preparation

Winter is coming. This should be no surprise to most of you. It has, in fact, been scheduled for a long time.

Are you prepared for it? There are a LOT of things you might want to prepare for....Lets take your automobile for instance:

Do you have decent tires on your car? Decent wiper blades? Antifreeze? (did ya check to see if it is still good for at least 20 degrees (F) lower than your reasonable expected low temps this winter?) Do you have a decent pair of boots, a blanket and/or jacket and some socks and warm clothing in the car? Gloves? Hat?  When was the last time you replaced the battery (or had it checked)? Do you have an ice scraper in the car yet? Do ya have (some) food and a method of melting snow if need be? Jumper cables? Ladies: Do you have an "emergency" kit for being snowed in for a few days somewhere besides home? Some clothes besides that dress you wear to work?

What if everyone is trapped by the same snowstorm and can't come when you call for help on your cell phone? Happened twice around here last year. I know of one lady traveler who nearly lost her toes walking a mile or so in 18" snow in a really nice party dress and heels. Lucky for her some "redneck hick" took pity on her and gave her a ride to a hotel where she was treated for frostbite and given warm clothes and a shower. He had a great big 4WD truck, and nearly got stuck trying to turn around to deliver her to a safe place.

You should be ready. Winter happens. If you are not ready, get off your ass and get prepped. It isn't that hard. and the time to be thinking about it is NOW, not when yer stuck in a snowbank. Nor when your car won't start in a cold, windswept parking lot because your battery is 5 years old. Then it is too late. Not when the snow is over your hood and you wish you had stopped 20 miles back, or maybe stayed at work, or left early because the storm is really kicking and the snowplows are having a hard time keeping up. Or when the car (or semi) behind you spins out and blocks the road so that the plows can't get there... or the tow trucks. Again, it happened several times last year. You can be safe in a car for a few days IF you have some simple plans and some clothing to keep you warm and some materials. But ya gotta think ahead.

 You've got about a month. Maybe less.

Or you can be a sheep, and expect others to do the work for you, keeping you safe. That works, until it doesn't. Then you are a statistic. With frostbite.

Or a corpse.