Day 3: I Want To Take My Bra Off

It's my 3rd day at the homeless shelter and today I felt a bit sad. Without a place to get proper rest, I was frustrated and angry. I filmed a video and I wanted to do a voice over but there was nowhere for me to record because there are always people around.

I had to go outside in the back and hide behind a trailor. It came out well though.

I did my first radio interview today and they TRASHED me saying that it seems like I just gave up on life and I'm not doing anything inspirational. I didn't get upset. I know how radio works. Sensationalism sells. I laughed it off, tried to defend myself and when I simply decided not to, the interview ended.

I am loving the people I am meeting at the shelter though. I look forward to seeing them and hanging out. They make me laugh which I really need since I am so focused and so busy with trying to organize the job fair, figure out how to make money and keep my own spirits up.

GOOD NEWS!

Today I signed my VERY FIRST job fair participant!

~hand claps and cheers~

It was a manager at Denny's who said that she would participate and give a homeless woman a shot at employment.

The job fair is 3 weeks away and I still don't have everything together but I am trying. Tomorrow I am going to spend all day calling businesses and trying to get them to participate.

I am tired. I am cranky. I want to lounge around in my underwear with no bra but I can't. I am missing having my own home like crazy. People are writing to me telling me that I am inspirational and I like hearing it but to me, I am not a success until this project is a success. I have to make this happen but I can't do it alone.

I am so tired. I have to wake up by 5am every morning and I can't go back to sleep until after midnight. I choose to sleep on the outside patio because the air inside the building where the overflow residents sleep is way too stuffy for my taste.

I tried to talk to two homeless women today but they ignored me. I think they were annoyed.

Anyway, I will not be deterred. I finally finished the editorial for tomorrow and all I keep thinking is, "I wanna take off this bra so badly!"

I hate wearing a bra!

~sigh~

Here are the two videos I created today. The first one is a look inside the homeless shelter. The 2nd is my first lesson in mental success called: Re Program Yourself.

I hope they inspire you!

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Your World News Report - April 13, 2011

By Berlyne Julmis
News Coordinator

Gas prices at An All Time High

Gas prices are at an all time high and many Americans are feeling the strain of rising prices. The national average for regular at the pump is $3.79, but in many states consumers are already paying $4 a gallon. The up rise in protest and the fight for democracy in many Middle East countries and Muslim nations, such as, Libya and Saudi Arabia are causing an increase in the price of oil. Economists have predicted that gas prices will continue to rise throughout the spring.

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Government Shutdown Averted

Congress manages to avoid a government shutdown at the eleventh hour with the deadline
rapidly approaching. Democrats and Republicans agreed on a temporary deal that will keep
the government functioning--$38 billion is proposed to be cut from this year budget alone and
in the long run $500 billion would be slashed. Among the many programs that will be affected
are WIC, Foreign Food Assistance and Related Programs, Even Start, Striving Readers, Literacy
through School Libraries, Rental Assistance Program, Hope IV, HUD, Transportation, Green Jobs Innovative Fund, HIV AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, FEMA, and Career Education. There are no proposed cuts for the US Senate, US House, Capitol Visitors Center, and Library of Congress at this time.

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FCAT 2.0

Florida students commenced two weeks of FCAT testing this week. Students are taking the new state standardizes FCAT 2.0 with new reading and math requirements this week. In previous years the FCAT was scheduled prior to spring break this year state officials scheduled the writing section in March, but allotted children and teachers more time to prepare for the math, reading, and science segments. The final day of FCAT testing is April 22nd with Science. Governor Rick Scott recently signed into law a bill that will affect teachers’ salary pending on students’ performance on the FCAT, but this will take effect next school year.

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2012 Republicans Unofficial Presidential Bid

Former Governors Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty have both made claims for the presidential race of 2012 presumably after president Obama announces his bid for reelection. Both have formed exploratory committees allowing the candidates to start hiring staff and raise money for a shot to prevail as the Republican nomination which will the run against president Obama in 2012 General Election. These are just two of republicans of the many expected to make a bid for president -- republicans are not allowed to make an official bid until next year spring.

