daily! Good luck with all that is to come!

Talk soon and stay cool!!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

P.S. Remember we are doing all of your baking for you this week, so come see us at the County Fair Mall this Saturday at 9am, and support the Splash for CF Bake Sale!

Holland Home Leisure’s Splash for CF Yard Sale!

2011-07-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Holland Home Leisure staff, families, and friends have been digging through their closets, attics, basements, and garages and donating lots of wonderful items to be sold at:

Holland Home Leisure’s Splash for CF Yard Sale!

Sunday August 21, 2011 starting at 9:00am

8794 Commercial Street, New Minas

Calling all Yard Sale Gurus!

Come on out and have a look at all of the gently used items to see what treasures you may find to purchase! The proceeds from the sales of all of these items will go to the Splash for CF (cystic fibrosis) Campaign.

For anyone who would like to rent a table and sell your own treasures, tables may be rented for $10 each. All proceeds from table rentals go to Splash for CF. Call us at 681-3030 to book your table today (ask for Cathy or Katie, or email cathy@hollandhomeleisure.com!

To learn more about the Splash for CF Campaign click on the link: http://splashforcfca.ning.com/

So, if you are looking for the perfect location to have an end of the season yard sale, call us today and book your table! Raffle tickets will also be on sale for the stained glass bench! One ticket for $2.00, or three tickets for $5.00!

Thank you Cathy for organizing this event with the help of the Splash for CF Fundraising Team!

See you all there,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Environmental Factors of Pool Care:

2011-07-20T07:41:00.000-07:00

Now that we are into the thick of the pool season again, I thought it would be a good idea to go over some commonly unknown environmental issues that effect pool users. The chemistry, filtration and circulation of the pool are all equally important in maintaining a safe, healthy and enjoyable pool experience and you’ve got those mastered with a little help from your friends at HHL. Now it’s five o-clock on a Saturday, you’ve done everything right; you’ve shocked the pool a few days ago, you keep your chlorine/bromine loaded in the pool and you are on a weekly algaecide of some kind, but the pool has gone cloudy! You have guests coming in a couple hours for a BBQ and you don’t know what you’ve done wrong. Do the pool gods hate you? No, but sometimes ‘Mother Nature’ has some surprises in store for you and your pool.

Rain and Thunderstorms:

The most common of the environmental contaminants that effects all out-door pool owners is the addition of rain water to the pool. Rain water has many negative effects on the chemistry of your pool water. Let’s start with the pH and total alkalinity: The pH of the rain we tend to get here in the Maritimes is quite low, meaning the water tends to be more acidic in nature. Acid rain will constantly drive down both the pools pH and its total alkalinity which can cause inefficient sanitization of the water, itchy skin and overall discomfort for those who use the pool, as well as wearing out your pool equipment years before it should. Rain water contamination is usually something we can fix up without any trouble, just bring in your 1 liter water sample to either of our locations and we can adjust the pH and TA very easily. The most important thing to remember when you consider the rains effect, is that it is cumulative, meaning the more it rains and the longer you put off balancing the pool, the worse it is going to get. Holland Home Leisure recommends bringing in a sample monthly, or after any sustained heavy rainfall.

Thunderstorms, like normal rainfall also tend to significantly drop the pools pH and total alkalinity, and this should be dealt with as described above. However, thunderstorms also introduce large amounts of nitrogen gas into the atmosphere that eventually falls to the ground (and into your clear pool!) Nitrogen is a problem in pools because it and chlorine get along very well with each other. So well so, that the day after a storm the chlorine in the pool has been totally used up and now you don’t have any sanitizer left to fight off the bacteria and algae present in the pool. Many pool owners will usually wake up the next day to find a cloudy pool, but don’t worry, this also a fairly easily treated problem. To treat the pool after a thunderstorm all you have to do is shock/oxidize the water. Shocking the pool will release all of that nitrogen gas and used chlorine from the water, allowing the chlorine in the pool to once again do its job.

Dirt Pollen and Debris:

Another common contaminant pool owners will face is the introduction of dirt, pollen and organic debris that blow into the pool. Pollen, dirt and dust tend to either settle on the surface of the water, or end up as a fine dust at the bottom of the pool. For pools in high pollen areas clarifying products such as Kwik-Clear, Polysheen, Clarifying Tabs and Pool Refresh can be used to either aid the filter in removing the pollen through coagulation (making the pollen larger,) or by eating away at it with the use of an enzyme. These contaminants are impossible to fully remove from the water, but keeping on top of your pools maintenance (weekly brushing and vacuuming) will keep these in check and ensure your pool stays clear and enjoyable.

Algae:

If you ask any pool owner they will tell you that they have either had an algae bloom or, know of someone who has. The problem with algae is that it is always present in water and is impossible to eliminate fully. Algae spores can also travel through the air and be introduced from water that hasn’t come in contact with the pool. Small amounts of algae diluted throughout a pool is not a problem, it is when the algae blooms, or attaches itself to a surface that it becomes an issue. On a hot day it takes a matter of a few hours for algae to bloom if there isn’t any chlorine/bromine present to fight it. To prevent algae growth in your pool make sure that you are keeping your chlorine levels at 1-3 ppm (or bromine levels at 2-4 ppm,) at all times, shock your pool weekly, and use a weekly algaecide like Banish. If you are on the Synergy System make sure that you are keeping your initiator at the proper level. Weekly pool brushing will also keep the algae from forming colonies on the surfaces of your pool. To treat for algae blooms drop off a water sample to Holland Home Leisure and we will instruct you on how to proceed.

-Craig M.

Holland Home Leisure

Thank you Craig for giving us some great pointers on pool care! Craig is one of our chemistry experts here at HHL and has worked full time in both locations! -Liana Rhodenizer

A great Saturday!

2011-07-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of selling a hot tub to a great couple on Saturday! They seemed so excited to be adding a hot tub to their daily lives, they came in prepared and asked all of the right questions. I could tell they had done their research at home and had a great idea of exactly what they were looking for in a tub.

They made it very clear to me that this tub was for them, as a couple, something I always encourage while doing a presentation. They wanted their dream tub, their time away from a busy life, and they had been dreaming about it for years. Their two teenagers sat quietly and talked amongst themselves about how excited they were, and hoped in and out of the models picking their favorite (which they ended up gettingJ)! The couple sat in all of the models on the floor, and in each one closed their eyes and pictured how it would feel after a long days work. They picked their favorite seats and made their decision based on comfort and versatility.

By the end of the presentation, I was excited for them! I could tell this was a huge decision for them and they left 100% confident they picked the right one! They came back later in the day and told me they were getting dressed up and going out to dinner and wine tasting to celebrate and to thank me again for all my help.

I can not wait for their delivery date and to hear all about their 1^st soak in their new Beachcomber Hot Tub.

I left work smiling, it was so great to see a family leave so happy and excited for their purchase. Naturally, I too had to go out for supper to celebrate!

Talk soon guys,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

P.S. Don't forget about the Splash for CF Bake Sale on July 30th at the County Fair Mall!

Water Workouts

2011-07-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

So everyone has heard that swimming is a great way to exercise, but who knew that you can get bathing suit ready while wearing a bathing suit! Online there are some great sites to show you simple and easy water work outs that take 20 minutes or less!

If you are anything like me, working out is something of a chore, so being able to do it outside while staying cool in the water is right up my alley!

Here are a few simple activities you can try in the pool that won’t take all day and can be lots of fun! Teach the kids a few moves and it will almost seem like more fun than work!

Water Squats: Well we all know squats are the furthest thing from fun, but the water alternative definitely seems more appealing to me. I never have been a fan of squatting in a public gym! J Basic rules apply to the water: knees hip distance apart and behind the toes. Act like you are sitting down. Now for the fun part…standing back up! The water resistance will not only make it more of a challenge but also more beneficial (make sure to clench those bum muscles when you stand back up, charming I know). To make this more fun, try to jump up and raise your arms at the same time. I can’t guarantee this will look graceful and coordinated but it will be well worth the effort!

