Happy Homemaker Monday - Hurricane Sandy Edition!

Whew! We are on the outskirts of a hurricane and the wind is blowing! But, I still have electricity (so far), so here I am, ready to join in today! Please see Sandra's blog for more Happy Homemaker Monday.

The Weather

See above! Right now I can hear the wind more than see it, so it must be high because the trees are not moving around as much as the sound warrants. It is raining but it is not a heavy rain. My neck of the woods is not supposed to have tons of rain, our biggest threat is coastal flooding, so people on the shoreline had to evacuate. I am inland and 800 feet above sea level. My biggest threats are downed trees and loss of electricity. If you see my post below I talk more about our preparations.

Right Now I Am

Enjoying the electricity! I am tempted to make cookies, but I don't want to get stuck with the sticky cleanup should the electricity go off, so I won't. We have plenty of packaged treats to get us through. I am keeping my computer plugged in so that I start with a full battery once the electricity goes off. My daughter packed her things and moved next door to her BFF's house. My boys are in various parts of the house. School is closed today and tomorrow, and most likely longer. I am waiting for the cat to indicate that he wants to go outside, but he must sense that it is not a good idea! I turned up the thermostat in the house so we can have some warmth for the time being.

Thinking

Of my blessings. We live in a small town (around 8,000). We have a red alert system, so the mayor has sent us three updates so far. The crews from the electric company are in town and ready to get to work as soon as the storm is over (Wednesday). Our fire house will open then and we can go there to take showers, get water, and charge our cell phones and computers. Our IGA grocery in town is open until 1 pm (the state is closing the highways at that time) and will reopen after the storm. They too will have charging stations. They have a generator so they will be open even if the power is out, and they have lots in stock. The mayor will let us know when they reopen the store. I have a church with a membership that takes care of one another. If I have any problems or need anything, I can call any number of people to get the help that I need. And, most importantly, I have family around. My parents and sister are close (within 20 minutes). We check on each other during the day. My dad's health is compromised, so he is the one we are most concerned with - he gets cold easily. And, my husband's brother and parents are within an hour of us, and they both have generators wired to the house, so if we are without electricity for an extended period of time, it is worth the trip for a hot shower and a hot meal! And lastly, and most important, I have the Lord. I had a training class yesterday for my seminary teaching and I wasn't going to go because I had to prepare for the hurricane, but my friend talked me into going with her. I am so glad I did. It was a spiritual boost and a perfect way to prepare my psyche for the days ahead. 

On My Reading Pile

I have lots of books on my Kindle, which is fully charged, plus lots of paper books downstairs, so I will be taking advantage of the opportunity I now have to read! Will share what I am reading when the time comes!

On My TV

My husband picked up The Innkeepers yesterday. It was filmed in a city north of us, which was really the only reason to watch it. We have The Village and STILL have We Bought a Zoo. A lot of what is playing on my tv, however, is the news.

On the Menu for This Week

I cooked up most of my chicken that I had in the freezer (the rest can be grilled), so we will be eating a LOT of chicken. I shredded it and mixed some with salsa - I don't have any tortillas though, but we do have chips and rolls to eat it on. The other half I mixed with bbq sauce. The rest of our meals will be eating up the foods in our freezer. We have individual frozen pizzas, which we can heat on the grill if need be, breaded fish fillets, tuna steaks, and some leftover foods in Foodsaver bags. After that we have easy mac, raman noodle soups, canned soups, rice, potato, and noodle packets that just require water. After that I have tons of rice, beans, quick cooking oats, instant potatoes, and even milk powder stored for emergencies, but I don't think we will have to get into that.

On My To-Do List

Wait it out! I actually get to relax and hang out. We are washing our dishes as we use them so we do not get stuck with a lot of dirty dishes to wash and no water to wash them with. I did all the laundry that I am going to do until the storm is over. The house is clean enough for now. I am sweeping as I go (the leaves keep coming in the house), so life is good!. Oh, I might take a chance on the cookie baking, because I have three eggs left that will have to get used. If the electricity doesn't flash off by the time my oven is heated, I am going for it!

What I am Creating

Do memories count?

Homemaking Tip

If you are expecting a power outage, cook up your raw meats and refreeze them. I would much rather have cooked meat thawing than raw. If you use the vacuum sealed bags, you can just heat them up in hot water. Oh, and I highly recommend a gas grill with a side burner, or some type of gas burner. If you have a gas stove, lucky you!

Looking Around the House

On my kitchen island there are gallon bottles of water for flushing, lanterns and candles ready to go, various camping supplies to make food prep easier. On my counter by the sink is a 5 gallon cooler of water (with a spout) for hand washing. In my garage is a stack of firewood. On my deck is my gas grill and an upside down patio table, both tied to the deck railings.

From the Camera

Tying down the table to prepare for the winds.

On My Prayer List

All of us in the path of Hurricane Sandy. And thank you, Sandra, and everyone else for your prayers. 

From the Bible

I hope you will indulge me here. I am a Latter-Day Saint and what I want to share with you comes from our modern revelation, but it is most appropriate for me right now.

"If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear"

Sure it is good and important to have water, food, and wood stored and ready to use, but I am most grateful that I attended church and my seminary training yesterday, because spiritual preparation is most important. 

Have a great week everyone, and stay safe!