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Savvy Blogger We Love- Jeannette Maw

Jeannette Maw
Master Certified Coach
Libra

Jeannette Maw is founder of Good Vibe Coaching, hosts an online site at Good Vibe University, is the co-founder of Good Vibe Coach Academy, and writes monthly for Catalyst Magazine. She is the author of several law of attraction ebooks and is a contributor to Jack Canfield's Life Lessons for Mastering the Law of Attraction.

What do you love about being a blogger?

I love that it's uncensored! I have total freedom to write whatever I want whenever I want! I have been blogging since April 2007. The women who love my blog are interested in self empowerment and manifesting their dreams. They are open-minded with a spiritual bent, and incredibly supportive and generous of others in the community of readers.

How did your life change after you became a blogger?

I felt a more direct connection with my audience. I'd been using email newsletters to get my message out to people prior to blogging and that doesn't allow for an open two way conversation like the blog does. So it felt intimately more connected and also gave me a great opportunity to showcase my products better than I had been.

How do you spend your free time?

I think of all my time as "free time" - because I'm always free to choose how I spend it! So in that sense, I spend my free time connecting with others online through the blog, social media and through my online membership site, etc. But, outside of that, my time is invested in volunteering for local animal rescue groups. In fact, my 8 month old foster puppy was just adopted into his permanent home on Sunday. It's so quiet around here without him! But it makes room for the next foster animal, so it's all good.

What qualities did you have to develop to become a leader in your field?

Confidence. For sure, confidence. You can't share your message effectively without it. Sharing my message also required a willingness to get it wrong publicly. I also had to be open to criticism. But really, I think it boils down to a willingness to take a stand and go public with it. That requires courage and conviction. Passion for the work doesn't hurt, either.

Have you ever had an amusing interaction with a reader?

I was coaching a client on a subject she was struggling with. I shared with her a story that a reader had posted anonymously on my blog. It was a very inspiring story of someone who was empowered with knowing her ability to manifest what she wanted, with details that would have stopped most people in their tracks. But this reader persevered past the obstacles and got what she wanted.

My client was silent for a minute until she confessed to me that that was HER and that she'd forgotten all about that story. Here she is providing her OWN inspiration anonymously through the blog via this coach session with me. I'll never forget that because I think we often forget our past successes when we're so focused on struggling with new challenges.

What is that you really hope to do with your gift?

Inspire deliberate creators! That's my mission! For everyone to know their power to create reality how they want it.

Why is being savvy important to your success?

Being savvy helps me cut through the abstract, airy fairy woo woo approaches we often see in law of attraction material. It gives me a confident, practical, experienced perspective as I support those who are looking to become savvy as well.

Be inspired everyday at Jeannette's Good Vibe Blog

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Single Mom By Choice: Terry's Awesome Love Life

Terry

59

Palo Alto, CA

Computer software designer

59-year-old Terry claims that she has always been single. “My last long-term romantic relationship lasted around 4-5 years,” she remembered. “It was fun. The guy was more laid back than I am and I enjoyed the lack of pressure being around him. It broke up when we went separate ways. I was ready to make a family, whereas he was divorced and had kids and didn't want to do that again.”

“The people that I've met and that I would like to be with are already taken,” Terry admitted. “I'm too independent to settle. I have a pretty happy life, so I'm not placing a priority on finding a partner. I'll probably get back to making that more of a priority when my daughter leaves home, but I still won't settle for something not so good.”

Does she ever feel pressure to be married? “Nope. I have what I want without it,
Terry said. “A satisfying job that makes me enough money, a wonderful kid and friends that I enjoy. A life partner would be a wonderful thing, but I don't feel pressure about it.”

