Clio. Patsy. Felix. Floyd. Reg. (short for Reginald). No, those are the names of actors, pets, family, or friends. They’re car names. You read that correctly. Cars! Not the names that manufacturers give to their creations. But names given to vehicles by their owners. These personifying names were posted by members on the Facebook page “Naming Your Car and Referring to It As a Person”. (There’s a page or group for just about anything one can imagine.)

I don’t recall ever having named one of my vehicles. However, I do remember the name that my mom gave to her pre-minivan era, people-mover: a light blue, Ford station wagon with external wood-grain paneling (pretty image, huh?). Her name – Betsy! The car – not my mom.

October 2nd is Name Your Car Day! Who knew there was a car-naming holiday? I didn’t until an hour ago. As I stated earlier, I don’t believe I’ve ever named one of my vehicles. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Holidayinsights.com lists the following advice for those of us who need car-naming tips.

• Don’t select wimpy names. That might give your car a personality complex and it will perform accordingly.
• Do give a strong, aggressive name to sports cars and cars with powerful engines .
• Sleek, sexy feline-like cars savor names that begin with “lady”.
• Old junkers are proud just to be around. You can call them just about anything. Try “Tramp“, or “Old Yeller“, “Old Blue“.
• Pick names to reflect your personality.
• “Pickemup” trucks must have country names.
• Don’t give common names (like Joe, Mike or Sue) to luxury cars. They beam over names like Reginald, Archibald, and Crystal.

My newest vehicle is a combination of several “personalities”. It’s a sleek, black, luxury minivan with a large engine that goes, “Vroom!”. Following the above advice, whatever name I choose should match my personality.

Brutus is out; it’s a strong name, but there’s nothing sleek or luxurious about it. I’m also not a guy.

Candy is very feminine, but it’s lacking the strength that defines both me and my vehicle.

Hmm, Charlotte is a strong, feminine name. I’m channeling the character, Dr. Charlotte King, from television’s Private Practice. That names fits for other reasons, too. Charlotte’s medical speciality? Sexology!

I think I’ve found a name! My strong, black, sexy, luxurious minivan could be aptly named Lady Charlotte.

Lady Charlotte is a few months shy of her first birthday, but when the day arrives, I’m sure she would love to receive birthday wishes. Good thing there’s a greeting car for that!

What’s your vehicle’s name and why did you choose it? If you’re thinking about naming a vehicle for the first time, what names would make the list of potentials?

CC

As a winter storm of epic proportions blankets much of the nation in snow and ice this week, I wondered if I was ready for an extended power outage. Perhaps because the power flickered a few hours ago – giving me a scare and glimpse of what life would be like without electricity in the dead of winter.

“Where are the flashlights?”, ” How will we cook if the electricity goes out?” (Wish we had a gas stove.) ” Will we be able to stay warm, or will we need to flee to the nearest warm hotel?” These are all questions that I pondered during a very brief powerless (no pun intended) life tonight.

Before panic sets in within your house, there are many things you can do to stay safe and warm. North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives suggests having the following items on-hand in case of a winter weather emergency:

The Essentials

• Food: Food that requires no cooking or refrigeration such as bread, crackers, cereal, canned foods, and dried fruits. Remember baby food and formula if you have young children.
• Water: In case water pipes freeze or rupture, keep a supply of tap water or purchase bottled water. The recommended amount of water to keep is 5 gallons per person.
• Medicines: Roads may be inaccessible for several days due to the storm. Make sure to order or refill any prescriptions that family members may need.
• Identification: Make sure to keep forms of identification with you such as social security card, passport, photo ID, and driver’s license. In addition, make sure to have bank account information, and insurance policies.

Emergency Materials

• Alternate methods to heat your home:
  Dry firewood for a fireplace or wood stove
  Kerosene for a kerosene heater
  Furnace fuel (coal, propane, or oil)
  Electric space heater with automatic shut-off switch and non-glowing elements
• Blankets
• Matches
• First Aid kit and instruction manual
• Multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered radio, clock/watch
• Extra batteries
• Shovel
• Rock salt
• Non-electric can opener

What if you’ll be driving in the midst of a severe winter storm? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recommends planning your travel and checking the latest weather reports along your route. They also offer the following tips to keep you prepared in the event extreme winter weather:

• Carry a WINTER STORM SURVIVAL KIT:
  • blankets/sleeping bags;
  • flashlight with extra batteries;
  • first-aid kit;
  • knife;
  • high-calorie, non-perishable food;
  • extra clothing to keep dry;
  • a large empty can and plastic cover with tissues and paper towels for sanitary purposes;
  • a smaller can and water-proof matches to melt snow for drinking water;
  • sack of sand (or cat litter);
  • shovel;
  • windshield scraper and brush;
  • tool kit;
  • tow rope;
  • booster cables;
  • water container;
  • compass and road maps.
• Keep your gas tank near full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
• Try not to travel alone.
• Let someone know your timetable and primary and alternate routes.

My home-preparedness kit is excellent, but I’d be in big trouble if I were stuck in my vehicle this winter. How do your home and vehicle survival kits fare? “Bring it on!” or “Yikes, I need help!”?

Let’s chat!

Love to all!

CC