Be Prepared

Last night we had just driven up in our driveway, I got out of the car and I walked maybe two steps and suddenly the power was off.  No electric lights as far as the eye could see.  We opened the front door and Taz was in a panic ( power outages do that to her), Hook was sound asleep and Calliou was out back protecting the home and property.

Sadly there was an accident a few miles down the road, which took out a power pole/lines.
So no electricity for several hours, and no blog.  I have heard no news on the accident today so I hope all is well.  When we went to bed last night it was in the 20's, so I piled on the blankets.  Thankfully those linemen did what they do best and power was restored.

I am always grateful that we have a gas stove, gas logs in the fireplace and that I have a bounty of battery powered candles.  Soon I had a pot of soup simmering on the stove, the logs gave a warm glow to the great room and the candles made it all very cozy. 

In the past we have not always been that prepared.  When the blizzard of 93 hit, we had no heat, no way to cook, and a gimpy flashlight.  Two days into the blizzard, it was around 10 degrees in our house, Rick's beard had ice crystals in it and we had on so many layers of clothes we could barely move.  I swore things would be different.

A  small generator was bought, a gas grill, gas logs, gas stove, and gas supplemental heater all came to our house.  When battery powered candles came on the market, I bought a couple of dozen.
I keep canned goods, pasta, rice, beef and chicken broths, bottled water, etc in the pantry.  The blizzard kept our power off for almost two weeks, tornadoes in April a few years ago kept water and power off for a couple of weeks.  With each event I have tried to learn valuable lessons and be better prepared for the next one.

I was never a Scout, neither was Rick, but their motto "Be Prepared" has become ours.
Enjoy your Thursday, laugh out loud and be kind.