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Show @ & @ Landers 82 VY The Daily Herald B Thursday, May 9, 1998 Mother’s Day witha . mama’s boy OK, I'll admit it. I was a mama’s As the youngest of eight children, I had mom all to myself during my teenageyears. While my friends _ Hl us when he wasn't on business trips Value Speak EL and church assignments. But most of the time it was just me and mom, and I sort of figured it would always be me and mom. When she died about 13 years ago, a part of me died with her. | couldn't imagine what our family would do without her. Thankfully, we still had dad, who was then a lively and energetic 72-year-old. He had retired fromhis business to care for mom.After she died, he retumedto work, and we were confident he would be with us for manyyears to come. Aboutsix monthslater, however, we noticed something unusual beginning to happen to dad. His step slowed. His hair seemed to be whiter. He began to get a little testy. He seemed tocare little aboutlife — or living. I had never thought of my dynamic, vigorous father as "old," but he was obviously getting there. “Tfeellike I'm growing bamacles,” he growled at me one day, “like something is holding me back. I need somethingto spice up mylife, something to get me going again.” ‘That “something” was Jean. A tall, loving, handsome woman more than a decade his junior, Jean seemed tobe able to reach dad in ways thatthe rest of us couldn't — nomatter how much weloved him and nomatter how many times we invited him over for dinner. It wasn’t Jong after he began dating Jean that dad started toact like ... well, dad. His pace quickened. little red began creeping backintothe color of his hair. And his disposition retumed to happy, positive, upbeat normalcy. He waslovinglife, and it showed. Frankly, I found it all a bit disturbing. Not that I wanted myfather to be unhappy. It was just that mom had been dead for less than a year, and somehowit seemed ... I don’t know ... disrespectful for dad to be finding such happiness with someone else so quickly. Don’t get me wrong; | liked Jean a lot. But she wasn’t mom, and I had a hard time getting past that. One day dad and I were having lunch together, and he started talking about mom. He reminisced abouttheir early years together — how beautiful momwas, howpoor they were and yet how happy’ they were, how much they loved each other. It was sweet and tender and directly from the heart. There were tears in his eyes and in mine when he said, “Your mother and I had 45 wonderful years together. Our marriage was so good, | stillfeellike I'm married even though she's gone.” He smiled at me and shrugged his shoulders. “I guess I've forgotten how tobe single,” he said. “That's why I'm so grateful that Jean has come into mylife.” And suddenlyI understood, and Learn how to prevent injuries from flammable liquids or water that’s too hot By JANET HART Daily Herald Lifestyle Editor arents do a lot on a daily basis to keep their homesafe for their children — pick toys up off the stairs, lock the doors at night and keeplittle handsfar from a hotstove. But as a new safety campaign points out,therestill could be “Hidden Hazards In Your Home.” Sponsored by the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA)in partnership with the National SAFE KIDSCoalition, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)andfire departments nationwide, the campaign focuses on the prevention of tap water scald and the dangers of flammable liquids. Through the campaign, parents can receive a free packet of information including a video hosted by William Shatner, a homeactivity book, a comic book and warninglabels to use on flammable liquidsin the home. The information and video can be obtained by calling 1-800-GAMA-811. Accordingto the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 4,000 children are scalded each year from tap water, half under 5 years of age and mostoften in the bathtub. Death from scalds is most com- I was at peace. This important new relationship was not a manifestation of disrespect for my mother; rather, among children in the United States. Included in the package of free information avai to consumers from the Hidden Hazards In the years that have passed Since that day, I have grown to love Jean as an important woman in my life. She hasn't replaced mom;that was never her desire or intent. Instead, she has carved her own unique niche in myheart and soul, and on this Mother’s Day I honor her for the difference she has made in the life of my father — and in the life of mama's boy. Joseph Walkeris a nationally ) columnist wha lives in American Fork. liustration courtesy GAMA i KIDS Campaign,it takes just three seconds for a child to sustain a third-degree burn from water at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Such a bum would require hospitalization ang skin ‘ Information from the National Fire Incident Reporting System shows fires, bum injuries and deaths caused by the ignition of gasoline vapors increase during the summer ‘ Larry Ballard, Orem fire marshall, said locally gasoline isn't a major cause of home fires. However, it can cause geet amen agoo sure to store it in an approved container. “T've seen gasoline stored in a milk carton,” said Ballard, pointi out that it will soon seep such a container. “The vapors flow almost like water. One gallon of en wn oes womens. Sars kerosene, propane gas cylinders, cleaning liquids, nail polish remover, floor polish, hair sprays and Ss. activity book and the video explain how gasoline should be used and howto store it and other flammable liquids. & & » t¢ & Here are some tips to help parents and/or caregivers avoid the devastating results of a scald burn. + When filling the bathtub, if But line isn't the only flammable liquid that may be around a home, as the Hidden cam- * Before yor! place a child in the tub, immerse your whole hand in the water, spread your fingers and move your hand throughout the length ofthe tub to insure there are not any “hot” spots. + Fill the bathtubto the desired level before you put your child in. * Check your water heater to make sure the thermostatis set at a maximum of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If you live in an apartment building ask you landlord or property manager to check the building’s water heater. * To check the temperature of their hot water, run hot water from the faucet closest to the water heater, then carefully use a thermometer to check the temperature. + Never leave your child alone in the tub or even with other children. It literally can take a second for a child to tuin on the hot water and become severely bumed. Here are some safety tips for how to handle a flammable liquid: * Only use gasoline as a motor fuel, Don’t use it to clean things or remove substances or to start a fire. * Never use or store gasoline indoors. * Fill lawn mowers, motorbikes and power saws only when. the motoris cool, * When using flammable liquids other than gasoline indoors, open doors or windows on each side of the room and turn offall ignition sources. * Keep gasoline only in an approved gasoline container. Make sure the container is tightly ¢: ; Neverstore gasoline in plastic milk jugs or glass containers. * Store gasoline in a cooi place away from the house in a detached garage or shed. * Keepgasoline and all flammable liquids away from children. |