Out and About – Week of July 1st

Welcome to July. This Thursday is the Fourth. A day when we celebrate our independence. A time to gather with family and friends and enjoy cooking out on the grill, possibly watch a parade or two, and enjoy the many firework displays available throughout the county. If you are planning to handle your own fireworks, please do so with caution, especially when small children are involved. Every year, I remind everyone of a famous quote, “He who comes forth with a fifth on the Fourth, may not come forth on the fifth.” Remember, alcohol and fireworks don’t mix very well. Be careful.

We are in the middle of the travel season. The kids are out of school and the urge to get out and travel is on the minds of many families. Once again, I’d like to share a few hints on really getting Out and About for more than just a day or two:

Have your neighbors keep a watchful eye on your home while you’re out of town.
Have your mail put on hold, if you’ll be gone for more than several days.
Have light timers set inside your house. It will give the impression of someone being at home.
Don’t broadcast the fact that you are out of town on Facebook. Pictures of your travels will wait until you return.
If you’ll be gone for several weeks, you might let local law enforcement know this. If you ask nicely, they may even drive by your home, on occasion, to make sure everything is okay.
Ask a neighbor to mow your lawn or water your outdoor plants, if needed. You can return the favor the next time they decide to get away. If you have good neighbors, you probably won’t even need to ask.
To have a real good time, leave your laptops at home. This might be difficult, but you’d be surprised how much more you’ll see and do without them.
I’d like to share four questions and answers on pregnancy with you. I saw them on Facebook, so they are all legitimate:

Q: Should I have a baby after 35? No, 35 children is enough.
Q: Is there any reason I have to be in the delivery room while my wife is in labor? Not unless the word “alimony” means anything to you.
Q: Our baby was born last week. When will my wife begin to feel and act normal again? When the kids are in college.
Q: I’m two months pregnant now. When will my baby move? With any luck, right after he or she finishes college.
I’m too young to have ever met Will Rogers, yet I do know several people that I have the utmost respect for, because they just have a way with words. The honorable judge Jeff Middleton, for one. He has a dry sense of humor and makes a lot of sense. Author Randy Pausch is another one who has a gift when it comes to putting words down on paper. Here are some of his thoughts to ponder:

“We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”
“Never make a decision until you have to.”
“Just because you’re in the driver’s seat, doesn’t mean you have to run people over.”
I’ll try to remember to include some of Randy’s quotes in future columns.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

Check Also

Out and About – Week of December 23rd

This is week three of miscellaneous stuff from my files of “stuff”. There should be …

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *