Tag: home

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Even a blind squirrel …

I’m not sure about her vision, but a recent uninvited guest into my home surely thought she had found a nut.

Early one morning this week, I went to the basement to grab the laundry from the dryer. When I entered the laundry room I was greeted by a little creature probably just as surprised as me! Yes, it was one of those bushy tailed rodents that scurry about my yard all day and night. It seems this one had found a way in. This isn’t the first animal to get into my home. I’ve had birds (Starlings) get in there as well. I’d been able to get rid of the birds pretty quickly. And I THOUGHT that the squirrel would be just as easy to get gone. But, I now have a clearer understanding of the phrase “squirrel-brained”.

I knew that the birds had always come down the flu for the gas log fireplace in the basement. It is never used and we just try to make sure that the glass doors are kept closed so that that’s as far as they get. I wanted to check to see if that was where my new little friend had entered. But to do so, I had to leave the laundry room. So I carefully shut, and blocked the thresholds for the two doors. In the process, I lost track of the scurrying squirrel but was confident he was still in there. Sure enough, a fireplace door was open just enough for the squirrel to pass through to its new home. As I walked about the basement, I could see that the squirrel had been in there for more than just the morning. It had spent some time in all of the window sills no doubt trying its best to get back out to the safe trees. And I had a plan of how to help it get out. But for that, I would need to get some live animal traps from another location. So I left the little varmint in the room and went for a drive.

When I returned with the traps, and started setting them up in the laundry room, it became clear that the squirrel was no longer in there. Now squirrels are notorious chewers. I’ve had them chew through a quarter-inch-thick hard plastic clamshell car carrier (probably because it looked like a giant nut). But I didn’t see any evidence that the it had chewed its way out of the room. I can only guess that it had left the room before I shut the doors. As I found out, they are quick. I found it, once again, sitting in the window sill. And upon seeing me, the chase began. Now I’ve herded many animals and even cats seem to have a general pattern to their movements. But these things are squirrely. The ensuing chase can only be described as a comedy. And I can tell you truly that a squirrel will jump on your head if it’s the best route to escape.

Eventually, it did go back to the fireplace where I could trap it. Or so I thought. After setting up and baiting a trap, it never would come down from its perch atop the damper. Too bad it couldn’t climb out. It seems as though, unlike every surface in my basement, it’s claws couldn’t grasp the flu pipe. So I finally conceded to doing as my wife suggested in the first place, call the professionals from Rottler Pest Control. Within an hour, a “nuisance animal” specialist , Jason, was at my home. Turns out, this was a job for two. As Jason bravely tried to grasp the squirrel with a grabber pole, I was waiting with a clear plastic tub and lid. Sure enough, it ran straight out of the fireplace and into the tub. Jason then when on the roof and fixed the flu so that I wouldn’t have any more pest coming down the chimney. The squirrel was re-homed, and I was relieved.

What has this got to do with Steps for today?

I’ve known about this problem for years. When you know about a problem and don’t take care of it, It will eventually come back to – well it didn’t bite me- but maybe just scurry about your life create total chaos, and cost you even more money and time.

I only wish I had the whole thing on camera. It would have been an internet sensation.

Thanks for reading.
Please like and share with those who are struggling with these issues.
And remember to take the next step.
Mitch

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It’s in the Garage Somewhere

It’s springtime. Time to clean out the garage of its winter accumulation of clutter. You know, all those things that needed a place to rest, but it was too cold to spend any time out there making a home for them. Things like the new power tool you got for Christmas or the leftover sidewalk salt and shovels that you hopefully won’t need again till next winter. But, if you’re like me, it’s also time to take a long look at some of the things that you’ve been keeping just in case you ‘might need it someday’. There can be so much to do, it just may seem easier to shut the door and wait for a warmer day. But won’t it be better to be doing something fun on that warmer day? Might as well get started. But where?

To get started, I usually pick one area and work through it first. I typically put away the winter toys and tools first. Getting the winter toys back into the attic clears up a lot of space quickly. I know I can rotate the tools to the back of the tool rack, and rotate out the gardening tools. It just makes it that much easier when I need a shovel, saw, or trimmers.  It’s also a good time to look for any old tools that you just haven’t used in a while and their taking up space. Likewise goes for when you’re putting away the driveway salt and ice scrapers. Maybe there’s not enough salt to keep over the summer, or the scraper is worn out and should be replaced.

After that’s finished, I like to work on cleaning up a section at a time. Maybe the workbench first and then move on to the shelves and cabinets. The point is that the small successes of each area tend to inspire me to keep working. I’ll eventually get around to all the smaller, nuts and bolts and things, which can take a lot of time to get to their proper location.

Cleaning up the garage is rarely a one-day project. It’s usually broken down into several steps and executed in between my other projects. I just know I get a real feeling of accomplishment when everything is back ‘where it should be’.

Thanks for reading.
Please like and share with those who are struggling with these issues.
And remember to take the next step.
Mitch

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On the Record

As every parent knows, the start of every school year is filled with a list of tasks which must be completed before classes begin. Of these tasks, the one that gave me the most anxiety, was coming up with the immunization records. We had moved quite a few times, so no individual doctor had a complete set of records. I always managed to find those little immunization record books. But not without an undue amount of stress. Now, imagine if you had to provide a complete set of medical records, and time was critical.

This same scenario can also apply to financial or legal paperwork in an emergency situation, medical or otherwise. It’s easy to forget a documents location. Whether it’s paper or electronic, once it’s placed in a “safe” location, our brains automatically quit tracking it, and move on to whatever concerns are most pressing.

In my book, First Steps For Success, I discuss the creation of a Master Index. This document is a single location to list and track the critical documents for your household. The Index can also be used to capture metadata related to a document such as persons, companies, or related documents. The book also discusses different types of documents and how they may be applicable to your home. Of course, it takes a few steps to do the initial setup for your existing documents, but you’ll find that knowing where your important information is kept and having a quick place to record the location of future documents, will save both time and anxiety in the future. First Steps For Success is available at Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RQZJ2VD.

Thanks for reading. Please like and share with those who may benefit from this information!
And remember to take the next step.
Mitch

PS. It seems as though Facebook has possibly changed its algorithms which determine who sees these posts. Please help me reach as many people as possible by liking and sharing this content. This will also let me know if the posts are reaching my readers. Thanks again!