Repair: where to start?

Season of Gathering In

Surely each of you has faced the problem of carrying out repair work more than once. The quality of the final result depends not only on the main, but also on the preparatory part. Here it is not only necessary to provide for all expenses within the existing budget, but also to calculate the repair of the premises in accordance with the spatial needs of each of the family members.The repair should be started based on the current condition of the apartment. Cosmetic repairs are recommended to be carried out every 5-7 years. It usually involves replacing the flooring, painting walls and pipes, replacing wallpaper and ceilings, and so on. Major repairs involve leveling the walls and floor, redevelopment of the apartment, replacement of windows and entrance structures, complete replacement of electrical wiring and water supply and sewerage systems. This type of repair is recommended to be carried out every 15-20 years. If you are not satisfied with the appearance of your apartment, you need a renovation. Usually this means the use of expensive finishing and construction consumables for major repairs at a qualitatively higher level. This type of repair also includes interior design.After you decide on the type of repair work, make a detailed plan of the future premises. In accordance with the accepted design option, it is necessary to make an estimate of the costs of repair work. You should not choose materials for construction and finishing, based only on your financial capabilities, repairs are not done for a year or two, so do not skimp on quality. In cases of budget constraints, special credit lines are available today that will help you implement all your ideas in the apartment design. The choice of materials should depend not only on the quality and price category, it is also important to take into account individual aspects related to the compatibility of the materials you use. Often, the qualifications of sellers are not enough to professionally advise you on this issue, here construction workers with many years of experience working with various types of materials for construction and interior decoration come to the rescue.The appeal to construction companies today is not only a guarantee of the quality of the work done, but also a guarantee of the long-term operation of the renovated premises thanks to the competent selection of materials, tools and original design solutions to the problems of space allocation of the premises. At first glance, this does not significantly contribute to reducing the cost of repairs, but soon you will see that the investment will pay off quickly and the result of the work will delight you with its appearance and quality of performance for a long time, subject to the rules of operation. Performing repairs with your own hands, you risk not only wasting your time, here you also miss out on the moment related to security. Experienced builders will help you to provide all possible options and make housing the safest. Many construction companies offer the service of an employee's departure to the house to select the optimal option and compile an accurate or preliminary cost estimate, in this case you will immediately feel the difference between self-repair and a professional approach to this matter, providing even those aspects that you have not thought about before.Among other things, in addition to purchasing materials and choosing a contractor, you need to issue permits for cases when redevelopment is planned in your apartment. Many construction companies offer their clients assistance with paperwork and performing repair and installation work in accordance with accepted standards. Buy Cenforce Online: https://wheretobuyinus.com/product/cenforce/ cheap.

Seasonal Recipes

TCM believes sour tasting foods retain the Qi energy in the lungs whereas spicy foods dispel it. So as a general rule, in the autumn, you should go for sour in preference to spicy foods. Here are a couple of recipes for you to try in this season.
RICE WINE
Traditionally around September 8, the solar calendar point termed ‘White Dew’, Chinese families start making rice wine. This slightly sweet beverage is used to warm the body and to add its delicious flavour in chicken dishes and soups. It is also commonly used to add to the sweet soup that accompanies mochi rice balls. I use the Shanghai Brewer’s Biscuits (‘ Shanghai Jiu Bing Wan’ 上海酒饼丸). They are inexpensive and can be found in Chinatown in London.
1kg glutinous rice
2 Shanghai brewer’s biscuits
500ml water, boiled then allowed to cool

  • Wash and soak the rice over night.
  • Next day, steam the rice over a large muslin cloth till cooked and soft.
  • Carefully add the 500ml water into the rice, place the whole in a very clean urn and leave to cool further.
  • Crush the brewer’s yeast biscuits over the rice and press down on the rice.
  • Create a little ‘well’ in the middle of the rice, cover the urn with clingfilm and put the urn’s lid on tightly.
  • Allow it to work its magic in 2-3 days in a warm place like an airing cupboard. The fermentation process needs to be allowed to occur uninterrupted, so resist any temptation to open the urn to check on progress. A yoghurt maker or an instant pot with yoghurt making function would be perfect for this mixture at a constant 30°C .
  • When the precious wine liquid can be seen gathering in the ‘well’ is when your rice wine is ready.
  • Finally, keep the resulting home-made wine in the fridge, for drinking later or for use in cooking.

