Voices

We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number. (Please keep submissions under 500 words)

MASTERING THE HOUSE useful tips for homeowners

by Tim Paino

Owner/Inspector Heartland HouseMaster

We have been trapped indoors for several weeks and find ourselves staring at the ceiling. There it is, that darn water spot from an old roof leak. The roof has been repaired, the leak is gone, but the water spot remains. You have pushed repainting the ceiling because it is such a big job. There may just be an easy way out.

Just like a stain in those white towels, try to bleach it. Take a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of bleach and water. You simply mist the water stain, not getting it too wet, and bleach it out. WARNING: before misting make sure that everything below is protected, or you could end up with spotted couch, carpet, or shirt. Allow the area to dry, see if the staining has disappeared, if not, repeat. This may just save you a major paint job.

Another annoying ceiling issue are those nail pops. Those little circular pieces of drywall mud that just pop out of the ceiling. There is a verity of causes for this to occur and the repair may be different depending on the cause.

There is the missed truss. While nailing the drywall up during construction, the hanger will miss the wood structure above the drywall. The nail does not have anything to hold it in place. If this is the case, you will be able to take ahold of the nail or screw with some plyers and easily pull it out. Then you can take the drywall mud with a small artist paint brush and match your ceiling texture the best you can. The drywall mud most likely will not dry the exact color, but better than a hole. If you do not remove the nail it is likely to pop again.

Next cause is what we call truss uplift. Roof trusses are designed to move slightly as their wood members expand and contract with attic temperature and moisture fluctuations. If one of these trusses is close to a non-load bearing wall and the drywall has been nailed to that truss, when it expands or contracts it can cause the nail to pop. Sorry to say, the only way to stop this is to remove the screw or nail which is fastened to the truss. The drywall is not going to fall because it is supported by the drywall on the wall that was installed after the ceiling and supports the ceiling.

Third, you have the nail or screw that just was not driven deep enough. If the layer of drywall mud over the fastener is too thin, it will tend to pop off. In that case you need to set the fastener a little deeper into the drywall and mud it again.

There are many other drywall repairs, big and small. Those are for another day and another attempt of mastering the house. ______________________________________________

Exploring Hendricks County

by Jackie Horn

Walking in a Winter Wander-land

OK, as much as I don’t want to admit it, (whisper) I’m getting older. While I don’t anticipate breaking a hip anytime soon, I have started worrying about falls. I just don’t bounce like I did when I was 30...or 50.

Getting out and about in winter can become an adventure. The words “black ice” and “sleet” send chills up one’s spine (of course, that could be because it’s also cold.) Danger lurks at every turn. Walking becomes treacherous.

Seriously, when the weather gets too nasty, I hunker down at home. But if I let Indiana winters keep me inside, I’d miss out on five months of outdoor activity and fun EVERY YEAR. This past week I decided to do a little investigating. Where can I walk when it’s snowy or wet, someplace the paths are cleared of snow and maintained?

Hendricks County has several parks with paved trails that are great in all seasons but especially when it’s soggy or snowy. Avoiding mud is convenient. Having a snowfree walking surface and not being alone in the cold are matters of safety. This is what I’ve found:

Avon maintains the White Lick Trail (which winds through Washington Township Park but is “owned” by the town) and Avon Town Hall Park trails. All total, the town boasts almost 5 miles of walking paths that are cleared when it snows more than 1”. IU West hospital campus adds another two miles of paved pathway. Even on cold, blustery days there are runners, bikers and dog-walkers.

Brownsburg has two parks with paved trails perfect for walking. Williams Park’s .78-mile track rings the 77-acre park. Arbuckle Acres 52-acre park boasts 1.3 miles of paved paths. Besides the parks, the B & O Trail stretches 12.3 miles. The two miles between North CR 500 East and SR 267 have always been heavily frequented when I walked them. I understand the entire length is popular year-round. Use caution when walking the paths after snowfall as the Brownsburg Parks Department does NOT currently clear the trails.

Danville’s Park and Recreation Department clears 5.7 miles of paved paths suitable for winter walking including the Ellis Park .75-mile loop trail, and Gary Eakin Community Park .9-mile perimeter path. Both are used quite extensively year-round.

Plainfield’s Friendship Park paths, White Lick and Vandalia Trails (almost 30 miles in total!) are kept up in winter and well used. You won’t be alone. Guilford Township’s Hummel Park offers four miles of groomed trails including the 1.1 mile track which is always popular.

Other things to consider when planning your winter excursion are proper clothing and footwear for the weather. Is it COLD or merely chilly? Are you going to be exerting yourself and perspiring? Think layers when dressing. Don’t dress too warmly that you get overheated and damp. Layers that you can remove without getting too chilled are the best way to go. On a 40-degree day, I may start out with a fleece jacket, flannel shirt, long sleeved T-shirt, hat and gloves. When I’m finished I may be down to the T-shirt and gloves if I’ve really been moving.

Socks and waterproof shoes! Feet get cold quickly and if they get wet, it’s miserable. You might want to consider “Stabilicers”, stretchy studded rubber traction devices that pull on over your shoes. They’re especially handy in icy conditions.

