All Clean Softwash June 2019

All Clean Softwash June 2019

GETALLCLEAN.COM 503-ALL-CLEAN

JUNE 2019

A Dad Who Shops and a Husband Who Cooks

Is a Recipe for a Perfect Summer

awesome cook. He’s a wizard with a chef’s knife and a master with a frying pan. He grills, roasts, and applies a bunch of techniques I don’t even know the words for. He has a large repertoire of killer dishes, but I would say tacos are his specialty. Whenever I see him dicing tomatoes for fresh pico de gallo, I know we’re in for a treat. My dad, Guito, lives with us, and he’s also a big fan of Tim’s tacos. Given that he does the grocery shopping — I lovingly refer to him as our manny — he will often buy ingredients to gently nudge Tim into making tacos again. They really are a dream team. I’m happy to do the cleaning once we’ve eaten, but I am absolved from all shopping and cooking duties, thankfully. That’s the way I like it, and it’s better for everyone’s palates and stomachs. So, you can imagine my horror when both Dad and Tim broke bones a few years ago. Tim had just broken his collarbone skiing when Dad fell down and broke his arm and leg. Don’t worry, they are both fine now, but I had to do all of the cooking and shopping for an entire month. Even though I had a captive audience of diners, I think everyone lost weight during that month. You can only have so much instant soup and pasta with jarred sauce before you go insane, doubly so when you’re used to Tim’s culinary creations. As I think back to that terrifying month, I realize how grateful I am to live with these guys. We don’t take vacations in the summer; instead, we opt to hang at home and use our vacation time to escape the winter. That leaves summers free for plenty of grilling and enjoying the outdoors. Keep your fingers crossed that Tim doesn’t go down with a freak injury this summer, or it will be burnt burgers and soggy salad all summer long at the Ricca house. Thank you, Dad and Tim, for banning me from the kitchen until the meal is served. Happy Father’s Day to both of you and to all the dads reading this newsletter, especially those who cook!

The best word to describe my ability as a cook is “hopeless.” I have never been able to cook, I definitely can’t cook now, and I don’t expect I’ll ever be able to in the future. It’s just one of those things. In most situations, I feel confident and capable. But in the kitchen, I feel more likely to cut my hand off or start a fire than create something edible, let alone delicious. Even worse than cooking is shopping for ingredients. When people tell me they enjoy the grocery store, I am as bemused as most are when they hear their friend likes going to the dentist. How anyone on this earth could possibly enjoy the grocery store is beyond me. Long lines, inscrutable layouts, and cart traffic are my idea of a nightmare. Sure, I’ll poke around a farmers market for fun and pick up a few items that look tasty, but watching me attempt to cross all the items off a list is pure comedy. I do enough backtracking while looking for ingredients that I probably walk a mile before heading to the checkout.

Luckily, I happen to have two wonderful men in my household that take care of the shopping and cooking. My husband, Tim, is an

–Jennifer Ricca

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Make a Positive Impact

3 Strategies for Genuine Community Involvement

in the parade shows that you’re part of the community, and when you top it all off by tossing candy to the kids, you’ll really make an impact. WORK WITH LOCAL SCHOOLS Your company could donate school supplies or even sponsor a program. Art and music programs are often the first to suffer from budget cuts, so support from a local business could make a huge difference. Donate art supplies to the classroom, sponsor high school theater productions, or offer scholarships to help young musicians pay for new instruments. Keep the arts alive by helping the kids in your community do what they love. These suggestions require time and resources to pull off, but making the effort can transform your company from just another business in a sea of many to a pillar in your community.

Even if most of your clients are located in other parts of the globe, the place your business calls home is a huge part of your identity. When a company makes a point to get involved locally, it’s doing more than making new connections and getting its brand out there — it’s also making a positive impact on the place it calls home. Most companies experience a slowdown in the summer. Here are some strategies to take advantage of that lull and create a plan for your business to get involved in the community and be a good neighbor. SUPPORT A LOCAL CHARITY Every town boasts its share of charities and nonprofits looking to make a

difference. Find a cause you believe in, then help out. This could mean donating a portion of your revenue to a local women’s shelter, volunteering as a company at the soup kitchen, or sponsoring a gala that raises money for a children’s hospital. Supporting charities demonstrates your values and attracts the kinds of customers who share them. JOIN A PARADE This sounds unconventional, but sometimes it pays to think outside the box. Most towns put on a Fourth of July parade in the summer, so why not join in? Building a float could be a great team-building exercise, and a lot of people will turn up and see your mobile advertisement in the parade. Being

Meet Andrew French Office Manager and Expert Plate Spinner

Andrew French has been with St. Mary’s All-Clean! for two years. For most of his tenure, he served as an on-site estimator, but he moved to the role of office manager a few months ago. “I am loving my new role,” Andrew says. “It’s a new set of challenges, and I’m learning how to get better every

Andrew also gives credit to All-Clean! for making the transition smooth for the folks at St. Mary’s. “I’ve been through transitions like these before,” he notes, “and this one has definitely been the smoothest. There are always going to be hurdles to overcome, but we are collaborating to build the best organization we can. It’s something I’m proud to be a part of.” When he’s not working, you’ll most likely find Andrew enjoying the great outdoors. He’s an avid hunter and fisherman, as well as a mountain biker. He lives roughly 100 yards from the Lacamas Park trails, so it’s not hard for him to pedal off at a moment’s notice. “I open my garage and go,” he says. We are proud to work with Andrew French, who’s just as comfortable in the office as he is on the trails. Congratulations on your new role, Andrew, and thank you for all you do.

day.” One of the things Andrew most appreciates about being office manager is the variety it offers him. “I have to be a jack of all trades working behind the scenes. I do ‘schedule Tetris’ to make sure our workflow makes sense. I talk with customers to make sure their needs are being met. I’m also something of a pseudo-operations manager, ensuring that the tech teams have the equipment they need to get their jobs done for the day. If I had to describe my job succinctly, I’d say I take care of all the little stuff, so our teams can focus on what matters: providing excellent service to our wonderful customers.”

