Way back in the 17th Century, Pilgrims in Massachusetts started a tradition we still recognize today – they celebrated the first Thanksgiving. It was a celebration of the harvest. It was a celebration of life since the harvest offered the sustenance necessary for survival at a time when survival was hardly guaranteed.The story goes that 102 pilgrims made the journey on the Mayflower. Of those who

I pulled the car into the garage of the large tire and repair center for a now-defunct department store chain. As I got out and walked to the front of the Cadillac to open the hood. As the hood came up I looked to the battery but didn’t quite see what I expected to see. The entire top of the battery was gone. The shattered tops of lead plates were lined up like injured soldiers trying to stand in

If the battery in your car was brand new yesterday and almost worn out today, you’d recognize the difference easily. But it doesn’t work that way. Your battery ages slowly day by day. The change is gradual, imperceptible until that day when something pushes your old battery over the edge.Often, that ‘something’ doing the pushing is winter. It’s not that the cold is bad for the battery; the

The first frost of the year in McHenry was October 9. The low temperature in the area has been at or below freezing since October 24. And yet, if the weatherman is right, we can expect some unseasonably comfortable temperatures this week and through the weekend. But that doesn’t change one immutable fact: winter is coming.If the Old Farmers Almanac is to be believed, we’ll have a winter with temperatures

Most years, we would use this page as a friendly reminder to watch out for little ghouls and goblins on the roadways as they scour the neighborhoods looking for treats in lieu of tricks. This year, however, with COVID-19, it’s not clear how many trick-or-treaters will go door to door in McHenry in pursuit of sweets. Yes, McHenry is having Trick-or-Treat. So are most of the communities in the

That first really cold day as winter approaches, you bundle up and walk out of your McHenry home planning to drive to work or the store but your trip is cut short when you see that you have a flat tire. The assumption is that you picked up a nail or something from the road and your tire has a puncture. That’s a logical thing to think but it isn’t necessarily the case. It’s quite possible that

Would you drive through Wonder Lake with your eyes closed? Of course not. And the reason is obvious. Seeing where you’re going is vital while driving, assuming you want to avoid any accidents or hurting anyone, including yourself and loved ones. This is why it’s important to have unobstructed windows and functioning headlights while driving. This is all-the-more challenging in the winter. During

You depend on your car, truck or SUV to get you where you need and want to go. If you drive to work, or will do so again when the pandemic is over, you need dependable transportation to maintain your livelihood. In other words, your car, truck or SUV plays a vital role in your life. For most of us, our vehicles are the second largest investment in our lives, second only to our home. If we allow

In March, the Center for Disease Control – CDC – said that the Coronavirus can live on solid surfaces for four days. It’s now indicated that they’re not so sure about that. What should you do when the experts aren’t quite sure? To be safe, it probably wouldn’t hurt to clean and disinfect surfaces you and your family frequently come into contact with. This includes inside your home,

 “Yeah, I know. I have to change the oil in my car regularly to keep the engine in tip-top shape.”“That’s true. But I’m talking about the ‘other’ lubricant.”“The ‘other’ lubricant?”“That’s right – the automatic transmission fluid.”“How often do I need to change that?”“Well, fortunately, it’s not as often as you need to change the engine oil. Depending on