Water Jogging is actually done best where you can not reach the bottom. Bring out a flutter board far enough that you just can’t reach. Then jog on the spot with your feet never actually touching. No harsh weight on your knees and ankles and all of the same benefit!

There are many ways to do stretching and strength building exercises in the pool. You can incorporate your favorite standing yoga poses and try them in the water. You can also use the side of the pool for support and do leg lifts. Try holding yourself up with your arms on the side of the pool and kicking!

Enjoy your water workouts! Involve the family, and get the exercise you need while having fun!

Talk soon guys,

-Liana vandenHof-Rhondenizer

Lifting kids also equals a great workout!

Raffle and Bake Sale Details!

2011-07-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Drop into either Holland Home Leisure location and show your support for Cystic Fibrosis. We are giving away a beautiful concrete stained glass bench in a raffle, with all proceeds going to Splash for CF! The draw for the bench will be made on September 6^th, 2011 and the tickets are $2 a piece or three tickets for $5 dollars! WOW, that’s a great deal for a bench that retails for over $275.

Holland Home Leisure’s staff and their friends and family will be busy baking in the hottest month of the year so you don’t have to! We are hosting a Bake Sale on July 30^th at the County Fair Mall in New Minas from 9am-1pm! We hope to see you there to support Splash for CF and to get some yummy treats! Thank you so much for all of our wonderful volunteers once again! Tickets for the raffle will also be available for sale during the bake sale!

YUMMY!

Hope to see you all soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhondenizer

Keeping Active!!

2011-07-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

All of those with children that are now spending their days home from school are well aware of the bored look that comes across their children’s faces in those summer months! Even though it seems there is so much more to do in the summer with the nice weather that has finally arrived, those dreary faces still appear. It amazes me that no matter how many activities you have planned for the day, or whether or not you have gone on a fun outing for the afternoon the second you come in the door there it is, “what can I do Mom?” Finally, I understand Mom the annoyance you endured! My little one is pretty good at entertaining herself mind you, but you must first come up with the idea, and she very well may not pick your first option for entertainment!

So her weekly day at Nan and Papa’s rolls around and instead of the look of boredom they receive the puppy dog face and a polite plea on who will watch her in the pool!

I have recently seen a commercial on TV reminding parents that their children need 60 minutes of physical activity a day! Even though this is information I have always known, I feel like I considered all of the running, jumping and scurrying around to be added up to equal 60 minutes. Now that my little one is getting older, I thought deeper about the concept of a more organized activity being more appropriate during the day.

I am the type of mom who will eagerly sit down and paint, draw, play with play dough and other various crafts, but I am not always the first one to jump up and encourage throwing or kicking a ball around the yard. (Most likely because this would require coordination that I have yet to develop!) So, there must be activities I can supervise, participate in and encourage…I have come up with a limited list: Walking, skipping rope (which surprisingly enough I can do), Frisbee, and swimming! Slim pickings I realize, so it looks like we will be making more than a weekly trip to the pool!

How are you keeping your kids active this summer??

FYI….Winter is all on you Dad! J I will have hot chocolate ready when you come in from the cold!

-Talk soon everyone!

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Long weekend or Vacation???

2011-07-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

A beautiful weekend by the water was a perfect escape from reality during the July 1^st weekend. Since we have all been back to work for a few days the debate is in full swing…is a long weekend considered a vacation? During the summer in a pool business it sure feels like one!! What’s your opinion? Vacation or extended weekend?

Now that the week is in full swing, our long weekend is a thing of the past and what seems like a distant memory. With that being said, we created some wonderful memories and I thought I would share some of them with you.

Two nights away is a perfect weekend getaway, and we spent those two nights in a beautiful cottage right on the water in the South Shore. This is our second year going to the same cottage and I think it is a wonderful tradition we will most likely keep! Check out http://www.rosewoodonthecove.com/ to rent a beautiful cottage of your own! We spent our time reading, eating, swimming, eating and a wonderful day trip to Heritage Village in Lake Charlotte. Check out http://www.heritagevillage.ca/ for details! We try to always add in one museum or historic attraction to our getaways, and we are always looking for great hands on places to keep all ages entertained! Has anyone else been there? What are your favorite attractions in Nova Scotia?

We are back to work now and our events committee is busy planning the next Splash for CF fundraiser. Next on the list is a bake sale, and I am so happy to be a part of such great staff who are willing to volunteer their time to bake for a great cause! We are also in the middle of planning a raffle with a great giveaway! So stay tuned for details!

I hope everyone enjoyed their weekends as much as I enjoyed mine!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhondenizer

Quick stop at Nan and Papa's Pool on the way home

P.S. Opinion’s posted in above blog are that of myself and do not reflect the opinion of Holland Home Leisure.

Splash for CF Recap!

2011-06-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

If you have come into our store recently you have probably noticed that Holland Home Leisure is fundraising to support Splash for CF, raising money for Cystic Fibrosis. Prior to starting this pool season, I, along with many other staff members was not aware of the disease and the effects it had on many people. The disease effects mostly children, and in the 1960’s most children diagnosed did not expect to live long enough to attend school. Now, with research, medication and help from all of those willing to support the cause, many diagnosed children get the chance to grow and live their lives, and they may even reach their 40’s and 50’s. If you are looking for more information we do have some pamphlets in the store, or you can check out http://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/

We want to give a HUGE thank you to all customers who spared a dollar here and there, when we were selling water drops in the stores during the month of May. Every single dollar makes a difference!

As a company we decided immediately we did not just want to ask for donations at the counter, we wanted to help participate in the fundraising efforts. During May we hosted two BBQ’s; one during our Annual Victoria Day weekend sale, and one during the Apple Blossom Parade! During the Victoria Day weekend event, we had very gracious volunteers who spent their day in the cold helping to raise money! These volunteers included members of Megan Banman’s family (our Aylesford Assistant Manager), Jessica Fairn’s Husband, and service crew member Sebastian (also my Husband)! We also had volunteers from K-Rock, Chris and Marki, along with service crew member Sean come make a Splash at the Dunk Tank! THANK YOU!

Not only are we hosting events but we are raising money from store staff. Staff pitch in a quarter with every CAUGHT sarcastic remark, all the “Sarcasm Jar” money will be going directly to Splash for CF. Right now our jar is holding $51 dollars….that’s 204 sarcastic remarks, (we have been collection for years but still, yikes!!). We are also hosting casual Fridays, if a store staff member chooses not to wear their HHL apparel on Friday’s then they pay $2 into the Casual Friday fund. This rule also applies to ownership, management and administration, which aren’t required to wear HHL apparel anyway. Turns out our Casual Friday fund is at $52 dollars, so we enjoy wearing our casual clothes as much as we enjoy being sarcastic! J

Right now, we are hosting a bottle drive! We are amazed at the response so far of customers dropping off their refundables! Think, every water test that you bring in a pop bottle gets dropped in the Splash for CF fund! Now, if you were to drop off your bag of refundables at the same time as getting your water tested, the Splash for CF fund would grow that much faster!! Staff are being extremely generous dropping off all of their recyclables and we would love for our customers, or anyone else out there to do the same! So if you are hosting a Canada Day Celebration, and have some “empties” as the aftermath bring them into either location and we will gladly donate them to a great cause!

Thank you everyone!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

P.S. Amounts are for New Minas Store only, I'd love to hear how Aylesford is doing!!

Wedding Season

2011-06-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

It is wedding season here at HHL! Every Saturday of the summer is booked off by staff members who are either getting married, in a wedding or simply invited to one. In approximately a year there will be 6 or 7 staff member weddings (both service crew and store staff). Jessica, Darren, and Tim have all recently married, and Angela and Jenn are both tying the know this coming August, and I happened to marry a service crew member in March (so do we count as 2 staff members or one?). Lunch time breaks include talks of floral arrangements, music selections, and of course....the dress!

Not only are our customers curious about how our planning is going or how the big days turned out, but they are also preparing for big days of their own. I have had the pleasure of selling furniture to a lovely couple who were hosting their daughters wedding in their backyard! I am hoping they will send pictures of the beautiful reception with lit fire pits and cozy seating sectionals, with an in ground pool as the backdrop! I am sure it will be picture perfect!

