Parades can be stressful, and often the best option is to leave him at home in a crate or room, as described in the section on parties. If you don't want to leave your dog alone, another option is to leave him with friends or family not attending. However, if you do decide to bring your dog with you, follow the steps below to keep your dog as calm and safe as possible. These include: A crate for securing your dog. A secure leash and collar. A harness or controlling item such as a head collar might be preferred, as your dog may pull. A muzzle. This is a necessary safety precaution, as the sights and sounds of a parade can distress your dog to the point of biting. A collapsible water bowl and water. Your pet must be kept hydrated, as should you. Though you likely won't be able to follow through a complete desensitization due to lack of time, you can introduce your dog gradually at first, simply allow him to adjust to the sight, smell, and noise of the crowd at a closer and closer distance, and the parade using the same rules. You should only bring a dog to a parade if he has been obedience trained, but even if he has been, keep a closer eye on your dog than usual. Watch for signs that your dog is uneasy or upset; if the parade upsets your dog too much, you can take him away from the parade or, if possible, set up a crate in a secure location.

Summary: Consider leaving your dog at home. Purchase or gather the supplies you may need. Introduce your dog to the parade gradually. Keep your dog under control.

It may seem strange, but the condition of your feet is one way to determine whether you have a low metabolism. Dry feet and cracked heels indicate slow metabolism because dry skin is one of the symptoms that your thyroid hormones are out of balance. If you've eliminated other potential causes of cracking or peeling skin on your feet, such as athlete's foot or nail fungus, your slowing metabolism may be to blame. Dry skin elsewhere, as well as dry or thinning hair, also may indicate a slow metabolism. As with your feet, however, make sure you eliminate other causes for these conditions before you jump to the conclusion that your metabolism is slowing based on this single symptom. Cold feet also may be an indication of slowing metabolism. While this is related to your overall body temperature, some people may have cold hands and feet constantly, despite feeling warm elsewhere. For example, you may only be comfortable if you are wearing socks, even in warm weather. One sure way to tell if your metabolism is slowing is to think about whether you are always cold. If you have difficulty maintaining your body temperature even in a warm environment, you may have a slow metabolism. You can rely on behavior to figure this out. For example, if you're in a room with several people, all of whom are complaining that it's warm while you're shivering in a sweater, you probably have a lower overall body temperature. Take your temperature first thing when you wake up in the morning. If it's below 98, this may indicate that your body has difficulty regulating its overall temperature, which can be a symptom of slower metabolism. Slow metabolism can cause serious sleep disruptions, including insomnia. If you have severe sleep disturbances, you probably don't have to keep track of your sleep specifically to know you have a problem. However, if you've had sleep disturbances for awhile, you may have adjusted your habits to accommodate those disturbances so that they have less of an effect on you. Generally, you want to get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night. Keep a journal in which you record what time you go to bed and when you wake up. You also might want to measure how long it takes you to fall asleep. This can be all but impossible to figure out for sure on your own, but you can usually come up with a good guess. For example, if you normally read a book before bed, take note of the number of pages you read each night before you are ready to fall asleep. Figure out how long it takes you to read a page and this will give you a good idea of how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you have frequent mood swings, memory problems, or difficulty concentrating, you may have a slow metabolism. These may not be things you notice about yourself, but people who spend a lot of time with you can tell you more about how you act. Some things you may notice on your own. For example, if you find you feel extremely on edge if you haven't eaten in awhile, this can be an indication that you have a slower metabolism. You also would have an idea if you have difficulty concentrating, although that could also be due to a number of other factors. Talk to coworkers, your spouse, or even older children to see if they've noticed any changes in your behavior or mood lately. This can be particularly helpful if you think your metabolism has slowed only recently, since others around you likely would notice changes before you do yourself. While slow metabolism on its own isn't responsible for weight gain, if you've had a relatively sudden weight gain despite no changes in your lifestyle or habits, that may indicate that your metabolism is slowing. Essentially, you were consuming enough calories before to keep your weight steady or even lose weight you were burning roughly the same amount of calories that you consumed. If your metabolic rate slows, you'll burn fewer calories relative to the amount you consume, which can cause you to gain weight. Control your activity and diet consistently for a few weeks, and weigh yourself each morning or every other day. Keep a record of your weight. If you're gaining weight when you weren't before, this could indicate your metabolism has slowed.

Summary: Look at your feet. Evaluate your overall body temperature. Chronicle your sleep patterns. Talk to people who are around you often. Weigh yourself.

Fill the lower part of a steamer with water and heat, on the stove, over medium heat until the water steams and starts to simmer. Do not boil the water. Do not fill the steamer high enough for water to slip up through the holes of the steamer basket. If you do not have a steamer, you could use a stockpot and a metal colander with fine holes. Make sure that the colander fits over the lip of the stockpot without falling in. Spread the kernels out into a single layer. Canned corn kernels can also be used, but they will finish cooking in a much shorter amount of time. They may also be soggier once finished. You do not need to thaw frozen corn kernels before use. Allow the corn to steam for 9 to 10 minutes without covering it. Drain once finished. Canned kernels will only need to steam for 3 or 4 minutes. Steamed corn can be served with butter and salt as well as other seasonings.
Summary: Simmer water in a steamer. Add frozen corn kernels into the steamer basket. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes. Serve.