Sometimes, the best way to fix your web site is to get out the scissors. Print out your front page, and cut up the parts of it. Pull out the rubber cement from the back of your drawer, and pretend you're creating a picture puzzle. Is there a better place for your links? Is your phone number above the fold? Remember to put usability over flashy graphics, and wasted space.

This morning, my client and I worked together re-designing her clinic's home page. With the original web designer on the phone, we cut up the page, and penciled in some new ideas. By moving the pieces of our page around on paper, we were able to arrange things very nicely. I think it took us about 25 minutes.

Our "scissor session" wasn't welcomed very warmly by our webmaster. We heard some growls, a few harrumph sounds, and several big, exasperated sighs. It's a nearly $4,000 web site, and it needs to integrate with the client's established Facebook and Twitter accounts. Some of the changes are just standard design issues. We'd like to unify all the different fonts, down to one font in only two colors, move the menu bar, and be sure to have some current, written content on the home page.

My client quickly understood their web site with the help of our old friends; scissors, a pencil, and rubber cement. We gave the page better organization, and a faster loading time, just by using scissors to see what's possible. I think it will score higher in search engines, and with our readers, too.

As a social media manager, I know my expertise overlaps most webmasters. Many websites have been slow to flexibly integrate Facebook and Twitter with regular web traffic. His reticence to re-work several pages wasn't unusual. Webmasters may be "stuck" in design templates they've used in the past, and be wary of the rapid changes presented by social media.

Well, change is here. Your customers should be able to find your domain, and interact with you easily. That's what social media will help you accomplish. Instead of pages presenting fancy code, we need to offer a good, old fashioned handshake, via Twitter and Facebook updates. If your webmaster is more of a coder than a design and content source, this may be tough for them. Today, you may find it's time to cut ties, and trace a new pattern for your business to succeed.

Probably won't cost you $4,000, either.

My husband, Phil, and I have just returned home from a quick, evening shopping adventure at Michael's, on Everett Mall Way. We arrived just in time to rush inside from the drizzle, and pick up the item I needed for a resin art project. As we were checking out, another couple came through the doors, only to be told, "We're closed, sorry folks". They probably tried Walmart, next. Walmart may be all that's left, at nine p.m. on Friday night.

Fred Meyer's used to be a good place to find sewing notions, or even a few yards of fabric. Our local Fred Meyer's doesn't carry fabric anymore, so they're not on our favorite, late night shopping spree list, anymore. Walmart has a good supply of miscellaneous fabric and notions, and an increasingly nice selection of beading materials and findings. Plus, it's close by.

We aso have a nice JoAnn's just a few blocks away. They're famous for their high quality fabrics. Fabric stores remind me of the shopping trips I'd take with my Mom when I was young. When your last sewing machine needle breaks, the night before you're planning to wear the prom dress Mom's making, you knew you'd be taking off together on a late night shopping trip. Usually, that also meant sharing a chocolate sundae, from Dick's Drive-In on our way home. (Lake City Dick's is my favorite!)

Phil enjoys finding the little things "just right" for my artistic creations. Thankfully, Phil's quick to grab the keys, and take me shopping for last minute arts and crafts items. Phil's Mom, RoseAnn, was here today visiting, and she made me think of what my Mom would have been sewing at this stage of her life. Our Moms were always working on some project, or another. Sometimes, Phil and I just sit together, and look through new books, patterns, and fabrics. Just like shopping sessions we'd share with our Moms when we were growing up, and what I've done with our four girls, too.

After we walk in the house, with just a little rain on our shoulders, I asked Phil if we have any ice cream left in the freezer. Phil smiles, and shows me the jar of chocolate topping, as he closes the cupboard door.

It's a Friday date night, courtesy of Michael's.

Saturday morning, we lost our church to arson. It was a lovely, small church, serving about 700-800 people since 1989.  Located in Mukilteo, WA, it
was a total loss. My husband just happened to drive past the chapel that morning, and was stunned to see the fire. Neighbors were talking in small groups, along with firefighters, local leaders, and news media. The Mukilteo Fire Department was still working to douse hot spots as he took these images. 

