With colder temperatures keep water running to prevent freezing

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. This is a great time of year to get together with family and friends.  However, it doesn’t seem like the Christmas Season should be here yet.  

 This last year has just gone by so quickly.

 For Thanksgiving, Cathy and I went to the home of extended family. After dinner, a brand-new jigsaw puzzle was brought out, cut out of its packaging, and several of us began working on it. We got to a point where it looked like there was a piece missing because the distinct color of the piece needed stood out.  We scoured under the part already constructed, on the floor, and everywhere. After a bit, the youngest grandson revealed that he had taken the piece as a joke. We gave him a bad time and resumed our construction. 

 Later, we were missing another piece and went through the same routine only to find the grandson had slipped off with another piece.  He was very pleased with himself. I don’t understand how in the world my grandson would get ideas for practical jokes. It completely eludes me. 

 In City news this week, the leaf pickup continues. However, Ron McDaniel, your street department manager, would like to remind you that only leaves will be picked up.  Please do not put grass clippings, sticks, shrubbery, or any other objects in the leaf pile. The vacuum’s impeller blade is designed to pick up leaves and shred them. Objects such as sticks, shrubs, etc. can and do break the impeller fan blades.  We have had to replace one already this season at a cost of $1,700 due to sticks.  

 If the leaf crew find other items in the leaf piles, they will skip those piles and come back with a loader once all other leaves in town are picked up with the vacuum. Unfortunately, waiting until all other leaves are picked up may mean that the snow has already fallen and frozen for the winter, which in turn may mean that timing for picking up those piles may be determined by the length and strength of the winter weather.

 So, please, only rake leaves into the gutter in front of your home.  

 On another note, with the cold weather setting in, Bill Taylor from the water department would like to once again remind you to keep a bit of water running to help keep water pipes from freezing. All it takes is a trickle to keep the water moving enough to prevent ice in your pipes.

Also, with the cold weather, it is a good time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms to make sure they are working. With homes bundled up for the winter, home fires are more prevalent this time of year.  A quick change of batteries can make a huge difference in preventing a catastrophe.

 Well, that’s it for this week. May you relish this Holiday Season with all of its meaning and memories.  Weiser really is a great community!