A Nap

We will need a nap today.  We won’t know when to eat or sleep with the time change.

I will skip the hair net today.  This is an old photo from my vast collection of Forgotten Old Photos…an unknown couple taking an afternoon nap on what we used to call an Indian Blanket. ( A colorful blanket with designs on it.)  Not sure what other people would call it.

Today Far Guy will change all the batteries in the smoke alarms.  He stocked up on batteries last week…because he knows me well.  I insist that the batteries be changed with the time change spring and fall.  What if they don’t beep when the battery is low…what if we are gone when it beeps…that would be a false sense of security.  So he changes them so I don’t have to worry.  Like he says he can use the batteries elsewhere where it is not as important as saving our lives.

Far Guy is still struggling… now with a cough AND a sore throat to accompany his shortness of breath…he is on a different antibiotic after a trip to Urgent Care.

I made soup…homemade vegetable beef…with beef of course …rutabega, cabbage, carrots and potatoes….and fresh flat bread…boy was that yummy.

I dislike the time change…it makes me crankier than normal….I hate that it gets dark before supper.

Layers and a Movie

There are layers of dirt from the snirt storm last week.

I got the patio cleared off so it doesn’t track in the house so bad.

Not exactly a winter wonderland.

Here is the snowstick, still about two inches of snow.

The wind was cold again yesterday.  I was cold after being outside so I went to the couch with a warm corn bag and covered up with only my eyes poking out to watch a movie on Netflix.  Sometimes I just watch the first movie that comes up…yesterday it was The Great Gilly Hopkins and I give it five out of five stars. Well worth watching.  Then I watched part of A Series of Unfortunate Events a Limminy Snickets TV Series…there were some snakes, I shut my eyes so many times I fell asleep.

It will be a hard week, I don’t like the time change but perhaps we can begin our after supper rides again since it will be lighter in the evening.

Remember to change the batteries in your smoke alarms.  We change our batteries twice a year…no matter what…why wait for the chirping?? no sense taking a chance….you are worth it.   Check the expiration date on your Smoke Detectors…they should be replaced every ten years. We got some new ones last Spring and marked them with the month and year they went into service.  We have Carbon Monoxide Detectors too because we have a LP Fireplace and Furnace.

Smoke Detectors

Fall back time sucks.  I hate that it is dark at 5PM headed for 4PM.  It makes me cranky crankier.  I like the sunlight, I need sunlight to be half way normal.

All the clocks are not changed yet, in the car I just pressed buttons until the hour changed, I got some weird beeps and Far Guy got all excited.  The clock on the garage cannot be changed with out a stepladder.

We heard on the news that smoke detectors/carbon monoxide detectors should be replaced every ten years.  We had one that was put in place in 2000…so it needed to go. Two new detectors were put up. We added another carbon monoxide detector since we have an LP Furnace and Fireplace. We now have three detectors downstairs and two upstairs. The batteries were changed in the ones not replaced.  I also marked the new ones with the month and date they were put in service…used a black sharpie too!  Some people say they don’t change their batteries til it beeps…Far Guy changes ours every time change…cause it makes me feel better.  He doesn’t need me whining about those batteries.

A old piano sound board, beware sign and a burning bush.

Remember to vote!  What ever the outcome some people will be happy and some will be sad. At least  all the mudslinging and hoopla will be over.

The Fireman’s Wife and Dog

Sometimes Far Guy and I are out and about when his pager goes off..he is still a Volunteer Fireman and is on call from 7 to 7 during weekdays. In our area most of the young guys are out of the area working during the day and the fire hall can be short handed. Sometimes Chance and I drop Far Guy off at the fire  hall, they will see that he gets home.

Every evening at six o’clock there is a pager test, Chance knows that it is just a test..but it is a signal to him that someone should be in the kitchen cooking supper (usually Far Guy).  Other times during the day, if the pager goes off while Far Guy and Chance are outside..Chance heads for the house ..he knows he will be left behind. He plops himself down next to the door and sighs.

