You know, you wait all year-yet the glamour of summertime sun and fun can quickly heat up to a mountain of preparation and frustration. This can zap you of the real enjoyment of the vacation you've been anticipating, and before you know it summer has come and gone...again!
Holiday Mishaps...
You’ve daydreamed about it for months…lazy, summer days curled up with a book and long, twilight walks along an endless, white beach. After what seems like an eternity, holiday time arrives. You’re spending a week camping at the beach because you figure you’ll get to relax, do some reading and just take it easy.
The moment your last “work day” has ended, the “race to getaway” begins as you head for the instant teller, Beer and liquor stores, pick up some groceries and oh yes, stop at any retail outlet where you can load up on sunscreen and bug spray. Driving home, half aware and half thinking about the million other things you still have to do, you have a near accident with another vehicle. As your heartbeat and breathing return to normal, you scold yourself out loud, “Slow down, you dufuss! Cripes, you haven’t even left the city and at this rate, there’ll be no leaving!
Shaky and relieved to make it home, you busy yourself with packing. As you get to the cooler, you realize that you forgot to buy ice. With frustration setting in and a brief “showing of steam”, your husband’s senses melt as he offers to go and get some. After carefully arranging everything you think you’ll possibly need (and then some) into your vehicle, you make sure the kids/teenagers have their mainstays…namely toys, music, headphones, chargers and backup batteries. After the millionth mental check list, you’re ready for the road and contemplating a good stiff shot of anything containing alcohol upon arrival.
Before hitting the highway, you stop for gas when the “backseat sideshow” begins sooner than you’d hoped. Junior and the little miss decide they don’t like each other’s music and each is playing theirs too loud! With the standard “we can just turn around and head home right now!” threat, all settles for the moment and you’re on your way again with a headache setting in.
After four hours of driving in stop-n-go traffic, three pee breaks, two arguments and one food stop, you finally reach your destination in search of your camp site. As it comes into view, you’re a little miffed because you’re certain you requested a grassy area but instead you’re looking at sand. Oh well, a site is a site, right? Wrong! The next seven days will see that sand as a standard condiment…on your food and in your drinks!
Of course there are no kids or teenagers in sight when it’s time to set up the tent! Better yet, it seems that some of the tent poles are missing! It’s a sure bet that a necessary item gets forgotten but something this major? Reluctantly, hubby’s off to the camp store in search of said item and worst case scenario finds him traveling the 10 km into town in hopes of finding a hardware store. Upon his return, things are looking up as he’s miraculously found some in town at a used goods store. The next couple of hours are spent “situating the site”, beating off bugs, applying bug spray, building the bonfire and toasting weenies and marshmallows. Sleep calls quickly thereafter as you barely make it into the tent, crawl into your sleeping bag and pass out from sheer exhaustion.
At the end of day one, you’re sunburned and your feet ache from using muscles you never knew you had to sprint across the hot, burning sand. Day two slaps you with the grim realization that you’ve locked the car keys in the trunk but unbeknownst to you and thankfully, hubby has a spare. Day three finds you digging a tick out of Jr’s leg after you warned him to wear long pants, socks and shoes when traveling in the brush. Day four presents some nasty clouds forming in the distance. Very early into day five, you awaken to a heavy downpour and 2” of water in your leaky tent. Your day is spent trying to dry out sleeping bags without much success. Day six offers intermittent rain and you manage to get a fire going but not for long before the rain returns. With a grumbling belly, town is looking pretty good in the restaurant department. Day seven has you packing up and heading for home with the added bonus of blowing a tire along the way.
As your vacation comes to an end, you realize you haven’t even opened a book and you need another holiday after the holiday ! On top of all this, once you get back home you’ll have to clean it , put it away and deal with sand for the next three weeks! Though it’s not always funny at the time, some of our greatest memories are of times when things went wrong…our holiday mishaps.
Summer Safety Sense
Family Picnics or reunions can be full of thigh-slapping humour and life-long memories. Here are some tips to help keep you on the healthier, happier side of a family summer event.
Picnic Food Handling
We all know and expect a great variety of nibbles at our family reunions. Beware though, proper food handling becomes especially important in hot summer months!
1. Clean hands, utensils and surfaces often. Water may not be available at your picnic site so bring a jug with you for food cleaning and preparation. Also bring pre-moistened towelettes to help keep things sanitary.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Most produce should be rinsed under cold running water to help eliminate hazards. Scrub melons with a brush and peel carrots to eliminate dirt and other contaminates. No need to rewash “ready-to-eat” or “triple-washed” produce.
3. Seafood or raw meats should be packed well. Preferably in a separate cooler from ready-to-feast on foods such as salads, sandwiches, raw veggies or fruits. Wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards that touched raw meat or poultry before reusing. Avoid raw eggs when preparing salad dressings or other dishes.
4. Cross-contamination can produce unhealthy bacteria. Best to use squeeze bottles of ketchup, relishes and other condiments. This will prevent unsavory spoons from mixing up the food. Marinate raw food in the fridge, never on a counter. If you want to use marinade as a cooking sauce, set portions aside before soaking raw meat or poultry in it. You can also boil marinade before pouring over food in order to destroy any harmful bacteria.
5. Cook thoroughly. CAUTION, grilled foods may look cooked on the outside, but may not have reached a safe inside temperature! Raw meats and poultry have to be properly heated at a high enough bacteria killing temperature. A food thermometer is recommended. Food temperatures recommended by the FDA:
Beef, veal, and lamb steaks/ roasts: 145°F medium-rare, 160°F medium, 170°F well-done
Hamburgers 160°F & Hot Dogs 165 °F
Ground poultry 165°F Poultry breasts 170°F Whole poultry (measure in thigh) 180°F.
Fin fish-145°F (or until flesh is opaque separating easily with a fork) Shrimp, lobster, and crabs meats should be pearly and opaque. Cook clams, oysters, and mussels-until shells open.
6. Refrigerate promptly. Keep cold food cold–at or below 40 ° F. Store refrigerated perishables in an insulated cooler packed with plenty of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water. Put drinks in a separate cooler. Keep a cooler in your trunk all summer to store cold food while traveling home with groceries. Follow the 2:2:4 rule. Food left out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours (1 hour if over 85 °F) may not be safe to eat. Store refrigerated leftovers in a shallow container—about 2 inches—use ‘em or freeze ‘em within 4 days.
7. When it comes to food safety, IF IN DOUBT, THROW IT OUT!
Pet Peeves
Large celebrations can be confusing or scary for pets. In a park or strange setting, pets may become over-stimulated. It may be too hot, too crowded or there may be the essences of too many other animals to distract. Just as children get hyper and over-tired so too can our normally lovable pets–they just may not respond predictably under these circumstances. One summer party I attended was ruined when a treasured and usually gentle family pet bit a small child. Pets are one more responsibility to bear when you’re trying to have an enjoyable, carefree time, so if you do bring your pet with you, never leave your animal unattended in a warm vehicle, avoid excessive activity with your pet during
Where possible, leave animals with a pet sitter or at home--Rover will get over it!
Water Safety
Pools, ponds or waterfront parks are wonderful recreational centers but they also mean big responsibility for those with young ones. Small children should always wear appropriate personal flotation devices while near water. Parents who bring children into the vicinity of water must communicate clearly with each other as to who is keeping an eye out for them. Never assume someone else will safeguard your family!
Sun Smarts
S - Shadow test. When your shadow is shortest, the sun is strongest.
U - Use ultraviolet sunblock--SPF 15 or greater.
N - Now! Protect yourself and love ones from the harmful effects of solar exposure.
These simple summer sensibilities could be a lifesaver!
Preparations For Summer Frustrations
Banish Insect Itch .
Chop a leek, scallion or onion in half. Apply them directly onto your skin for about 10 minutes. An antibiotic compound produced naturally will help keep bites from getting infected and the moist cool properties of the onion will sooth your itch away.
Speedy Sting Relief:
When there is no after-bite in sight, try mixing dirt with fresh water and rub on the sting area. As the mud dries it will draw out impurities and give fast relief from insect irritations.
For Stinky, Sweaty, Sticky Situations:
Help control embarrassing odors and perspiration by using an antibacterial body wash, followed by a body powder containing miconazole nitrate (commonly found in foot powders) this will help eliminate fungal growth. You can also try an aerosol antiperspirant in areas that tend to overheat in hot weather—like between your thighs and breasts.
Perk Up Your Body:
After you wake up, make up yourself an extra cup of coffee, save the grounds for exfoliating dry skin areas. If you are a brunette use the black coffee as a quick an easy hair perk-me-up rinse.
Body Breakout and Bump Blasters:
If your summer skin is as bumpy as a country road, look for a body scrub that has glycolic, lactic and azelaic acids, and if you suffer those blasted summer breakouts look for a body wash containing salicylic acid. In warmer months our skin’s oil production is in overdrive the acids help keep pores clean and clear.
"Tick Off" Your Pets
It’s the time of year when ticks are in full force and you want to “Tick Off” your pet. Say again? Ticks are little, crab-like or beetle-looking insects that latch onto your pets, slowly burrowing themselves into the skin and sucking blood as their food source. Ve ry tiny in size, once found you may notice that their bodies become larger as they become engorged and turn white in colour.
How to "Tick Off” your pet:
Here is a solution that is simple to do and cost effective. First gather some rubbing alcohol and tweezers or needle nose pliers. Pour enough rubbing alcohol over the area to irritate and get the tick moving. This helps for easier removal. Take the tweezers or pliers and grab a hold of the tick at the base making sure the head is still attached to its body. If the head is still lodged in the pet, pour more rubbing alcohol and proceed again. When removed, douse the tick in rubbing alcohol till all movement has stopped.
If in doubt, call your local veterinarian clinic for advice on how to prevent having to "Tick Off" your pet this summer.
