Our power has at last been restored! I’m ready to put Hurricane Week in the past, and start Normal Life again in the morning! But, that being said, I feel like we more than barely survived; we survived WELL. Thanks to going through Hurricanes Erin, Opal, Ivan, and Dennis along with countless other tropical storms previously, it wasn’t a new experience to weather a hurricane, and to be without our beloved electricity. But boy, did it ever feel fantastic to go around tonight gleefully flipping switches and turning our home into a real-life Thomas Kinkade house!
Below is my Hurricane List.
I feel like being prepared is essential!
Some things I’ve learned from my plucky mom, who showed us in attitude and action how to survive well; and some things are my own little quirks that I’ve added to this listicle.
{Before Storm}
Buy lots of food.
Think easy foods to grill, stuff for sandwiches, favorite snacks & drinks. Also, don’t forget food for the fur babies!
Clean out fridge & freezer.
(This is so you aren’t trying to keep old food cold, and in case your freezer does thaw some before you get the generator going, the ice won’t melt and make a big watery refrozen mess.) I didn’t get this one done this time, but mine actually weren’t too bad off amazingly!
Clean the house.
You won’t be able to vacuum for awhile, so do it now!
And it just feels good to go into a disaster with the house clean.
Do ALL the laundry.
This is pointless to explain.
Batten down the hatches.
Clear porches and put away all outside articles that could become flying missiles.
Pick any and all flowers.
Make as many bouquets as possible! They won’t survive and you will need to see beauty during and after the storm. The vase of gorgeous white roses and 2 jars of cheery zinnias sparked so much joy during this dark week!
Make sure you have prescriptions to last at least a week.
Check supply of OFF and replenish if necessary.
If the door can’t quite seal around the extension cord, tree frogs might hop in and you need to be prepared to end life from a safe social distance of six feet.
Check supply of paper goods.
Ain’t nobody got time to hand wash dishes all day! And it’s not a good time to run out of tp!
Make sure you have plenty of propane for outdoor cooking.
Have a good smelling candle to burn.
All the humidity will soon make the house smell dank.
Grind up some Griffin’s Wharf coffee beans.
You’ll need the beans ready to go for the next morning’s propane-powered pour over!
Purchase new craft supplies.
It’s crucial to keep kids calm and occupied during disruptive times. The 12 little pots of Crayola washable paints I picked up with the groceries from Walmart saved the day! I tore off sheets of freezer paper, and Danielle painted away to her little artist’s heart's content!
Charge up all the Dewalt batteries.
Make a Plan B.
For us, Plan A is always to stay home. But have a Plan B in case it’s not gonna be safe to stay home.
{During Storm}
Sleep as much as possible!
You’ll need it later, trust me.
Remember that a little humor makes all things possible.
Thanks, Mom! 😉
Don’t forget that this too shall pass.
It always does.
{After Storm}
Thank God that you have survived!
Assess damages.
At first, we thought that we pretty much lucked out on this one, but now just today as it rained away, we noticed some water damage from slight leakage along the edges of the ceiling. But still, very minor.
Burn the good smelling candle.
I loved burning the $3 little gem I got from Dollar Gen.
Messy bun & gettin stuff done
#momlife 🕯
Cook good food.
There’s nothing like sitting down to some good food to lift the spirits.
Clean up the yard.
But don’t rush or stress about it. Those branches aren’t going anywhere!
Tidy and broom up daily to retain sanity and a sense of normality.
Stargaze.
Take advantage of the the complete velvet blackness! With no annoying yard lights, the gazing is gorgeous! Danielle suggested snacks during the one session we got in, which was an excellent addition.
Take up friends’ and family’s offers of hot showers, AC, and other luxurious accommodations if they get power back before you do. This isn’t a survival contest. There are no awards being given out to the Most Miserable.
And that’s it, my friends!
Here’s to SURVIVING WELL.
And praying that Beta behaves.
