Snow Day Prep

I used to be that person - the one who watched the weather constantly and panicked at the slightest news of a storm. I ran to the store, stocking up with more food than anyone could possibly eat in the duration of a storm. I would think of the worst case scenario and struggle to find the basics that could be needed.

Over the past few years, I have educated myself in being prepared for different situations and now approach a storm in a different way. I still take a look at worse case scenarios, but without the unnecessary spending, panic or anxiety.

It is fortunate that I work for a great company - so if we have a storm like today's, I have the opportunity to take the day off completely and not deal with the bus and the difficult commute. Getting to work is not usually the issue, but if getting home looks questionable, I plan a vacation day off.

In storms, as in life, there are only a few absolute needs:  shelter, security, warmth, food, water, communication, light and peace of mind.  So, the worst case scenario for us in winter would be to lose power.


The mental checklist I go through is the same general way we live day to day:

Communication: I make sure everything is charged: radios, flashlights, batteries, solar lights, phones, iPad, etc.

Shelter/Security:  Our home is taken care of and maintained and is a safe place to live.

Warmth:  We have a wood stove that heats, cooks and if necessary, will boil water should the power go out and water heater shuts off. So the only prep for the bulk of our needs, is a good supply of kindling and wood brought into the house.

Water:  There are always a few cases of bottled water in the basement for use, or for emergency. We also have a few bottles of tap water than can be boiled for washing.

Food: We have a variety of fresh and stored foods that can easily be cooked - the same way we cook every day

Light: we have several sets of solar lights - used during the holidays - and always charged for night lights and for the rare situation of a power outage

General:  I also throw in a load of laundry to be sure clothes are clean and make sure dishes are washed. Rob brings in enough fire wood for a few days.

Paring down our stuff, knowing where everything is in our home, and being generally prepared for life, not just the storms, creates a peace of mind for me.

There is only one thing left to do - enjoy my day off and relax =)

Blizzard Nemo!

So, there's a storm coming...Blizzard Nemo.

I wish that some of the previous names like Draco or Khan had been the big storm, because Nemo just doesn't sound so tough. And wouldn't it be awesome to stand in 3 feet of snow and yell KHAAAAAN!  But this is New England. The cutest, meekest name becomes "Historic, Crippling Storm" or as they as saying now "2 feet with locally more" or my favorite "36 - 40 inches locally".

I can't help it - I have a little excitement in my gut like I did when we were kids. SNOW DAY! Although I do have to go to work in the morning, I will be home for noon before it gets really bad. People are doing what they need to - shopping, etc. We went out to dinner. Some wine and a delicious meal at Rosalina's Italian Kitchen and we are ready for the storm. Some people are worked up and in a panic - out buying into the stock up and be prepared for what will be hopefully only a couple of days of snow.

Don't get me wrong, we have things that we have to prepare. While Rob is getting enough kindling and wood ready for the wood stove for the weekend, I am making sure our icepacks are in the freezer, solar lights and flashlights are charged, electronics are charged, and dishes and laundry are clean. The worst that could happen would be loss of power, hot water, etc. So we make sure clothing is clean, water jugs are filled for washing up. Since we recently dealt with a water main break, we make sure there is tap water in bottles that can be boiled if needed.

All of this only amounts to a small amount of time and no stress at all because we already have these things done. As a mom, I also want to be sure our kids are in a safe place and have what they need. Mostly, this is a conversation and them reassuring me that they are fine.

Governor Duvall has asked that everyone that can stay home tomorrow and everyone else be off the roads by noon. He also asked that all school districts cancel school. So hopefully people listen and are smart about staying home if possible. It's comforting to see that the decision makers are taking this seriously.

Now, I am off to finish putting clothes away and making sure everything is in order. Then it's just a matter of riding out the storm.

I remember the Blizzard of '78 - we had no power, so no heat and had to go to a neighbors house for a few days - possibly a week until we had power back, and then there was nothing - no school, no church, nothing for 3 weeks. North Brookfield shut down except lots of sledding and playing outside. Cars stranded on highways for miles and a snowdrift up to my second floor window. I remember that feeling of having no choice about the heat and having to leave our house in the middle of a storm, maybe that contributed to my desire to always be ready for a storm? I'm sure it did.

Now, it's just the waiting...

