April 1986

EDITOR'S LETTER

In order to know what to write about in our magazine, my staff and I have to be on top of many statistics about the way you live, what your interests are, what kind of house you live in, and even how much money you make.

Look What's Blooming Now!

CRAZY ABOUT QUILTS

SERVING UP STYLE

RX: ONE PET, TAKEN DAILY

FASHION IN THE FLOWER BED

American Workweeks: More Choices, More Changes

CHOCOHOLICS TAKE NOTE

Fancy Finishes MADE EASY

NEW LOW-EMISSION GLASS FOR HIGH-EFFICIENCY WINDOWS

Revolutionary developments are changing the way we look at windows. The new glass delivers significant benefits-- especially in colder, northern climates, also in the Sunbelt.

TIPS AND TRENDS

Good health can pay off even more these days-- in lower life insurance costs. Nonsmokers have long been able to get 10 or 15 percent off, but a few companies now make things even cheaper for general good health. The ITT Life Insurance Corporation, for example, will provide up to double the coverage for the same premium, depending upon how well you meet four criteria, in addition to being a nonsmoker:

WHAT IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR TAXES ON TIME?

April 15 ... the dreaded day approaches, you've done some initial figuring, and it looks as if you'll owe a bundle in federal taxes. But you're strapped for cash and up to the eyeballs in loan payments. How can you forstall serious problems with Uncle Sam? Though the government could get nasty just 10 days after billing you for overdue taxes-- even seize bank accounts, garnish your wages, and sell your house-- that's not likely to happen.

HOME EQUITY CONVERSIONS

A Grannie Mae annuity is a sale/lease-back arrangement-- now available nationwide-- made with the homeowners' children or other family members. With a Grannie Mae deal, the parents sell their home to the children and use the proceeds to fund a guaranteed lifetime annuity.

WHAT THE AGING NEED THAT YOU CAN GIVE

Whether it's a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, or friend, you likely have someone older in your life whom you love and want to help. Here's how.

FACTORY-BUILT HOUSES ARE ON THEIR WAY!

THE FACTORY-BUILT HOUSE OFFERS SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGES OVER ON-SITE CONSTRUCTION. THESE HOUSES MAKE THE POINT.

WHAT ARE THE BEST USED CAR BUYS?

USED CARS ... now, there's a phrase that can set many an unschooled buyer to trembling. But if you're planning to be one of the 40 million or so people who will buy a "previously owned" car this year, fear not.

Compact Disc Players THE HOTTEST SOUND AROUND

No need to kiss your turntable and record collection good-bye just yet, but be prepared. Compact disc players and their dazzling discs have arrived.

Carpet Steps Out

Buying carpet once meant choosing the darkest shade possible to hide the dirt your family tracked in every day. But no more! New technology enables manufacturers to make carpets that are practical and beautiful. Go ahead-- pick the color and style you really want!

NEW MAJOR APPLIANCES

The biggest surprises often come in the smallest packages. Take a look at what's happening to major appliances. The new models are big on features but small on size. Consider what they can do for you.

TESTS FOR SCOLIOSIS: Cautions on X Rays

TIGHT SHIRT BLUES

POLYESTERS COULD ANSWER DIETERS' PRAYERS

STROKE VICTIMS HELP THEMSELVES

FIXING STAINED SMILES

STOPPING SECOND HEART ATTACKS

Teaching Children to Write Well WHAT YOU CAN DO

Success in school and business depends on being able to get your point across in writing. Despite the back-to-basics movement, millions of children can't get beyond the simplest sentences. You can help. With your guidance and encouragement, your children will find that writing can be fun and fulfilling.

WELCOME WILDLIFE

Roll out the welcome mat for wildlife! It's easy to be a pied piper to a mixed flock of creatures that fly, walk, crawl, and paddle. The three irresistible lures: food, water, and shelter. Here's how to enjoy nature's animals at home.

THE IMPATIENT DECORATOR GETTING THE LOOK YOU WANT WITHOUT WAITING

Even if you're starting with an empty room or a humble hodgepodge of furnishings, you can pull your place together-- fast! Here's how three impatient decorators did just that.

MAIN ROOMS!

Cool and contemporary, this deco-inspired living area shows what main room remodeling is all about: creating big, beautiful, efficient spaces that let on-the-go families cook, eat, and relax together.

SMALL, SMART COTTAGE KITCHEN

With rich woods and country fixings, our kitchen captures the charm of a simple folk cottage. Gear, Inc., helped create it as part of our redo of a 1920s bungalow.

NUTRITION INFORMATION WITH EVERY RECIPE

To help you keep track of the calories, protein, fat, cholesterol, and sodium you consume each day, we include the amounts of these nutrients by gram weight per individual recipe serving for every recipe we publish.

The Fitness Craze FINALLY Got to Us!

"Sometimes I forget why we've made so many lifestyle changes. But Bruce's heart attack was scary. We have a lot of years left and we want to enjoy them."

When AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR Gets Out of Hand

Punishment may help stop your child's seemingly unprovoked attacks, but it can make the problem worse. The effectiveness of a solution depends on the reasons behind your youngster's aggression. Here are answers to some of the questions parents ask most about quarrelsome kids.

RAINY DAY CRAFTS FOR KIDS

JUST OUT! FOR HOME AND FAMILY

Be ready for highway emergencies with the Roadpal. This compact lightweight unit plugs into your cigarette lighter to provide a trouble light, an emergency flasher, and a portable air compressor for pumping up a flat. The unit stores easily in your trunk or behind the seat.

GARDENER'S LOG

Gardeners who love fragrance can turn their yards into miniature perfume factories by starting scented plants this month. Flowers, herbs, shrubs, trees, and vines that produce aromatic blossoms or foliage will tickle the nose with a potpourri of delicate smells.

Shopping

Canines to Count On

Though the achievements of seeing-eye dogs are widely known, the praises of two devoted groups of canines-- service and hearing dogs-- remain unsung. Service dogs work as the arms and/or legs of their owners; hearing dogs act as the ears of their masters.

SUPER FAMILY VACATIONS IN DENMARK, NORWAY, and SWEDEN

Of the millions of Americans who rush off to Europe, few include Scandinavia in their plans. That's a mistake! Nowhere is foreign travel easier-- especially for families with children-- than in these lovely north countries.

RANCH RESORT VACATIONS FOR ACTIVE FAMILIES

The days of buckskins, stagecoaches, and shoot-'em-ups are long gone, but the best of the Old West lives on at these outstanding ranch resorts.

Shopping editor's choice

THE MAN NEXT DOOR

Biology teacher Ed Reynolds notes that the more he watches TV, the harder it is to remember that evolution really has occurred.