Do you winterize?

It's cold now, which I love. However, I have learned by sad experience that when it gets cold, it gets snowy, icy and unforgiving. It's time to Winterize. (btw, that title is a paraphrase from Oceans 11. Say it with a southern accent.) Our houses are probably pretty well winterized without much effort. Maybe cover your spigots and empty the water from your PVC sprinkling system pipes. But what about your car? Is it winterized?

A few years ago we were ill-equipped for where we lived and found ourselves not able to either get home or retrieve our son from school on 3 occasions. On one such adventure, the possibility of spending the night in the car did not seem too far fetched. In most cases, we were rescued by someone with a suitable vehicle. (Remember this?)

Granted, that may have been the best (worst?) winter in years, and this year will probably be nothing like it. But...an ounce of prevention and all that.

So here is a list of stuff that you can tro in your car right now. Do it. Even if you get half of this stuff in there you'll feel better...I promise.

Check your spare. You don't wanted to be stranded in the snow without one, or with a flat one.



Gloves. Might be the most important thing. Ever tried to change a spare during a storm without gloves? The possibilities for misery and profanities are endless.


If you go anywhere during the winter without one of these, you're fired. Sure, you're just driving to the store or church...but when something happens and you are walking 1/4 mile home without a coat, you'll question your sanity.


Don't drive with snow on your car. I don't care how cold it is...brush it off. It not only blinds you, but also the people behind you. I have the scraper pictured and it's the best. If you have your gloves and coat with you, this job is actually fun.


A small collapsible shovel (or any shovel) is a must. You can usually dig your car out from being stuck in 5 or 10 minutes, instead of waiting 2 hours for rescue.


I bought these snow chains for our cars. Now when it shows and looks dangerous I am giddy with anticipation. My little rear-wheel drive is a rad (a nighmare) in the snow. But when I add these chains to the back tires, and use the shovel to fill the bed with snow? Forget it. It handles as surely as our 4wd truck. Night and day. Here they are.

Blankets. Emergency or otherwise. If you're stuck in the car for a few hours, you'll be glad you have this (especially if you don't have your coat/gloves).

Snacks. Toss one of your families 72 hours kits in the trunk. When you're in the we-may-be-in-this-car-for-the-next-8-hours mode, you (and your kids) will be glad you have this.

Don't put a gas pump in your trunk, but do keep your car at least 1/2 full all the time. One bad accident on the winter road can turn your 10 minute errand into a 2 hour standstill. If you're near the E when that happens, you're hosed.

Our Governermn recently announced this website about winterizing stuff. Check it out. http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/wxsafety/winterweatherpreparedness.html

To paraphrase Auto-Tune-the-news... driving in winter can turn and LOL...into a great big OMG.

Don't wait..stock up your cars. Someday you'll thank yourself.