“The best thing about my life is my kiddo,” Terry recalled. “She's wonderful, and it's fun seeing her blossom into a young woman. I'm very proud of my decision to adopt her. When I was in my late 30s, I was living far from any relatives and had some friends move away. I felt like I wanted a stable connection in my everyday life - family that lived with me. Then a single woman that I worked with adopted a newborn, and it suddenly hit me that I could be a single parent, too! The relationship I was in was drifting apart, and as I mentioned below, the guy didn't want to do the parenting thing again. So I started seriously considering becoming a single parent. Since I didn't have a lot of experience being around kids day to day, I joined Big Sisters to get a taste of having a close relationship with a kid. That worked out very well. I also found out about Single Mothers by Choice (SMC), and made a decision to go ahead.”

”At first I tried to conceive a child, both the old-fashioned way and with the help of a doctor,” she continued. “I had an ectopic pregnancy. In the year after that, my body quit responding to the lightweight fertility meds, and being more aggressive would have been very expensive and didn't have that great a chance of succeeding in those days. A woman in my local SMC group adopted from China, and that seemed like the perfect route for me. China was just opening up for adoption at the time. The process was bureaucratic but fast. The kids were mostly healthy girls, which I felt more qualified to parent than a boy. I'd had an affinity for China since I was a kid, had had a Chinese BF at one point, knew some Mandarin, and had been to China shortly after it opened to Western visitors. Eight months after I submitted the first application, I was on my way to China to pick up my daughter. She was a sweetheart, 5 months old, and pretty easy to parent.”

As luck would have it, Terry was laid off from her job just before the adoption. “That turned out to be wonderful luck in disguise. I stretched the severance package and used some savings, to be able to be with my kid for the first year. I was with her full-time for the first 3 months, and then I worked on a project part time and hunted for a new job for the next 9 months. I ended up moving back to California, where there are more computer jobs so another on. I'm also proud of completing my degree in school even though I ran into difficult times,” Terry said.

It’s not wrong to fantasize about love, is it? “Absolutely not,” Terry confirmed. “Romantic love would be wonderful. My partner would be someone that I feel an equality with, that I can work together with to create wonderful things, and who has a give-and-take with doing nice things for each other.”

For women who are frustrated by their lack of love Terry said, “Quit focusing on that. Focus on making your life into what you want to do with it. Then life itself will be fun for you. The people you meet will fit into that, and will make life even more satisfying. If one of those people becomes your life partner, so much the better.”

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REBUILD: First News Interview (Video)

I appeared on Channel 6 News in an interview about The Rebuild Your Life Project.

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Restaurants With Free Wi-Fi

Searching for free wi-fi? Look no further than your favorite fast food restaurant. These restaurants offer free wi-fi to customers at no cost.

Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar

Burger King .

Cici's Pizza

Denny's

Dunkin' Donuts

Jack In The Box

Krispy Kreme

Krystal Burgers

McDonald's

Schlotzsky's

Taco Bell

Quiznos

Wendy's

Panera Bread

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Your World News Report - April 12, 2011

Division Over Federal Budget Continues

Partisan warfare over taxes and spending again takes center stage in Washington this week, as Congress considers a budget deal for the remainder of the current fiscal year as President Barack Obama unveils his deficit reduction plan.

Republicans expected to vote by Friday on their budget proposal for the next fiscal year. That plan cuts almost $6 trillion in spending over the next decade greatly affecting Medicare and Medicaid. Democrats vehemently oppose this plan.

The outcome of this vote will affect the 2012 presidential race as well as the aims of the federal government in the future.

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JFK Flight Bound for Paris is Clipped During Take Off

While taxiing out of John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday night a wing of an Airbus A380 bound for Paris clipped the tail of another plane.

There were no physical injuries to passengers of either plane. All the passengers were taken off the plane and into a terminal. The extent of the damage was unknown.

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Pakistan Demands Reduction of US Presence

Nearly 335 American personnel — C.I.A. officers and contractors and Special Operations forces — were asked to leave the Pakistan after a Raymond A. Davis, A C.I.A. officer was arrested for killing two men who he said were attempting to rob him.

The demand for the reduction of US presence was made by the chief of the Pakistani Army, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

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Your Son Is NOT the MAN of the House

Brenda M. Hook

Staff Writer

I have heard it many times. We all have. Some have said it to my son and I quickly, in front of all present, contradict the statement with barely an explanation.