A church is a community's place of gathering; a center for weekly activities, weddings, memorials, and memories. Why would anyone attempt to destroy the peace of mind of a community by setting a fire? We may never know. Thankfully, Snohomish County, Everett, and City of Mukilteo leaders are working together to catch the perpetrator.

During the early 90's, the Seattle area was targeted by an arsonist who eventually killed three people, destroyed several local homes and churches, and over $30 million dollars worth of property. He was turned into authorities by his own father, and is now serving a life sentence. I remember meeting his father. A kind and compassionate man, with a forever broken heart.

As we make plans to attend church in another building, and reorganize our family's schedule, I realize another father is about to have his heart broken. My heart goes out to that family, whoever they are. I hope our community will be able to rally around them, as they face what's surely to come.

Diabetes is an unfair disease. Without a thorough retinal exam, diabetic changes may begin to affect your vision health before you even know you have type 2 diabetes. There is no obvious discomfort associated with early diabetes eye damage. But it's still doing its' dirty work. One of the first parts of your body it effects, are the tiny blood vessels of the retina. The early stages of non-insulin diabetes may go unnoticed for years. You may not even have a clue that your eyes are under attack, before the disease causes diabetic retinopathy. That's why an annual exam including the optomap® retinal exam is recommended.

Your eye doctor is trained to look for any unhealthy changes taking place silently within your eye. Using the optomap®, Dr. Lynette Sundholm is able to see an ultra-wide view of your retina (the back of the eye). This assists in the early detection of several common diseases in addition to diabetes; glaucoma, high blood pressure, macular degeneration, and some cancers. This quick, and painless eye exam, has fast become the method of choice for patients seeking a thorough exam without eye dilation drops.

If signs of the disease are found, you and your doctor can take steps to protect and preserve your eyesight. Before diabetes causes periods of blurred vision, or frequent urination, your eye doctor needs to find it. If members of your extended family have diabetes or eye disease, or you're just wondering if your eyesight could be better, make an eye appointment with Dr. Sundholm, your optometrist in Everett, WA. Call Silver Lake Eye Care Center, at 425-388-5400 to schedule a comprehensive eye exam. Most insurance plans, including Regence, Medicaid, and VSP accepted. Contact lens patients welcomed.

Silver Lake Eye Care Center offers corrective and colored contact lens fittings in Everett, WA. The Seattle area has thousands of young Japanese anime, sci-fi, and comic book fans. Anime cosmetic lenses, and flashy, round "theatrical" contacts, are often given away between fans, illegally, at local anime events and Halloween parties. "If it doesn't correct vision, how can it hurt my eyes?" I've been asked. Beware; so-called "Lady Gaga contacts," also known as round contact lenses, can hurt your eyes after only a few hours of wear.

If you're tempted to try them without a contact lens prescription, please don't. Doctors report more acute eye infections, emergency room visits, and red eye appointments nationwide as a result. A contact lens exam and fitting may protect you from unintended damage to your precious eye sight.

I recently spoke to a young woman that tried round contacts, and they made her eyes ache within hours. Luckily, she knew that wasn't like her own RX contacts. Many young men and women try cosmetic contact lenses before knowing what to expect. Since circle contact lenses cover more of the eye's surface area, and deprive the eye of more needed oxygen; painful eye infections can develop fast. See your Everett eye care professional immediately if this happens to you.

There are many brands of approved, "Halloween" or "special effect," cosmetic contacts on the market. To investigate wearing any of the legal contact lenses available, call Dr. Lynette Sundholm's Silver Lake Eye Care Center, at 425-338-5400, and protect your beautiful eyes, first.

Everett, WA eye exams are available at Dr. Lynette Sundholm's Silver Lake Eye Care Center near Mill Creek, WA. Silver Lake Eye Care Center features a beautiful new eye clinic just up the street from the Everett Costco location. They accept VSP insurance coverage, and participate in the nationwide InfantSEE program, "Helping Infants to Establish a Lifetime of Healthy Vision". Everett optometrist, Dr. Lynette Sundholm, is one of 7,000 AOA-member optometrists that have volunteered to serve as InfantSEE® optometrists nationwide.