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A Summer Services Checklist

Let Us Help Your Home Shine in the Sun

without leaving a few streaks and smudges, but our techs can. Let them blast away those webs and other debris. Sorry Spidey, it’s best to leave this one to the pros. GUTTER CLEANING Gutter cleaning before fall? Yes, you read that right. Preparing your gutters now for the foliage to come will make a fall cleaning a lot less intensive and expensive. It also means you can spend the entire summer without pulling out that rusty old ladder. DRYER VENT CLEANING This headline may not seem as important as the others, but often the small touch is what ties an ensemble together and makes all the difference. Dryer vent buildup is a major cause of house fires. No matter how clean your home looks, none of it matters if it goes up in flames. With a fully refreshed home, you’ll be the envy of your neighbors and have peace of mind that nothing is causing hidden damage to your home. Your home already feels good — now let us make its outer beauty match its inner charm. Call All-Clean! SoftWash today to get started on your summer cleaning checklist.

When it comes to homes, summer is the equivalent of the Met Gala. With so many folks on the street and the sun shining brightly all day, it’s time for your home to be seen. Don’t you want your property to sparkle like Rihanna on the red carpet? Of course you do, and your home can be fabulous inside and out if you follow our summer cleaning services checklist. EXTERIOR AND ROOF SOFTWASHING Our exterior SoftWashing can be used on roofs and exteriors to gently and effectively clean your home without risk of voiding warranties or harming the environment. You don’t need to struggle with tangled hose lines and buckets full of suds and sponges. We have the tools and the team to give your home the spa day it deserves. WINDOW CLEANING A beautiful exterior surrounding foggy, gunked up windows doesn’t make much sense. Even a DIY Spider-Man can’t clean his windows

Sudoku

INGREDIENTS • 1 5-lb. rack of beef ribs • Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste Beef Ribs Grilled

Inspired by Saveur magazine

DIRECTIONS 1. Heat a charcoal, wood-burning, or gas grill to medium high. Once heated, move heat source to one side or turn off half of the burners to create an indirect heat zone. 2. Season ribs with salt and pepper and char on the hotter side of the grill, turning occasionally, for 12–15 minutes. Once charred, transfer to the other side of grill and cook until the thickest part of the rib reaches 130 F, about 2 1/2–3 hours. 3. Let meat rest for 15 minutes. If desired, serve alongside grilled veggies.

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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

ALL-CLEAN SOFTWASH 15717 SW 74th Ave., Suite #400

Tigard, OR 97224 GetAllClean.com

Inside This Issue KEEP ME AWAY FROM THE KITCHEN PAGE 1

BECOME A PILLAR IN YOUR COMMUNITY

SPOTLIGHT ON ANDREW FRENCH PAGE 2

A FULL SUITE OF SUMMER SERVICES

GRILLED BEEF RIBS PAGE 3

MAKE THE ULTIMATE SUMMER TREAT PAGE 4

There’s nothing like an icy treat to cool down with on a hot summer day. But ice cream and store-bought popsicles tend to be full of processed sugar and artificial flavors. Beat the heat with a homemade treat instead! Here are some tips for creating the perfect homemade popsicles. • Invest in a popsicle mold. You can make popsicles with ice cube trays or paper cups, but an inexpensive popsicle mold can completely change the aesthetic of your popsicles, making them even more fun and delicious. • Use a pastry bag or freezer bag with a corner cut off to easily fill popsicle molds without making a mess. • When filling the molds, leave a 1/4 inch of space at the top. The mixture will expand when it freezes. • If your popsicle mold comes with a snap-on lid, leave the lid unsealed. Opening the lid when the molds are frozen can crack the brittle plastic. • Turn your freezer to the coldest setting and put your molds at the back of the freezer. The quicker your popsicles freeze, the creamier they will be because fewer ice crystals will form. • When you’re ready to eat your popsicles, carefully run the molds under warm water until they loosen. Gently wiggle the popsicle back and forth until it easily slides free. Cool for the Summer 7 Tips for the Perfect Popsicle

• Store uneaten popsicles in airtight freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. Ready to get started? Use the above tips to mix up the delicious guilt-free popsicle recipe below. Healthy Summertime Popsicles Ingredients

•

2 cups berries

•

2 tbsp honey

•

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Blend berries in a food processor or blender until nearly liquified. Feel free to use your favorite kind of berry for this recipe. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries all work great! 2. Pour berry mixture into large bowl. Stir in honey, and then gently mix in yogurt. 3. Pour mixture into molds and freeze for 4–6 hours. 4. Enjoy with your family on a hot summer day!

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