Southbrook Apartments & Townhomes
February 2010
2nd - Groundhog Day
4th - TNA Wrestling - KS Expo Centre
7th - Super Bowl XLIV
12th - Last day to enter Valentine's drawing
12th-14th - Topeka Boat & Outdoor Show - KS Expo Centre
13th - Playhouse Disney Live - TPAC
14th - Valentine's Day
15th - President's Day
19th-21st - Kansas Garden Show - KS Expo Centre
21st - Brian Regan Live - TPAC
23rd - Preventative Pest Control - Building 5201-2,3,4,5,6,8,and 5231-1,2,3,4,5,6
26th-28th - Shrine Circus - KS Expo Centre


Katie
Community Manager

Casey
Operations Manager

Kert
Maintenance

Matt
Maintenance



From the Manager's Desk...

Dear Residents:
Congratulations to the winner of our Super Bowl drawing.  We hope you have fun cheering on your favorite team.  Also, don't forget to enter the Valentine's Day drawing by Friday the 12th.  The winner will receive a gift card to Red Robin for two dinners and two movie passes. 
On Valentine's Day, love is often expressed by a card.  Kids send cards to their classmates, friends send them to each other and often people send flowers or candy to their significant other. However you may celebrate this Valentine's Day, make it special by spending time with the ones you love.
In the spirit of Valentine's Day, remember Home is Where the "Heart" Is.  We would like to welcome all our new residents to our wonderful community.We hope you'll enjoy your new home.

Sincerely,
Katie Payne
Community Manager   


Energy Saving Lighting Tips

  • Change the regular light bulbs to compact florescent bulbs. They have a higher initial cost but last longer and use less energy. Remember to dispose of them properly when they burn out; they contain mercury.
  • Use dimmers on regular lights when possible.
  • During the day, open window shades, blinds and curtains to let in natural light rather than turning on lights in the apartment.
  • Light some candles (but never leave them unattended).
  • Turn off lights when not in use or before you leave the apartment.


Keep Roses Fresh!
Follow these tips for keeping your roses looking Valentine's Day fresh
-Before arranging roses, remove any leaves from the stem that will be under water in a vase
-Use a sharp knife to trim 1 to 2 inches from the stems
-Place roses in a vase of tepid water, and keep them out of direct sunlight and away from hot and cold drafts
-If possible, move the roses to a cooler area at night or keep them refrigerated
-Add a little bit of lemon-lime soda to the water to help keep roses looking fresh
-Check the water levels daily and replace the water if it starts to appear cloudy

Southbrook Apartments & Townhomes
5201 SW 34th St.
Topeka, KS 66614
(785) 273-6116
southbrook@midlandmgmt.com
Southbrook Apartments & Townhomes
5201 SW 34th St.
Topeka, KS 66614
(785) 273-6116
southbrook@midlandmgmt.com
Office Hours
Fall/Winter
Monday-Friday:  8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm
Spring/Summer
Monday-Friday:  9 am - 6 pm
Saturday: 10 am - 2 pm
Thanks for visiting!   
Be sure to bookmark this page and visit every month to stay connected with our community!
Holiday Safety Tips

As the holidays get closer, people begin decorating their homes and yards to celebrate the season. However, a festive celebration can quickly turn into a tragedy in the event of an accident. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that almost 11,000 people are treated in emergency rooms annually for holiday-related injuries such as falls or electrical shocks from hanging holiday lights. In addition, about 400 fires involving Christmas trees occur each year, resulting in 70 injuries, 20 deaths, and over $15 million in property damages.

Although holiday decorations can be beautiful and meaningful additions to festivities and celebrations, everyone should exercise caution to make sure that holiday traditions do not result in accidents. To keep your holidays safe this season, follow these safety precautions to avoid fires, electrical shocks, falls, and other injuries:


Never use lights that have not been tested by a recognized testing laboratory.
Only use lights with fused plugs.
Always check lights, both new sets and old sets, for broken sockets, frayed wires, or loose connections. Throw away damaged light sets. Replace bulbs with others of the same wattage.
When decorating outdoors, only use lights certified for outdoor use.
Never use nails or tacks to hold strings of lights in place outdoors. Only use hooks or insulated staples.
Never leave lights on when you leave the house. They could short and cause a fire.
Never burn wrapping paper in a fireplace. A large fire can result quickly from burning paper.
Plug outdoor electric decorations and lights into circuit protected with ground fault circuit interrupters.
Look for fire-resistant artificial holiday trees. Although these trees can still catch fire, the tree can resist burning and extinguish quickly.
Only purchase a live tree or evergreen decoration that is fresh, with needles that do not easily fall from the tree. Trees that are brittle are drier overall and thus much more likely to catch fire.
Keep your tree watered and keep it away from fireplaces and radiators, as well as out of doorways.
Only use non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to decorate your tree.
Never use lighted candles near or on a tree or other plants.
Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. A person can be electrocuted from the tree if it becomes electrically charged from faulty lights.
Keep yourself and your family safe this holiday season by following these safety tips and using common sense during your celebrations.

For more safety tips and for legal information about accidents, visit the website of New York City personal injury lawyers Orlow, Orlow & Orlow, P.C. Joseph Devine
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Devine
Old Fashioned Meatloaf
Game Day Blue Cheese Dip
5 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
Endangered species, pollution, and deforestation were once the buzzwords on every environmentalist's lips. As the twenty first century kicks into high gear, however, these issues are being pushed aside by the concern that has taken over the green movement almost entirely. Whether it is a result of Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth or of a recent spate of severe weather, there is no denying that reducing carbon emissions has become the number one priority to environmentalists and politicians alike.

Reducing the carbon footprint has become a significant goal for governments, businesses and individuals, and with good reason. Fossil fuels seem to be running short, fuel prices are soaring, and there is no denying that the Earth seems to be heating up. But what can an individual do? Though it may seem insignificant, the dictum 'Think globally, act locally' has never been more applicable than in the case of reducing greenhouse gasses. Below are five painless ways to reduce your carbon footprint.

1. Minimize driving and use person power: Walk, jog or ride a bike to work. Save up small errands so they can all be taken care of in a single trip. Carpool with a friend. Whenever possible, use public transportation.

2. Switch light bulbs: Switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs will save energy with no inconvenience whatsoever. While you're at it, old, inefficient Christmas lights can be traded in for new LED ones, and electric patio lights can be replaced with solar powered lights.

3. Opt for green energy: More and more people are making the choice to go off the grid and produce their own energy through winds or solar power. When this isn't an option, many electric companies now offer the choice to select the source of energy billed to a particular account.

4. Buy local: Buying local saves on carbon emissions by reducing or eliminating shipping cost, and has the added benefit of supporting the local economy.

5. Become Energy Conscious: There are dozens of opportunities every day to make more energy conscious choices. Becoming conscious of the energy used in daily life is the first step to eliminating excess energy use, and reducing your carbon footprint.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rodney_Jamison
Ingredients
1.5 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 pound blue cheese
chopped chives to taste
dash Worscestershire sauce
celery salt & pepper to taste

Directions
Puree sour cream, mayonnaise and blue cheese. Add chopped chives, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and celery salt and pepper to taste.


Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com