PoppaTree.com

I live in the midwest and every year we get a lot of snow. This is NOT new, this has been happening for a long time. We have hills and valleys that were formed by glaciers, thousands of years ago. Glaciers – big sheets of ice, often topped with snow

Yet every year people complain, EVERY year, when it snows and gets cold. If you were born here it should be no surprise, if you weren’t, why did you move here?

And they forget how to drive in snow, is it really that different from last year?

Winter means the holidays are back again, so it’s time to prepare for the in-laws or are they out-laws?
(Don’t roll your eyes you were thinking the same thing)

It’s time to get the presents bought and wrapped, the tree and house decorated, the holiday cookies made (and maybe save some for the family) and a big jug of spiked egg nog. Take the kids sledding, then come home and warm up by the fire. Hot cocao for them, hot spiked egg nog for me and the wife.

Well here’s to all of you. Happy holidays enjoy the snow it’s Mother Nature’s way of covering up the brown patchy grass.

I have driven for many years and logged many miles driving. I have almost been hit and killed by drivers with poor drivings habits. So I compiled a list of driver DO’s and DON’Ts.

DO:

• Buckle Up
• Pay Attention (be aware of your surroundings, fog or ice up ahead means slow down, children at the curb may step into traffic, etc.)
• Be aware of the size of your vehicle and how it handles (if you don’t know how to drive it, especially in bad weather, then pull over and park)
• Be aware of other vehicles around you (a semi can’t stop as quick, can’t see what’s beside them, etc)
• Turn your headlights on at night or dusk (this is so that other drivers can see you)
• Make sure all of your lights work (again, so other drivers can see you)
• Turn your High Beams off (oncoming traffic cannot see the road when you do this)
• Turn the radio down! (this allow you to hear emergency vehicles and this noise pollution affects others, especially with the excessive bass)
• Clear the snow off ALL of your windows prior to driving (these drivers with “keyhole” windows through the snow are a danger to everyone)
• Adjust your driving to the weather (All-Wheel drive and Four-wheel drive do not help you to turn or stop on slippery roads, they just help you to get going)

DO NOT:

• Drive drunk (this is a no brainer)
• Cut others off (deliberately causing Road Rage is a bad idea)
• Use your cell phone while driving (Seriously, I almost got ran off the road by someone who was texting!)
• Tailgate (do you really know what the driver in front of you might do?)
• Race others (there are race tracks for this)
• Assume others will get out of your way (this goes with not tailgating, just because you are in a monster SUV does not mean you have right of way)
• Do rabbit stops, at lights or stop signs (one day you won’t stop in time and you will be hit broadside)

Doesn’t it seem too soon between holidays?

Christmas decorations were in the store on October 30th (that’s right a day before Halloween)!

Black Friday sales started before Thanksgiving. Valentines decorations have replaced all but the Christmas sale items (the day after Christmas).

Now that I have kids and extended family this causes undo stress. When I was a kid the holidays were a time of relaxing (no school) and fun. What Happened?

Remind me not to grow up next time around.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Valentines Day!