Fireworks!!

I love fireworks and if you do too, click the link below for the list of area fireworks from WNEPTV.

http://wnep.com/2012/06/26/find-a-fireworks-display-near-you/

Everyone must believe in something. I believe I'll go canoeing – Thoreau

Summertime is paddle time in my house.  I have lived by many waterways and now I am an official boat owner.  It is a kayak, which is a boat, a non-motorized boat but still classified as a boat.  I launch my kayak in public boat access areas.  I kayak on the waterways in state parks, local creeks and State Commission Land of local lakes. 

Non-motorized boats such as kayaks and canoes that access public boat access areas must have a launch permit.  I have purchased my launch permit from the Wyoming County Courthouse.  If I am too late, as those permits sell out fast, I go to one of the authorized (by the Fish and Boat Commission of PA) dealers.  I have said previously that I like to be frugal with my money.  If I go to the authorized dealer there is an extra fee, I paid an additional $20.00 once.  There is now a new option that has made a procrastinator such as me very happy.  The Outdoor Shop is online access to many Fish and Game permits and licenses.

The Outdoor Shop

I dug out my credit card, obtained all the kayaks' information Make, Model, Serial Number and year  the kayaks were made.    Next, I fired up the computer and input all the information.  I printed a temporary launch permit and I was in business – kayak paddling on the lake for the weekend. 

Just a little sidebar:  if you own a private dock on a lake with a Fish & Game Public Access Area and do not use the Public Assess Area of the State Fish & Game Commission, you do not need a launch permit.  If you and your non-motorized boat use the Public Launching area, you will get a fine if you do not have a launch permit.  If you plan to use your kayak or canoe anywhere other than your private dock, obtain a launch permit and save yourself a fine from a representative of the Fish & Game Commission.  A two year Launch Permit will cost $18.00 along with a small processing fee (not $20.00).

On the Barbie

Summer is grill time.  The smell of barbeques brings back memories for most American families.  Whether you only grilled the fresh fish you caught when camping, grilled on the beach during a family reunion or grilled in the backyard, summer means grills. 

                                                                     

Back in the day, grilling meant meat.  Now grilling involves gourmet items like balsamic infused organic peaches with the highly sought after grill marks.  Grilled veggies include more than corn on the cob and potatoes wrapped in foil.  Even grilled pizzas have made their appearance on the backyard grill.  Baking is still iffy yet I had some brownies made on the grill that did not involve a Dutch oven.  With the advent of gourmet grilling utensils, gone are the days when frankfurters or hamburgers fell through the grill. 

The affordability and temperature stability of gas grill has expanded the grilling into the world of outdoor summer kitchens.  Summer kitchens were popular among the prominent in colonial Williamsburg due to the summer heat.  Summer kitchens were placed either in a building away from the main house or in the basement of the indoor kitchen to eliminate the problem of heating the house when the outdoor temperature and humidity rose.  Summer kitchens still serve the same purpose however now the kitchens are placed within sections of outdoor living areas. 

In the insurance industry, our view of grilling is safety first.  Underwriters Laboratories have their Top Ten key safety tips:

1.       Keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your house;

2.      Clean your grill regularly

3.      Check for gas leaks

4.      Keep decorations away from your grill

5.      Keep a spray bottle of water handy

6.      Keep a fire extinguisher within a couple steps of your grill

7.      Never turn on the gas while your grill lid is down

8.      Never leave your grill unattended

9.      Do not overload your grill with food

10.  Never use a grill indoors.

National Fire Protection Assoc. also has wonderful grilling safety tips.  Click below to go to their website.

http://www.nfpa.org/gallery/grill_safety/slideshow.html

Enjoy your summer grilling and be safe.   

Move Forward Towards Your Dreams

When I went to college, I packed my car and moved to California.  GO WEST! I moved from one coast to the opposite coast.  I did not stay in a dorm on campus of the college nor did I have any intentions of moving back east when I graduated.  I became a West Coast girl.

Moving is the same for an 18 year old entering college as it is for a 34 year old relocating to another state.   Moving involves many legal requirements.  I had 30 days to change my driver’s license to CA, register, license and insure my car in my new resident state.  I also had to obtain renter’s insurance for my apartment.  Lastly, I registered to vote.  I was not your average graduating high school senior.

Had I been your typical college freshman living in a campus dorm without a car, my parents would have called DGK, spoke with their customer service agent, and I would be rated as a student away at school over 100 miles.  When allowed to keep the car on campus, another phone call to DGK to change where the car would be “garaged” or kept.  Of course, once I moved into an apartment off campus, as many college students do, I would need my own renter’s insurance.  Insurance coverages change as the student’s independence change. 

It is an exciting time for a graduate and can be bittersweet for parents.  As parents, we plan for college expenses by saving for the future.  The additional details are forgotten sometimes.  A quick call to DGK customer service agent can help eliminate any future insurance surprises for your college student and you. 

To be prepared is half the victory. – Miguel De Cervantes 1547-1616