Grugger’s Way

Emergency Stuff to Keep in the Car

To assemble this list I examined what I like to carry along for emergencies.  Obviously, you will want to adjust what you include based on the season of the year, where you live, and what one might want to have on hand for weekend trips (or longer).  The extremes of summer in the desert and winter in the mountains will require extra attention be paid to this list, as it is by no means all-inclusive:

First Aid Kit with extra elastic wraps and large gauze pads. Add snake bite kit in summer and, in winter, have some of those little heating bags you crush for wearing in your ski boots and gloves.

Axe, bucket and shovel. Required for travel in any mountain state. A good idea anywhere.

Hammer (I keep a 20-ounce with straight claw)

Leatherman tool, plus an assortment of other screwdrivers, blades and wrenches (whatever you have room for in a $20 tool bag).

Flashlight (Big enough that you need at least two D batteries)

Flares, road type.

Tow line made of nylon, usually. These come with big hooks at each end.

Jack and lug wrench for changing tires. (Better check just to make sure the lug wrench FITS and that you know how to operate the jack, especially in the dark.)

Tarp (I recommend 6’x10’)

Gloves, Leather

Gloves, Rubberized (these are waterproof for working outside in winter snow, etc.)

Rope nylon.  Fifty feet of it.  You just never know.

Twine.  A standard ball of it, because it can be used in first aid, and is a way to start a fire too)

Bungee cords. I like the nylon type that are flat and have plastic hooks. Also good for first aid as in securing a splint to arm or leg.

Butane lighters or torches. Waterproof matches are ok too. 

Red flag, plastic, like you hang at the end of an oversized load. Good for signaling that you need help, and you can secure it from the driver side window to alert other drivers.

Tire Chains for winter traction. (Practice putting them on in the dark.) Don’t you dare believe that four-wheel drive is all you will ever need in the mountains.

Sleeping bag (I think I prefer this over the little shiny and thin ”space blankets”)

Energy Bars (There are other high-energy foods, like granola and carrots, if you don’t like energy bars)

Drinking water (bring a gallon per person)

And, remember the cell phone with a charger that works in the car.

If you have additional suggestions, please Comment.

September is National Senior Center Month, acknowledging the importance of the local Senior Centers as they evolve to reflect a more empowered vision of aging.

Yes, this generation of retired folks that we call “the Matures,” and the next generation, we “Boomers,” expect much  from our senior years, and a Senior Center can be a valuable resource.

We want to remain active, whether it is sticking with our career, volunteering, working part-time, or participating in social activities with our families and friends.

Senior Centers offer us connections–to career and volunteer opportunities, access to benefits and resources, information and tools to manage health and finances.  The goal oftentimes is to remain in our own homes–and that is good.

Senior Centers can be an important–even vital–link to local health organizations, assistance agencies and government officials.  Senior Centers can be social HOTSPOTS, with Tai Chi and yoga classes, dances and dance lessons, pancake breakfasts and Sunday buffets, as well as health screenings for cholesterol, osteoporosis, blood pressure, vision and hearing tests, and sometimes seminars on fall prevention and home safety.

Last weekend was National Grandparents Day, and we also observed the anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy just a couple of days ago.  I didn’t want September to go by without a mention of this important national recognition of Senior Centers.  More information is also available at the National Institute of Senior Centers webpages at the National Council on Aging’s main website.

RETIRED AND RESTLESS isn’t just a slogan or tag line for my blog; it’s my life now.  And frankly, the “Restless” part is becoming more prominent as summer is quickly passing.

And it’s not just this summer; it’s ANOTHER summer!  Yes, another year gone by.  For some reason, and maybe this is a holdover from childhood, my “years” seems to end when the new school year begins. 

THE ENDLESS URGE TO “GET AWAY” FROM IT ALL

Anyway, summer is nearly over and about the only good thing I can say about that is the tourist traffic will soon be off the roads and out of the campgrounds.

I made so many plans for summer and accomplished so little.  Maybe because it takes me so much longer to accomplish anything these days.  I always feel like I could, or should, be doing more.  Yet, whenever I really get enthused and get after a project I seem to overdue it, overexert myself, and end up injured in some manner that I am slowed down for a week or two.

I really wanted to get in some serious flyfishing this summer, but I haven’t been able to get away and hit my favorite spots.  I really get mixed feelings about the “desire” to get away and the “need” to get away.  There is some guilt here because my spouse is working a full-time job and I am retired.  I could go without her, but how to justify that…. Besides, I enjoy her company and would really prefer to be fishing and camping with her…not anyone else…and not alone.   Getting away when I already live in the mountains, is kind of a relative term…just cabin fever I think…just the feeling that life is passing me by while I sit here at the computer.

And there is the truth of it.  I am still sitting here at the computer.

Avoiding Boredom in Retirement may just take a little reminding of how much fun we used to have doing certain things and then renewing that fire!  Another technique is to find things that we never had time to do before we retired, things we were reluctant to try before we retired, and NEW THINGS that never exited before we retired.

Let’s see:    A new thing that is a wonderful way to avoid boredom in retirement is to start a blog on Today.com !  I’ve just been doing this for a little over two months now, and I can tell you that it is something I look forward to doing every single day. Admittedly it may require some discipline to post every single day, but discipline is something we used to take for granted before we retired.  We had structure and that was good for us.  After retirement we lack that structure and discipline goes by the wayside.  Having SOMETHING that has to be done every day is a GREAT way to avoid boredom! (At Today.com , one can also write the posts in advance and then edit the “timestamp” so it is published on a day in the future. So, write those posts today and take the weekend off!)

Some other ideas: 

Get a digital camera and play!  If you’ve never used anything but a box camera, this is just about as simple.  If you have used a 35 millimeter camera, you will love digital!   The cost is very reasonable, and unless you decide to print a lot of shots for others, the digital versions that you can save and create slideshows and write to a CD or DVD, or simply e-mail to friends, doesn’t cost much at all.  Even the cameras are cheap these days.

Get a Pet.  No human will ever appreciate you so much as a dog does.  The best part (some would say the worst part) is that a dog always remains like a three-year-old kid!  He or she will run to meet you at the door and wants nothing more than your attention, kind words, a treat now and then and some play activity.  Loyalty and Love.  Get a dog.   Cats are another story altogether.  They don’t need much attention, and only give you attention when the mood suits them.  They think you feed them because they are in charge and you are a servant.  Some people like cats and not all cats are alike.  We have three and each is a totally different personality.  If you want a retirement challenge in order to fight boredom…get a cat.

Grandkids love grandpa and grandma because it’s fun time all the time.  No chores, no discipline, no homework.  Likewise, grandparents love grandkids because it’s fun time all the time and then they go home and leave us in peace.  No discipline problems, no fits, no work!

Golf with others your own age.  I quit trying to golf with my adult children.  First, they are stronger and better than I am and they like to remind me of how it “used to be.”  My competitiveness is still there so I am apt to overdo it just trying to show them I still can.  Better to play with duffers like myself.

Become a Catch and Release fisherman.  First of all, you don’t have to make excuses for not bringing home the catch.  Second, you don’t have to clean or filet the things, and Third, the spouse will not complain about stinking up the kitchen with “fishyness.”  As a “catch and release” fisherman you can claim to be a true sportsman, plus it removes all the pressure so you really can enjoy the great outdoor experience.  Not worrying about your success will also save you money.  You don’t have to keep up with the latest equipment or lures or flies.  You don’t have to travel so far to hit the season’s hot spots.  Just have fun.  Buy some waders and play in the water with the spouse.  (Better get the spouse some waders too.)

Skydive.  Nah, you don’t have to.