I live in South Georgia, and while it does get cold, it's not the bitter cold of the North. Right now, it's quite toasty and that seems to be the case over much of the Country.
But, Winter will be here and it's a good idea to be ready. Make sure your heating devices are working well. Freezing weather can hit without a lot of notice and you do not want temperatures to drop to 20 and discover you have no heat. Re[airmen will be busy and you might have to wait days. Also, make sure you furnace has enough of whatever fuel you use.
If your car battery is getting old, you may want to consider going ahead with replacing it. Very cold weather can kill a battery, but your odds are better with a new battery.
Look around your house and check windows and doors for leaks. Weather stripping, properly installed can save you a whole lot of money.
If you have an outdoor swimming pool. and have not yet had it shut down, get to it. Do it yourself if you can, call a service if not. Basically, you want to drain the water at the pump, add stabilizer and. cover it with a pool blanket. Then, some warm weather, it will be easy to get it up and running again.
I know that most of you have heard this advice and I hate to be redundant, but a Practical American is always ready for weather changes. Being ready can save you time, money and aggravation.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
The Internet
I just wanted to write a short note today about something that almost slipped my mind. Due to Hurricane Matthew, I was without internet access, recently, for 10 days. I have mentioned this before and I will say it again. Stop being so dependent on the internet.
It was a bit of a shock for about a day, and then I began doing all the things I could have been doing all that time I was online looking at, well, junk. It's worse than TV. Right now, I am doing my blogs and looking for a publisher for some fiction I have written. Other than that, I am not using my internet much at all.
I am also writing this because of the recent news events. Russia and the us are seemingly engaging in ever escalating cyber espionage. recently, hackers got into some Russian agency. Other hackers shut down Amazon, Netflix and Twitter, among other things. Banks, Credit Companies, and various stores are hacked. So is, from time to time, the Defense Department and the State Department. Just ask Hillary.
So far, the damages, while serious, are not catastrophic. There is so much redundancy that it is unlikely that the internet can be totally shut down, unless of course some one sets off some sort of electromagnetic pulse or a serious Solar event occurs and then the internet will be the least of our worries. But, some shutdowns and some sabotage is almost a sure bet, as are continues t hefts of credit information. I urge every one to start rethinking their dependence on the internet. Besides, just think of all the other things you can do.
It was a bit of a shock for about a day, and then I began doing all the things I could have been doing all that time I was online looking at, well, junk. It's worse than TV. Right now, I am doing my blogs and looking for a publisher for some fiction I have written. Other than that, I am not using my internet much at all.
I am also writing this because of the recent news events. Russia and the us are seemingly engaging in ever escalating cyber espionage. recently, hackers got into some Russian agency. Other hackers shut down Amazon, Netflix and Twitter, among other things. Banks, Credit Companies, and various stores are hacked. So is, from time to time, the Defense Department and the State Department. Just ask Hillary.
So far, the damages, while serious, are not catastrophic. There is so much redundancy that it is unlikely that the internet can be totally shut down, unless of course some one sets off some sort of electromagnetic pulse or a serious Solar event occurs and then the internet will be the least of our worries. But, some shutdowns and some sabotage is almost a sure bet, as are continues t hefts of credit information. I urge every one to start rethinking their dependence on the internet. Besides, just think of all the other things you can do.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Sleep Aids
Americans, we are told, do not sleep enough. I don't know about the rest of the World, but in this Country, a lot of folks are starting their days groggy and stumbling along in a fog. You cannot do your work safely and efficiently if you don't get enough rest.
How much is enough? That's kind of hard to say. The only guideline seems to be what works for you. The standard is 7 to 9 hours a night, but there are some who feel perfectly rested with only 4 to 6 hours. I, personally no of no one who does well with less than 4, but I don't know everyone and if you do well with 3, then that's right for you. If you need more that 9, I suggest you see a doctor. Something may be wrong.
