Happy Halloween from Ocean Delight Cottages

Halloween CandyJust wanted to take a minute to wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween. Sadly, we got no trick-or-treaters last year, but we’re keeping our fingers crossed for a few tonight.

I’m sure most parents know all the usual safety tricks – avoid dark clothing and masks, go in groups, make sure your children can’t trip in their costumes – but see here for a full list of safety tips from Health Canada.

We’ve got lots of four-leggeds, which reminds me to remind you to also keep your pets safe this holiday. Try to keep them indoors, make sure your dogs can’t find a way to get into all that chocolate, and if your pet is anxious around strangers, keep him away from trick-or-treaters. There’s so many cute pet costumes out there – make sure yours isn’t a choking hazard (and we’d love to see pics if you have them!).

I’m hoping we all enjoy this fun evening. One final tip from a father of 3 who’s ‘been there-done that’: get your children to eat a full meal before they go out collecting candy. It makes it easier for them to avoid the temptation of sneaking treats out of their bag before they get home, and also helps curb the eventual candy-gorge later that evening. Other than that, go nuts, get candy, and have fun!

Safety Tip: Don’t Let This Happen to You

We spent some of the last weekend in town, driving Joe Friday to the airport for a much-deserved vacation and to run some errands ourselves. Things were going well, until we were on our last run, coming down Blackmarsh Road, with the vibration in the rear end of the SUV getting worse. Then, suddenly, I started losing control. I jammed on the brakes and headed for the shoulder, where she went ‘kerplop.’ The wheel had come completely clear of the vehicle and was on the side of the road a hundred feet back. We were in a fix (and happy to have not ended up in a worse one!).

We sat there stunned for a minute. Call a tow truck or try to fix it? We chose the latter – I got out the jack (somehow) while The Berry searched for the lugs to put the wheel back on. Luckily, she found 3 of 5. “Guddanuf” says I.

With tremendous effort, racing heart, extreme respiration, and a few curses, we got the wheel on.

After I got my breath back, heart beat under control, and said a little prayer of gratitude for no traffic at that time in rush hour, we proceeded to Airport Heights for our last pick up. Then we went to dinner and celebrated surviving this little mishap.

And now, although ‘Safety Tips from Jerry’ sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, do what I’m doing above – make sure you’re tight before you hit the road!