A recent house fire in Chester was caused by fire getting outside of a grill, catching the outside of the house ablaze, with spread to the inside. Firefighters arrived to find the exterior rear of the house in flames, with extension into the attic. No one was injured, but the house suffered extensive damage. I do not know how the fire got outside of the grill, so I will have to offer causes based upon past experience. Some reasons that fire can get outside of the grill are as follows: Lack of maintenance to a propane grill, excessive lighter fluid…
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Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. Before I forget, Happy Fourth of July! Well, OK, maybe it is a tad early – better than a tad late – but I really needed this as my lead-in for this week’s topic. I have had the opportunity to attend several sporting events this year, most recently the Indianapolis 500 race, and I noticed something that I guess I was aware of but did not put it in perspective until recently. At the beginning of the race or any sports event, they ask everyone to stand and take…
I have just come from my very last “Word Wall Ball.” For those of you who are not familiar with what a “Word Wall Ball” is, it is a celebration of the kindergarteners who have learned all of the kindergarten word wall words. Word wall words are essentially sight words that the kids must learn during the first year of school. Once you have learned all of your word wall words, you are invited to the ball, which is held at the end of the year. It is truly a sight to behold! The children dress in their finest, as…
A windy day at the Virginia Beach turned tragic when a Chester woman was struck by a beach umbrella and died. My prayers go out to this family. Accidents like this define a freak accident. The accident, in my opinion, which everyone would say could never happen until it does. How many of us carry beach umbrellas, canopies, and tents to block a little bit of sun from hurting us while making it a bit more bearable on those hot days? My wife and I were a part of the beach crowd recently, setting up our canopy on a piece…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. Before I forget, happy Father’s Day to all of you wonderful dads, who in my opinion, really do not get the credit they deserve. You work hard every day; day in and day out to support your family without complaining. The pack tips its hat to you. And a tip of hat to me for getting this column out ahead of the actual holiday. [Yee-aw!] Anyway, I had the opportunity to attend the 100th running of the Indy 500; it was sold out with easily over 300,000 in attendance.…
It is not often that gardeners deal with as much rain as we have this spring. May was a record month for rain in our area, the most since 1889. No one can control the rain, but there are things we can do to ensure our landscape survives the saturation. Do not mow your grass when the soil is saturated. Before you mow, walk across your lawn. If you hear your soggy footsteps, it is best to wait. Mowing soggy ground will likely leave ruts in the turf and can even rip the grass from the surface. Mowing when there…
With the passing of Memorial Day, pools have opened for the summer and temperatures are in the mid to upper 80s. I want to write a proactive article before a tragedy occurs. The story about the four-year-old boy that fell into the gorilla’s area at the Cincinnati Zoo is what prompted me to write on this subject. This incident must remind us that we have to have eyes and hands on our children constantly. Some would say that this is an impossible task, but the result can be an injured child or, even worse, the death of a child. Every…
Hello and welcome back to the wonderful world of the Dogpound. Doctor visits have certainly changed over time. When I was little, the doctor still made house calls, black bag and all. Then, we moved to a more centralized visit, going to his office which was actually in the back of his house, and he would come in one of the exam rooms, sometimes with cigarette in hand [I know, I am old!] and check you out. Then, we moved on to sitting in the waiting room for 30 minutes. Then, another 30 minutes in the exam room, with the…
As I write this, it is raining, again. I am sitting in my comfy clothes (i.e. yoga pants and a stain spattered button-up) drinking my “digestive tea” as “House Hunters” plays in the background. It is cozy, it is peaceful, but if we have to deal with any more rain this spring I will scream. Rainy days are lovable in moderation. If the sun is shining I absolutely feel that I must be out doing something. Whether that means working in the yard, tending to the chickens and the gardens, or running errands, I ultimately feel like I have to…
I just rode by a house that was ravaged by fire early Sunday morning. It was obvious that the fire had started on the front porch or in the vicinity of the front porch. Fire investigators have determined that the fire started in a flowerpot, on the front porch, from an improperly discarded cigarette. In this fire, the occupants were displaced, but no one lost their life. Why do I call this a common cause? In Chesterfield County alone, there have been three house fires – in the recent past that I know of – that were caused by improperly…