Some folks who don't sleep well try various aids. Some work, some don't. If you have trouble sleeping, watch your caffeine intake, especially late in your day. Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid. If you drink enough to knock yourself out, you likely will not dream, and you must dream, the body and mind demand it. The same goes for a lot of sleeping pills.
In the old days barbiturates and Quaaludes were used and they have the same drawbacks as alcohol. Same goes for Valium and Xannx. A common over-the-counter remedy is diphenyl hydramine, or Benedril. This will help you get to sleep and you will dream, but I guarantee that your dreams will be bizarre and you will not wake refreshed.
There are a few things that work with little side effect. Herbs like chamomile, passion flower, hops, and valerian are, when taken as directed, very effective and have little after effect. Same for melatonin. With melatonin and herbs, just don't take too much. Use them as directed.
Warm milk actually works. It contains the amino acid l-tryptamine and it will help you get to sleep.
Meditation often helps and is very easy to learn. The simplest form I know of is just breathing easily and counting your breaths.
Whatever works for you, please get enough sleep. You will function a whole lot better during your day.
How much is enough? That's kind of hard to say. The only guideline seems to be what works for you. The standard is 7 to 9 hours a night, but there are some who feel perfectly rested with only 4 to 6 hours. I, personally no of no one who does well with less than 4, but I don't know everyone and if you do well with 3, then that's right for you. If you need more that 9, I suggest you see a doctor. Something may be wrong.
Some folks who don't sleep well try various aids. Some work, some don't. If you have trouble sleeping, watch your caffeine intake, especially late in your day. Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid. If you drink enough to knock yourself out, you likely will not dream, and you must dream, the body and mind demand it. The same goes for a lot of sleeping pills.
In the old days barbiturates and Quaaludes were used and they have the same drawbacks as alcohol. Same goes for Valium and Xannx. A common over-the-counter remedy is diphenyl hydramine, or Benedril. This will help you get to sleep and you will dream, but I guarantee that your dreams will be bizarre and you will not wake refreshed.
There are a few things that work with little side effect. Herbs like chamomile, passion flower, hops, and valerian are, when taken as directed, very effective and have little after effect. Same for melatonin. With melatonin and herbs, just don't take too much. Use them as directed.
Warm milk actually works. It contains the amino acid l-tryptamine and it will help you get to sleep.
Meditation often helps and is very easy to learn. The simplest form I know of is just breathing easily and counting your breaths.
Whatever works for you, please get enough sleep. You will function a whole lot better during your day.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Keep Your Trees Trimmed
Hurricane Matthew did not touch land with its strongest winds, yet it caused a lot of damage. Trees were uprooted and a lot of limbs went flying. Buildings were damaged and power lines went down. A
good bit of the trouble could have been prevented by proper tree maintenance.
Most of the damaged trees had not been pruned or at least not properly pruned. You do not cut trees back a lot. Instead you want to open them up. Cut away dead wood. Cut away crossed branches. Thin out most of the small branches, leaving the main limbs and some of the smaller branches, the ones coming right off the main ones at nice angles. This opens the tree to air flow and gives the uncut branches room to blow around. When cutting, do not cut right where the limbs join, this can damage the bark and invite insects and disease. Instead, you will notice, near where the branches join, a slightly thicker area. This is the collar and you cut right against that.
If you can trim yourself, great, but be careful. I once got hit in the back of the head by a heavy branch and it did a lot of damage to my neck. If you have any doubts, call a professional. Sometimes, more often than we care to admit, you will, ultimately, save a lot by having a job professionally done. Just make sure you get a licensed arborist.
One more thing. I noticed that a lot of damage was done because trees were located right up against buildings. This is a poor idea, especially when large trees are involved. When you plant a tree, find out how big it will grow and plan accordingly.
Trees are beautiful and we all love their shade on hot days but, they must be properly cared for or disaster may strike.
good bit of the trouble could have been prevented by proper tree maintenance.
