Is Your Jewelry Scheduled? A Valentines Day Post

Is Your Jewelry Scheduled?

According to muchneeded.com, it is estimated that approximately $19 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day in the United States. WOW!  $19 BILLION! Even with all the scary things that we hear about in the news, there is still A LOT of  LOVE in the United States!  Approximately 54% of Americans participate in buying gifts for those special people in their lives. The most popular gifts purchased for Valentines Day are as follows:

• Jewelry 24%

• Evening out 19%

• Flowers 10%

• Candy 9%

• Clothes 20%

• Cards 65%

*The above values are approximates.

If you happen to be one of the approximately 24% who are either buying jewelry for a loved one or receiving it, you will want to think about insuring it.  Basic coverage under homeowners policies is limited for specialty items, one of which is jewelry.  When expensive jewelry is purchased, it is important to notify your insurance agent right away to get it scheduled.  Scheduling means purchasing an endorsement for your jewelry so that it is adequately covered in case it is lost, stolen, or damaged. It involves having the jewelry appraised to insure coverage for a specific value.  It costs $1.00 per every $100.00 value to purchase an endorsement.  For example, if your $5,000.00 tennis bracelet is stolen while on vacation, a basic homeowners policy only covers $1500.00 for theft. (Pathfinder Property and Casualty textbook pg. 5-12) That would be sickening if you did not have an endorsement for that piece of jewelry!  A simple call to your agent to schedule the bracelet would make sure your bracelet would be fully covered.

Enjoy Valentines Day, and remember if you make a purchase of jewelry or any other specialty item for that matter, call your agent and request to purchase a Personal Articles Floater (endorsement) so that you can rest assured your gift will be covered in the event it is lost, stolen, or damaged.

*Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance.

Car Care for the Winter Months

Caring For Your Car in the Winter Months

January is here, and even though we have been enjoying somewhat warmer temperatures in Indiana this winter, the next Polar Vortex could be right around the corner!  It’s a good time to think about how to take care of your car when the winter weather including the extreme cold arrives.  What problems come to mind with your car during the winter months?

The first thing that comes to mind is when the door is frozen shut! UGH! Some helpful tips are provided on the Honda website under automobile tips. One way to prevent a door from freezing shut is to make sure the rubber seal is not cracked or damaged. It is a good idea to replace it if it is damaged. Also, clean the rubber seal from any dirt that might be on it.  Finally, rub a paper towel soaked with a lubricant product that you can purchase form an auto store onto the rubber seal. Spraying oil into the locks will also help to prevent door locks from freezing. You can actually use cooking oil for this if you do not have the lubricant product.  Most people tend to have either cooking spray or oil in their kitchen cabinets.  As you know, oil and water don’t mix.  The oil will repel the water and help prevent it from freezing. 

The second thing that comes to mind is when clumps of ice form on the windshield wipers.  How many times have you been driving down the road and have to roll down your window (if it is not frozen shut) to time the wipers just right so you can flip the wiper to try to get the ice off of it?  THAT is super annoying!. To avoid that problem, according to ancowipers.com you can try wiping the blades down with rubbing alcohol.  You can also consider changing out your regular wiper blades for winter wiper blades. They are supposed to be more flexible and work more efficiently in sub zero temperatures to keep from getting snow and ice build up. It is also a good idea to get the winter blend for your wiper fluid. It has more alcohol in it and is less likely to freeze. Check out thedrive.com for selections of winter wiper blades.

Another winter challenge for your car is the dreaded dead battery.  Car batteries, as you know, do not like sub zero temperatures.  Chemical reactions in batteries slow down during extreme cold temperatures sometimes causing the car battery to go on strike.  We have all heard that sound at one time or another.  rrr  rrr  rrr …rrr  rrr rrr.  What can you do?  Check the age of your battery. It is recommended to change your car battery every three to five years. Make sure there is no corrosion on your battery. Purchase a good battery charger for times when the battery needs charged.  Keep jumper cables handy at all times. (roadandtrack.com)

Sometimes tires can give you problems in the winter.  Always check your tire pressure.  In cold air, the air in your tire condenses and takes up less space.  When your tires are inflated properly they are more likely to get better traction. In addition to that, changing your tires for the winter months to winter tires is something you might want to think about. Do you already do that?  I think I would if I lived where there was snow all of the time.  What exactly is the difference between winter tires and regular “all season tires” you might be asking yourself? According to trusty Google (what would we do without it), the rubber in regular tires stiffens in the cold and reduces traction while winter tires have deeper tread and get better traction in the snow. You be the judge depending on where you live on whether or not to change to winter tires for the winter months.