So if you are hosting a bridal shower, baby shower (we get equally excited for both), or any other backyard special event and you need some beautiful, long lasting, comfortable furniture for the occasion stop in and take advantage of our Special Event Pricing that is on now! With the weather we have been having our fire pits may be the perfect product to both set the mood and keep you warm!

Look forward to seeing you all soon!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Red and White Dessert

2011-06-24T05:45:00.000-07:00

With Canada Day fast approaching I began thinking of my favorite summer time desserts, that are perfect for warm days surrounding the pool.

Summer is finally here, and it is so nice to look out the window and see the sun and not gloomy threatening clouds. (Mind you it would be even nicer to be on the other side of the window). One of my favorite desserts growing up was Strawberry Shortcake. My Mom always made it with tea biscuits instead of pound cake and I think it tastes perfect! Either way it has bright red and white colors and is perfect for your July 1^st celebration.

This July 1^st my family and I are escaping to a beautiful cottage on the South Shore, and we can not wait to enjoy some quite time on the water, away from busy every day life. What are you doing to celebrate the holiday?

Mom’s Tea Biscuits

2 cups of all purpose flour

½ cup white sugar

2/3 cup shortening

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

¾ cup of whole milk

Do not handle biscuits more than necessary or they will be tough!

Spread out on flour surface cut into circles.

Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes! For best results eat the day they were made!

Slice strawberries and mix with a small amount of sugar. Make Whip Cream and chill.

When you are ready to serve, cut the biscuit in half and fill the middle with your slices strawberries, and add a generous serving of whipped cream on top!

Enjoy your red and white dessert J

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Have you met our Service Crew?

2011-06-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

Working on the crew means early mornings, the service crew signs in to our Aylesford store at 7:00am in the morning; they live as far as Paradise to New Minas. They are normally packed up and out of the “shop” by 7:30-8:00am and they usually work until 5pm or later Monday through Friday. Even though they work long hard days, traveling all over Nova Scotia, we have been blessed to have many volunteers from our service crew for charity fundraisers, often on the weekends which are their only day’s off! Thanks Guys!

Rick Rooseboom is our Service Manager; he started with us in 1992. Rick’s job is to organize jobs, inspect job sites and help get jobs done on time. Rick works for us full time all year round.

Tim has been with us the longest out of any crew member, starting in 1985. Tim is now our In Ground Crew Manager, and he works with Rob most days. With 26 years in the business, his expertise is priceless to us.

Mike Hirtle-Senior Hot Tub Technician

Mike Hirtle delivers, installs, and does repair work on hot tubs. Mike started with us in 1991 and is now our hot tub specialist. Mike works most days with Jason G. Mike is also responsible for a large portion of liner replacements. He is one of our few service crew members who work all year round full time.

We currently have 2 above ground crews running! One crew is headed by Scott who started with us in 2003. He is accompanied by Richard and Jon. The other crew is headed by Curtis who started with us in 2008, and he is accompanied by Sebastian and Mike S.

Sebastian-Splash for CF BBQ

Jim started with us in 1993; he is part of our service crew, doing repairs, openings and closings. Jim also does liner replacements. Jim works with Mark most days. Our other service crew is run by Matt who has been with us since 2003 and works with Jason L.

Our Deck crew is made up of Francis, Darren and Sean and they are responsible for all of the deck work around the in ground pools. Come into either location to see a selection of the beautiful work they can do.

Wayne is our Warehouse Manager and he has been with us since 2007. He keeps track of inventory and supplying stock for both locations, as well as doing pool pick up’s and all deliveries! Wayne is who is driving our large cube van that you may have seen around town.

As you can see there are a lot of guys to keep track of and it is now Kristi Huestis’ job to do so. Kristi has been with us since 2005, and is now our Service Advisor. She stays busy organizing all crew’s schedules, calling customers to set up appointments, and also starts her day at 7:00am.

I just wanted to send a quick thank you to all of them for all of their hard work, long days, and being so helpful to all of us store staff, and a special thank you to all of those willing to volunteer for Splash for CF this year!

Good job guys!!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Summer Hot Tub Fun

2011-06-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

It’s finally starting to warm up outside! The yucky spring snow has melted away making room for green grass and summer flowers! It has me dreaming about those 30 degree August Days already!

I was just talking to a customer this morning about how much I enjoy relaxing in my parents Beachcomber hot tub during those warm summer days-YES, their hot tub! Who would think that 98 degree water would be refreshing in 88 degree weather!

Unfortunately, here in Nova Scotia, we have to deal with a little thing called Humidity! So, if you can dip into some water (with a cold beverage in hand) and escape the humidity in ANY way you’re going to end up feeling refreshed. Especially if you’ve just spent your afternoon raking and fertilizing the lawn, tending to the gardens or any of the numerous chores the summer brings with it that leaves us hot, sweaty and sore!

I find that relaxing in the hot tub for a bit actually makes the hot weather a little more bearable because your body has adjusted to water that is even hotter!

Still, if those summer afternoons are just too hot for you, grab your hubby and sneak out for an evening soak after the sun goes down (swimsuits optional of course) or invite your friends and family over and move your backyard gathering to the hot tub after filling up on a yummy BBQ meal and roasting marshmallows around the fire (swimsuits not so optional).

So don’t leave your hot tub feeling lonely this summer! Turn back your water temperature and include it in all of your summer fun!

Talk soon,

Katie McLean

Random Moments and Pictures

2011-06-13T11:10:00.000-07:00

We celebrate all store staff members birthdays with cake. Any excuse for cake works around here, so we do our very best not to forget anyone! Even though we all get along great and laugh and joke on a daily basis, cake eating becomes extremely awkward. We all stand quietly in a circle in the spare office, and comment only occasionally on the quality of the cake. This awkwardness extends to all other slightly formal occasions, such as staff baby showers, holiday gift exchange, and summer staff parties (during the day, not the after party). Why is this?

We have a love of themes and costumes; here at HHL any time a costume may or may not be appropriate we fully embrace the opportunity. We talk about the upcoming event for weeks in advance, thoroughly excited. When the day arrives and we walk into the store, and are so amused to see each others outfits. These events include, but are not limited to the following: ugly holiday sweaters, Halloween, themed customer events, as well as posing casually with a 9’ deck umbrella as if that was the normal thing to do, trying on an extra small child’s life jacket, and wearing obnoxious balloon hats during the biggest sale of the year. We are also extremely thrilled to see our customer’s reaction, or them oddly not reacting. It is very rare to have anyone coming into the store comment or even acknowledge the fact we are being silly!

Sometimes, our evening shifts can drag on! Friday night shifts until 9pm on occasion can include some strange behavior. One of my most memorable moments was a harmless game of hide and go seek, the store provides some interesting hiding spots, the unfortunate thing is once you are hidden and a customer comes in you either need to stay put or somehow reappear on to the scene to help out. I once had to escape the bottom of a 5 burner Vermont castings BBQ! I may have possibly come out and made a comment of getting those hard to reach cleaning spots. Don’t worry bosses; this isn’t a regular occurrence, although we have all stayed late to play a few times, next time you should join us!

So the moral of the story is, if you see us casually dressed as something unusual, cleaning those hard to reach places, or anything else that seems out of the ordinary it will not offend us if you to comment on it! Mind you, if only one of us is wearing an “ugly sweater” and not the whole group, you may have just caught us on an off day!!

See you all soon

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Fun Fact for You- Jennifer McGrath

2011-06-13T08:47:00.000-07:00

Jenn McGrath has been working at Holland Home leisure since 2001. That’s longer than any other store staff member (besides Debby of course)! Jenn started out just like the rest of us, summer staff, and quickly grew within the company. She has worked full time at both locations and is currently our New Minas Store Manager and resident chemistry expert! You may have even seen her monthly articles in the Valley Scoop! If you have a chemistry problem, Jenn will always take great pride in helping you solve it.