Most of the damaged trees had not been pruned or at least not properly pruned. You do not cut trees back a lot. Instead you want to open them up. Cut away dead wood. Cut away crossed branches. Thin out most of the small branches, leaving the main limbs and some of the smaller branches, the ones coming right off the main ones at nice angles. This opens the tree to air flow and gives the uncut branches room to blow around. When cutting, do not cut right where the limbs join, this can damage the bark and invite insects and disease. Instead, you will notice, near where the branches join, a slightly thicker area. This is the collar and you cut right against that.
If you can trim yourself, great, but be careful. I once got hit in the back of the head by a heavy branch and it did a lot of damage to my neck. If you have any doubts, call a professional. Sometimes, more often than we care to admit, you will, ultimately, save a lot by having a job professionally done. Just make sure you get a licensed arborist.
One more thing. I noticed that a lot of damage was done because trees were located right up against buildings. This is a poor idea, especially when large trees are involved. When you plant a tree, find out how big it will grow and plan accordingly.
Trees are beautiful and we all love their shade on hot days but, they must be properly cared for or disaster may strike.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Do Things Right and Avoid Trouble
I am just returning to blogging after a short layoff. We, after Hurricane Matthew, were without the internet for 10 days I have been waiting to write this blog because we almost had a very avoidable disaster.
We were not hit all that hard, but, things did get a bit rocky for a while. My guess, and I have seen many tropical storms and hurricanes, is that our winds were about a steady 60mph for a few hours with gusts to maybe 80.
Across the street from where we live there is a business which at some point, put up a metal structure for employees to park under. It was about 10 feet by 12 feet and looked like a storage shed with no sides. They seem to have forgotten to properly secure it to the ground.
When the worst of the wind hit, the entire structure was tipped on its side and scooted across the road, at high speed. Luckily, it only sideswiped one car and slammed into a tree. Had it hit a person, it would have killed them and, had it not hit the tree, it would have ended up in someone's apartment.
I looked it over the next day and it was easy to tell that it had never been anchored to the ground, just set in place. This is amazingly negligent and it is very fortunate that no one was seriously injured.
Folks, please, if you are going to do something, do it right.
We were not hit all that hard, but, things did get a bit rocky for a while. My guess, and I have seen many tropical storms and hurricanes, is that our winds were about a steady 60mph for a few hours with gusts to maybe 80.
Across the street from where we live there is a business which at some point, put up a metal structure for employees to park under. It was about 10 feet by 12 feet and looked like a storage shed with no sides. They seem to have forgotten to properly secure it to the ground.
When the worst of the wind hit, the entire structure was tipped on its side and scooted across the road, at high speed. Luckily, it only sideswiped one car and slammed into a tree. Had it hit a person, it would have killed them and, had it not hit the tree, it would have ended up in someone's apartment.
I looked it over the next day and it was easy to tell that it had never been anchored to the ground, just set in place. This is amazingly negligent and it is very fortunate that no one was seriously injured.
Folks, please, if you are going to do something, do it right.
Wednesday, October 5, 2016
Take Care When Driving
Driving safety may seem like an odd topic for this blog, but hang on and you'll see my point.
A few years back, I was fairly broke. Driving to a store one day, I forgot that I was entering a mini-speed trap. For a two block range, the speed limit dropped from 50 to 35 and then back up to 50. I stayed at 50 and, sure enough, got pulled over and ticketed. The police periodically parked in that area and, at time, had 4 or 5 cars pulled over. I knew this and simply forgot.
Well, I had no argument. He had me and I was fined $145. Of course, my insurance also went up. At that point in time, I was just getting by financially and the fines and increase created a few weeks of hardship.
I have seen the same thing happen several times to folks I knew. I have had friends and acquaintances get in wrecks that were their fault, sometimes with no car insurance, or inadequate insurance. They ended up buried in debt, all because of a moment's lapse in attention.