No, my son is not the ‘man of the house.’ He is a child.

I don’t understand what would make any logically thinking adult try to put the burden and responsibility of a grown man onto a child. As cute as it may seem, it’s not. We need to keep children in their place and out of adult decisions and situations. You simply can’t expect your son to take over their absent or late father’s emotional burdens.

Even now that he’s getting older and has to shave his face every few days, my son still knows his role in this house. There are things that I may consult with him on, such as where to go on vacation and if it fits in with his busy academic schedule or what he wants for dinner, but when it comes to adult decisions, finances, or other adult problems he is not a part of that because he is not an adult, and frankly, it is not his business.

Your son is not here for you to place your financial fears on him or to rely on him for emotional support and expect him to help you make decisions that are beyond what’s appropriate for his age, just because you’re feeling lost on your own. That’s what friends are for.

Historically, overly responsible children are sometimes unable to have fun, relax or have the ability to develop normal friendships. They learn that other people’s feelings are more important than their own, and once they become adults, they can become anxious or depressed for years of worrying about adult issues and burdens they should not have to bear.

Kids are never too young to accept some level of responsibility, yet they should never be placed in a responsible position that belongs to an adult. Some adults fail to accept responsibility and they give their authority to a child and while I salute single mothers everywhere, no child should be referred to as “the man of the house”, it’s a HUGE responsibility and far too great for our boys to live up to.

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Day 1: Hitting The Streets

Today I woke up extra early to try to get my mind right. It felt like my heart was about to burst as I waited for the first reporter to show up and videotape me talking about my project. I worried if I would be able to explain things well or if I would sound stupid. I worried about every little thing until he actually showed up and then I felt calm.

Christina, one of the editorial columnists for My Savvy Sisters stopped by to join me in meeting the next reporter. We met up with Laura Hansen, the director of the National Coalition to End Homelessness at the park and sat under a tree to take advantage of the shade. Laura brought Mary with her and I interviewed her after hearing how she completely transformed her life. Mary was homeless two years ago and is now a counselor for the homeless.



After meeting with Laura and speaking with Mary, Christina and I spoke with another reporter and then I was on my own.

I decided to go to the Homeless Voice Homeless Shelter, my partner in this project. The owner, Sean Canonie was not there but his staff introduced me in and started my intake process. The residents of the homeless shelter were so nice to me. We ate a dinner of hot dogs, beans, salad and cake with grape juice. After dinner a group of the residents and I watched my news report air on Channel 6. I was so relieved that they did a great piece on me. My message was understood! So grateful!

I would think that I would have been afraid but once I sat down to talk to the people here I felt comfortable. Most welcomed me in and gave me the inside scoop about how the place is run and what chores they have and the work they do.

As a new intake I had to clean up the cafeteria after the dinner was over. I cleaned off tables and swept the floor and then sat down to speak with the people on the patio that they call the Smoke Pit. Cigarettes are half off here and it seems that most people chain smoke and watch TV after work.



There is an even mixture of men and women of all ages. All races are represented here. You would think that being homeless would affect their spirits but they laugh and make jokes and fight and share cigarettes as though they are one family. I learned that they earn money by going out every morning to sell the Homeless Voice newspaper. The paper doesn't have a price, these people earn their wages by whatever donations people want to share. They get to keep 60% of the money they receive in donations. They usually work for 10 hours a day and are then picked back up and brought back to the shelter.

The men in particular paid especially close attention to my needs and I was grateful.

"Wow, you guys are so nice to me," I said to a guy named Rick.

"Why not? You're a woman with cleavage every guy is gonna be nice to you," Rick said. He made me laugh.

I heard many different comments from the residents. Generally, they told me that I am too pretty to be in here and that I don't look like I belong. One man was upset that I am here. He said I am exploiting the homeless for my personal gain and he doesn't feel comfortable with me around. The others told me not to listen to him and that everyone has haters.

