It is Christmas.  A time for celebration for those in the Christian faith.  Shopping is over, unless you are boycotting, or if you are a “hardcore” last minute buyer.  I personally have no desire to do anything but unwind and enjoy some company.  Unwinding involves music, conversation, and occasionally some “liquid refreshment”.  Living in a rural area, someone has to remain sober to get behind a wheel, or a sleepover becomes imminent.   I am thinking this is where most avid drinkers are sighing, rolling there eyes, and clicking the nearest hyperlink to get off this discussion.  For you that remain I offer some quick facts in order to illustrate a point that MADD is trying to make;

_According to provincial statistics, 271 people have died on OPP-patrolled roadways this year – 42 of whom died in alcohol-related collisions.

During the five-week RIDE initiative last year, OPP officers stopped 884,729 vehicles at roadside checkpoints. As a result, 319 people were arrested and charged with criminal code alcohol-related offences. Officers also issued a total of 784 12-hour suspensions and issued 353 ninety-day Administrative Drivers Licence Suspensions.

“Drinking and driving is a serious threat to public safety and remains the leading cause of criminal death in Canada. The tragic loss of life and the burden on the health care system that results touches every one of us at some point in our lives,” OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino said in a statement._

You and I both know the safety risks involved in this activity, so if you can stop it this Christmas,  or anytime, please do so.  It’s not only the alcohol that gets the blame, impaired driving is any situation where the ability of the person driving is diminished.  Care and control of the vehicle is compromised when our senses are distracted by other things in or around the car as well.  New legislation will enforce penalties for driving while using devices that take our attention away from the road.  There is no planned fine for driving while tired.  Caffeine, stimulants and other tricks may revive us temporarily, but these things are not reliable and do not work for long periods of time.  The only real solution to driver fatigue is to avoid being tired in the first place.  Here are some tips to make sure you are alert enough for a nighttime drive:

• No Sleep Debt: Before a long or nighttime drive, be sure that you have had several nights (in a row) of 7 to 9 hours of sleep. Plan on setting aside this time before you leave.
• Take Breaks: Taking a break during your drive will allow you to stretch, move and wake up. Plan for breaks and even a quick 20-minute nap.
• Arrive by Midnight: The time between midnight and early morning is when our body most wants to be sleeping. This is the most dangerous time to be driving in respect to sleep.
• Know the Warning Signs: If you are yawning constantly, can’t remember the last few moments of driving or cannot keep your eyes focused, pull over and take a quick nap. These are dangerous things to ignore because:

• They distract you from driving at a time when you need to concentrate.
• The situation on the road can change so quickly, in short distance, and at any speed.

When you know you should stop, the only impairment left becomes false pride.   After two hours of driving most sober people are tired of driving.  After four hours, a break is a must.  Getting out, doing some jumping jacks, and running around the vehicle three or four times sounds ridiculous, but it may save your life!  As you deliver or receive holiday cheer this season, and all year ’round, drive safe!

The obvious article to write here would be about living in a safe place, and making your environment healthy while you’re at home.  Since you’re already churning away with those ideas, I’ll be happy to introduce fresh food for thought.  The last thing you think about when you’re going out the door is usually where your going.  In your mind there is a checklist of items that need attention; keys, wallet/purse, sunglasses, etc.  There are important items you’ll need to get you to where you’re headed or once you get there.  I’m focusing on what you’ll need to prepare your home when you go on vacation.

You’ve probably left your home so many times you often forget that it may not be exactly the same way when you return.   The first consideration should be the pets.  There are caregiving kennels who make it there business to host your animals while you are away.  Cats, dogs, and other four-legged roomates can be shuffled to family or friends’ places also for accomodation.  Depending on the length of absence the fish can fend for themselves with a slow release feed solution, good for up to a week.  Clean the tank the day before you leave and ensure the water is stabilized before your trip.  You should have a friend or neighbour stop by to check on things if you’re away and the power fails.  It’s always nice to open the door to your dwelling and see that everyone is alive and well as you left them.

Onto the technical systems, lets talk water.  Depending on the age of your home, pipes can leak or burst at the least expected times.   I’ve actually called a friend to check on my kitchen because a vision of a flooded floor came to mind.  An open tap left attached to a roll-away dishwasher can be very messy.  If an extended journey keeps you away, why not shut off the pressure at the incoming supply, turn off the hot-water heater at the breaker (or remove the fuses, both solutions for an electric tank style heater), then half-open a hot water tap on an upper floor to relieve the pressure on the pipes.  When your trip is through, open the supply, shut the tap upstairs, and flick on the breaker to warm things back to where they need to be.  If you have a gas or propane hot water tank, simply dial the temperature down as low as it will allow (shutting the valve will extinguish a pilot flame that can later be difficult to light).  I especially recommend this if you are gone in the winter months because a failed furnace can lead to your basement becoming an indoor swimming pool.

Ah yes, the furnace.  What is the right temp to leave your abode whilst navigating abroad?  It is tempting to shut things off completely in order to shrink the cost of utilities, and in summer months I say go for it, even leave a second story window a crack open for some vent.  In the cold however I recommend no lower than 14 degrees Celsius (57 F).  The pipes won’t freeze and frost won’t form until zero it’s true however the thermostat is located in a central area, and the pipes are more remote.  By the time heat reaches the extremities, under and inside cabinets, it can be ten degrees cooler.

An aquaintance  left a single lamp in a front window lit when she traveled.  In her mind it served as a deterrent to would be burglars.  Switching it on one time she realized the bulb was burnt and quickly replaced it with the only type she had, and promptly left for an overnight visit with friends.  She recieved a phone call telling her her house had suffered a fire that could have been prevented if a lower wattage bulb had been used for that lamp.  If you feel more secure knowing that a light is on, small CSA approved timers attached to a couple of lamps in different rooms can easily be set-up a night or two in advance to make sure they work properly.  You may find they are useful even when you’re home.  In most cases, insurance will cover break and enter, so when I go somewhere, I shut everything off except the refrigerator and freezer.

What is that smell?  After a two week Alaskan cruise the salmon salad in your fridge will be unrecognizable.  Make it a habit to look on the other side of the most opened door in the house before long trips.  Don’t forget the drawers,  rotten cabbage, need I say more?

Well that’s it, I’m carrying on and running late for the show.  Now . . . where’d I put my keys?