I have also known folks who ended up with severe financial, personal, and legal problems because they drove in a somewhat altered state of consciousness.
My point is that in all such cases, using a little common sense and paying attention to what you are doing, especially when operating a car, can save you a whole lot of time aggravation and money. Being practical is not just about fixing things and handling money. It also means avoiding unnecessary expense and stress.
A few years back, I was fairly broke. Driving to a store one day, I forgot that I was entering a mini-speed trap. For a two block range, the speed limit dropped from 50 to 35 and then back up to 50. I stayed at 50 and, sure enough, got pulled over and ticketed. The police periodically parked in that area and, at time, had 4 or 5 cars pulled over. I knew this and simply forgot.
Well, I had no argument. He had me and I was fined $145. Of course, my insurance also went up. At that point in time, I was just getting by financially and the fines and increase created a few weeks of hardship.
I have seen the same thing happen several times to folks I knew. I have had friends and acquaintances get in wrecks that were their fault, sometimes with no car insurance, or inadequate insurance. They ended up buried in debt, all because of a moment's lapse in attention.
I have also known folks who ended up with severe financial, personal, and legal problems because they drove in a somewhat altered state of consciousness.
My point is that in all such cases, using a little common sense and paying attention to what you are doing, especially when operating a car, can save you a whole lot of time aggravation and money. Being practical is not just about fixing things and handling money. It also means avoiding unnecessary expense and stress.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Taking Care of Hoses
This may seem a silly point. You should take care of hoses but, believe me, it's not. I see hoses tossed in piles, thrown in the Sun and left full of water. As a result, when you go to use them, they are a tangled mess.
First. When you finish using hoses, get the water out of them. This is easy to do. Just stretch the hose out, grab one end, ad lift. Then, just walk down the line, picking up the next bit of hose while letting the previous part lay back down. You will notice an amazing amount of water coming out. Why is this a good idea? Well, all of that weight makes the hose heavier than it need be. Also, the water will, over time, rot the hose. Finally, if you don't do this, inevitably, you will soak yourself the next time you use the hose.
If you just throw the hose in a pile, it will tangle and that will lead to kinks. Then, when you go to use it, you will waste time untangling it and as you stretch it out, it will keep kinking. Again, you will waste time, and get sorely aggravated, so why not put it up right to begin with. If you have a hose reel, great. But, as you wind it up, make sure you're not crisscrossing the hose, or, when unrolling it, you will have those tangles. Without a reel, just make large loops and hang it up. You'll be fine.
Try not to leave a wound up hose in the Sun, It will get hard and brittle and will start to leak well before it should be wearing out.
All of these things may seem trivial but I bring them up for a reason. By simply taking a few extra minutes to store equipment properly, you will save a lot of time, aggravation and expense.
First. When you finish using hoses, get the water out of them. This is easy to do. Just stretch the hose out, grab one end, ad lift. Then, just walk down the line, picking up the next bit of hose while letting the previous part lay back down. You will notice an amazing amount of water coming out. Why is this a good idea? Well, all of that weight makes the hose heavier than it need be. Also, the water will, over time, rot the hose. Finally, if you don't do this, inevitably, you will soak yourself the next time you use the hose.
If you just throw the hose in a pile, it will tangle and that will lead to kinks. Then, when you go to use it, you will waste time untangling it and as you stretch it out, it will keep kinking. Again, you will waste time, and get sorely aggravated, so why not put it up right to begin with. If you have a hose reel, great. But, as you wind it up, make sure you're not crisscrossing the hose, or, when unrolling it, you will have those tangles. Without a reel, just make large loops and hang it up. You'll be fine.
Try not to leave a wound up hose in the Sun, It will get hard and brittle and will start to leak well before it should be wearing out.
All of these things may seem trivial but I bring them up for a reason. By simply taking a few extra minutes to store equipment properly, you will save a lot of time, aggravation and expense.
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