Tuesday, October 25, 2011

A blustery day...

The wind here is crazy today.  It reminds me of last year when we lost power for close to a week!  The trees are having an incredibly hard time staying upright, and the 6 foot high chain link garden fencing is threatening to topple over at any minute.  Give those power lines a dose of heavy snow and they are going to start snapping, and we had our first snowfall a few days ago, so this is a real possibility.

This year we are better prepared for the inevitable power failure (see last years post here).  We have a generator, a stocked pantry (no electricity required,) and a game plan.  The house will stay warm thanks to the propane fireplace that doesn't require any electricity to function... (the fan won't work, but it will still heat).  We have talked to the kids about what to expect if the power goes out for a long period of time, and we have plenty of baby wipes, anticipating not being able to take a shower for several days.  We have books and crayons and craft projects, as well as lots of warm blankets and some comfort foods like hot chocolate.  The small television can be plugged into the generator, and we have kids music on my iPhone (which can also be charged via generator.) 

Last years power failure was really an eye opener for me.  Grown-ups might know what to expect when it happens, but children have lots of fears about the unknown, and its important for us to show them that there is nothing to worry about.  A few familiar things can make them a whole heck of a lot more comfortable, and when the kids aren't freaking out, EVERYTHING goes a lot smoother.

Are you ready to go several days without power?  What do you do to prepare your home and your family?

2 comments:

  1. I have a lot of vodka in the house. That will get you though a power outage. I also have a banjo. That helps me get through a lot of vodka.

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  2. I can sort of relate growing up in Wyoming. 20+ mph wind is the norm there. Power lines were really only in danger in the Spring when the snow was wet and fluffy. During the winter, the snow is a very fine powder, and it does not accumulate. Biggest issue we had and I'm sure you probably face it as well - pipes freezing. An unexpected night of -40 degrees can leave you without water for weeks.

    I'm looking forward to hearing how things go for you this winter.

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