Fire Pit Safety Tips  Cooler weather often spurs cozy gatherings around the fire pit during the fall season.The Montgomery County Department of Permitting Services (DPS) website features safety tips for those who will be using fire pits, fire bowls and chimineas. It is important to utilize the devices in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance, and to make sure at least one adult is supervising.Fire pits and similar devices should be located at least 10 feet away from a home. It is important to keep a clear area of three feet in diameter around the fire pit. Mulch can catch fire quickly, so be sure and keep the fire pit at least three feet away from any nearby mulch.The DPS fire code compliance team recommends that the devices should not be used on balconies or decks. DPS advises to... 11/27/2022

An Unexpected Challenge: VertigoOn Monday afternoon, for the first time ever, I experienced a severe case of vertigo. If I tried to sit up straight or stand, I had sudden attacks of vertigo. The room was spinning and I experienced nausea, vomiting and heavy sweating. After a few hours of this condition, Dolores called 911 and the Montgomery County Rescue Service took me to Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center. They did extensive testing all night Monday and this morning with an MRI being the final test before they released me to go home. I am still moving slowly and have to be very careful but am very thankful to be home. Chrysanthemums, Kentlands Photowalk, Gaithersburg, Maryland USA IMG 6296Canon PowerShot G11 CameraPhotograph by Roy KelleyRoy and Dolores Kelley Photographs 11/29/2022

Understanding Elder AbuseActiveRain blogger Brian England posted a blog about Elder Abuse Awareness. It is an important topic for many seniors and their families.According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), about 1 in 10 Americans aged 60 or older have suffered from at least one type of elder abuse. The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) breaks elder abuse down into 7 different types. Knowing the types of elder abuse can help you protect older adults — especially those living in nursing homes.When someone with power over an elderly person intentionally harms them or puts them at risk of harm, their actions — or lack of action — are considered elder abuse. Elder abuse isn’t just one action or inaction and it can take many forms.The 7 types of elder abuse are: Neglect Physical ab... 11/27/2022

Book Recommendation: Death Below Stairs by Jennifer AshleyI enjoyed reading Death Below Stairs (2018) which is part of the series of Below Stairs Mysteries by The New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer Ashley. This novel features Cook Kat Holloway. Click on the links to learn more about the author and this book. Victorian class lines are crossed when cook Kat Holloway is drawn into a murder that reaches all the way to the throne.Highly sought-after young cook Kat Holloway takes a position in a Mayfair mansion and soon finds herself immersed in the odd household of Lord Rankin. Kat is unbothered by the family’s eccentricities as long as they stay away from her kitchen, but trouble finds its way below stairs when her young Irish assistant is murdered.Intent on discovering who killed t... 11/30/2022