Jennifer also excels at customer service, and does her best to make sure that all of the customers needs have been met, and they are leaving the store feeling happy and confident.

“Jenn is extremely patient and kind; these are qualities that both staff members and customers admire. When Jenn is training new staff or dealing with a new pool customer she always takes her time to go over every important detail. She maintains a professional attitude and always works towards HHL’s main goal, happy customers. ”-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer, Sales Manager New Minas

Jenn takes the title of most gullible Holland Home Leisure staff member (which Mike v. tends to have fun with from time to time). At our morning meetings, staff can always count on Jenn to reassure them that it’s going to be a “great day”, even when the days busy schedule promises to be a bit hectic.

When Jenn isn’t keeping the rest of us in line, she is often getting a little TOO excited about the little things in life! Youtube videos, her cats, and unexpected Tim Horton’s runs are all things that can always bring a smile to Jenn’s face.

Jenn is a huge asset to the Holland Home Leisure team. With her experience and knowledge, she is always willing to lend a helping hand, and we don’t know what we would do without her!

-Katie McLean

Education

2011-06-08T07:14:00.001-07:00

When I graduated from high school, I thought I would take 1 years off before going to university, that 1 year grew into 35 years, now my dream is that maybe when I retire I will finally get to further my education. I often say that my biggest regret in life is that I did not get a post secondary education. Maybe that is why I put such a strong focus on education in our company. When I started my work experience I thought I would use the education I had, to be able to do the jobs I got, little did I know that no matter what job you have, you will constantly have to further your education, education never ends. After working in the same industry for over 30 years, each year I realize how much more there is to learn. I do not think I will ever know it all, it is just not possible, but I am committed to continue to encourage not only myself but all our staff members to broaden their education and knowledge in our industry.

This past off season we invested in sending 8 staff members to an in depth chemistry school put on by one of our vendor partners Bio-Lab. Over the past 20 years or so I have probably been to 15 chemistry schools, and to be honest I wondered if it would be beneficial for me to attend or not, but am I ever glad I did. Like other chemistry schools I have gone to before, I heard much of the same things, but no matter what, I always learn something new, or once again pick up something that I once knew but have either forgotten or possible thought was not important before. Knowledge is never ending and no matter how mundane a course or seminar is, if you come away from it with 1 new bit of information it will have been worth while attending.

Education is one of the criteria we use when choosing our suppliers, why should we promote their products if they are not willing to invest in their dealers so that we as dealers can properly teach our customers in the proper end use of the product. We have a number of industry leading suppliers who not only invest in us, educating us in their products, but often also invest in educating us in how to become more successful business partners . These are suppliers who realize that it is much more beneficial for them to help build strong dealer partners then to constantly have to look for new dealers.

As a company we are committed to investing in our staffs knowledge. When new sales staff are hired they go through an extensive training course before they are able to serve our customers. Even then they will continue to learn each day as they deal with new circumstances. We encourage sharing of ideas and knowledge as we realize we are only as strong as our weakest link, and to some degree we are all the weakest link. We have also just gone through some training courses with all our sales staff and also service and construction staff. I am sure that there were times that staff members thought that the training sessions were a waste of time, but I would disagree with that, because I am sure that they all picked up at least one new bit of knowledge or idea that will help them better serve our customers.

Twice Baked BBQ Potatoes

2011-06-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

Summer time menus are flavorful and fun, and this is one of my family’s all time favorite way to have potatoes! Having a back yard BBQ? This recipe is one way to really impress your guests without spending all day in the kitchen, and also a good way to get your little ones to eat their potatoes with out a complaint! Last night I paired this recipe with some salmon and corn on the cob! YUM!

Use big baking potatoes. (Washed with the skin on) Bake your potatoes either in the oven or on the BBQ for an hour, or until soft. (Sometimes I cheat and microwave them for a few minutes to speed up the bake time)

Let them cool fully

When they are cool, cut them in half and carefully scoop out the insides. (Make sure to leave enough inside the skin so they stay in one piece)

Mash the potato that you’ve removed from the centers of the skin, add sour cream, chives, salt and pepper, real bacon bits, and shredded cheddar cheese. (Add as much or little as you like of each)

Whip all together with your beaters!

Fill the skins back up with a generous helping of your whipped potato mixture.

Top with a little extra shredded cheese and a little paprika or your favorite spice rub (try our Butt Rub, that’s what I use!) and put back on the grill for 15 min (or until the cheese is melted and heated throughout)

Who is jealous of my leftovers for lunch today?

Enjoy everyone!!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

HHL Life Lessons

2011-06-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Working at HHL for the last 7 years I have learned so much, so I thought I would share some of the most important things we have learned

"My ‘life lesson’ is to remember the importance of “Celebrating Life”. I continue to remind others, and myself, that many of the things we get stressed out about on a daily basis are generally not life altering. We might worry about our jobs, our bills, our direction but truthfully in 10 years they are generally things we look back on and say ‘Well that wasn’t worth getting worked up over’. If it is not something like a health crisis that is beyond our control then we need to maintain the perspective that ‘yes’ we have challenges but they are manageable and we can get through them. I’ve learned that life can be a lot more enjoyable when we focus on the positives of what is around us, not the negatives. Celebrate what we have, not begrudge what we don’t have! Working at HHL has taught me daily the benefits of having water in my backyard (and our customers!) to help me embrace the above. Family time, friend gatherings and surrounding ourselves with those that mean the most to us is true perspective on what matters most during our time her.!"-Brad A. Sweet, Partner

“Often times the only pool knowledge a new customer has is that they enjoy swimming, while the actual mechanics of the pool can be overwhelming to them at first! I know I had my steamer oven for months and I would randomly push every button on the thing until in exasperated submission it did what I wanted it to do! Patience is so important when explaining the mechanics of a pool or hot tub to a new owner. At HHL, our goal is to create an environment where the customer feels comfortable calling us or dropping by to ask us any pool related question without feeling that any question is too trivial!”-Debby vandenHof, Aylesford Store Manager

“I started working for Holland Home Leisure in 2005. During these past 7 years, I have learned many things from HHL. I have learned team work is one key factor that is very important. I always enjoyed completing tasks individually but when I started working at HHL I quickly learned that this is not the most effective way to run things. I realized that you have to depend on other co-workers to help you solve problems and run business more smoothly. The staff has shown me that everyone has different personalities and strengths and this is what makes the business stronger.”- Kristi Huestis, Service Advisor

“When you tell a customer you will do something for them whether it be to look into a product for them, check on work that has been done on an item we sold them or maybe investigate a product that we don’t carry for them, make sure you keep your promise!

Making a promise to a customer is no different than making a promise to a family member or a friend. Keeping your promises is important in every aspect of life because it build’s trust which all positive relationships are based on!”- Debby vandenHof, Aylesford Store Manager

“Change is GOOD! Shocking I know, but working at HHL things are constantly changing, so you learn that change is necessary! Every year something is different, multiple times a year even. Staff are new, procedures are “tweaked” and revised (this sometimes feels life altering), and simple things change too. Popular items can change drastically in the change of a season; fashionable cushion colors are completely different from year to year, even the store design changes. Which marketing techniques grab people’s attention are also changed throughout the years. I could go on and on about change but as Mike always says “you need to move the cheese” and “without change there is no growth”. I think we could all learn from those words!”- Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer, New Minas Retail Manager

“HHL differs from other companies and always puts customer satisfaction first over productivity and making a profit. The staff would rather see a customer happy and enjoying the product that suits them the best. HHL has shown me why it is so important to make sure the customer is satisfied as that is what keeps a business running for 30 plus years.”-Kristi Huestis, Service Advisor

“There is something satisfying about helping a customer with a pool problem, you giving them your best advice and having that customer come back with a smile on their face to say that their problem has been solved. When I was a seasonal employee at HHL, I think this satisfaction is what kept me coming back year after year. Holland Home Leisure takes great price in helping frustrated customers solve their problems, and following up with those customers to make sure they are enjoying there products as much as they should be.”-Katie McLean, New Minas Above Ground Specialist

“My dad used to always say to me that when he started putting in pools, he never assumed it would be his life long career and he would often wonder what he would do “when he grew up”. This always surprised me so much because I assumed this was a life goal of his, and in reality it was just a job in the beginning. He became so passionate about his job it turned into a career. Many of us started as summer employees here at HHL and something about this industry and company has turned our jobs into careers. The more you embrace your job the more you succeed, the more you work with the company and showcase your strengths the more opportunities will arise for you. I strongly believe being passionate about something helps you thrive.”-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer, New Minas Retail Manager

Until next time

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Big Green Egg

2011-05-30T09:14:00.001-07:00

It seems like we have been waiting forever to the nice weather to get here. Finally it seems like we will be able to enjoy our outdoor living spaces. I know I fired up the barbeque a couple of times in April, but I do not think the weather allowed for much barbequing in May. Last night we had our first hamburgers grilled on our Big Green Egg of the year. I do not think you can get a better hamburger than one cooked over natural charcoal, using your own ground beef, and homemade barbeque sauce.

When we first started selling Big Green Eggs I actually resisted getting one for myself. I could still remember having to wait for my charcoal barbeques to light, and for the coals to be ready to grill. It seemed like we were always cooking well before the coals were ready, but I was assured that the Big Green Egg was different, and that it can be ready in around 15 minutes, which is not much different than your propane barbeque. I finally brought one home a couple of years ago, and it is now my barbeque of choice. Grilling on a Big Green Egg adds flavour to everything you cook.

So last night on the way home, I picked up a 2 lb Prime Rib Roast, I figured I really wanted to enjoy those first burgers of the year. When I got home I lit the Big Green Egg. I chopped up the roast, and ran it through the meat grinder. I added an egg, some Bad Byron's Butt Rub, salt and pepper, mixed it up and made 4 patties. By this time the Big Green Egg was at 600 degrees and ready to grill.

The Burgers needed about 5 minutes per side, and they were perfect, nice and moist, and ready for the plate. I finished them off with a great Barbeque sauce recipe that I found a few years ago. We used to make fun of our eldest daughter and how quickly she could devour a fast food hamburger. She would have hers finished before anyone else even had theirs unwrapped, but I think we would have given her a run for her money eating ours last night. There is something about eating food that is cooked outside, it just seems to taste so much better.

Here is the barbeque sauce recipe

4 cloves minced garlic

3 TBS Olive Oil

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 TBS Paprika

1 TBS

Chile

Powder

1 TS Cayenne Pepper

Heat the oil, and then add the minced garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and then reduce heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

This is great on ribs, or pork, but also works well with chicken and hamburgers.

Enjoy-Mike vandenHof

Big Green Egg in Action at our 30th Anniversary!

Staying Young

2011-05-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

Last night I witnessed my 7 year old in full costume and “stage” make up for her Dance Class photo shoot. I felt like I was in an episode of Tot’s and Tiara’s, surrounded by children ages 4 and up in mascara and lipstick. My daughter was absolutely thrilled to have full permission to leave the house with make up on, I on the other hand looked behind me to see my baby girl in her booster seat with more make up on than I had, and was mortified.

In the days of dance classes, acting lessons and countless other activities our little ones seem older than they really are. I for one am so happy to be in a business that provides family activities that allow kids to act their age. I am all for any activity that allows kids to be just that, kids! Swimming is still the highlight of my daughter’s summer; summer has not officially arrived until she gets to go for a dip in the pool. If we stay in a hotel for the night, the first question asked by her is always the same, is there a pool?

The joy of watching kids swimming and splashing around in the water, having competitions to see who can make the biggest splash always makes me smile. Pool water also has the tendency to revert some adults back into the children! If these youthful adults enter a splash competition the odds of winning tend to be in their favor! So, this summer I’m voting for activities that keep the young acting young, and have the young at heart joining in!

Talk soon!

-Liana vandenHof Rhodenizer

Sale Recap

2011-05-24T14:31:00.000-07:00

It’s Tuesday, May 24! That means we have also survived yet another Victoria Day Weekend sale! As most of you know, this is Holland Home Leisure’s biggest sale of the year! It’s a great time to come in and stock up on your pool and hot tub chemicals, and buy those accessories that just aren’t working like they used to. While the weather left much to be desired, it didn’t stop our customers from coming out to cash in on some great deals.

Another success of the weekend: Our very first Splash for CF fundraiser! On Saturday, with the help of some awesome volunteers, we set up a dunk tank and BBQ in the Holland Home Leisure parking lot. The money raised there, combined with your generous donations in-store, made our first CF fundraiser a very successful one! A huge thank-you to all of the customers that donated to a great cause this weekend, and of course to our volunteers that manned our BBQ and sat in the freezing cold dunk tank for what I’m sure seemed like forever. Also, a special thank-you to “Stripes” the clown for showing up and making us all laugh with some of the most ridiculous balloon hats you’ve ever seen! It was just what we needed after a hectic weekend!

Trevor with "Stripes" the Clown

Chris from K-Rock in the Dunk Tank

Dunk tank volunteers warming up in the hot tub!

Leigham, cooking up a storm on the BBQ

So if you missed our Splash for CF fundraiser this weekend, stay posted for our next event, or stop in to either Holland Home Leisure location and drop off your recyclables! We’ll be cashing in our recyclables (and yours) all year long for Cystic Fibrosis!

For the Foody

2011-05-18T10:53:00.001-07:00

One thing about the vandenHof family is we like to eat! A good recipe gets passed quicker than any gossip. Pasta, risotto, salmon, salads…mmm YUM!

We all have our all-time favorites, meals that you can barely go a week without, meals that my 7 year old will request every other day, and meals that show up at every single family potluck. I thought I would give you one my little ones all time favorites (it can not be cooked in your backyard…oops!). I would like to present this opportunity for all of are followers to send in your favorite family recipe! J

Basil Pesto Chicken Pasta (Called Special Pasta in our house)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 bottle of Basil Pesto

2-3 tbs of Sweet Chili Sauce

4 (or more) cloves of garlic

Fresh Cilantro chopped

1 box bow tie noodles (or shell)

½ cup Fresh Parmesan

Put water on to boil noodles.

Cook your chicken in a little bit of olive oil along with your garlic, when it is cooked, add your sweet chili sauce, cook for one or two minutes. Put your noodles in your boiling water.

Add the bottle of Basil Pesto to your chicken, keep on low heat.

When the noodles are cooked, add to the pan (I use a very deep frying pan), add the parmesan and the fresh cilantro (I use a large handful of cilantro or more). Stir well/

I serve with a fresh salad on the side and little fresh parmesan sprinkled on top.

I look forward to reading some of your family favorites! You can either respond directly on the blog or e-mail me at liana@hollandhomeleisure.com

Ok, Now I’m hungry J

-Liana vandenHof-Rhondenizer

Returning Summer Staff

2011-05-16T11:13:00.000-07:00

Craig started with us in 2009 and is spending the 2011 summer working in the Aylesford location. New Minas misses him! We especially miss him surprising us with our favorite Tim’s order! Craig was our resident pool boy, always vacuuming and tending to our two pools on site. He probably so eagerly volunteered to do these jobs to get away from the constant “girl” talk! Craig is a great team player, always one of the first to volunteer to help someone complete a task. He is always game for HHL outings, and tends to be the life of the party! Craig excels at Above Ground pool sales and follow up, and he is a water chemistry expert. Great job Craig!

Brian started with us in 2007, and unfortunately this will be his last summer! We are so happy to say Brian is accepted to Medical School, and we couldn’t be more proud of him!

Congrats Brian! Brian is our parts room expert; he is extremely knowledgeable with plumbing and miscellaneous parts, and also is our resident BBQ expert! Brian was quick to fit in with the HHL group with his sense of humor and willingness to join in on any conversation! Has been known to have a few harmless practical jokes and always keeps us laughing, we really will miss him! Brian has always been an extremely hard worker and a great team player!

Jessica started with us in 2007, and has worked part time since then while being a full time employee in the summers! She is the one who helps make displays look presentable in the New Minas store; her background in interior design is very helpful in arranging furniture displays. Jessica is trained in most areas of the business including sales, chemistry and event planning, and we are excited she will be part of the Splash for CF fundraising team for the summer of 2011! Jessica is also known to loose a quarter or two to the sarcasm jar!

Evan started with us in 2010, and worked full time last summer in our Aylesford location, this year he is working here in New Minas and we are glad to have him! Evan is a very hard worker, and great at chemistry explanations! Evan is a little bit shy but is slowly warming up to the New Minas staff members and is become a fun member of the team! We are enjoying getting to know him and his quiet sense of humor, and we hope to see him around for many more summers!

We are lucky to have such great team members here at HHL! Thanks guys!
-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Who Moved My Cheese

2011-05-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

I grew up in an immigrant family, my parents were married in the

Netherlands

April 17th 1952, and within a week they boarded a ship and were headed to a new life, in a new country. They ended up in Port Williams for their first year in Nova Scotia, just up the road from where my business partner Brad now lives with his family, and across the road from where we will be installing a new In Ground Swimming Pool this summer. They had to endure life in a new country, learn a new language, deal with our harsh winters, and be separated from family and friends. Luckily there were other Dutch immigrants in the area, and before long they developed new friendships, and within a couple of years had siblings join them in this new life. For having endured such great change, they held tradition very dear to their hearts. They did not go out of their way to seek change, and while I had made changes in our business over the first 20 years or so, I continued to hold onto many of the ways I had always done things.

So while on a cruise with a number of my industry peers from across the country in January 2000 I was encouraged to read the book "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson. This was one of the first of many books that I started to collect and encourage my staff members to read, but this book more than all the others changed the way I looked at how to run our business. "Who Moved My Cheese" became my motto for the 2000's. The next 10 years saw us moving the cheese constantly, we changed the way our company was structured, I hired a business coach who helped us set up new structures and systems within the company, in 2005 we took in a business partner, we identified staff members strengths and with them developed a middle management team. Most of all I learned how to delegate, and realized that others could not only do some of the jobs I thought I could only do before, they could also do it better. We expanded and opened a retail store in New Minas, and 6 years later built our new store here in New Minas. We have expanded our product lines and constantly look for new products that will help our customers and friends enjoy their backyard vacations.

Staff members started to cringe when they saw me come out of my office with that look of "what can we change today" or "I think I have a great idea on how we can do this". I keep a yellow block of foam cheese on my desk and whenever we hired new staff members had them read "Who Moved My Cheese" ... but then I lost my block of cheese, I claimed for years that it was a staff member who took it and hid it from me, probably because they were tired of always having their cheesed moved, but the other day, I was looking in one of my cabinets at home and guess what I found, my block of cheese, it seems like I must have hid it myself ... maybe I was getting tired of having my cheese moved!! So now that I have found it again I wonder where we should move it to next??

-Mike vandenHof

Swimming Pool Myths and Why EVERYONE Should Own One

2011-05-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

So we’ve all heard the common myths about swimming pools (I’ve probably heard a few more than most) but I’m going to debunk some of the more common ones for you and tell you exactly why everyone should own their own pool! A swimming pool doesn’t have to be a huge hole in your backyard that you have to pour money into. It can be an enjoyable luxury instead!

Myth #1: Maintaining a swimming pool is expensive.

With regular maintenance and proper water care, keeping an average swimming pool running can cost as low as 25 dollars a month. Staying on top of your water care and using quality products to prevent future problems will certainly cost you much less than cleaning up a problem after it happens! Also, Holland Home Leisure does free water testing that breaks everything down step by step for you. Myth completely busted.

Myth #2: Swimming pools are only good for one month.

With easy to install and very cost effective solar panel systems, pools can be used from June to September. Many of our customers with heating systems installed on their pools jump in around the start of June, and don’t stop swimming until late September. If positioned correctly, solar panels can add 5-10 degrees to your water temperature, which can often make the difference between jumping in, or holding off for another month! Want to extend your season even more? Electric heat pumps can help you regulate your pool water to a temperature that’s right for you. Who says you can’t be swimming in late October or even May?

Myth #3: Swimming pools stink like chlorine.

Even with large doses of chlorine, a swimming pool shouldn’t smell of chlorine. We often say that you shouldn’t be able to smell the pool as soon as you walk into a hotel! The smells that you often notice come from what are known as chloramines. These are actually chlorine molecules that have already attached themselves to bacteria in the water, making them no longer available to sanitize the pool water. This means that pools that you can smell are actually lacking in available chlorine, instead of the common misconception that they have too much.

Myth #4: Swimming pools take too much time to maintain.

Swimming pools don’t have to eat up your valuable family time. Many of our pool systems take as little as 15 minutes of your week. With new advances in pool chemicals, you no longer have to shock at night, wait 12 hours before getting in the pool after shocking, or even pre-mix your chemicals before adding them. If your swimming pool is taking up too much of your valuable time, there is probably something Holland Home Leisure can make easier for you.

So I may not have covered them all, but I hope that I have convinced some of you that pools can be great investments! On those hot days when the kids are driving you crazy, open up the back door and throw them in the pool! Doesn’t that sound easier than trying to make it to the crowded beach this summer? For those of you who I HAVE convinced, come in and see myself in our New Minas store, or visit the girls at our Aylesford location and get your name on that install list! We’re booking up fast!

Until next time,

-Katie Mclean

Fun Fact for you-Part 3

2011-05-09T07:39:00.000-07:00

We are so excited that Katie McLean has decided to join us full time on the HHL team. She started off as a summer employee in 2007 and became full time of May 2010! Now she is keeping very busy in many different areas of the business. Katie is our resident warranty girl, so make sure to contact her for your warranty needs. On top of that she is #1 in Above Ground Sales! WOW, great job Katie!

Katie has been quick to become involved in some of the behind the scenes operations at Holland Home Leisure including using her skills on our marketing team, and her creativity is an asset in both special event planning and the Blog! We are “thrilled” she has fully embraced Holland Home Leisure and helping the company grow.

“Katie understands the importance of customer service. She is our above ground specialist, and is very knowledgeable in helping the consumer in their buying decisions. She also understands that service after the fact is very important, she is always willing to help the consumers enjoy their leisure products.”-Mike vandenHof.

Katie is known amongst her fellow staff members for cracking hilarious, sometimes a little random jokes! She also enjoys dancing mid showroom floor when her busy schedule permits, and I am very happy to have such a talented dance partner. Katie is also just a touch concerned that all products on the floor are in straight lines, because straight lines make Katie happy! Katie gets extremely excited in marketing meetings when a good idea is brought to the table, (she even makes her HHL happy face, ask in store for details!) and I know her enthusiasm helps get the whole team on board!

Katie is an asset to our team in so many ways and she is greatly appreciated! We are looking forward to see how she grows within the HHL Company! She is a very well rounded employee and she excels in customer service, sales, and is great with parts (unlike myself-as my mother clearly stated, thanks mom!).

Keep it up Katie,

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Celebrating Spring at HHL

2011-05-06T14:40:00.000-07:00

Spring is in full force here at HHL! Pools are being opened and installed, new staff are trained and starting to settle in, and planning has begun for our summer events! As you may already know our events committee has expanded to include fundraising and this year we are dedicating ourselves to support Splash for CF. Splash for CF is a charity that is promoted by one of our chemical providers BioGuard, and goes towards helping raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis! We are excited to use this opportunity to work as a team and see what we can accomplish!

