Out and About – Week of July 6th

Last week I bragged a little about the state of Michigan. If you are thinking about taking the family on a short vacation, Michigan has a lot to offer. Day trips are easy to find, or if you’d like to stretch that time away into a week or two, that’s also possible, and you don’t have to leave the state. Taking the family pet along is usually not a problem if you’re thinking of camping, otherwise it might be advisable to check out boarding Fido and Miss Kitty in a local kennel. Here are some suggestions on using a kennel:

• Visit the kennel first. Look for clean, dry, and roomy cages with raised beds to keep the animals off the concrete.
• The kennel should be odor-free or smell of disinfectant.
• Exercise runs should be available.
• Talk with the handlers to insure they love their work and are good at what they do.
• When dropping off your pet at the kennel, leave something that smells of you. A familiar slipper or toy will comfort the animal in your absence.
• Be sure your dog is flea and tick-free before taking it to the kennel. If you don’t and the animal gets infected, the kennel will treat the animal on their own and you will be charged.

Three quotes and good advice from Randy Pausch:

• “Being able to work in a group is a vital and necessary skill in both the work world and in families.”
• “A substantial fraction of many people’s days is spent worrying about what others think of them. If nobody ever worried about what was in other people’s heads, we’d all be 33% more effective in our lives and on our jobs.”
• “Watch what they do, not what they say.”

“No statue was ever erected to the memory of a man or woman who thought it was best to let well enough alone.” ~ Watchman Examiner

As I travel Out and About in St. Joe County, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are two types of drivers. There are drivers who merely steer their cars and there are drivers who actually drive their cars and trucks. Here are brief descriptions of what I feel fit both types:

ONE WHO STEERS THEIR VEHICLE: They keep the vehicle on the road, but are usually

preoccupied with things going on in the car. This might include talking with other occupants,

adjusting the car radio, using their cell phone, or eating their lunch.

ONE WHO DRIVES THEIR VEHICLE: Uses the turn signals when needed. Keeps the eyes

moving and watches intersections for other traffic and pedestrians. While driving at night,

monitors the high/low beams of the headlights. Applies turn signals prior to making a turn.

What kind of a driver are you? We all make mistakes and we all should pay more attention to our driving. If you want to meet someone, it shouldn’t be by accident.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman