Stupid Gas Station Customers

I was resetting my trip odometer after filling up my Honda Accord (for a whopping $44) and noticed a woman step between the gas pumps in front of my car and walk across the lot into the Cumbee Store. I was shocked to see that she was carrying a lit cigarette like it was nothing. The vehicle in front of me had an attached lawn maintenance trailer with several five-gallon gas containers. If an ash or her cigarette had dropped, we may all have been up in flames. There are “no smoking” signs at the station. I guess people don’t think. That’s how accidents happen.
After doing some online research, I found that there’s another culprit to blame for fires at the gas station. Static electricity. It’s on the rise, especially during cooler weather. The Petroleum Equipment Institute has even started a campaign called “Stop the Static.”. The rules for safe refueling are:
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Extinguish any cigarette.
3. Don't get in and out of the car during the refueling.
There’s a video that will surely convince you of the danger by showing how a spark from a girl’s sweater started a fire at the gas pump.

Be safe out there.

Companionship

Our family just spent a few days at Destin Beach for Easter break. My son and his friend entertained themselves for about an hour by digging a huge hole in the sand. Then, my seven-year-old nephew, Cooper, continued digging the same hole wider and deeper for hours more with some help. He had two plastic shovels so another boy came along to help. The boys were the same size and played together well on the beach—digging and throwing sand. At one point, Cooper showed the boy how to he could jump across the hole. He gestured to the boy to stand nearby and hold a shovel horizontally while he made a running start to traverse the gap. Then, Cooper held the shovel while the boy jumped across. I don’t know what holding the shovel had to do with the jump, but it was part of standing by. Each time, Cooper got a running start farther back to cross the hole and the boy copied him. My nephew was the leader and the other boy easily followed. The amazing thing is my nephew is deaf, but the other boy understood him. He never yelled at him or questioned why he didn't talk. I think that companionship needs no language. Sometimes, just being together in silence is all that we need.

Paper or Plastic?

What’s this about banning plastic bags? States like Maryland, Oregon and cities like Seattle and San Francisco are all about going green and introducing bills to outlaw non-biodegradable plastic bags. Makes sense. Remember when you used to think you were helping the environment by using plastic instead of paper? Those little plastic bags don’t hold many groceries either. So, I bought a few of the canvas bags. They’re convenient until you get meat juice on them, then you have to launder them. We still use the plastic grocery bags and recycle them into our wastebaskets. They’re great for hauling things to other people’s homes when you don’t expect to get them back. They’re handy for putting wet bathing suits in until you get home to dry them. Recently, I’ve found those bags to be defective with holes in the bottom seams—not good for depositing dirt or wet stuff.
Imagine a world where everyone has their own reusable bags and doesn’t mind losing one or two to someone else.

82 Confirmandi

My son made his confirmation on Wednesday evening along with 81 others. We were prepared for the mass to last well into the evening since Bishop Wenski is known for lengthy homilies. The students were given the next school day off as a result. But, he only spoke for about 25 minutes and brought up a couple thought-provoking ideas. For example, if you were given the choice of playing golf, going fishing or going to church, church would rank pretty low on the list. But Sunday is a day of rest and a day to honor the Lord. He asked us to hold our breaths for ten seconds twice. We did and some turned red and blew out. Then, he compared our need for oxygen as important a need to live as to have Christ in our lives. The Bishop is often asked, “Am I going to feel good after confirmation?” or “Is the Eucharist going to make me feel good?” He explained that Walgreen’s drugstore has aisles of stuff that promises to make you feel good. He said, “No, you’re not going to feel good.” It’s what you’re going to do afterward that makes a difference. So, I think we hope to make a difference on this earth in some way.