Friday, January 6, 2017

Winter Weather Apps

Now that weather is in full swing, there's ice and snow. Unfortunately, you can't always see ice on the roads. If it's dark outside, it is really hard to see. There's also black ice which is almost impossible to see while you are driving until you drive over it. It's very dangerous. This year it seems like there's winter weather in places that aren't used to it. My childhood best friend moved to North Carolina and I remember when they would get an inch of snow. Everywhere would shut down because they didn't know how to drive on it. Even if you lived in a cold climate, you can forget how dangerous it is and what to do if you aren't used to it anymore.

 Most phones have a weather app that will tell you the temperature or if it's going to rain or snow but that's all they really tell you. You should make sure you have a specific local weather app that will tell you where it's snowing and how much you should expect and traffic. It's important to know where the ice is, where to avoid so you don't end up stranded. 

A few weeks ago there was a lot of ice on our roads. It was supposed to be over with and it wasn't. There were people stranded on the roads for up to ten hours. There were 500 accidents so highways were shut down and there was no where to go. It was so icy that people were stranded on an overpass and the fireman couldn't even walk on it that they had to rescue people with a ladder on the overpass. I can't imagine how scary that would be. I saw a photo and it was crazy. People were told to stay home if they could. My mom had flown in that morning. I was so worried until she arrived. I used an app to see if the surface roads were better. She had waited at the airport for a bit and managed to make it safely. Sometimes listening to the weather report or looking at a basic weather app isn't always accurate. You need an up to the minute local specific app to know what's really going on. Especially while traveling where you might not be able to find a local radio station to know where to avoid or what might be coming as you travel.
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When should you keep your pets at home



When you are traveling or just running errands you might want to bring your pets with you. They are a member of your family and you love spending time with them. There are some times when you shouldn't bring your pets with you. Sometimes it's better to leave them at home.
 
 Check the weather before bringing your pets with you in the car. You usually can't bring you pet in to the store unless it is a service dog or if it's a pet store. Be mindful about the temperature. If it is too hot they could over heat. If it's too cold they could freeze to death. Even if they have a thick coat dogs aren't really supposed to be outside for long periods of time.  

Another thing to consider is where you are going and how long you will be gone. If you are gone more than a hour you should just leave them home. Some dogs love to ride in the car but sitting alone in the car is a different story. We bring our pets so they can spend time with us. They need room to stretch out and play and being in a car alone isn't the best place for that. Maybe limit taking your dogs with you when you are picking up your kids or going for a drive. 

Remember that not all pets like to be in the car. You might want to limit the time your pets are in the car if it makes them nervous. If you have to take them to the vet try lessening the stress of riding in the car by keeping them in their carrier. It will make it easier when you arrive. Try giving them treats to get them in the carrier. If you have a cat, give them some time to explore the carrier before you use it to transport them anywhere. My cats like to crawl in to pretty much anything they can fit in. 

Noah wants to click train them to get in their carrier. We had a box that we got when we rescued them but they really needed a real carrier. It's Noah's mission to click train them with a clicker and treats. I mean it can happen if he keeps it up, I have them trained to go in the laundry room when I shake their treat can. It works most of the time for Charlie and 48% of the time for Stormy who I normally have to hunt down. I had to put them in the laundry room when our Christmas tree was up so they wouldn't knock it over and break years of priceless Christmas ornaments. Most of the time I had to chase Stormy around the house to keep him safe from the tree.

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Thursday, January 5, 2017

Protecting your home while traveling



While you are traveling, it is important to keep your home safe while you are gone. There are some things you can do to protect your home and property while traveling. 

Don't broadcast that you aren't going to be home. Avoid checking in places while you are traveling on social media. I know you want to share your photos but it's better to wait until you are home especially if your profiles are public. 

Leave some lights on or use timed lights. 

Tell a neighbor you trust that you will be gone and ask them to keep an eye on your home. If you live in an apartment tell the leasing office.

Get your mail held while traveling. Leaving important letters in your mailbox can lead to identity theft. It's easy and free. They will even bring you all your mail. Stop the newspaper delivery. 

Ask a neighbor to pick up your packages or have the delivery company hold them for you. I know FedEx will do it for free now. 

Call your local police non-emergency number and let them know you are going out of town and ask them to keep an eye on your home.

Don't leave your trash cans out for a long time. It's better to just skip trash service that week. 

Invest in an alarm system for extra protection. It can also lower your home owners’ insurance payment. 

If you have pets be sure to have someone you trust come take care of them. Avoid places like Craigslist or Facebook to find pet sitters. Make sure the person you hire is legit. They are all alone in your home with free reign. They could have parties or take advantage of your home. 

Hopefully these tips will help you keep your home safe while you travel. 

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