There is a set time for showers, around 9pm and you can only take one a day, if you are a new resident. If you are a new resident you do not get a room of your own; you get a mat and sleep on the cafeteria floor. Once you are a stable resident you get to move into a room with a shower that you share with 5 other people.

These rooms aren't free. You pay by going out to sell the Homeless Voice newspapers or any income that you have that comes from the government are subsidized by the shelter if you are unable to work. A lot of the residents here are long term residents. A few women that I met reported that they had been here for more than 7 years. Reportedly, this is the shelter that will take in the homeless population that most other shelters won't take in due to repeated mental illness and drug problems.

What do I see?

I see a group of men and women who have hope for their lives and dream of one day getting out here. I see humans. I see brothers and sisters who, like me, couldn't make it work for some reason.

Well, its bedtime. I'm tired and I have to get some rest because tomorrow I have much research and traveling to do by bus and by foot and wake up is at 5am.

Goodnight.

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EDITORIAL: Budget Politics

By Christina Fermin

Politics & Society Columnist

With the threat of a government shutdown this past weekend we should reevaluate our priorities in our nations spending. Last year in 2010 the U.S. gross domestic product was $14.6 trillion dollars. Our current national debt is $14.2 trillion dollars, basically what our country as a whole makes in a year we owe in debt. What decisions has our government made that has put us so far in debt? The answer is complex, but at the same time simple, war. Defense spending accounts for anywhere between 40%-55% of the budget.

Our military has over 700 bases in 130 countries around the world, we spend more on the military than China, Russia and most countries combined. Our defense spending is responsible for most national debt. Republicans and democrats have equally stood on the sidelines for years on this issue, and are both responsible for our current budget crisis. Rather than reigning in on Presidential powers or speaking out against the Iraq, Afghanistan and Libyan attacks politicians have done nothing but argue and blame one another.

If we continue on this economic path of destruction the U.S. economy will collapse. It is time to reinvest in the united States of America and fund the things that are going to help stabilize our nation. How can we claim to be a free democratic country when our government hides parts of the defense spending in the name of “national security” to fund illegal operations such as citizen spying performed by the F.B.I., C.I.A., N.S.A and the like. The Federal Reserve Bank has made the situation worse by printing money out of thin air, risking inflation.

So how do we get ourselves out of this? First and foremost we must end all wars and call home our troops. Close corporate tax loopholes, let the Bush tax cuts expire and raise the taxes for the top 1% of the population. We also need to get rid of free trade and raise tariffs. Finally the power of the federal government needs to be reduced back to actual constitution levels so that the power is decentralized again and given back to the states.

We are not the police of the world, and we cannot allow the people we supposedly elect to make decisions that are based on the interests of corporations. Democracy does not work without the participation of the majority, today only a minority participate while a majority of corporations and those with money and influence actively participate. While the republicans and democrats are arguing on how to manage the budget we need to pressure them to call an end to all war and reduce the defense spending that is costing us and future generations a lifetime of debt.

The only way things are going to get done is if we do them ourselves, relying on others to serve our best interests does not work. Get active and involved in your communities, if we cannot take back our federal government, we do have the power to take back our communities, cities, and towns. We will take back our government one community at a time. It is time to do your responsibility and take care of yourself and one another. Like I have said in the past, one person can change the world, it just takes action!

Peace & Harmony,

Christina

About the Columnist

With a bachelors degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University, Christina Fermin has always cultivated her love for history, politics, sociology, ancient knowledge and teachings, the outdoors, the ocean and the environment. Christina strives to make our world better by helping us all create a new reality and understanding of all taking place here and now.

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Emergency Rent Money

Compiled by B.J. Schmidt

These are programs that will help you pay for rent.

