By Robin 'Red Hot' Kaye
I’m no stranger to bad weather. Hell, I spent over ten years
living in Florida and lived through countless tornados and hurricanes. I rode
out a hurricane on Long Island—I think it might have been Gloria. We were in
the Hamptons and then moved inland when we were evacuated. The house on the
ocean was fine but the roof of the hotel we stayed in blew off.
In Maryland we’ve been through blizzards (several), ice
storms, hurricane Irene, and spent many weeks becoming one with our generator
(as well as becoming good friends with our neighbors without power). I’ve
shopped before storms—I’ve seen Costco with empty shelves, witnessed
fist-fights over batteries, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything that
can compare with the insanity of the people readying themselves for
Frankenstorm. I swear there’s not a gallon of milk, water, or a roll of toilet
paper to be had in the tri-state area. My friend who works at a liquor store
told me they did more business on Saturday than they usually did the Saturday
before New Year’s. I guess if you have to be stuck in a house without power,
it’s good to have booze.
If you’re wondering what I do to prepare for the storm of
the century, I’d have to say, not much other than cook. What else are you going
to do when you have two teenagers under the same roof and just enough power to run
the microwave and the freezer except eat? Now, if we didn’t have the teenagers,
I’m sure my husband and I would find plenty to do—which, come to think of it,
is probably why we have teenagers. <grin>
So yesterday I made slow-cooked chicken with lentils for
dinner and then I turned the leftovers into soup. I got up early this morning and,
while my husband moved our wicker porch furniture into the shed and made sure
the generator was in working order, I threw together a 20-quart pot of
spaghetti sauce with sausage and meatballs before going to my critique meeting.
See, I do plan ahead. I even thought to put the blog up early, just in case
we’re without internet access tomorrow. So, if you don’t see me comment on the
blog, know I’m hunkered down riding out the storm of the century and will come
out of it just fine, though I’ll probably gain a few pounds.
So, what do you do to get ready for storms?
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