The other day, we were close to the location of a fender bender..Chance and I watched from afar.   Now that reminds me of a joke. “Did you know that the wisemen were really fireman? ( pause for effect)  It says so right in the Bible..they came from afar.”

On Thursday night we had a “date night”..there was a control burn, and I got to take photos. Chance watched from the car, and then Far Guy took him for a walk.  I watched and took photos from afar. Far Guy was there to see that all of their cameras were set to take photos and to be a driver just in case there was a rescue call.

Control burns are done for a number of reasons usually the houses are no longer inhabitable and the owners wish to burn them down.  It provides a great training exercise for Fireman, this house provided valuable training that may some day save a Fireman’s life..or maybe yours.    I got some great shots of some awesome fire behavior:)

STOP, DROP and ROLL!!

The buses arrived, and the small children each with a white art project headband filed in and took their chairs.   It is that time of year again..Fire Safety for the Head Start Class.    Once their little squirming bodies are all safely ensconced in a chair, Far Guy asks them "What do you do if your clothing is on fire?"  They all holler back, "STOP, DROP and ROLL!!"   Far Guy tells them that they should, never, ever play with matches, and that matches should be brought to Mom or Dad right away. Jerry and Far Guy get out the Medical Bag, they show the kids some of the stuff inside..they are most taken with the Pulse/ Oxygen meter, everyone wants to have it stuck on their finger.  

Far Guy puts all the gear on for them.. no one is bawling this year..hallelujah! Far Guy dresses up the kids in his coat and his hat.  The kids line up and have their pictures taken.  For some this is a big step,  it helps to make it all seem less scary.  

The Chief arrives.. he gets all dressed up in his gear with the respirator.   To small children, just the sound is sometimes scary.  They all do great, we have one tiny little girl that is whimpering..so the Chief takes off his mask as she watches him.  

Chance and I are sitting in the far corner, Chance has a few visitors..we are just observers today, just in case we need to help herd kids.  

Day Light Savings time ends on November 1, 2009..so remember to Fall Back and catch up on that hour of sleep that you lost last spring.   This is also the reminder to put batteries on your grocery list.  Your batteries in your smoke detectors should be changed this Sunday.  Why?  Because I said so!!  Go through a mock fire drill at your house, meeting up at the designated safe spot outdoors and communicate with your children about Fire Safety. 


Never leave space heaters unattended, and if you are leaving your house turn off your clothes dryer.  Never throw in a load of clothing to dry..and then go to bed.    My Son in Law did this..luckily he was able to get Savannah ( she was just a baby)  out of the house and two of their dogs..poor Katie a Sheltie died and Caramel the kitty died from smoke inhalation.  Very little was saved from inside that house.. it had smoke alarms..and a faulty dryer.  Nothing quite brings it all into perspective until you see your Granddaughters high chair and car seat melted in place:( 

Firehall Kids

Yesterday we helped out at the Firehall. The Head Start Kids at the nearby reservation school needed to learn about fire safety. About 25 three and four year olds showed up along with a few parents and grandparents. We did the Stop, Drop and Roll, NEVER Ever play with matches, and crawl to safety. We let them try on the helmets and a Firemans coat. We talked about dialing 911 in an emergency, and who whould show up? One little boy said "Not me." We let them walk through the ambulance, and through the back of one of the big fire trucks. We showed them how scary Firemen look all dressed up in their gear, that was probably not such a good idea...as some of them began to cry..one little girl sobbed the entire time. (Pink sweater, third from the left in the first row) One very happy future Firefighter! Fireman Far Guy and Fireman Mike look on.
Crawling to safety.

Fireman Mike with a willing "victim."
Just as a reminder it is never to early to talk with your kids about "Fire Safety." They should know Stop, Drop and Roll, and how to crawl under the smoke to safety, they should Never Ever play with matches, and never be afraid and hide during a fire. Every family should have fire drills and have an agreed upon meeting spot..so noses can be counted:)