The Riz Team Blog

Here are some great tips from Waterloo Regional Police for keeping your home, and your family, safe for Halloween.

The night is here when the streets will be filled with ghosts and goblins, not to mention princesses and fairies. As always, there are a few important Halloween safety guidelines that should be observed to ensure the night runs smoothly.

Around the house…

-Many people enjoy transforming their homes into eerie scenes. Be sure to keep the path leading up to your door free of obstacles for the little ones, especially those with masks who might have trouble seeing in dim light.

-Keep pets indoors on Halloween to protect them from hazards and preventing them from being aggressive to visitors.

-Before you light those candles in your pumpkin, consider using inexpensive safety glow sticks. Nothing says spooky like a glowing green jack-o-lantern!

Costumes…

It is important that when helping a child pick out a costume, safety should be the main concern.

-Wear a light-coloured or bright costume, reflective tape or arm bands to heighten visibility.

-Wear a costume that is properly fitted to reduce the chance of tripping on it.

-Select a costume that is constructed from flame-retardant materials.

-Make sure your vision is not restricted. Consider completing your costume with make-up rather than masks. Masks may require that the eye-holes be cut larger for the sake of good peripheral vision.

-Shoes should fit properly even if they do not go well with a costume.

-If a child’s costume requires the use of props, such as a flexible-plastic sword, make sure the sharp tip is cut or filed round.

-Glow sticks are also an excellent method to increase a child’s visibility. You might want to consider creating a fun necklace with string to ensure they will want to wear as part of their costumes.

-Accessorize with a flashlight!

Before the kids hit the streets, it is important that parents be aware of the route that their children plan to follow. If you are unable to take them out yourself, consider asking another parent, an older sibling or babysitter to do the honours for you. Ensuring your child is wearing a watch also allows you to establish an agreed upon curfew.

Teach your children to recognize the places along his/her route where they can obtain help: Police Station, Fire Station or any other well indicated public place.

Although tampering of loot is rare, remind children that they must have their candy inspected by their parents or guardian prior to eating them.

Some Rules for Trick or Treaters…

-Bring a flashlight;

-Walk instead of running;

-Stay on the sidewalks (If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left-hand side of the street facing traffic);

-Avoid jaywalking

-Do not cut across lawns or take short-cuts;

-Take masks off when walking from one house to the next;

-Do not go inside houses and do not get into vehicles;

-Only visit houses that are lit;

-Stay away from animals you are not familiar with; and

-Vandalism is not just a ‘trick’ – it is against the law and has consequences.

Above all, have a safe and ghoulishly good Halloween!

{Source}

We all know the “location, location, location” adage.  Its part of what buying real estate is all about.  But, what actually makes a location great?

According to Jay Walljasper, author of The Great Neighborhood Book, a great neighbourhood is about community.  It’s about knowing your neighbours, feeling safe, and having pleasant spaces to be together.

Walljasper’s book offers lots of ideas for making your neighbourhood a better place to live and for building a stronger community:

Know thy neighbours.  Sit on your front steps and say hello as people walk by.  Have a chat with the person who pumps your gas or the retired lady down the street.  You’d be amazed at how people open up to a little friendliness.

Create a great gathering spot.  A nice playground with benches and shaded areas is a natural place for residents to gather.  Communities across Canada have worked together to raise money via personal and corporate donations to build spaces kids and adults love.

Make it an event.  Whether it’s a neighbourhood barbecue, a Saturday street sale, or an organized trick-or-treating event for the kids, getting your neighbours together to do something fun builds friendship and community.

Walk more, drive less.  Get out and enjoy the neighbourhood instead of sealing yourself off in a car.  Encourage walking by lobbying the city to widen sidewalks, add crosswalks, and traffic calming zones.

Be neighbourly.  Shovel your neighbour’s walk when they are out of town, offer an afternoon of babysitting to the single parent down the street, or welcome a new neighbour with an invitation to coffee.

Take back the streets.  If you live in an area where crime is a problem, organize a neighbourhood watch and walk around.  If you see anything suspicious, notify the police.  Criminals are deterred when there are too many people around.

Shop local.  Supporting your local merchants will ensure they succeed along with the distinctive flavour they add to your neighbourhood.  If you don’t have shops in your area, it may be due to zoning restrictions.  Lobby your city council to change zoning so that retailers can set up shop.

Take pride.  Take care of your neighbourhood the way you take care of your own property.  When you go for a walk, bring a bag to pick up litter.  Plant flowers in public places.  Spruce up the park swings with some fresh paint.

Take advantage.  Enjoy what your neighbourhood has to offer.  Hang out at the coffee shop, go for a walk or bike ride, relax in the park.  A great neighbourhood is only great if you take time to enjoy it.

It takes work to make things better, but everything you do will pay off through your enjoyment of your community – and increased property values.  For more ideas, consult The Great Neighborhood Book.  It’s an excellent resource that could spark some greatness is your neighbourhood.

Fall is a feast for the eyes with red, gold and bronze hues. While enjoying the trees in their tawny splendour, consider these simple tips to prepare your garden for the upcoming winter.

Grass
Although a carpet of leaves is part of autumn’s glory, don’t let them sit too long. Rake them frequently as grass needs oxygen and sunlight for proper growth.  This is also the time to seed your grass for a thick lush lawn in the spring, and to keep pesky weeds out.

Leaves
Put leaves to work! Small leaves from birch, beech and silver maple trees (or shredded larger leaves) spread under shrubs and over soil will degrade into mineral nutrients and worms will turn them into fertilizer.

Pruning/Re-arranging Plants
Pruning in the fall is important. With leaves cleared you have a better view of your plants. Cut off dead and diseased branches. Remove diseased leaves from under roses (blackspot) and dispose of in the garbage (not your compost heap) or they’ll re-infect plants the following spring. If you decide to re-arrange plants or shrubs, move them while the earth is still warm so that the roots can take hold.  Protect delicate shrubs with burlap.

Bulbs
If you want to see crocus, tulips and daffodils peeping through the soil in spring, now is the time to start planting.  Buy the very best quality bulbs and you will be rewarded with showy blooms in the spring. Check with a local horticulturalist for native bulb options and ideal planting conditions.

Container Gardening
Fill your balcony or patio containers with fall flowers.  Picture a pot filled with Vanilla Butterfly (marguerite daisy), with a background of Orange Sedge – this olive green grass turns orange in cool weather, finally fading to bronze.  Want an instant conversation piece?  Plant ornamental Kale (winter cabbage) in your container:  its quirky look is an attention-getter.

Every season has its beauty, but a Canadian fall is spectacular – enjoy!