Parents are encouraged to bring their infants in for a well-baby eye sight assessment. A baby's healthy eye sight progresses in stages, and the free INfantSEE program helps you monitor the successful development of your child's eye sight. Silver Lake Eye Care Center offers the finest complete eye care and service, from childhood through adulthood. Yearly eye exams for glasses or contact lenses help your family protect their good vision throughout life. "Because your family's eye sight is precious beyond measure." Evening appointments available. We accept most Washington insurance plans, such as VSP and Regence. Call 425-338-5400 to schedule your family's annual eye check ups today.

Are you looking for VSP providers in the Everett or Marysville area for regular or contact lens exams?
Dr. Lynette Sundholm, a participating VSP optometrist in Everett, WA, is located just north of the city of Mill Creek, and across the street from the Everett Costco. Silver Lake Eye Care Center is happy to take VSP insurance for eye exams, eyeglasses, and contacts. VSP eye care insurance is one of the most widely used eyecare insurance plans by Washington families and companies. "Call us, and we'll look up your insurance benefits. We are happy to talk with you about your VSP eyecare coverage."

Dr. Sundholm's professional staff enjoys helping you find new eyeglass frames to fit your needs and lifestyle. Your entire family is welcome in their spacious, light-filled clinic. Look for the building with a green roof, just north of the Northwest Animal Care Clinic. Our clinic is just a few minutes north of the Seattle Bellevue area with lots of easy parking. We're able to submit your VSP insurance claim directly so you'll be able to enjoy your new eyeglasses without filling out insurance claim forms. Call 425-338-5400 for an appointment, today.

We're regular customers of 7th Avenue Produce Market, just off 7th Avenue and 112 Street Southeast, Everett, WA. We love their local, beautiful produce, fresh fragrant flowers, and we enjoy the personal customer service and attention we recieve when we visit. It's fun to support the local produce market, and great to see such an enthusiastic business thrive in our neighborhood. The facility is large, open, and modern, with whole walls of windows that lift up in the warm weather.

We became devoted shoppers because of the marvelous Christmas Trees they were selling a few years ago. Tall, fresh, and lushly formed sheared Douglas Fir for under $50. Wow; we called every friend we knew. These were premium, perfect trees, just the right size and "plumpness" native Washingtonians expect to find for our Christmas Holidays. But  then we found the barrels and baskets of fresh walnuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts! Look at all the locally made gift items! Fresh local honey, a hundred different sorts of dried fruits, small, boutique gift baskets, home-made candles - there were many perfect holiday gifts. Wonderful Christmas holiday baking items, too. We were so pleased to find such a wide array of holiday gift ideas made by local and regional artisans.


This week, we found a great, big watermelon to enjoy in our ultra warm weather! Yes, the heat has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest, and we're ready; with a 28.9 lb watermelon for just $11.27. It's in cooler right now, and tonight, we're going to enjoy watermelon after dinner. Compare prices; a small 4lb watermelon, on sale at Walmart, sells today for a bit over $4.00.

We also wanted to take home the fragrant hybiscus, potted, standard sized, filled with new pink or yellow blooms. The fresh flower buckets of fresias in lavendar, white, and purple, were perfectly fragrant. We grabbed nectarines, oranges, sunflower seeds, peppers, sweet onions, roma tomatoes, apples and caramel dip. I wanted to take entire buckets of fresh flowers home. He had nice lilies for sale, in bronze, reds, and lovely pastel colors. His prices and selection show personal care and concern; nothing is "just normal"; it sparkles.


Everett's 7th Avenue Produce is perfectly located to serve an appreciative south Everett to Mill Creek clientelle. Snohomish County is one of the most progressive supportors of the local produce and craft movement sweeping America, and 7th Avenue Produce is another one of the reasons it's growing. Check out 7th Avenue Produce Market, and let them know what your favorite items are; they'll love recieving your feedback.

7th Avenue Produce
11033 7th Avenue Southeast
Everett, WA 98208
(425) 212-5939‎

The sun has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest, and families are crowding the local Washington beaches and waterways. I listen to the news of recent swimming accidents, and I remember losing my family on the water during an especially beautiful summer.

My little sister, Martha JulieRae Rank would have been 47 years old this Fourth of July, 2010. She drowned at the tender age of 10, at Ozette Lake, Clallam County on July 11, 1973, with my family; Dad, Robert Ray Rank, (44,) Mom, Joyce Merilyn (Black) Rank, (44) and brother, David Alan Rank, (8). Martha and my Dad were never found. As the 37th anniversary of their passing nears, I remember them with love and fondness, and sadness, too. I wasn't able to share their lives with my four daughters. We lost a set of grandparents, and aunt and uncle I know my daughters would have treasured.