The first event on the calendar is our annual Victoria Day Weekend Sale! In New Minas on May 21^st we are hoping to have the Dunk Tank set up again.We are just in the process of talking the service guys into taking the plunge again! Everyone had a lot of fun with the dunk tank at our 30^th anniversary, and I am really hoping we have enough volunteers to “get wet” for a good cause! So, if you have any of our service tech’s at your home to open your pool or have a product installed encourage their participation!! J

We also have a clown doing balloon animals who will spend time at both of our locations! Stripes the Clown is volunteering his time for us and we are so appreciative for his time and effort! Tim Valillee (the man behind the make-up) was our guest speaker for Splash for CF and one of the major reasons we are so excited to be fundraising for Cystic Fibrosis, Thank you Tim! Here is Tim’s website if anyone is looking to book a clown, magician or band! http://varietyentertainment.ca/page2.html

We have also started collecting bottles in both locations for our Splash for CF bottle drive, everyone feel free to drop off any refundable items to HHL J We have many other fun events planned for the summer season and we can’t wait to see all of you out to help support Splash for CF, and if you have any suggestions on who should be dunked in the tank let me know J I know I have a few ideas!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Mothers Day weekend!

Talk soon,

Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Service Crew Member Sean

Service Crew Member Sebastian

The 1990's a decade of change and growth!

2011-05-04T10:13:00.000-07:00

The 1990's started with one great change for Holland Home Leisure. My dad who had been my business partner since 1979, retired at the end of the 1990 pool season. It was time for me to go out totally on my own. Dad had already stepped away from the day to day business dealings a few years earlier, but he was still always there to bounce ideas and decisions off of, and while my parents would always be there for me in the years to come, I was determined not to burden them with the day to day burdens of running a small business. So what did I decide to do after the 1991 season, open our first retail store!!

In the spring of 1992 we opened our retail store in Aylesford, and another change occurred. My wife Debby started officially working for the company in the store. In the years before opening the store, she answered most of the phone calls, took messages, served customers who came to our back door, all while raising our four children, now she also wanted a new challenge and started working full time in our retail store. When the store opened it was just 800 sq ft of retail space, and in the next decade it eventually grew to over 2000 sq ft. We expanded product lines, bringing in Hot Tub, and BBQ's plus a wide range of pool and hot tub accessories. It was amazing at how fast we were able to fill the store each of the 3 times we expanded the retail space.

Our staff was growing also. Tim had already joined our staff in the mid 1980's and was now leading one of our installation crews. Mike joined us in 1991 and soon found that service was what he enjoyed and was good at, so we started to have him focus in this area for us. Rick also joined our staff in 1992, leading another construction crew. Jim joined us the next year, and continued to learn different aspects of construction and service. Jack started working in the store with Deb, and stayed with us until he retired in 2004.

As a family we moved into a house where we were finally able to install our very own backyard pool Of course I wanted it to be different so our pool was the first Roman End Pool that we as a company installed. It combined style with function, and now our house became the place to hold all of our family gatherings. We also installed a Hot Tub in our back deck, and now we were not only able to enjoy quality family time together around the pool during the summers, but we found another way to reconnect with family and friends all year, sitting in Hot Water!! It became a great way to end each day, with a quiet moon lit soak in the tub, or what better way to find out what was going on in my kids lives than to spend 20 minutes in the Hot Tub catching up on what was new in their lives.

-Mike vandenHof

Michael vandenHof Sr. Celebrating HHL's 30th Anniversary!

Join Holland Home Leisures Facebook Page, and email a fun pool or Hot tub Picture to liana@hollandhomeleisure.com check out the Spring Photo Contest note for details! You could win a $25 HHL gift certificate!

Life is better when you’re WET!!

2011-05-02T10:56:00.001-07:00

….Come on now, get your mind out of the gutter!!

We are talking about water, either in a cool refreshing pool or a warm relaxing hot tub! Our theory on this whole being wet thing is actually a proven fact! Water is even being prescribed as a form of therapy all over the world… or should I say hydrotherapy!

Hydrotherapy-the use of water as a form of pain relief and treating illness (go ahead Google it…clearly I did!)

I could go on and on about the benefits, techniques, history and the different forms of hydrotherapy, but I will let you do your own research. No matter what water you prefer, cold or warm, you will find benefits you didn’t know existed that can actually change how you feel on a daily basis.

It amazes me how enjoying a soak in the hot tub can relieve stress and tension, help you sleep, relax your body and loosen your muscles which overall can help you enjoy your life more! A soak in the evening can help the mind settle, create a romantic retreat, and it is a peaceful way to wind down for the evening.

On the other hand, a nice cool refreshing dip in the pool can give an amazing workout that utilizes so many parts of the body without the weight of your body tiring your joints! Swimming can also be a form of relaxation by allowing yourself to float and your mind to wonder and it can be wonderful family recreation all while building endurance and strength.

Both of those appetizing options are a wonderful way to escape reality and spend quality time with your loved ones, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. I recently heard a poll on the radio that stated a large percentage of people spend more time on their computers or smart phones in the evenings than talking to their significant other, (maybe they are texting each other from opposite rooms?). Water can help your family connect in a different way, not around the TV!

Think about how water can change your life…because life is BETTER when you’re WET!

Talk soon,
-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer

Fun fact for you-Part 2

2011-04-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ok Liana, it’s your turn!

As most of you probably already know, Liana is a familiar face around our New Minas location. She started working at Holland Home Leisure in 2005, and quickly established herself as a great sales person. She is our number one sales girl for hot tubs and outdoor furniture, and she is doing an awesome job!

Liana is also in charge of event planning, and last September she planned and organized our entire 30^th anniversary celebration! This was a huge event that took many extra hours on her part, and it certainly showed us all that she is capable of great things!

Liana always has fresh, fun ideas in the marketing department as well. She can put a creative twist on any advertisement or promotion and make it great! Her marketing skills are definitely an asset to the company, and one of the things that makes her so valuable as an HHL employee!

“Liana is truly a great sales person and I have been told by many of her clients that she often goes above and beyond to find the perfect product for them! On the other hand, each of us excel at parts of our job but struggle in other areas. The Aylesford store is where the majority of the parts are kept and the staff always get a good chuckle when Liana calls looking for a part. She usually describes it in very technical terms such as “I am looking for a thingy that attaches to the other thingy”. At which point we ask her to fax or email us a picture of the thingy in question! “ –Debby, Mom and Aylesford Store Manager

Aside from Liana’s work skills, there are some pretty important things that I think everyone should know about her. If you are ever in need of a good dance off, Liana will gladly break it down with you to any of top 40 hits that may be playing on the radio at the time. Did I mention that this often takes place in the middle of our showroom floor (with, or without customers present). Just ask her, she’s fully aware of what great dance skills she has!

With an often unique choice of words that only other Holland Home Leisure employees would understand, you can usually pull her away from her busy schedule by starting a conversation based around weddings or babies. Conversation can get a little silly during our down times at HHL, and Liana’s usually right in the middle of it, with a great sense of humour.

So next time you’re in the area, or feel the need to spice up your backyard living, come in to New Minas and see Liana! She’ll help you find what you are looking for, and she may even provide you with a glimpse of her latest dance routine!

-Katie McLean

Liana and Katie

The Blog Team

Brr...It's cold in here!!!

2011-04-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

When I was young my mother encouraged me to join swimming lessons at a community campground. We had a pool in our backyard so I wasn’t what you would call enthused to go swim in someone else’s pool. My mom on the other hand, was always a little nervous with kids in the pool wanted to make sure I was a strong swimmer. We always had very strict rules with our pool, no swimming with out begging one of my older siblings to stay outside and watch, stay in the shallow end if they were outside but not fully committed to watching, and never ever go out alone!

So, I started swimming lessons. I can only imagine the frown I had the first day. Luckily, I had a plan! I had been paying attention to all of the “pool” talk in our home, and I was going to find something wrong with the campground pool! I didn’t find anything wrong with the pool, but I at least saw an area for improvement. The temperature…BRRR!

Being at an all knowing age of 8, I knew my aquatic knowledge far surpassed that of my instructor. Really, I truly believed I was trying to do a good deed for my entire class. “Umm excuse me, but have you ever thought of getting a heater?” I asked, with all 50 pounds of me shaking with a slight tinge of blue (I was not used to such “harsh” swimming conditions.). When the answer I received was a flat out “No”, I went to my second option. I suggested the use of a solar blanket, and I couldn’t imagine why my helpful advice was not received with thanks of gratitude.

