Fall

As much as I'd love to stay in full denial mode, summer is over and fall has arrived. Slowly the days have gotten shorter and the nights, much cooler. I, among probably many others in the northern tier states, have been forced to turn the damn furnace on.

Those who read this blog regularly know that in the spring, I usually post something about severe weather safety. I decided to hit a few things on that vein now because when fall ends, winter will arrive and with it, snow, ice and other yucky stuff that I would love to move to Arizona or Texas to avoid.

Have the coolant in your vehicle checked. Make sure it will stand up to the abuses of temperature that winter will bring.

Check the tread on your tires. Are they going to be able to get you through the slush?

Get out your WD-40 and spray a bit into each of your door locks. This helps prevent them from freezing up because you know that your door locks will only freeze up when it's 0dark30 in a bad neighborhood and your 1911 is locked in the center console and it's probably freezing rain too.

For those of you with power door locks...how's your vehicle's battery? You going to come out from the hockey game to find a dead battery? Is your alternator charging properly?

Do you carry a blanket and some non perishable food in your vehicle? Start.

Could you build a small fire? Make sure

How about an extra warm coat and some of those Carhart style insulated bibs?

Check your jack and your spare. Everything copacetic? It better be because nothing ever goes wrong in a decent neighborhood with good light.

Fresh batteries in the flashlight?

Just a few thoughts for you. Take care of the little stuff now and stuff that happens later won't be such big things. A little thought and prevention now saves time and frustration later.

May all of you travel safely wherever the road of life may take you.