Winter is On the Way

Where I live bow, it is hot and steamy. Tropical weather is still drifting around and California is blazing. But, like it or not, winter is coming

The Practical American will be ready when the cold wind blows.

That wind is an issue. Be sure that your weather stripping is in good shape. . That cold air will find every little gap and your heating bill may soar. Just checking that stripping may help keep you warm and save you a bundle.

Look at your winter clothing. If you need new jackets and caps and globes, buy them now. In the fall, stores have a large winter selection. Once the cold hits, the selection thins. This is especially true of thermal underwear.
Make sure your heating system is in working order. If you wait until the freeze hits, you may wait days for service.

Finally, is you live in the lands of snow and ice, make sure you have the needed attachments for your tires, such as chains and keep some rock salt to prevent slipping and sliding around your property/

Then, enhot the new season

America - Celebrate the 4th

It's the 4th of July and I hope you have the day off. If not, you have my sympathy and I hope you apply all of my advice to your next day off.

If you're off, relax. Put your feet up, watch a game, stuff yourself with all that good food, have a drink or 2, and just take life easy. If you have a burst of energy, take a walk, go for a swim or play some games. If your community has some kind of event, go. I short, enjoy your day off. You earned it.

How is this practical? After all, there are cars to wash, laundry to do, house work and yard work to catch up on. True, but all of that can wait because, humans need rest. They need fun. It is good for the body, mind and soul to take a break. You cannot go at work 24/7 without something breaking down. You must recharge the batteries. Everything else can wait for just 1 day.

For those of you stuck working, again, you have my sympathy. Still, you can enjoy your day. Relax and coast a bit. Take a few minutes to chat with customers and fellow workers. Refuse to be pushed today. Let me let you in on a little secret, one I took too many years to learn.

To your employers, no matter how friendly they seem, you are but an entity, a cog in the company's machinery. Pushing yourself at work will not impress them. It will not get you any advances that are significant. It will just get you worn out. Guess what? When you have a day when you can't quite keep up, and trust me, such a day will come, they will say bye-bye and never miss you. You'll just be replaced and the only loser will be you. Things weren't always that way, but they are now. So take today and coast a little. Stretch that break an extra minute or so. Goof off when no ones; looking. I won't tell. Promise.

Enjoy this mid summer holiday, Americans. You work too hard and life is short so enjoy the day.