More Storm Preparation Tips

 

Diva built a snowlady the other day.  She was sad because there wasn't much snow.  That's not a problem now!

Yesterday we had 7.9 inches of snow. Tomorrow we're going to have 8 inches more plus 2 inches of freezing ice. And on Sunday, we're due for an additional 10 inches of snow. Uh-huh.  Welcome to the Northeast where, by next Tuesday, we'll have a good 28 inches of wet, mucky, frozen stuff on the ground. My kids have had so many days off from school that my daughter woke up this morning and asked if she had to go. “What's the point? We're going to have off tomorrow anyway!” she exclaimed. She's probably right. I am SO sick of Winter!


With this lull between storms, I re-read a post I'd written a few months back on How We Prepare For A Storm (http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2013/10/how-we-prepare-for-storm-what-helped-us.html) and did a few additional things which I'd like to share with you now.


Ice on top of snow means power outages, so a few weeks ago, we brought the generator into the garage. About an hour ago, I went out and shoveled a path so that, if we need the generator, my husband can haul it to the backyard where we'll station it at least 10 feet from the house (click here for a Fact Sheet from the Connecticut Department Of Public Health which talks about carbon monoxide safety: http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/eoha/pdf/co_disasters.pdf). I also secured our recycling can with a bungee cord so that in case of high winds, our recycling won't blow around, and I lubricated our shovels with WD-40 so that the snow doesn't stick to them. A quick look in the garage told me that we do, indeed, have kitty litter for traction and salt to melt the ice on our steps while a large rubber container filled with firewood sits by the front door in case the power goes out.


Speaking of losing power, I went to the gas station to top off the tank; if we run out of gas for the generator, we have a doohickey which will siphon gas from the car so we can pour it into the generator. The early part of the afternoon was spent running to the grocery store for extra batteries and provisions, our local library to stock up on movies and books and later on I'm making a run to our local liquor store so that my husband can have a heart-healthy glass of red wine to enjoy while we're stuck inside with our blessed children.


Lastly, while I'm trying to be as prepared as can be, I'm avoiding as much media coverage of the storm as I can. Ever since Hurricane Sandy, folks around here justifiably panic but neither the kids nor I need to hear, over and over again, how “the sky is falling, the sky is falling.” Just as with Sandy and all other storms, we'll weather it as best as we can, with gritting teeth and plenty of mumbling. I am SO sick of Winter!

Thank you for reading! Please check back in with me in a day or two.  Hopefully I'll have power and will have dug out from whatever is coming tomorrow.  And if you're in the midst of a storm or are about to get hit with one, good luck!

10 Indoor Activities To Do With Kids - Redux

Note:  In my last post, I promised Chinese New Year Crafts.  I'm going to print those TOMORROW because, as I type, the Northeast is being hit by yet ANOTHER snowstorm which has, thus far, dumped 4" of snow in my drive way.  For that reason, I thought some of you might like to see, once again, this post which was published a few weeks ago .  These activities are saving my sanity this Winter and I hope they can save yours, too. 

This is proving to be a snowy Winter, therefore, I have been incarcerated, errr in, with the kids quite a bit. Prying their eyes from video is always an Olympic challenge so I've been reaching into my Mom's Bag Of Tricks to find indoor activities that will keep them busy. The Teen is usually happy playing his clarinet or reading a book, but keeping the very active Diva (8 years old) has been difficult. Here are some activities that have worked for me and will, hopefully, work for you:

1. Bring the snowy fun inside. Just because it's cold outside, doesn't mean the snow has to stay there! I grab a big ol' lasagna dish and fill it with snow. The fun begins with building snowy creatures, then we move into painting the snow using food coloring and watercolors. After that, we use the snow to build “snow castles” and finish by pouring the melted snow into the plants. This kept Diva busy for about 2 hours yesterday!
    
   

   Fill a pan.

   Diva's snowpuppies & snowlady.

   Diluted food coloring and even watercolors work well for paints.

   She achieved a pseudo Monet technique.

2. Marshmallow Toss and Marshmallow Building. Note: the Toss is better in a room with washable floors or put a plastic coating, like an old shower curtain, down on the floor because this can get a bit sticky. Throw marshmallows to see who can get them the furthest. For Marshmallow Building, use them to build towers. You can use spaghetti, skewers, or toothpicks to help connect them. Who can build the tallest before it falls down?
   