What about all of the salt that is put on the road to help keep the roads safe?  It’s great for melting snow and ice, but it is corrosive and can damage your car after long periods of time.  The best thing to do is to get your car washed as soon as possible after a snowstorm. Make sure to request the treatment for under your car as well. You can also wax your car before the winter to add an extra protective coating.

Of course keeping your car in a garage, if one is available, is ideal to avoid the various elements of winter weather.  In our case, cleaning out the garage  would be a necessity. That would involve taking down the ping pong table which has become a great table to store things on. It would also take away our furniture making space……….. probably not going to happen anytime soon.

Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance

Peck and Wood Favorite Holiday Recipes

 Peck and Wood Favorite Holiday Recipes

Are you looking for a recipe to try this year when you host the family gathering?  Maybe you are not hosting but need to take something delicious to a party. The recipes that follow are some of our favorites. We are not sure who actually was the first to create these recipes, but whoever it was, we are glad they did!  Enjoy!

1. Ding Dong Cake- Darla Poore

“Making this Dong Dong Cake was a recreation of my favorite childhood treat! Rich chocolate cake, creamy filling, and a heavenly chocolate coating on the outside”.

 *I substitute the sugar with swerve or stevia (follow directions on the package for the correct amounts of substitution)

Ingredients:

CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 1 3/4 cup (210g) all-purpose flour

• 2 cup (400g) granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup (90g) good unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 cup (240g) buttermilk, room temperature  (or 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in it at room temperature)

• 1/2 cup (112g) vegetable oil

• 2 extra-large eggs room temperature

• 2 tsp. McCormick pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup (237g) freshly brewed hot coffee

FILLING

• 5 tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) butter

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

GANACHE

• 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped fine (can use milk chocolate)

• 16 oz (2 cups) heavy cream room temperature

Instructions:

CHOCOLATE CAKE

1. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl and mix until combined.

2. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4. Pour the batter into two 8-inch x 3-inch round prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350°F, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out mostly clean (not wet).

5. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

FILLING

1. Pour cold milk into a small saucepan. Before turning on the heat, whisk in flour so no lumps remain.

2. Turn heat on to medium-low and heat until mixture is thick, like a roux, stirring the whole time.

3. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and let cool completely.

4. Cream together butter and sugar on medium-high speed, until fluffy, about 8 minutes.

5. Add in the milk mixture and beat again until mixture resembles a whipped cream.

GANACHE

1. Heat the heavy cream in a quart-sized, microwavable container and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes on high, or until it just begins to simmer. Be careful not to allow the cream to boil over. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let stand for at least 2 minutes so that it can thicken.

2. (Ganache should be cool when pouring over cake)

3. When ready to pour over chilled cake, whisk the ganache until smooth and then pour. You may have some ganache left over.

2. Party Potatoes- Darla Poore

“My mom made these every holiday”.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups instant mashed potatoes  or about 8 - 10 russet potatoes

• 8 tbsp butter

• 8 oz cream cheese

• 8 oz sour cream

• 1/3 cup fresh chives chopped

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp black pepper

• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix together the prepared mashed potatoes with six tablespoons of the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, salt, smoked paprika and pepper. Fold in the chopped chives.

3. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread- Darla Poore

This pumpkin chocolate chip bread is a tender loaf of lightly spiced bread made with pumpkin puree and plenty of chocolate chips. A one bowl recipe that takes just minutes to put together!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for coating chocolate chips

• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 cup granulated sugar (or swerve or stevia)

• 1 cup pumpkin puree

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips divided use

• cooking spray

Instructions:

 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8" x 4" loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Place the flour, pumpkin pie spice, salt and baking soda in a large bowl; whisk to combine.

3. Add the sugar, pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.

4. Toss 1 cup of the chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir the chocolate chips into the batter.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the top of the loaf.

6. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, then run a thin knife along the sides of the pan to loosen the bread.

7. Let the bread cool in the pan, then invert, slice and serve.

4. Strawberry Pretzel Salad- Betsy Peck

Every time there is a family gathering this jello salad is requested.  This recipe is great for all holidays or any day!

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 2 C of crushed pretzels

• 3/4 C melted butter

• 1/4 C sugar

Filling:

• 8 oz. cream cheese

• 1 C sugar

• 12 oz whipped topping

Topping:

• 1 6oz large box of strawberry jello

• 2 C boiling water

• 4 C frozen sliced strawberries (I also add fresh, sliced strawberries)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400. Coat 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Crush pretzels until you have two cups of crushed pretzels. (food processor or blender works well for this.) Add melted butter and sugar and mix well. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish.