Take your CELLPHONE. You never know when you’ll need to contact someone. Whether it’s a ride home because the weather changes or 9-1-1 because of an injury. It’s better to be prepared and not need it than to not have it and be stranded outside in the cold.

If you are going out alone, let someone know where you’re going. Set a protocol where you will call them on your return, and if they don’t hear from you by a certain time, they call you or start looking.

Be prepared and stay safe. Now get out there! Don’t let winter keep you inside. _____________________________________________

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.

ASK MR. TRAFFIC

By Chet Skwarcan

PE, President/ Founder of Traffic Engineering, Inc. Chet@TrafficEngineering.com

There Comes a Time to Turn in the Keys

When to Stop Driving — No One is Excluded

Shortly after I sold my accordion (my monkey died) I bought a ukulele. Seems like everyone I know plays the ukulele (or maybe I attract ukulele players). In any case, I’m certain that if everyone played the ukulele, the world would be a better place…

And this brings me to a very serious matter, “At what point should someone stop driving?” And it’s not just the passengers in my car asking me this — it’s also the people walking on the sidewalk and people with mailboxes. Let me provide some tips about this issue. First, move your mailbox farther away — to a different street. Second, stop walking on the sidewalk.

But if your situation is more serious than mailboxes and sidewalks, here are some indicators for when it may be time to stop driving…

● Unsure who has the right of way

● Not sure what the speed limit is

● Forgetting to signal when changing lanes or turning

● Anxiety or stress while driving

● Stopping at green lights or when there is no stop sign

● Becoming distracted while driving

● Delayed response to unexpected situations

● Decrease in confidence while driving

● Hitting curbs when making right turns or backing up

● Scrapes or dents on car

● Having frequent close calls

● Other drivers honking at you

● Driving too fast or too slow

There are also health conditions that may threaten a person’s ability to drive such as dementia, problems with hearing or vision, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, diabetes — and any condition that needs medications that could impair driving ability.

The decision to stop driving does not have to be traumatic. Here are some interim steps to consider before completely giving up driving: avoid driving at night or in bad weather, drive only in familiar places, stay off of highways, limit distractions — turn off the radio, avoid conversations with people in the car (even if they are really there), not texting or using a cell phone.

As you get older, your vision, reflexes, and hearing change. These changes make it harder for you to drive safely. It’s natural to resist, but at some point, you will need to stop driving — the best time is before it becomes someone else’s decision.

When you do have concerns about a loved one’s driving, one option is to request a driving evaluation or request a written opinion from your doctor. Having a third party test someone’s driving takes you out of the middle.

Let me finish with this, it’s a bad idea to play the ukulele while driving — I would venture to say it’s more dangerous than texting — I’m certain the data will back me up. ______________________________________________

A Squirrel About Town

By Archy

“I rather like it.” Archy didn’t hold back when I asked his opinion on the new Idiom Challenge added to the Voices page.

“Idioms are a unique part of language,” the squirrel explained. “A combination of humor, history and cultural literacy. I’m pleased you’ve decided to bring some attention to them. I sometimes fear that they may get lost in this current age of isolated communication.” I asked what he meant. “Idioms are more often used in face-to-face situations. They are hidden in a special part of the brain and seem to come to the front in spoken language. They seem more authentic in conversation. They can be used in writing, of course, but it takes some skill on the part of the writer not to make them seem awkward.” “Like a cow with a crutch,” I said. Archy raised an eyebrow. “Animals seem to be used in an unusual number of unflattering comparisions. “Sorry,” I muttered. “That’s okay,” the squirrel said in a soothing tone. “You probably had your tongue over your eye tooth and couldn’t see what you were saying.”

I started to thank him for being so understanding when he continued.

“Besides, you should hear the idioms we squirrels have that have to do with humans,” he cackled. “Unflattering but always hit the nail on the head.”

Knowledge is power, but sometimes you know when it’s time to know when it’s time to cut your losses. Arguing with Archy is one of them. ______________________________________________

Hendricks CountyMaster Gardener

By Colletta Kosiba

Seed Catalogs Are Now In Season!

2021 seed catalogues are arriving.

O those gorgeous flower pictures, and mouthwatering fruits and vegetables! One can hardly wait to see it in your yard. Gardeners are optimistic, we are eager to try again this spring. Use those seed catalogs for ideas to help with researching different plant varieties and then plan your 2021 garden. When thinking of this year do remember last season....

▪ Did you get a large crop of tomatoes as predicted in the ad?

▪ Want a high acid flavorful tomato like Rutgers or a low acid yellow tomato or may be something in between?

Seasoned gardeners receive a bounty of seed catalogs for planning (and dreaming of) their garden.

In my experience, ordering from an old reliable company like Burpee will ensure you get good quality seeds and plants. I have been tempted by the ones that offer real deals, for only .99 cents. Some were excellent buys, but most were a disappointment. Know most companies will give you new plants, if the originals do not survive,

Be sure to order from a reputable seed catalog - or you that is if you can find your receipt and whatever else might end with “fake seeds!” they require. Anytime we order, if plants fail, we may lose a whole growing year.

For now, relax, enjoy and use those seed catalogs to dream. It is exciting and inspiring to look at all those glorious photos!

I will seed you later!