Is your home a no-shoes zone?

  

This seems to be a never-ending debate in many homes.

 Is it really necessary to ask people to step out of their shoes before stepping inside?

 “Kick off your shoes, and stay awhile” might be a popular greeting (at least, in the olden days, so to speak). But does it really matter?

 Sure, shoes can leave scuff marks on fancy flooring. They can drop dust and dirt into carpeting and rugs. And don’t even get us started about what happens when people put their feet on the couch, coffee table, or other furniture.

 But is the argument purely aesthetic, or are their health and safety reasons to request people to enter shoeless?

 How many germs might someone pick up, simply walking through various places before coming to visit? 

• a busy street
• a carnival or county fair
• a commercial kitchen
• a factory
• a farm field or barn
• a grocery store
• a hospital
• a lawn with recent fertilization or weed killer application
• a locker room at the gym
• a parking lot
• a port-a-potty
• a public restroom in a shop, restaurant, or gas station
• a scientific laboratory
• a sports stadium
• an automotive repair shop

 Are you gagging yet? Imagine the many contaminants one might pick up in such spots. Would you sit down and perhaps even eat on any of those floors? But what if those germs were tracked into your home? And what if you have a crawling baby or toddler?

Not to be a Goody Two-Shoes, about this, but I think the no-shoes idea has merit.

 Some folks keep shoe or boot trays just inside their doors, along with big baskets of booties, slippers, or even shower caps. That way, guests can remove their shoes and put on comfy coverings, if they wish.

 Of course, the no-shoes rule pretty much goes out the window, if certain people step outside in stockinged feet. (I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes …)

 And what about bare feet in the summer?

 It’s hard to police the no-shoes rule. But we try as best as we can.

 Then we’ll always find those who firmly believe the rules do not apply to them. For instance, we’ve had a few extended family members that insisted their shoes were clean and refused to remove them. That’s when everyone else looks at us, just waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop.

 

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Image/s: Adapted from public domain image

 

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Beware of unwelcome bonus at Little Free Library boxes

 

Without reservation, I enjoy visiting Little Free Library boxes in and around my own hometown. I even peek into them sometimes when I am traveling. I love the idea of passing a book I’ve read along for someone else to enjoy, and it’s fun to pick out another one to dig into.

 You're probably familiar with these. They are little take-a-book, share-a-book stations that can be found in neighborhoods, village downtowns, school entries, and plenty of other spots. 

 Santa, are you listening? I’d be pleased to set up such a station outside my own home, so neighbors and friends could swap books easily. This one is really neat, with an appealing design and plenty of room inside. There's also a smaller one that resembles an old English photo booth, although I'd probably fill that in an instant with all the books I could pass along. And there's a handy compact double-decker version, although it looks a bit like an outhouse to me. (Hey, if you've even been to camp, you know.)

 Having said all that, I cannot forget three incidents that pestered me about poking into Little Free Library boxes in the past few years.

 

MITE-y annoying surprise.

 First, it was the book bugs. I grabbed a paperback mystery a while ago and headed home with it. I settled into a chair on my patio, enjoying a mild summer evening, and cracked open the new (passed-along) book. Almost immediately, I literally felt my skin crawling, as tiny mites escaped from between the pages. (I've heard of bookworms, but this was something altogether different.)

 

Getting ANTsy about a new read.

 On another occasion, I placed a trio of paperbacks into another Little Free Library box in our town. Delighted to find a fairly new title I’d been hoping to read, I pulled a book out of the box and began flipping through the pages. That’s when I noticed dozens of tiny ants crawling all over the inside of the book.

 

WASP up with that?

 More recently, I visited still another Little Free Library near my home. Clearing out my own bookshelf, I went and piled a few volumes inside the book box. I noticed the contents seemed to be randomly tossed into there, so I began straightening up the proffered collection. 

Suddenly, I felt a painfully sharp sting on one hand. That’s when I noticed a cloud of wasps, swarming out of their nest, which was situated up under the rafters of the house-shaped book box. I reported this to the village hall, located across the street from it, and the staff there promised to alert the Boy Scout troop that managed that Little Free Library. Later, I noticed a handwritten note on the front of the box, indicating its interior had been wasp-sprayed. A few were still zipping around inside and outside of it.

 

I won't give up on Little Free Libraries.

 I am still visiting such book swapping sites these days, but I have learned to look closely before digging around for books to read. And I examine those quite carefully, especially the ones that appear to be well worn or water-damaged. If I really want such a book, I place it in a zippered plastic bag and freeze it for a day or two, hoping to do away with any mold or creepy crawlies.

 Book mites and ants and wasps, oh my!

 I guess it takes a bit more effort to host a Little Free Library than simply setting up the box and filling it with books to share. 

 

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Image/s: Wasp nest – public domain photo, Others - LAN personal photo/s

 

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What’s in your car this winter?

Winter driving brings lots of extra challenges for drivers in colder climates. OK, we get that.

What do you pack into your car, just in case winter weather brings its worst, while you’re out on the road?

Here’s a handy list of 20 basics for winter drivers, especially on longer trips.

1. Basic tools (or multi-tool/Swiss Army knife)
2. Blanket (at least one per vehicle occupant)
3. Cash stash (a few tucked-away bills)
4. Cell phone charger (to fit the on-board phone)
5. Duct tape
6. Extra boots (suitable for snowy treks)
7. Extra hat and sturdy gloves
8. First-aid kit
9. Flares or reflective cones/markers
10. Flashlight and batteries (the brighter, the better)
11. Food and water (hearty non-perishable snacks)
12. Gas (full tank)
13. Hand sanitizer / wipes
14. Ice scraper / snow brush (perhaps also a compact/folding snow shovel)
15. Jumper cables
16. Maps and compass (in case GPS fails)
17. Medications (as needed)
18. Pencil and paper (for emergency note-taking)
19. Sand or kitty litter (non-clumping)
20. Windshield wiper fluid (at least filled)

While you’re out there, it’s important to keep in mind that several states have official laws (like Wisconsin’s 346.88.4) requiring drivers to clear all window obstructions (such as snow and road-salt) before driving legally on roadways.

 Here’s to safe winter driving – all around.

 

 

Image/s: Public domain image

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