3. Press the crust until an even layer is formed in the pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow it to cool before adding the whipped cream cheese layer.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and sugar using a mixer. Fold in the whipped topping and spread over the cooled pretzel crust making sure to go completely to the edges to seal the crust.

5. Use a large mixing bowl to combine the jello and boiling water.  Mix until the jello is dissolved. Add in frozen strawberries with fresh strawberries and mix for one minute. The jello will begin to thicken.

6. Pour the jello mixture evenly over the top of the cream cheese mixture. Set in the refrigerator and chill until firm. 2-3 hours

5. French Dip Sliders- Jane and Terry Freeman

We like the oven baked ham and cheese sandwiches that are made with Hawaiian bread.  They are a favorite for any large gathering of people. We also love French Dip sandwiches.  We can’t wait to try these when all of the kids and grandkids are in town. By the looks of the ingredients, they have to be good!

Ingredients:

• 10 T unsalted butter, divided

• 1 onion halved and sliced

• 1 pkg (12 rolls) Hawaiian sweet rolls

• 12 slices of provolone cheese

• 1 pound of sliced roast beef (I like Boars Head London Broil)

• 8 T unsalted butter

• 1 pkg Au Jus Gravy Mix

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 T toasted sesame seeds

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

Instructions:

1. Melt 2 T of butter in medium skillet, and cook onions until lightly browned and soft.  Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 and grease 9X13 baking dish.

3. Keeping the Hawaiian sweet rolls attached, run a serrated knife through the middle of the loaf, dividing the top and bottom halves.

4. Place the bottom half in the baking dish and evenly lay on the provolone cheese.

5. Scatter on the roast beef followed by the onions.

6. Top with the top half of the rolls.

7. Melt the remaining 8 T of butter and stir in the Au Jus gravy mix, Worcestershire sauce, sesame seeds, garlic powder, and onion powder.

8. Pour sauce over the rolls and bake until the cheese has melted, about 15-20 minutes. 

6. Pumpkin Dump Cake- Jane and Terry Freeman

We tried this recipe this year at Thanksgiving.  It was SO GOOD!  I will for sure be making this again.

Ingredients:

• 30 oz pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

• 12 oz evaporated milk

• 4 large eggs

• 1 1/2 C granulated sugar

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

• 1 box yellow cake mix

• 1 C salted butter

• 1 C chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix together the pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, and spices and pour it into a 9X13 baking dish

3. Evenly sprinkle the dry yellow cake mix over the top of the pumpkin puree mixture. 

4. Melt the butter and pour over the cake mix.

5. Sprinkle the walnuts or pecans over the top of the cake and bake for 1 hour.

6. Serve warm with ice cream or cool whip. 

7. Jalapeno Popper Cheese Ball- Jane and Terry Freeman

If you like Jalapeño Poppers, you will most likely like this cheese ball.  You can reduce the amount of Jalapeños if you are worried about it being too spicy. 

Ingredients:

• 10 slices of crispy cooked bacon crumbled up

• 3/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/2 C chopped green onions

• 2 Jalapeños minced

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

• 2 C Cheddar Cheese, sharp

• 2 boxes of cream cheese (softened)

• 2 T sour cream

Instructions:

1. Set aside a handful of crumbled bacon and green onions for the outside of the cheeseball.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix all of the other ingredients together.

3. Form into a ball and coat the outside with the bacon and green onions.

4. Wrap in saran wrap and chill in the refrigerator until served.

5. Serve with crackers of your choice!

8. Cheesy Bacon Jalapeno Corn Dip- Patrick and Jenny Sheets

‘This dip is a hit” Serve with tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

• 8 strips of bacon

• 2 (11 oz) cans of whole kernel corn, drained

• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1/2 tsp salt

• Dash of cayenne pepper

• 1/4 C basil, chopped

• Parmesan cheese to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. In a cast iron or oven proof skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until slightly crispy. Drain all but 1 tsp of grease from the pan. Soak up the grease from the bacon with a paper towel then crumble the bacon.

3. Combine the corn, jalapeño, cream cheese, mozzarella, salt, cayenne, half of the bacon, and half of the basil.  Scoop into the skillet and bake for 20 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with the remaining bacon and basil, and parmesan cheese to taste.  Serve immediately.

9. Broccoli Casserole- Kim and Donna Wood

This recipe serves 6, but it can be doubled or tripled for a larger crowd.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of chopped broccoli

• 1/3 stick of butter

• 1/3 can of mushroom soup

• 1/3  of a 3 oz can of chopped mushrooms

• 1/3 roll of garlic cheese

• 1 small onion, chopped fine

• Bread crumbs and butter

Instructions:

1.  Cook broccoli in unsalted water. Drain well.

2.  In separate pan, melt butter and add onions.  Saute until tender (not brown).

3.  Add soup, cheese and mushrooms.

4.  When cheese melts, add to drained broccoli.

5.  Place in greased casserole, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and dot with butter.

6.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

10. Slow Cooker Crispy Chicken Carnitas- Lindsey and Jonathan Frazier

We love Mexican food, and these are easy to make in the crock pot. This is a go to recipe for us when we are hosting a large group of people.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1 bottle of beer (or chicken stock)

• 1 small white onion

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

• 1 T chipotle powder

• 2 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1 1/2 tsp salt

• 2-4 fresh limes

Instructions:

1. In a slow cooker, combine the chicken, beer, onion, garlic, chipotle, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. 

2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until the chicken is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork.

3. Once the chicken is cooked, preheat your broiler to high heat and grease one large baking sheet with cooking spray. Use a fork to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces.  Then use a slotted spoon to transfer it to the prepared baking sheet, spreading the chicken in an even layer and leaving the juices behind. )Save juices for later!)

4. Place one sheet under the broiler, 2 racks down from the very top and broil for about 5-6 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken begin browning and crisping up. Remove from the oven and ladle about 1/2 cup of the juices from the slow cooker over the chicken. Toss lightly to coat the chicken. Broil for an additional 5 minutes to get the meat more crispy. Remove from oven one more time and ladle more juice over the chicken. Broil again for 5 min.  Remove from oven and toss the chicken with the remaining broth.  Drizzle with however much fresh lime juice you’d like. Toss to combine.

5. Serve immediately in tacos, burritos, or salads. Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container.

11. Mississippi Pot Roast- Patrick and Lauren Freeman

This recipe goes well with mashed potatoes and green beans. It’s easy because it can be put in the crock pot and can serve a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 lb chuck roast

• 1 packet of ranch seasoning mix

• 1 packet of au jus gravy mix

• 1/2 C butter

• 8 peperoncini peppers

• 2 T olive oil

• Flour to coat roast

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet on high.

2. Pat roast with paper towels to dry, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Coat all sides with flour.

4. Add roast to skillet and cook 2-3 minutes each side to brown.

5. Transfer roast to crock pot.

6. Sprinkle packets of dry ranch seasoning and au jus gravy mix over roast.

7. Top with a stick of butter, then place peppers on and around the roast.

8. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

9. Shred meat and discard any fatty pieces.

12. Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies- Patrick and Jenny Sheets

“These are yummy and never last very long!”

Ingredients:

• 1 box of white cake mix

• 1 stick of melted butter

• 1 egg

• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 ounces of cream cheese, softened

• 1 C Oreo cookie chunks

• 1 C Andes peppermint crunch pieces

• 1/2 C dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts.  Beat until a soft dough forms.  Add the cream cheese and mix in gently until combined.Stir in the peppermint crunch pieces and chocolate chips first.  Then gently stir in the cookie pieces by hand being careful not to break up the cookie more. Refrigerate dough for at least 30 min.

2. Roll the dough into 36 balls.  Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 for 9 minutes.Do not oner bake. The cookies will be very soft and look undone. Let them sit on theft cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them from the cookie sheet onto a piece of wax paper on the counter.

3. Very gently tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of a spatula to even out the tops.  Let them sit completely cool.  Store in a sealed container. Makes 36 cookies

House Fires

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), 400,000 houses catch fire every year in the United States. Some of the most common causes of house fires reported by the NFPA are cooking, heating equipment, electrical hazards, smoking, and candles.

Cooking is at the top of the list, unattended cooking to be specific.  Have you ever left the kitchen while something was in the cooking process on the stove? We probably all have.  Something draws your attention away for a bit and then ten minutes later you suddenly remember you were cooking something when the kitchen fills with smoke!