I did not return for lessons the following year. Maybe my mom felt bad for my body being blue, or she was slightly embarrassed to bring me back? Either way, this is me reminding all you pool owners to pull those solar blankets on at night to maintain the precious heat you gained during the day. If you decide you need a heater to satisfy your picky swimmers, you know where to find us!

Swimming season is almost here!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhondenizer

My little one enjoying Nan and Papa's Heated Pool!!

Pool Memories

2011-04-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to have a best friend (who was also my next-door-neighbour) who had an in ground pool!

I remember the summers prior to the pool being installed being filled with bike rides to the park (but always home before the street lights came on) and begging our parents to let us set up the sprinkler so we could run through it (if we were really lucky, we could set it up with a long sheet of plastic and take running dives across the backyard).

After the pool was installed I would get up every morning, wait until 10am out of common courtesy (and my mother’s orders) and then bike/run/skip as fast as possible over to my friend’s house (swimsuit already on of course!).

We would spend all day racing back and forth in the shallow end, jumping into the pool in as many different shapes as possible, and of course, seeing who could do the better hand-stand! If we did happen to venture inside the house for a quick snack, we were quickly encouraged to get back outside and enjoy the pool! I was in that pool so much, I’m pretty sure that most of the time I thought it was MY pool!

As years went by, silly games IN the pool turned into fun-filled lounging BESIDE the pool (with quick cool-off breaks in the water) and eventually, my friend moved away and swimming in a pool was more of a rare treat than an everyday necessity!

Now, after living in a house that has a pool, I can definitely say that it wasn’t the swimming that made those summers so fun (turns out, I’m not one for jumping in a cold pool!) it was the memories that were made, and the time spent with friends and family in and around the pool area (corny, I know, but it’s true!). I can safely say that the majority of my childhood memories are centred around that in-ground pool and the fun that we created for ourselves every summer. Our backyards are our outdoor homes in the summer months; why not make them as enjoyable as possible!

-Katie McLean

Remembering the 80's

2011-04-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

I will always remember my first swim in a Holland Home Leisure Swimming Pool. The date was September 25th, 1980 and the time was 11:05AM ... I had just come from the hospital after the birth of our second daughter. I thought I would go and visit my parents to spread the great news, this was way before the time of cell phones so it wasn't possible to call from the hospital! When I drove into the driveway, I saw the pool in the backyard, we had just finished installing it and it had just been filled with water a day or two before. To be honest the water did not look overly inviting because it had come from a nearby pond, and it looked pretty swampy, but I ran from the car, and did a running cannonball into the deep end fully clothed.

That was the first of many swims that we as a family enjoyed in that first HHL Pool. It seemed that for the next 10 to 12 years when ever there was any sort of family day it was held at my parents house. The pool was only 16x32 but it was amazing at how many people you could comfortably fit into it.

Over the next ten years or so we as a company concentrated on building in ground pools. I think I can remember each and every pool we installed during the 80's, and the greatest satisfaction for me is seeing some of those customers still coming into one of stores today. The 80's was a decade of great change, we bought our first computer in the early 80's and this totally changed the way we did our accounting, but to be honest I think some of the first accounting programs we used were more work than doing it by hand. We also got our first cell phone, and while it was portable, it looked more like a purse then the phones we are used to seeing today. The pool industry changed also as did the quality of many of the materials we used to build our pools. In the early 80's virtually all the pools installed were sq cornered rectangles, and by the late 80's kidneys and radius cornered rectangles were more the norm. Liners in the early 80's were mostly either a solid blue, or they had a blue pattern border, by the late 80's the full pattern liner was becoming more common. Mind you there were only a couple of patterns to pick from, but at least there was now a choice.

Looking back the 80's were a decade of change, but change was not as fast paced as we experience today. I guess the one thing is that change is constant, and we always need to be prepared to adapt with it, but some things do not change, and one of those is the enjoyment that families and friends can experience around your very own backyard pool.

-Mike vandenHof

Photograph Taken on September 25th 2010

Holland Home Leisure's 30th Anniversary

*Photo by Matt Kozera Photography

Fun Fact for You- Part 1

2011-04-21T10:58:00.000-07:00

We thought we would give you some valuable information on a few staff members, starting with Debby .v. our Aylesford store manager AKA the boss lady and our Staff mom (Literally and figuratively).

Debby is best known amongst her fellow staff members for being computer illiterate, or technologically challenged. We are actually quite impressed she figured out how to follow the blog. (Kristi did you help her? I know I had to help her join Facebook!)

Fun Facts about Debby- She always speaks her mind, even (especially) when her opinion is the minority, she only eats bread that has a high percentage of “bird seed”, and she secretly loves to clean! Shhhh…. Don’t tell! She is constantly looking for her glasses, talking about her grandkids and calling Craig Curtis by mistake! She is bad at names but great with remembering faces!

“The things I admire most about Debby are how she treats customers and her work ethic within the store. She sets a wonderful example of what true leadership is and it is a joy and pleasure to work for her.”- Megan Banman

Debby’s strengths include: Keeping the Aylesford store running smoothly, and her #1 priority is customer satisfaction and dealing with any concerns or issues they have, she will not stop until she finds a solution. She cares for her staff genuinely, and she has been known to demand staff leave because of weather conditions and she may even call them at home to make sure they made it ok, she is a true mother hen! She dives head first into projects, and won’t stop until she has completed them!

“She is very humble, and is the first to pitch in when needed no matter what the task.”-Jenn McGrath

We love that she is the first to call or email to congratulate someone on a job well done, that she gives us healthy eating pointers (while scowling at our lunches), and even though she is partially retired and not working in the winters she still pops in the stores now and then to stay on top of things and have a little visit.

After 30 years of being involved in the business we could go on and on about her accomplishments within the company! We want to thank her for a job well done, and let her know she is greatly appreciated by everyone!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer
Love you Mom!

Pool Side Fashion

2011-04-20T05:54:00.000-07:00

I personally have never been one to enjoy a trip out to look for bathing suits; they are usually full of awkward moments, laughing, and sometimes a grimace or two. I have never loved the trying on process; although I have approximately 8 suits that is not my point! (A girl needs options!) My point is, trying them on is not very fun. It could be because I have a very haunting memory of bathing suit shopping with my parents when I was 16. I was on the hunt for a one piece bathing suit, for a specific occasion, and after about 6 stores and no one being able to breathe from laughter I settled on a very hideous maroon floral print. (It turns out my waist may have been longer than the average girl my age, not good.)

I know right now my mother is giggling with memories of this day, and maybe she is elaborating to those around her on how bad this experience really was, but I am going to leave you with…it just wasn’t good. For a 16 year old, when almost everything is embarrassing and awkward I know I hoped that bathing suit shopping was something that would get better as I got older. I was wrong!

Since this memorable day, I have had many more equally mortifying bathing suit experiences. It may be that no matter whom you are, you’re going to be not 100% comfortable with shopping for something you know you have to wear in public that is the equivalent of what you normally wear with a full outfit on top! So, here we are in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia…fashion capital extraordinaire, and I have decided to do a little research on the topic! What is in style for the skin bearing season of 2011? How can we stay in fashion pool side?

Well, this is what I found out from the so called “fashion experts”. This summer season is all about color, or lack there of; Nude, khaki, white, beige, taupe, and black with small splashes of teal and aqua (for the adventurous only). Sounds exciting I know, mind you maybe they are on to something…black tends to be one of the most flattering options for the rest of your wardrobe!

If you are going to branch out and get a print on your new suit, apparently the acceptable options include a nice light floral bohemian print, paisley, or anything “earthy”. If you want to have your suit compete with the “Jones” suit, look for wooden accents, and fringe…Oh ya! Fringe! All fashion forward suits include fringe.

If you are uncomfortable strutting around in something with no more coverage than your undergarments offer invest in a cute wrap or cover up! Also, get a big floppy hat and some abnormally large shades and go out incognito, in true celebrity style.

My advice…maybe skip the hot trends of 2011 and go with a well fitted, well structured suit with a generous side of SPF60.

Just don’t forget the fringe!

-Liana vandenHof-Rhodenizer