Cabin Fever?

I'm sure most of you Big Country and Abilene residents have been couped up in the house these last few days because of this frightful weather!  Between school closings, business closings and late starts, you've probably spent a lot more time at home and are looking for fun things to do to keep you, and if you have little ones, occupied.  Check out this fun list below to keep the kids happy and you sane.  Happy snow day!

• Build a fort:  Make it as simple as throwing a blanket over a card table, chairs or old boxes from the garage or as elaborate as building one with wood and nails!
• Bring the snow inside:  It may be too cold for the kids to enjoy this snow, so why not fill up the bathtub with snow for them to play with?  Easy clean up, the kids stay warm and you don't have to worry about hypothermia for your little ones.
• Make snow candy:  Mix one cup of molasses (can substitute maple syrup if you use slightly more brown sugar) with 1/2 cup of brown sugar, and stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches about 245 degrees.  Pour over snow, let it harden and enjoy!
• How to Make Snow Ice Cream:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Ar-Zbn9TI 

Winter-not so-Wonderland.

Abilene and our surrounding communities have not had too much bad and wintery weather these past few months.  Here in West Texas we just haven’t had much to complain about!  But tomorrow's winter weather advisory will leave a lot to be desired when we're driving all around Abilene.  Check out these helpful tips for driving in the snow:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don't try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning - nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don't stop if you can avoid it. There's a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don't power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill as slowly as possible.
• Don't stop going up a hill. There's nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• Stay home. If you really don't have to go out, don't. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don't tempt fate: If you don't have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

With this weather, school closings and late starts are inevitable.  Check websites like www.KTXS.com or www.bigcountryhomepage.com  for information.  If you have a smart phone, Big Country Homepage has an app for easier and faster updates, right to your phone.  Check it out here:  http://bit.ly/hrcYyd 

As always, drive carefully and be safe!