Arizona----- www.housingaz.com/default.asp

California--------- http://housing.ncd.ca.gov

Connecticut---- www.ct.gov/dss/site/default.asp www.ct.gov.ecd

Delaware--- www.westenddh.org

District of Columbia -- www.community-partnership.org

Georgia--- www.dca.state.ga.us

Illinois--- www.dhs.state.il.us

Iowa--- www.ifahome.com

Maine-- www.mainehousing.org

Michigan--- www.michigan.gov/dhs

Minnesota----------- 651-284-4473; 887-396-6386

Missouri---- www.mhdc.com

Nevada--- www.dbi.state.nv.us

New Hampshire--- www.nhhfa.org

North Dakota--- www.ndhfa.state.nd.us

Rhode Island--- www.rihousing.com

Virginia---- www.dhcd.vipnet.org

Washington--- www.cted.wa.gov

$ 2,700 a Year for Rent-- www.rurdev.usda.gov

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My Savvy Sister of The Week- Bronte Blomhoj Aurell

Bronte Blomhoj Aurell
London, England
Scandinavian Kitchen

Bronte Blomhoj Aurell opened her business, Scandinavian Kitchen, in London the same day she delivered her first child. Scandinavian Kitchen is a deli, grocery store and cafe with a large web shop that services both Scandinavians in the UK and people who love Scandinavian food. You can find her store at 61 Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 7PP, England.

“I’d had enough of the fast-paced banking environment since I worked for JPMorgan and Goldmans, so I jumped ship to work for a small start up called innocentdrinks.co.uk – a UK smoothie company,” Bronte said. “There, I had the most amazing mentors. It was a meeting of minds and I stayed there for 5 years before I felt ready to do my own thing.”

Doing her own thing meant opening her own business that released a certain hunger she had for a taste of home. “Being an ex-pat Scandinavian in London, I was missing food from home. I also wanted to do something I could shape and create together with my partner. We are both passionate about food, especially food from our home countries, so we decided to create a place that was both a grocery store, a cafe and an online shop for ex pat Scandinavians and people interested in Scandinavian food,” she said.

“I love food. Food is everything – it creates memories and enriches cultures across the world,” Bronte explained. “When I think of my Mom I think of her Danish meatballs, I think of her special apple pie with cinnamon sauce, using the apples from our garden. Every memory is somehow connected with a food experience. I wanted my children to feel connected to their heritage by food as well as language, seeing as we live abroad. I always tell people that I sell much more than food: I sell a remedy for home sickness.

Owning her own business allows Bronte to be flexible with her time. “I don’t have anyone to answer to so I can fit my schedule in around my kids,” she said. “I don’t work less than I did before, in fact, I’m sure I work harder, but it is on my terms and nobody else’s. Plus, my kids have never had to suffer because of our work. We’re there for them – and we are both able to be equal parents. Both of us work but both of us look after the kids too. It’s wonderful.”

“I’ve always been lucky to land on my feet,” Bronte recalled. “Actually, this is probably a lie, but I have a bad memory for things that didn’t go so well. I don’t see making mistakes as failure; I see it as a learning curve. Life is all about learning. As long as the risk is not too great, I say go for it. I truly believe that most things in life are 90% guts, 10% action. We have our own fear that keeps us from doing stuff we want to do. It never ceases to amaze me how many people hold back in life, only to realize too late that this is not a drill, this is IT: this is the chance you get and you have to grab it. You only have one life. The fear of failing is very real. For some reason, we think that others don’t have it. We all have it every time we are pushed into a new situation. Imagine if you asked Obama to perform the starring role in Les Miserables? I promise you he’d be fearful to of doing that because it would be new to him. Everybody is scared of new things. Therefore, overcome the fear and then the rest is not that scary.”

Bronte offers My Savvy Sisters her personal recipe for success:

1. Write a business plan. Crunch the numbers. If the numbers don’t add up at this stage, find a different strategy – or idea. Trust the numbers, not just a fluffy idea.

2. People make a business. Treat your people right and they will automatically give good service to your clients. Hire ahead of the curve and hire the best people you can afford and do not be afraid to delegate.

3. Read Michael Gerber’s “The E-myth Revisited” and learn it by heart. He’s my hero.

Oh, and don’t have a baby on the same day as opening your first store.

To visit Scandinavian Kitchen online go to http://www.scandikitchen.co.uk/

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