Better get ready
All those years ago when I was a minister in Fitchburg, MA there was a small threat one year that a Hurricane would come up the east coast, cross Long Island sound, and move up through central Connecticut and Massachusetts.
My friend and mentor DeWolf Perry advised me to fill my bath tub with cold water. I thought that it was some kind of mystical and cultish ceremony to ward off bad weather until he explained that if the worst came to the worst and power was cut, the water would be more than useful to flush toilets.
Well that hurricane fizzled out and I never did have to live through a hurricane in New England.
I endured my fair share of blizzards.
I moved to SRQ in 2006 and after a year or so I know that I had to get ready for a possible hurricane.
So I put together my emergency supplies in an air tight and water-proof container.
I've never had to use it, but each year I inspect it. I did so today.
Coleman camping stove, working well, with two full gas canisters.
Large flashlight/torch. Dead battery.
Battery operated weather (and other channels) radio A OK
Miner's/ spelunkers head light - good to go. (you can use two hands when wearing one of these)
Matches/candles (remember them?) Good to go.
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No one likes hurricanes. They can do awful (and sometimes deadly) damage to people places and things.
But they do not arrive out of the blue. We are given days to get ready for their possible path. Should one be on the way this year I'll have good enough advance warning to supplement my emergency supplies with bottled drinking water, canned goods, milk and cereals, and most importantly food for my dog.
I'll also (way in advance) fill my car with gas/petrol and most importantly get some real hard cash to prepare for the possibility that ATM's (Cash Points), and supermarket debit card readers will be out of service for the duration.
I want to be a wise virgin, not a foolish virgin (see the New Testament Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25) but ignore the virgin bit. 😁
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When Irma was heading our way last year I decided that I was fearful, and did not want to ride out the storm alone.
My good friends Bill and Pat offered me shelter and good company for which I was utterly grateful.
In the end Irma skirted Sarasota and our area did not lose power or suffer damage (other parts of SRQ were not so lucky).
I had taken my well stocked emergency box to their home and I was a wee bit disappointed that we never needed it, thus robbing me of possible heroic status 😞
My friend and mentor DeWolf Perry advised me to fill my bath tub with cold water. I thought that it was some kind of mystical and cultish ceremony to ward off bad weather until he explained that if the worst came to the worst and power was cut, the water would be more than useful to flush toilets.
Well that hurricane fizzled out and I never did have to live through a hurricane in New England.
I endured my fair share of blizzards.
I moved to SRQ in 2006 and after a year or so I know that I had to get ready for a possible hurricane.
So I put together my emergency supplies in an air tight and water-proof container.
I've never had to use it, but each year I inspect it. I did so today.
Coleman camping stove, working well, with two full gas canisters.
Large flashlight/torch. Dead battery.
Lantern, in good shape.
Battery operated weather (and other channels) radio A OK
Miner's/ spelunkers head light - good to go. (you can use two hands when wearing one of these)
Matches/candles (remember them?) Good to go.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No one likes hurricanes. They can do awful (and sometimes deadly) damage to people places and things.
But they do not arrive out of the blue. We are given days to get ready for their possible path. Should one be on the way this year I'll have good enough advance warning to supplement my emergency supplies with bottled drinking water, canned goods, milk and cereals, and most importantly food for my dog.
I'll also (way in advance) fill my car with gas/petrol and most importantly get some real hard cash to prepare for the possibility that ATM's (Cash Points), and supermarket debit card readers will be out of service for the duration.
I want to be a wise virgin, not a foolish virgin (see the New Testament Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25) but ignore the virgin bit. 😁
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Irma was heading our way last year I decided that I was fearful, and did not want to ride out the storm alone.
My good friends Bill and Pat offered me shelter and good company for which I was utterly grateful.
In the end Irma skirted Sarasota and our area did not lose power or suffer damage (other parts of SRQ were not so lucky).
I had taken my well stocked emergency box to their home and I was a wee bit disappointed that we never needed it, thus robbing me of possible heroic status 😞
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