Botulism, Anyone?

This week, I accomplished something I have planned to do for years - I actually SUCCESSFULLY canned something! Well, I use "successfully" with the term "right to recall the witness" attached, since the true test of success will be some months down the road, after we have popped the seal, partaken of the jar's contents...and remained alive.
When I was little, Mom canned with a pressure cooker. "You kids stay out of here, this thing could blow up!" I think everyone I've ever mentioned that to nodded their heads in agreement. And we kids get yelled at for running with scissors?? At least if we fall, it's only ourselves we hurt - we don't demolish an entire neighborhood block in the name of storing food for winter - harumph!
Anyway, I now have several jars of salsa and tomatoes for chili sitting on my stove, waiting to find a home on a shelf somewhere. Aren't you supposed to put these things in a root cellar, or something? I'd store them in my basement, but I have bats down there. (Some people have bats in their belfry, but I find they work much better if I keep them where I can see them.)

I'm going to cross something off my Life's Goal checklist - red pen, please.