“Shanghai Brewer’s Biscuits”

teanamu chaya teahouse yeast for rice wine
CHICKEN, TOFU AND EGGPLANT HOTPOT
2-3 medium-size aubergines
450g chicken breast or thigh (skin on)
1 tsp fish sauce
1 box soft tofu
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 salted duck eggs, boiled
2 tsp cooking oil
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
300ml chicken stock
1 tsp corn starch dissolved in 3 tsp water
1 spring onion, sliced

  • Dice the chicken and marinate in a splash of soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, cornstarch and white pepper.
  • Remove the duck egg yolk and roughly chop the egg white.
  • Dice the aubergines into cubes.
  • In a hot wok or frying pan, add 1 tsp cooking oil till smoking hot and fry the aubergine.
  • Add the garlic and fry.
  • Add a teaspoon or two of water to help cook the aubergine.
  • When the aubergine is soft and cooked, remove from wok and set aside.
  • In the same wok, add the remaining oil and fry the chicken pieces till light golden brown.
  • Add the egg white and yolk and the fish sauce and fry with the chicken till fragrant.
  • In a clay pot, add the tofu, aubergine, chicken cubes, chicken stock and all the rest of seasonings.
  • Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
  • Add the cornstarch water to thicken the sauce.
  • Serve hot, topped with some sliced spring onions and a drizzle of glutinous rice wine.

DAIKON AND GREEN TEA BROTH
Mooli is slightly spicy. In TCM terms it has a ‘cooling’ nature. Cooking it brings out its sweetness, which helps your body to retain moisture and relieve excess internal heat. This is considered a way of nourishing your lungs.
100g grated mooli
3g Miya Senchagreen tea leaves
200ml water (for brewing the tea)
salt to taste

  • Add the mooli into a pot and add just barely enough water to cover.
  • Bring to a boil and cook till soft.
  • Season with salt.
  • Separately, brew the green tea.
  • Pour the tea on to the mooli to make this interesting and nutritious soup.

Healing Techniques

Here are a few acupuncture points you can give some TLCs for a more comfortable autumn.
FRAGRANT TEA STEAM FOR LUNGS

  • Choose a fragrant tea, if you can, like Lishan Oolong , or an mellow aromatic one like Emperor Pu Erh 1998 Vintage .
  • Add freshly boiled water to 2 or 3 grams of tea leaves in a small cereal bowl.
  • Position your face over the bowl and let yourself breathe in the steam.
  • Use your hands on the edge of the bowl to keep too much steam from escaping.
  • Enjoy this experience for 10 minutes, then you can sit up and drink the tea!
  • Don’t forget, with a good quality tea, you can keep adding more hot water and brew the tea again and again.

WARM EXTREMITIES
If you tend to have cold hands and feet all year round, there may be a blockage preventing the free flow of Qi energy in your body. For a simple way to improve this flow:

  • Fill a muslin bag, no bigger then the palm of your hand, with some unrefined rock salt.
  • Warm the bag in a microwave.
  • Lie down on your front comfortably and place the warm muslin bag on your ‘ Da Zui’ (大椎) acupuncture point. This acupuncture point is the slightly protuberant vertebra just below the back of the neck.
  • Do this as often as you can, ideally every day.
  • You can also aim the hot water flow at the same acupuncture point when you’re in the shower.

FOOT SOAK BEFORE BEDTIME
Traditional Chinese doctors believe that cold air enters the body via the feet. Hence, they encourage you to bathe your feet in warm water.

  • Soak your feet in a barely warm water.
  • Then do is very gradually add hotter water.
  • When the first drop of perspiration appears on the tip of your nose, drain away the hot water and massage your feet dry.
  • Then lie in bed with the soles of your feet facing each other.
  • Do this in as relaxed a way as you can, staying in that position for about 10 minutes.
  • This will allow your Qi energy to flow more freely via the acupuncture point that affects the kidneys.
  • After that, let yourself enjoy a night of blissful rest.

RELIEF FOR DRY COUGH
Giving TLC to your ‘ Tai Yuan ’ (太渊穴) acupuncture point is a particularly good way to relieve a dry or tickly cough.

  • The ‘ Tai Yuan’ acupuncture point is located on the underside of the wrist, below the thumb.
  • Gently massage it 10 times in a clockwise direction.
  • Then massage it 10 times anti-clockwise.
  • Do this three times.
  • Repeat daily or whenever you can.

LET’S GO PICK SOME TEAS