   
3. Have a scavenger hunt (here's the link to a previous post I wrote in which I outlined how: http://isithotinheremmm.blogspot.com/2013/12/10-activity-ideas-for-xmas-eve-or.html ).
   
   
4. Discover what's magnetic.  Give your kid a magnet and let him/her discover what in the house is magnetic. Furniture handles, doorknobs, hooks, some jewelry are all candidates. If you're really ambitious, you can then discuss the principles of magnets, etc.
   
   
5. Reinvent their bedrooms. Who doesn't like to re-do their rooms?  This project is all about making them happier, plus, it might get them to clean their room. Invite your kids to think outside the box and help them redecorate their rooms using objects in the house. How can they gain more storage? Can they section their room into a “reading nook” or “fashion table”? What can they do to make their room better fit their needs?
   
   
6. Build a tent. My daughter LOVES to do this! Grab some old blankets and sheets and let the kids build a “Kids Only” zone. With any luck, they'll stay in it for a bit.
   
   
7. Pay the older kids to babysit the younger ones. It'll give you an hour or two of peace and keep everyone occupied.
   
   
8. String popcorn. Let the kids string some popcorn for the outdoor critters and hang the “garland” over a bush or in a tree.
   
   
9. Play I Spy. Someone picks a color, shape, or item and then says "I spy something..." The other players have to guess what the lead player spies in the room.
   
   
10. Have a Crazy Outfit Fashion Show. Grab a box of winter garb and other pieces of clothing. See who can come up with the craziest outfit.

Got any more suggestion? Add them in the Comments section!

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Again, Chinese New Year crafts are coming tomorrow - I promise!

Aging & The Positive Side Of Being A Nut

My husband and I actually managed to have a .conversation the other night, tucked somewhere between picking up one child at gymnastics and arguing with the other about getting off the computer.  "I'm discovering something about aging," he said.  "The older I get, the calmer I get.  I'm confident that I can handle the big stuff."  His view was in sharp contrast to mine.  As I get older, I'm becoming less serene, more, shall we say, a tad neurotic?  It's not that I lack confidence in my ability to handle the big stuff.  It's the realization that there's SO MUCH BIG STUFF!

I used to look at older drivers and feel superior to them.  Why do they drive so slowly, I wondered.  Can they not see other drivers?  Are their reflexes slower?  What pains in the butt, I thought as I'd smugly dart past their little grey heads which could barely see over the dashboard.  I never gave a second thought to the fact that one day I'd be older.  Now, as I inch closer to their ages (I'm guessing most of them were 70+), I understand why, perhaps, they drive so slowly.  No, they cannot see and hear as well as they used to.  Yes, their reflexes are slower.  But maybe they're also aware of the sound metal makes as it collides with concrete.  They may know the horror of screams as vehicles hit each other and bodies smack with an unanticipated force.  Clearly they're doing something that many people on the road forget:  driving carefully with the realization that being in control of several tons of metal containing your life and, sometimes, the lives of others is an awesome (and I do mean AWEsome) responsiblity. 

That's big stuff.  I am also cognizant of other facts like little germs can cause big problems, cautiousness does not always prevent disasters, and bad stuff happens to good people. Sure, preparation may not stop catastrophes, but it can help. 

Two years ago, my state was hit by a freak snowstorm that left us without power for five days.  There was little warning from the media and honestly, we NEVER expected that amount of snow.  It was a difficult experience that left me jittery about the weather.  But the following year, when Hurricane Sandy hit, my decidely neurotic tendencies proved advantageous.  I remembered what we'd lacked the previous year and learned from it.  I made sure we had the supplies we needed.  Sure, I was a little nutty, but memories of the previous year prompted me to get a large cooler, cook all the food I could before the storm hit so we'd have provisions, and charge our computers and smartphones.  My husband dragged out the generator he'd bought earlier that summer while the prices were low.  Despite losing power, this time, for six days, we were okay.

Having a sense of how much Big Stuff is out there has made me appreciate the present much more.  I've seen houses crushed, know people who lost everything in the blink of an eye.  Iheld my children close in the basement of my home, and prayed as Sandy roared overhead.  I've learned from it.  I've lived through car accidents and hear, in my head, the crunch of metal when I see other drivers do stupid things on the road.  If my eyes and ears start to fail, I have no doubt that  I'll drive as cautiously as the old people I encounter.  And I pray I have the confidence that my husband has that I'll be able to handle the Big Stuff ahead. 

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Stay tuned for my next post when I'll talk about some of the strategies and products that helped us through Hurricane Sandy.