Heating equipment is another common cause of house fires. These fires happen more during the winter months when houses need to be heated.  Space heaters are the first things that come to my mind, and they are on the list as potential hazards. Obviously keep them away from flammable materials. Wood stoves, fireplaces, chimneys and furnaces can also cause fires when they are not cared for properly. Have a professional inspector look at your furnace each year as well as your fireplace, wood stove, and chimney to make sure they are ready 

Electrical hazards such as inadequate wiring and overloaded outlets and extension cords can be a cause for concern as can light bulbs that are not the correct wattage.  This is also a good time to mention Christmas trees. You might be wondering why.  Although Christmas tree fires are not one of the most common causes of fires, when they do catch on fire they go up in flames quickly and can result in a devastating loss. More than 25% of Christmas tree fires are due to electrical problems. 

Smoking is just plain bad.  It’s bad for you, and it is listed as one of the common causes of house fires.  Did you know that 25% of fire deaths due to smoking do not involve the smoker whose cigarette started the fire? Just think if you had to live with that devastation for the rest of your life if it was your cigarette that started the fire.  If you must smoke, the best place to do it is outside.  

Candles unfortunately cause fires everyday in the United States. Who doesn’t love the smell of a warm cinnamon vanilla candle (besides my husband) to make your house all cozy and warm feeling? I use candle warmers instead of the flame, so I am guessing that is a little safer! Although candle warmers are electrical and could be a potential electrical hazard I suppose!  Of course, always blow out candles before leaving your house or going to sleep, and keep them away from children.

The 400,000 fires that occur each year cause billions of dollars in property damage.  Statistics for 2018 show an estimated 25.6 billion dollars in property losses due to fires.  Almost half of that dollar amount is from property losses due to the major wildfires in California. We are not in California, so we do not need to worry about wildfires getting out of control, however, that leaves approximately 12.8 billion dollars of property losses due to fires that  are not caused by wildfires. One way you can minimize your risk of ever having to suffer a major house fire is by installing smoke detectors on every level of your home and making sure that they work! They may not keep a fire from starting but will increase your chances of discovering it quickly.

Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty at Peck and Wood Insurance.

Distracted Driving

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 3,166 people were killed due to distracted driving in 2017. From 2012-2017, 9% of all fatal crashes were due to distracted driving.  That 9% amounted to about 3,285 people each year for the five year period of time. That is approximately 16,425 people if you do the math. That is very sad. 

When I think of distracted driving my immediate thought goes to cell phones and sending and receiving text messages while driving. The message is clear about that. Texting while driving is a definite NO NO!  In fact, 20 states now have laws against using cell phones while driving. It’s probably best to put your phone on silent and vow not to look at it unless you are completely stopped or have arrived at your destination. 

The NHTSA defines distracted driving as “any activity that diverts attention from driving”. In addition to cell phone use, there are many forms of distracted driving. Have you ever driven past someone who was putting on make-up, shaving (men), reading a book, tending to children in the back seat, eating, falling asleep (drowsy), or lost in thought? Well, you probably could not tell if they were lost in thought. 

The distracted driving that I can relate to (besides cell phones if I am completely honest) are eating, tending to children in the back seat, lost in thought, and drowsiness.  My husband and I are frequently on the road to visit our out of state children and grandchildren.  We have been guilty many times of eating a sandwich while driving on the interstate. It saves time, and we are all about “making good time” on the road. Secondly, I have been guilty of tending to children in the car while driving! I remember when our children were small.  Many times I had to take my eyes off of the road for a second or two to glance into the rearview mirror at the children in the back seat. I either was checking to see if they were asleep or telling them to stop arguing!  Have you ever been “lost in thought” while driving?  I have.  It frequently happens to me when I am driving around town.  There have been a few times where I actually forgot where I was going while I was driving!! Thankfully it hasn’t happened since I retired from teaching! I blame it on the stress of being a teacher!  Teaching is not the only stressful career.  Maybe you are stressed and have been “lost in thought” while driving a time or two.  The last one for me is driving while drowsy or tired.  We used to try to drive all night when the kids were young when we drove to Florida for spring break. There was considerably less traffic in the middle of the night and the kids would be asleep.  The only problem was it was really difficult after 2:00AM. No matter how much caffeine I consumed, I would get to the point where the road started looking blurry. That’s when we would change drivers.   Thankfully, we made it safely all of those years.  I wonder how many others on the road after midnight are drowsy drivers. Nowadays we either fly if we are traveling long distances, or we stay in a hotel and sleep at night! It takes too long to recover from a drive all night kind of trip! 

