In keeping with the disaster and survival guide theme of the week, today I offer you my survival guide for battening down the hatches and surviving Hurricane Irene this weekend. We here in DC might not be in the eye of the storm but where I live, we are in the eye of Pepco’s storm. As a seasoned Pepco “weather event” victim, I’ve learned how best to survive that reality (I would prefer to not even say it outloud because I am that worried about being jinxy). I don’t rush the grocery stores, I don’t rush Home Depot, I won’t be lining up for sandbags.
Get ready, mateys
Here’s what I do prior to storms:
1. For the kids, I head to Michaels and stock up on super fun project stuff. They don’t need to know the loot is there until things are getting desperate and it keeps everyone’s minds off why they can’t watch the Backyardigans.
2. Yo ho ho…for the adults, I head to the liquor store. We don’t need food. It’ll just spoil. But swizzling a nice glass of vino..or two…..helps weather the storm.
I also tend to have some foresight. I really like coffee in the morning. In the event that I can’t brew a cup on Sunday morning, don’t think I won’t brew a cup on Saturday night before the storm picks up speed, so that I can at least have a cup of iced coffee on Sunday morning. And seeing how Monday is the first day of Kindergarten for my critter, I will prob wash and blow dry her hair on Saturday night in the event that I can’t use a hair dryer on Sunday. Every gal needs to start Kindergarten with relatively clean and styled hair, right?
Now, don’t be fooled, kittens. I cannot stand what happens when bad weather strikes. I pace, I foam at the mouth, I make irrational demands about where service crews should be working no matter how hard the wind is whipping and thunder roaring. But the vino and art projects do help. And I have the next two days to find my inner-zen for the inevitable…..
Or better yet you can come to Grandmommy’s house where the power works. Ha Ha.