Fall – Cat Tales with Laura and Inspirations with Laura

Fall Cleaning And Equipment Storage Care

How To Get Your Equipment Ready For Storage

I drain all the gas from my weed whackers and chainsaws. I run them dry, then put them away until I get them ready for the next season. I put fresh oil in my snowblowers and garden tiller. I always check the anti-freeze in my lawnmowers, tractors, and vehicles to make sure the anti-freeze is at least -20 below. I check it with a little bulb and tube with balls in it, and the more balls that rise to the top, the better off you are. I ensure everything is greased and the tires have the correct pressure. I put fresh oil in my power generators, so I can run a few things in my house if the power goes out. Make sure the batteries are fully charged in all your equipment, and start them up occasionally on warm days to keep the batteries up. Batteries will lose their charge quickly in cold weather. If you do not use the equipment for a long time, put a battery charger on it so you will not have to purchase a new battery on the coldest day of the year.

Furnace Care

Have your furnace cleaned and checked over every year before winter starts. If you do not, your furnace will likely quit working on the coldest day of the year. Put a new furnace filter in your furnace often, as a dirty filter causes your furnace to work harder and wear out much quicker. If you have a humidifier, put a fresh filter in it as a limed-up filter will not let the moisture through to your rooms.

Waxing Your Equipment And vehicles

Waxed equipment will not rust out quickly. I put high-quality wax on my gear and vehicles. A top-quality resin will stop rust from forming and protect your vehicle from salt that they put on the roads in the winter. I also wax the windshield as it helps displace water more quickly. If you have leather seats, put a leather conditioner on them so they will not dry out and crack. Remember always to clean the undercarriage of your equipment, as rust can form there very quickly.

Fall Cleaning Inside And Outside

Clean out your kitchen cupboards and remove items just taking up space. Move and clean under furniture, and put lemon oil on wood furniture so it will not dry out and show cracks in the wood. Clean out the medicine cabinet and get rid of expired medicines. Wash all of the bedding and curtains. Wash and wax wooden floors. Get your carpet shampooed. Clean curio cabinets and the chest of drawers and storage areas. Give your bathroom a complete cleaning: dust bookcases and dust off books. Clean your basement floor and storage sleeves. Sweep out your garage and dispose of unwanted chemicals at your local landfill. Sweep and clean out farm buildings. Make sure all of the light bulbs are working in your outdoor facilities. Clean the windows in your home and your buildings. Get painting and repair work done outdoors before winter sets in. Remember to weed things out and remove something every time you do fall cleaning. Uncluttered and maintained homes and buildings look fantastic when taken care of correctly. I hope you are ready for winter to descend upon us.

Halloween Pranks And Dangers

Pranks On Halloween

Years ago, kids would overturn the outhouses, and you were miserable if you were using them. Kids would exchange the neighbor’s gates, and everyone would wake up with a different entrance on their fences in the small towns years ago. Now pranks are not funny anymore as they damage buildings and hurt or kill animals or harm or hurt small children. I had noise makers when I went trick-or-treating as a child.

Treats

Years ago, kids would get homemade popcorn balls, cookies, apples, and other homemade goodies or change. Now kids get candy bars or an apple on occasion. You have to check apples to ensure no one put a razor blade in the apple that would harm your child today. Make sure the candy bar wrappers are sealed. Only let your kids trick or treat at people’s houses that you know, or other events deemed safe.

Damage To Animals And Homes Is Not Acceptable

I have seen many homes egged over the years, and it takes hours to get that off your siding, and you may have to repaint your home, also. Kids have shot pellets through windows on Halloween night. That happened to someone I knew that was in their nineties, and they had to get a loan to pay for a new picture window. Some people sacrificed poor defenseless animals on Halloween night.

Keep Your Black Cats In On Halloween

An older woman had her black cat out on her porch on Halloween night, and she heard a lot of noise, and several teenage boys had egged her poor cat to death. The poor woman was utterly heartbroken and crying uncontrollably as her cat was like a child. People will also sacrifice black cats on Halloween. A person is truly sick to harm or kill a defenseless pet.

Do Your Part To Make Halloween Safe And Fun For All

I once went to a haunted house for a Halloween outing in High School. It was fun and a little bit scary. Watch your kids always so they do not get hit by a car crossing the street in the dark on Halloween night. If you see someone vandalizing something, yell, scream, or call the police. Let’s make Halloween like it was years ago, where pranks or tricks did not damage property, pets, animals, or children. I hope you have a safe and happy Halloween with good memories for years.