It's only 9:00 on Friday night and it looks like this already...we still have the whole night and tomorrow to go. I hope everyone is staying put and enjoying a quiet night in! It's only a few inches of snow so far, but the wind is ridiculous...

Fruit and Nut trees sticking out of the snow

Rob made a beginning path so Pippin could get out...

it's hard to tell how much actually fell  - at least 2 feet.

Small Treasures: Being Prepared

In the past few weeks, we have had Hurricane Sandy, winter storm Athena and yesterday around noon a water main broke that resulted in water for the whole city of Worcester being shut off last night while they worked on it. 

Amazingly, they worked through the night and it is fixed!

With each of these events, we gathered our “emergency” supplies together and checked flashlights, etc., charged everything up to 100% and waited. We were fortunate with the hurricane and the winter storm. The worst thing that happened was a long wait and a walk for me to get home from work. The city had so many accidents that schedules were off and some buses didn’t run.

The most noticeable change, for me personally, was a sense of security in knowing that we were prepared for most anything that could happen. We have some extra bottled water and food that is easy to prepare. I have a routine that is pretty quick when the news of an impending storm breaks, so I can have things together without much effort and not be stressed. We have wood for the stove, so we will be warm and can cook and none of us works far from home, so walking if needed isn’t an issue. If we had to leave home for an evacuation or disaster situation, our paperwork and “Go Bags” are ready with a few days of necessities.

At one time I would have thought that all of this preparation wasn’t necessary, as many people in New England also thought before these last couple of years. I find the comfort of being clear minded and ready for most any situation keeps the panic, impulsiveness, and fear of last minute chaos away.

I am not a “doomsday prepper”, I don’t have any thoughts of doom at all in what we are doing. We are just prepared in case we need to be. A couple of extra cans of soup or a case of water here and there when we shop for groceries is not inconvenient and we will use it should an emergency not arise, or a job is lost, or pay is reduced while I am out of work unexpectedly for 7 weeks (as I was this past Summer).

What I value most about these situations is the ability to keep as close to a normal day as possible without stress and having the calmness to prevent injury or accident that can sometimes happen in a hasty scramble at the last minute. We have all seen the tragic effects of Katrina, Irene, Sandy and the many other tornadoes, etc. of the past few years and I think it is just smart to gather important photos and documents together in a safe place (digital files too, if possible) and be able to continue on with life in the midst of an emergency. Honestly, it’s good to have the information together anyway, because everyday situations come up that require it.

One of the most helpful ideas I have ever read – was to think through and prepare for the worst case scenario – which for us would be evacuation and having to leave our home. If you prepare at that level and have a plan, paperwork, photos, small treasures, in order. Then when a storm comes, it’s just a matter of keeping a positive attitude. There isn’t any additional work needed. It’s already done.  

In the case of a large disaster like what has happened in New Jersey and New York with Hurricane Sandy…the Go Bag and getting your family to safety really is the only thing you can do. This is an individual decision and there are many different guidelines online if you need help planning a bag.  However, if in that bag you have important paperwork like birth certificates, marriage certificates, passports, financial information, etc. and you have copies of your favorite photos, some toiletries, a change of clothing, and some food and water, it won’t make the difficulty go away, but it will give you some comfort and strength in knowing that everything else can be replaced and what matters most is by your side. We each have a water proof bag with a few things in it that will get us through.

One thing that I thought of in planning is the small treasures that accumulate in our lives. One example for me is a little necklace I won for a story I wrote in 2^nd grade. It isn’t valuable to anyone but me, but I would take that with me. Photos of our family growing up would also be irreplaceable. Everyone’s small treasures are different. Something like this is a talisman to memories….which really are the treasures you keep with you. For children, a favorite blanket and toy keep something familiar, And for pets, a copy of rabies certificates and tags, as well as the things that will comfort them in a new place or during a power outage, etc. If you are prepared, once you and your family are safe, a little bit of home to comfort you will be necessary to gather the strength to rebuild.

The tie in, for me, to minimalism, living simply and with less, so loudly speaks to me here. I could easily gather the things of value to me and leave if I had to.  Once my family and dog are safe, there would be no thing in that house that I would die for.

Again, I find myself faced with the question of whether or not I want to work my whole life to just have more possessions when it seems that in the big picture of life, only the small treasures really matter...