Can you think of other distractions while driving? On a recent road trip I decided to see for myself how many drivers were distracted while driving.  I kept data for 100 drivers on the way to our destination, and then I did it again for 100 more drivers on the way home.  On the way there, I recorded this information mid morning on a Friday morning while we were on the interstate.  On the way home it was a Tuesday afternoon during a driving rainstorm for half of the time, and it was also on the interstate.  I found it interesting that 10/100 were distracted the first time and 9/100 the second time. So, the statistics for my observation of both trips were almost the same. Of the 10 who were distracted on Friday, 7 were on their cell phones talking, and the other 3 were distracted by looking for something between the seats, opening a sport bottle with no hands on the steering wheel, and looking for something in a wallet. Two of the distracted drivers were semi- drivers!  I liked the fact that I did not see anyone texting while driving the first time I made my observations. Of the 9/100 on the way home, I am sorry to report that two of them were texting. I was really bummed when they messed up my statistics.  I wanted to be able to report that no-one was texting. The other 7 consisted of the following: 2 talking on the phone, 2 looking at their phones, 2 opening a drink with no hands on the wheel / drinking something,  and  1 looking at an invoice. I will say that during the rainstorm/ tornado warning part of the trip most people had their hands at 10 and 2!  None of the distracted drivers this time around were semi drivers.  My amateur data collection did not include age or gender, and it only included highway driving.  It would be interesting to see if the stats are different in the city or around town, and by age group. 

One thing is for sure, no matter how old you are or what gender you are, it only takes a matter of seconds to get into an accident. There will always be something that can cause a distraction while you are driving if you let it.  It’s just not worth risking your life or someone else’s life. Be aware and stay safe while driving!

Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance.

Let's Focus On What Is Good About Anderson, Indiana

                       A recent news article listed Anderson, Indiana as one of the worst places to live.  What is the purpose of an article like that? Why list the worst place to live in the world, the country, or the state? Is it to persuade people not to move there? Well, it’s wrong!  Even the “best” places to live have some negative things about them. It is frustrating to me as I am sure it is to others who have called Anderson home for our whole lives. We grew up here, graduated from school here, and our children graduated from school here.  We have businesses in this town.  People are thriving here.  Sure, Anderson has changed. Our city has certainly had its ups and downs, but there are a lot of great things happening here.  There are beautiful, safe neighborhoods in which one can find an affordable house.  Our schools have some of the best teachers and programs you will find anywhere.  I have first hand experience as I taught for 32 years right here in Anderson next to some of the most hard working, dedicated teachers. Our schools have suffered this same kind of negative publicity that our city is experiencing in this latest news article.  These articles do nothing but give us a bad reputation. Let’s focus on what is good about Anderson, Indiana, and why it is a great place to live!  I love the fact that Anderson University is right here in our town.  Our youngest child graduated from A.U. and had so many great experiences while there. Another great aspect about where we live is we have easy access to one of the beautiful state parks at Mounds State Park.  Let’s not forget that the historic Paramount Theater and all of its beauty brings events for us to enjoy.  The A-Town Center has become a gathering place to enjoy music, the arts, food, drinks, and socialization with friends.  The proximity to Indianapolis is a definite plus to living here. There are so many great things about Anderson, Indiana that I have not even mentioned.  What do you like about living here?  Share your thoughts!  It is up to those of us who live here to shed a positive light on this city. Email your positive thoughts about Anderson to hello@peckandwoodinsurance.com  I will compile a list and share more of what’s good about Anderson!

Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance.

One Way to Avoid Water Damage

By Jane Freeman

Who likes to clean out gutters? You know, the soggy, wet, brown leaves that have turned to mush and mold and have been there since last year?  If you have gutter guards, that can help in a huge way to keep leaves and other debris from entering and making a home in your gutters.  Even with gutter guards, I have seen maple trees growing out of gutters.  Those pesky little  “helicopters" can take root just about anywhere. So, what’s the big deal if there are a few mushy leaves or trees in your gutter? You probably know or maybe have experienced this already.  When gutters are full of debris, during a heavy downpour the rain has nowhere to go.  It quickly backs up and can seep through your roof.  Pretty soon you have a water spot in the corner of your room on the ceiling or maybe even along a line between your ceiling and your wall.  What a pain that is!!  You can paint over it of course, but if you don’t get out and clean your gutters, or pay someone else to do it, you may have this problem the next time there is a heavy downpour.  Now that the leaves are starting to fall, it’s a good reminder to get out there and make time for your favorite chore which is cleaning gutters!

Jane Freeman is licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance at Peck and Wood Insurance.  If you have an insurance question you would like to have addressed email your inquiry to hello@peckandwoodinsurance.com