2022 Newsletter - April
Ripley Housing Authority - April 2022
You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
Your Community Team
Justin Jones
Executive Director
Joyce Edwards
Finance Director
Jeffrey Conrad
Facilities Director
Bronca Caldwell
Leasing Coordinator
Kimberly Taylor
Executive Assistant
Aylissa Taylor
Administrative Assistant
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
7:00 am - 6:00 pm
Contact Directory
Main Office
731.635.1901
Office Fax
731.635.1948
Emergency Contact
731.413.5665
Friendly Foolin'
Have a little fun with your friends and family members on April Fools' Day with these easy and easygoing tricks:
- Get a pack of googly eyes and stick them on random objects for others to find.
- This one's great for co-workers! Say "Hey, I made you some brownies!" Then hand them a container filled with letter E's cut from brown paper.
- Pick a celebrity and print photos of them off the internet, then swap them with every framed snapshot in your home. See how long it takes for your relatives or roommates to notice!
Spruce Up Your Salads
With fresh spring veggies available at grocery stores and farmers' markets, it's the season of eating salads every day. Here are some tips to help your homemade salads taste as delicious as those from a restaurant:
- Chop all the ingredients into similar sizes, so each bite gives you a taste of everything.
- Contrasting textures make salads more interesting. Add crunch with toppings such as croutons or dried noodles, nuts and seeds, and firm vegetables like carrots or radishes. Create balance with softer ingredients, such as hard-boiled eggs, avocados, and cheese.
- Before dressing your salad, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Other seasonings that go well on salads include oregano, basil, and dill.
Cut Clutter With a Drop Zone
So you've finished your spring cleaning, and are now motivated to keep your home neat and tidy for the rest of the year. Organization experts recommend a basic method to reduce clutter: the drop zone, sometimes called the landing strip. Located near your door, this can be as simple as a shelf and a couple of hooks on the wall. The main purpose of a drop zone is to literally drop off keys, mail, and other items such as your wallet, bag, or jacket, so they don't clutter up the rest of your home and you always know where they are when you need them. By keeping mail in the zone, you can quickly sort the junk from important pieces like bills and notices. Depending on your needs, other useful additions to your drop zone include a welcome mat for shoes, a small trash can, or a box for donations.
A Tribute to 42
Ballparks around the country will host Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, celebrating the life and legacy of the Brooklyn Dodgers player. On that date in 1947, which was Opening Day, Robinson became the first Black baseball player in the MLB. His uniform number, 42, was retired in 1997 across all major league teams, a first in any professional sport. To remember and honor the influential athlete, players, coaches, managers, and umpires all wear the number 42 on Jackie Robinson Day.
Easy Eco-Friendly Actions Anyone Can Do
Earth Day is coming up on April 22, but there are lots of simple ways you can start living an eco-friendly lifestyle today.
Use what you have
Many Earth-friendly suggestions include swapping items you already own for more sustainable versions, such as tossing your plastic toothbrush for one made of bamboo. But the most environmentally responsible thing you can do is use what you have already. When it's time to replace something, then you can consider eco-friendly alternatives.
Clean Green
Lots of surfaces in your home can be cleaned with natural, inexpensive substances like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice. Look up tutorials featuring these green solutions before trying a product with harsh fumes. Wait until you have a full load before you do laundry, and use cold water for all your cycles; this will save water, energy, and money, and your clothes will be just as clean and last longer, too, since cold water helps prevent shrinking and fading.
Share
As people buy more stuff, the number of resources used increases, and more things are thrown away. That's why shopping secondhand is so good for the Earth and your wallet. From clothes to housewares, many high-quality used items can be found at thrift stores, yard sales, and online. Search social media sites for "buy nothing" groups, where you can score some great finds for free. And don't forget your local library. Besides books and movies, you can often borrow video games, tools, and sports equipment.
Don't skip the small steps
Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Carry reusable shopping bags to the store. Put aluminum cans in the recycling bin. Use a reusable water bottle, straws, utensils, and food containers instead of disposable options. Can these simple suggestions really help? Yes, especially if more people do them. Every action you take with the environment in mind can encourage everyone to continue making green efforts.
Fresh Takes on Burrito Fillings
Don't know what to eat? Take inspiration from a quirky holiday and make a burrito! National Burrito Day is observed on the first Thursday of April, but there are plenty of fun twists on this Mexican classic to have a burrito every week.
Breakfast burrito: Start with a foundation of scrambled eggs and shredded cheese, then go extra-hearty (sausage, bacon, or ham) or extra-healthy (baby spinach, mushrooms, and/or bell peppers).
Cheeseburger burrito: Brown ground beef, then stir in the Fixin's: ketchup, mustard, dill pickle relish, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, and shredded cheese. Scoop the mixture into tortillas and add lettuce before folding them up.
Asian burrito: Start browning ground pork or beef, and add shredded cabbage and carrots (packaged coleslaw mix works great!). Stir in soy sauce and teriyaki sauce near the end of cooking. Serve wrapped in a tortilla with cooked white rice.
Trivia: Bunny Business
- True or false? Male rabbits are called bucks.
- What storybook rabbit gets caught eating vegetables in Mr. McGregor's garden?
- In what year did the Energizer Bunny mascot first appear in a TV commercial?
- Surveys say most people bite which part of a chocolate bunny first?
- What's it called when a happy rabbit jumps and twists?
Think you know the answers?
Email your answers with "Trivia: Bunny Business" in the subject line to Trivia Master for your chance to win cool stuff! The deadline for this entry is April 30, 2022. Five winners will be selected by May 15, 2022, and notified via email.
(Last month's "With a Little Luck" answers 1. Faith, hope, love, and luck; 2. Marbits; 3. Lucky bamboo; 4. Falkor; 5. "Dirty Harry")
April 2022 Calendar
April 1
Rent Due
April 6
Late Fee Applied
April 7
Pest Control
April 11
Office Closed for Training
April 12
Office Closed for Training
April 13
Office Closed for Training
April 15
Good Friday
April 17
Easter
April 21
Pest Control
May 2022 Calendar
May 1
Rent Due
May 5
Pest Control
May 6
Late Fee Applied
May 19
Pest Control
May 30
Memorial Day - Office Closed
June 2022 Calendar
June 1
Rent Due
June 2
Pest Control
June 6
Late Fee Applied
June 16
Pest Control