What's on Your List?

This is my favorite time of year.  Besides Christmas carols there are Christmas shows.  I have my favorite and reasons they are my favorite.  My favorite all time movie is the Wizard of Oz.  My sister and I watched that when we were young.  One of my favorite memories is watching the Wizard of Oz on a color television that my mother just bought with my sister while eating pancakes for dinner. 

When talking Christmas movies I have a selection that I watch every year.  Those movies have gone from VHS to DVD to itunes.  My daughters have grown up watching the same movies and are now part of their holiday traditions.  

My list  - Number One representing the best all time movie:

1 

• White Christmas
•  Christmas in Connecticut
• It’s a Wonderful Life 
•  A Christmas Carol/Scrooge 
• Miracle on 34^th Street
• Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer
•  Charlie Brown Christmas
•  How the Grinch Stole Christmas
•  A Muppet Family Christmas
•  A Season for Miracles

 

There are more movies that I like but these are the movies that can not be missed.  The new movies coming out are wonderful and I love watching them.  I am going back to my favorite list.  The last two numbers of my list, nine and ten, are new to the list.  They replaced Frosty and Garfield Christmas respectively.

My coworkers have contributed some of their favorites under the guise they were helping me with this blog.  I am really conducting a holiday secret; shh do not tell them.

Everyone has a favorite list; I would love to know yours. 

Lessons Learned

What lessons have we learned from Sandy?  While we think, businesses, not families, have disaster plans in place we all can learn lessons in disasters.  Hurricane Sandy was more destructive to our neighbors than NEPA yet we too had damage: power outages, trees down and storm damages to buildings and contents.  A post disaster review helps to avoid future mishaps.

One of the most important consideration is “it can happen to us.”  Many people believe that the damage we see in New Orleans and Tampa cannot possibly happen to the northeast.  Our water temperatures are too cold for the hurricanes to pack a punch.  Unfortunately, we have learned that hurricanes and storm surges can be very destructive in the northeast. 

Be prepared.  How many of us have a disaster plan?  DGK does.   Personally, I do not.  My plan is go to work if I can; there is a generator at work.  At my house, we had roof damage to our out buildings.  I do not believe I would have been able to avoid that.  My husband and I do bring in our outdoor items and while we have shutters they are decorative not useful.  Seventy-five percent (75%) of us buy extra supplies but only thirty percent (30%) have a plan. 

Evacuate if asked.  I do not know if I would evacuate my home if I truly believed it would not be there when I returned.  While I do not have many sentimental objects, I do like my pillow and running clothes.  I guess deciding ahead of time what to take if asked to evacuate could be part of my plan.  I would also have to take my dog.  I could not leave her behind.  Knowing ahead of time by having a plan about evacuation would be another important aspect of disaster planning.

Flood & hurricane insurance and FEMA become part of a disaster plan.  Most people believe the government will help them.  While that is true, the average grant is about $3,500.  $3,500 will not be enough money to replace all that is lost in a disaster.  Over the years, many people stopped carrying insurance for hurricanes and floods when years passed without such storms. It is estimated that eighty four percent (84%) of families in flood prone zone areas do not carry flood insurance.  Residents in hurricane and flood areas that forgo insurance coverage may need to rethink going without flood or windstorm insurance.  Government aid and insurance can become part of pre-disaster plan. 

As we approach winter, the storm damages that can result from blizzards encourages us to reflect on the lessons we learned from Sandy.  Believing it can happen and preparedness for storms are important steps in preparing a disaster plan.  If you are looking for help with pre & post disaster planning please visit http://www.ready.gov.

info from Ginger Turner Wharton School of Business

Before the Weather Outside gets Frightful

Well it is that time of year in NEPA.  It is checklist time and the usual winterizing tasks along with any spur of the moment repairs.  This year the spur of the moment repairs involved Hurricane Sandy.  An added expense and task I did not anticipate.

For every season, there is a checklist at my house.  The winter checklist involves storing the summer garden equipment, checking the house for leaks, trimming the shrubbery along with overgrown tree branches and servicing the furnace.  Some tasks are completed year after year like having the furnace serviced.  The first item on the checklist is always inspecting the house by doing a walk around.  This process seems to add to the list.

Most of the winter tasks my husband and I do on our own or we enlist family or friends for additional help.  Draining the gas from the power equipment like the riding mower or the power washer and refilling with an antifreeze winter fluid is a must for us northerners.  My husband is in charge of that task.  I am the leak detective.  I look at the windows, where the basement meets the wood framing and caulk where it has separated.  I check the drains and downspouts.  Truthfully, my husband cleans the drains and gutters; it is gross.  The trimming of bushes, trees and shrubs is my job because I love working in the garden. 

Some tasks we hire professionals.  Wayne Sherman cleans the furnace every year in the later part of the summer.  He and his sons take excellent care of our heating system.  This year we hired a tree service to cut several of our trees that were unhealthy.  It was sad yet necessary to cut the five trees that surrounded the house. 

This year Hurricane Sandy added barn and shed roof repair to our list.  After assessing the damage, which was, thankfully minimal we set out to the local hardware store to purchase the requisite equipment.  Armed with tar, roof sealant, a pole brush and a pole extended my husband and I tackled the damage.  The barn roof had to be re-papered and shingled which we have on hand and then tarred.   I do the heights in our family; I love heights.  Once I finished the barn roof, my husband tackled the three room rather large shed.  While the repairs were not on the list, it is satisfying to have it completed. 

We began the projects on Friday night making the to-do list and checking the corresponding supplies.  After which we had a shopping list to hit the hardware store first thing Saturday morning.  After the store, it was “full on” weekend of work.  Sunday at 4:45 p.m., we finished our list.  With a job well done the aches and pains was a welcome byproduct meaning we are finished for another year. 

Next on my list - Christmas decorating!

Exercise Your Right to Vote

Over the last few weeks political rhetoric has magnified.  I avoided television, radio, telephone calls and mail.  Facebook was inundated with advertisements.  Some were entertaining, some were insulting and some were just short of harassment.

November 6, 2012 finally arrived and we are able to cast our vote.  My poll was empty when I arrived at 8:30 a.m.  When I was leaving a line was forming to enter the polling place.  I arrived at a great time, in and out in less than ten minutes.  I now can relax and watch the returns.

The first presidential election I was able to vote became a mockery for me.  I was attending college in California for the Ronald Reagan versus President Jimmy Carter election.  We are all aware that Ronald Reagan won the election, what you may not know is Jimmy Carter conceded the election before the polls were closed in California.  His announcement made my first presidential ballot null and void.  The election was anticlimactic. 

I have voted in every election since.  Some elections I have voted with more enthusiasm than others.  While it may sound corny, I firmly believe it is my duty as an aged appropriate US citizen to vote.  I have met people that protested by refusing to vote.  I am not sure how effective that is since a candidate is still elected.  I do not want to squander my one vote.

America has some problems.  I am not sure if those problems are unsolvable.  The problems may stem from the media or partisanship.  As citizens we can vote our opinion via our candidate.  At the writing of this the new president has not been announced.  Still, I am confident that our newly elected president will perform the job we have entrusted to best of his abilities.  God Speed.