What You Can Learn From My Mistakes

I want to help save you from experiencing some of the same winter woes that I have. The first is being aware of where you park your car this time of year, as there can be falling ice from roofs.  When the weather gets cold, then warms up, ice may fall onto your vehicle and wake you up in a panic in the middle of the night as it did to me. This is important to be aware of for many different reasons. Thank goodness it was just a vehicle it fell on! If you own rental dwellings, be sure your tenants are aware of this, so they don’t park in that particular spot or walk under it, especially when the weather warms up.

If you have a problem with ice damming on your roof be sure you have licensed contractor come and take a look at what can be done to avoid major damage. That way your son doesn’t wake you up yelling because he is getting wet. Yes, we have put on a new roof since these incidents.

Be aware of parking lot conditions. I can’t tell you the number of times I have rushed out of my car in a hurry to get somewhere and have fallen.  If you own a business, be sure you are properly clearing paths and salting parking lots so customers don’t fall and injure themselves.

Now this one may seem silly, but listen, it happens. When watering the Christmas tree, pay attention to what you are doing or you may think you are pouring water into the base but really you are pouring it on the floor. Which could then be leaking into the basement, where you husband just happens to be and starts yelling “where is the water coming from”? This could cause damage to your wood floors if you aren’t careful.

Be extra cautious on the road this time of year. You never know when a deer or even a bear may run out into the road. Yes, I have hit a bear, or should I say the bear hit me. Sometimes these things can’t be avoided, but always drive with caution and don’t be distracted by your phone. Thankfully I was driving with care and was able to slow down to minimize the impact, so much so our 2 year old at the time didn’t even wake up, but the damage to the vehicle was still significant. Always wear your seatbelts to keep you and your family safe as well.

Hopefully I can help you avoid some of my entertaining, but at times costly, mistakes. Use caution and always be aware of your surroundings is the biggest lesson here. Have a safe and happy holiday season!