'Tis the season–Spring that is–to lose some sleep and gain a whole lotta sunshine. Falling back and springing forward are also great times to take care of other important things you forgot to put on your to-do list.
First the matter at-hand: Daylight Savings begins on Sunday 13 March at 2 AM. Set your clocks AHEAD one hour before you go to bed.
Now let's look at some other things you might otherwise forget:
Test and replace batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Yes, carbon monoxide detectors too. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that can kill you if it accumulates. It can come from any gas burning source, such as your car, a gas oven even your from your fireplace if your flue is clogged. If you don't have any, you should probably get some. Safety first! Check with your city to see if they offer any rebates or even free ones.
Check and recharge your fire extinguishers. Much like Goldie Locks' porridge, fire extinguishers must be charged
just right! Inspect your extinguishers to make sure they are not over- or under-charged.
Clean your rain gutters. If you didn't already do it when you took down the x-mas lights, do it now. And for goodness sakes, if you still have x-mas lights up, get a dang ladder and get your butt up on the roof already! Know why the grass is always greener on the other side? It's cuz your neighbor's damn tree leaves all blow into
your gutter! If you still have metal ones, don't let rain soaked leaves rot up there cuz they'll erode the gutters too.
Have your chimney swept. Your chimney needs to be regularly and properly maintained. Creosote build up in your flue not only gets Santa's nice red suit all dirty but can cause a fire of a different kind–one that can kill you and destroy your home.
Check and replace you car's oil and other fluids. After doing that, go to the
Metro Planner page and try taking public transit. You just might like the money you save!
Update your emergency preparedness kit. We live in beautiful Southern California, a place people are just dying to come to. Don't risk dying too by not having an updated emergency kit! What with earthquakes, fire-storms, freeway car chases and what-not, you may find yourself holed up at home for days on end in an emergency. Most things in your kit will keep for a long time, but certain things should be switched out and replaced with fresh supplies such as batteries, food and water. If your package of batteries has a pink bunny on it or the label on your water bottles read "Alpha-Beta," you don't have an emergency kit, but rather a time capsule from 1997.
Update your will. Morbid? No. Responsible? Yes. It's not something we always think about, but there may be a reason to do it, like when your cousin Ralph borrowed that 5-grand for one year SIX YEARS AGO! Grrrr! You just got written out of the will Ralphie-boy! Consider that an advance on your inheritance until you pay me back.
Now go set your clocks and know that when you fall asleep at your nephew's Little League game tomorrow, you'll actually have something to blame it on this time: that lost hour from daylight savings.
Saturday 12 March 2011
Ry N