Cold water drownings are a fact in the Pacific Northwest. The outdoor temperature may have quickly risen past 85, but the Snohomish County lakes, rivers, and streams are still quite cold. Every time I hear news of another family's possible loss, it brings my family's accident back as if it was yesterday. Hypothermia is an equal opportunity killer. Sure, sometimes the victim is brought back with fast medical intervention; but not always. I listen to the radio, and hope that at least today's news family will be able to find their lost loved one. With the lakes so cold, and the waters traveling so fast on the rivers, it's sometimes difficult to find the body. It's bad enough they are gone, but to never find your loved one, is a special kind of sadness.

When you visit one of our wonderful parks or recreation area, please take care. Read up on where you're going, scope out what others had to say about the location. Be aware the water is always colder than your body can handle, past a certain point. Hike, swim, and visit parks and wilderness areas as a group. Wear a simple whistle. Leave a note in your car, telling everyone where you're going. Keep your cell phone charged, even if it's left at the car. But more important than anything else; talk to your family before you go. Simply let your family know you love them.

Please make a will before you go on an extended vacation; just write it into your travel budget. Our family died intestate, (no will,) and with my father's body never found, adopted and step-children left behind, plus a few properties, the legal mess was *awful*. Just take an hour or two with a trusted legal advisor, and make sure you never put your family in that position. Leave them tangible proof of your enduring love and concern by creating a will. You'll sleep better, knowing this all-important detail is settled.

Enjoy our overdue summer sun, but remember; because our local cold waters are so beautiful, they can sometimes cause tragedy even when used with respect.

I'll be thinking of you out there.

We recommend the personal legal services of:
James T. Hendry
(425) 387-9719 
Attorney at Law
Everett, WA.

I recommend the services of Silver Lake Eye Care, of Everett, in the Bothell, Mill Creek area. Are you struggling with over-the-counter readers, that make your "dress for success" look, a wreck? Technology for eyes has changed so much, you may come into your Optometrist's office, and walk out with progressive contact lenses. Oh, you're never heard of those, have you? How long has it been since your last eye exam? Well, it's time.

Just as the right real estate agent is more apt to meet your needs, a good optician will fit you into exciting, effective, and "right message" eyeglasses. Any good agent may be caught in a poor light, after using a "road wreck" for glasses. "Yeah, my dog got to these a few months ago, and I still need a new eye exam." Or the ever classic, "I left them on top of my truck, and had to run back, and get them after the next off-ramp".

Perhaps you're trying to get by with, "over-the-counter glasses, and now and they're so scratched." Poor eyeglasses hide a good agent's professionalism.

Your everyday vision needs may increase after hours at the computer. Your eyes seemed fine till just recently, right? Our eyes work hard, and change over time. Thankfully, optical lens advances and contact lens choices available at Silver Lake Eye Care will give you many vision options.

We've, "I'm smart and trustworthy," frames, and, "I'm beautiful," frames. Or, "we're going rock-climbing this weekend," frames. We'll tailor your new RX to your lifestyle, daily computer use, and wallet. Dr. Lynette Sundholm's eye care offers the technology, expertise, and fashion tools to complete your personal presentation, *clearly*. 

Schedule an eye exam, and be ready to see a new world. Plus, it's the fastest, least invasive way to find out if you have one of the "silent saboteurs"; diabetes, high blood pressure, or glaucoma. A simple 30 minute annual eye check, covered by insurance, answers those questions. Optomap retinal exams are also available in our north Mill Creek, Everett area office. Now you may relax; with priceless information about the health of your eyes, and body.

When you're reading contracts with clients next week, you'll see those details effortlessly; without hiking up the eyebrows, emptying a purse, patting down jacket pockets, or running back out to your SUV. You're going to present yourself with confidence. Plus, with clear anti-reflective, your client will see your eyes, and more easily read your face's messages. Later, you'll drive home safely without blinding, oncoming headlight glare.

Trusting your eyes again; what a pleasure!