Out and About – Week of September 29th

Walking has become the thing to do. This past Labor Day, we had the “Bridge Walk” here in Three Rivers, and they also held a bridge walk across the “Big Mac” on the same day. The bridge walk up north is more popular, but the one here in TR, I’m sure, was more fun.

Perhaps the last “walk” of the season is the Annual Crop Walk, which happens next Sunday, October 5. Registration begins at 2 PM at the Armstrong Recreation Hall located on the Armstrong Campus, north of the Hoffman Street and Maple Street intersection, here in Three Rivers. The walk itself will start at 2:30 PM, and will start and finish at the recreation hall. The donations received will help feed 40 to 50 people at the local food site and will also help keep the Soup Pot running at the Trinity Episcopal Church on North Main Street in Three Rivers. For more information, please contact Pastor Rob Nystrom of the First United Methodist Church. You may reach him at 269-278-5565.

This is not a food column per se, but every so often, I run across a dining experience worth sharing. I can’t divulge too much information, because there isn’t a lot of information to share. Here’s just enough to whet your appetite. There is an Amish home northeast of Centreville that hosts a monthly fish fry. It’s an all-you-can-eat dinner event that comes as close to your mother’s talents as you can get. A lot of people are aware of this, because it was difficult to find a place to sit upon our arrival. I’ll end this tidbit by saying that the home is only open the second Friday of the month. If you are able to find this place, I’ll see you there.

I’m sure that I’m not the only one who takes the convenience of electricity for granted. I’m referring to being able to enter a dark room and flip a switch for instant light. We have a supply of spare light bulbs in case one burns out at home. We even have a few spare fluorescent bulbs in case one goes out in the kitchen. Those who also have fluorescsent lights, you might want to remember that, when the traditional incandescent or new compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs burn out, the new generation of LED bulbs have been on the market for a while now. They cost a bit more, but they use less energy than CFLs, they last longer, have a “warmer” color, and they are mercury free.

It’s not too early to start planning for the upcoming winter. From all reports, this winter will be just as strong as last winter. I’m not sure where they are available, but it might be worth your time to look for inflatable fireplace dampers. They keep your home’s warm air from escaping up a chimney with a leaky metal damper. The prices range from $50 to $200 per unit, but once installed, they could save from $50 to $200 in heating costs every year.

While speaking of fireplaces, if you have a unit that is not gas and does burn wood, you might consider checking with a local sawmill. They sometimes have scrap wood that they’d be willing to sell at a cheaper price than if you were to buy firewood from a commercial outlet, where you could pay up to $150.00 for a cord.

To ensure that you are perhaps less stressed and in a happier mood, I’d like to wrap up this week’s column with a few sayings that will either put a smile on your face, or make you seriously think.

• Eight people will do ten people’s work better than twelve people.

• If you go slowly enough, long enough, you’ll be in the lead again.

• You are always doing something marginal when your boss stops by your desk.

• Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman