Here is this week’s “Water Cooler” column by Chewelah Independent Managing Editor Brandon Hansen…
IT IS TIME TO TALK ABOUT WINTER
With snow in the forecast, it’s time for us to all wake up from a somewhat warm October and realize that Winter is indeed coming. This starts the Chewelah tradition of checking out your tires to figure out if they have enough tread, while hemming and hawing about tire deals at all the shops. Remember everyone has a tire location they swear by. As soon as late October hits, these places will be slammed by people trying to get winter tires on their vehicle – so do it sooner than later.
PUMPKIN SPICE ONSLAUGHT
Brace yourself for the pumpkin spice onslaught that has been decidedly muted lately. I’m blaming COVID-19 or social media. I’m a proud Stevens County man and feel no shame in saying I love pumpkin spice things. Chewelah coffee places need to pick it up. More pumpkin spice themed things. Maybe our hunters orange vests could smell like pumpkin spice? Pumpkin spice Taco Tuesdays at Sporty’s? Pumpkin Spice beer from the brewery?
DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME IS STILL HERE
Make sure you turn your clock back an hour on Nov. 1. “But Brandon, I thought we voted down Daylight Savings Time changes” to which I laugh and cry at the same time.
Congress would have to approve Washington’s move to have no Daylight Savings Time – therefore axing the spring forward, fall back tradition. If you haven’t been paying attention, Congress’ lone achievement this year was giving Americans in a wrecked economy a $1,200 check and saying “God be with you the rest of the way,” so don’t expect them to be changing our clocks anytime soon.
So be ready for the winter days where its dark by like mid afternoon and the sun doesn’t really start to shine until we’re already at work. This is what we get for living in the booster seat version of Alaska.
THE COLDER IT GETS THE MORE STRUCTURE FIRES TEND TO BREAK OUT
Let’s get this out of the way. Why do structure fires occur more often in the winter? It’s because stoves are controlled fires to begin with, and when you throw in electric heaters and a multitude of extension cords, it becomes a who’s who of what is going to burst into flames first.
So take this October to check out your chimney (chimney fires aren’t fun), you hopefully not-leaky stove, and don’t plug 1800 things into the same outlet.
HAVE YOU HAD SOMETHING PARANORMAL HAPPEN?
Scott Allen and I are going to do a paranormal show on KCHW Northern Lights Public Radio. Much like “The X-Files,” Scott will be the conspiracy minded Mulder and I will be the red-head Scully. So if you have had something CRAZY happen to you that you would like discussed on the show, email me at brandon@chewelahindependent.com.
WHAT TO WATCH: I have October 30th circled on my calendar because that is when Disney Plus plays the season two premier of The Mandalorian. This is the Way.