September 7, 2017

Impending Irma

Since Hurricane Irma is heading right towards my lovey sunshine state, I decided to postpone my usual Thursday and Friday posts and give you a few last minute ideas to get you ready for the impending storm. I know my sisters, parents, and I were coming up with stuff all last night. I love that we can be on a group text when someone thinks of something! It makes everything so much easier!  Thankfully the school district let everyone have today and tomorrow to plan and prepare. I think Mr. Teacher and I are as ready as we can be! Now the watching and waiting begins.

Here are a few ideas that could make life a little easier and less stressful in the coming days that you might not have thought of:

1. Wash and prep all you fruits and vegetables now. If we don’t have water this will make cooking and eating much easier. I am thinking of it as getting ready for a big stay at home camping trip.
2. Make your hamburger patties now too. Marinate your chicken and pork.  Again, think of it like prepping for camping!
3. Don’t forget to stock up on paper towel, paper plates, plastic silverware, and cups. I forgot all of that and had to go back to the store today. No water=no washing dishes. UGH! But we got this!!! Get aluminum foil too. It will make grilling easier. Heck make some grill packets while your at it and pop those in the fridge or freezer.
4. Publix has bogo sparkling water this week with no limit! Get a bunch!
5. I decided to make a huge thing of sun tea in my big glass drink dispenser I use for parties. This can sit on the counter and will last a few days. It might be nice to have some variety in drinks. 
6. I am in the process of brewing several pot of coffee to keep in the refrigerator. I need coffee and I like it cold, so I am making sure I will not run out. Starbucks also has VIA, instant coffee packets that you can stock up on as well. They easily mix with bottled water. Remember all Starbucks are closed in SW FL as of last night. Thank god! Since my sister works there. You can still get VIA at Publix, Walmart, or Target.
7. I drink tons of sparkling water in 2 liter bottles, but any bottles will work. I got the bottles out the recycling bin, washed them, filled them with fresh water, and popped them in the freezer. I am grateful that we bought a chest freezer this summer! If you don’t have a chest freezer, your regular freezer will work for this too. My sister is also filling up cleaned out milk cartons and putting them in the freezer. I also have begun filling up every container with a sealed lid with drinking water. I am storing some in the freezer and in the pantry. My mom has even filled every Tervis in her house with water, or coffee and popped them in the fridge. She will be riding out the storm with my sister in North Port, but when she returns home she will have liquids. 
8. Remove your ice from the ice-maker holder dish, no I do not know what else to call it right now, and put it in Ziploc bags in the freezer. Keep making ice until the power runs out or you run out of room.
9. Fill up your top loading washer with water to use in case you need it to flush toilets. Also, fill up coolers, buckets, your bathtubs, and any other large containers you have to use to clean yourself and to use to flush toilets.
10. Get baby wipes or other no water cleansing cloths. Get hand sanitizer for the bathroom too. I hate being dirty! Don’t forget to put a scented candle in the bathroom for light and to control smells.
11. Wash all of your clothes, bedding, and towels. If we don’t have water, at least you will have clean clothes.
12. Clean the floors too. You will be spending lots of time in doors in the coming days without power. I have 4 cats and cat hair can build up quickly!
13. Get a stack of books you would like to read, board games, decks of cards, some scented candles, and don’t forget to chill your beer or wine so you can try to take your mind off the impending storm.
14. Don’t forget to take pictures of the outside of your home, your cars, and your belongings. You will need that in case you have to file an insurance claim. Double check your coverage too and make sure you have your information if needed.
15. Get out your old towels and blankets to use to block water from oozing in under your doors and windows. Even if they are hurricane proof and you have on hurricane shutters this can still happen.
16. Make sure you have all your documents together, passwords, and valuables in case you do ultimately have to leave.
17. Stock up on pet food, liter, treats and other things that will make your fur babies comfortable. I am moving the litter boxes from the lanai into the guest bathroom. If you are doing something like that, make sure your babies know where to go and give them time to get used to the new location. Get pee pads for your dogs too.
18. Clean out your dishwasher and put family pictures, and valuable things in it. It won’t blow away because it is secured to the counter and cupboards. It is also water proof. I would do this for sure if we were leaving. My mom also took everything she didn’t want wrecked, put it in big rubber maid containers, and placed them under beds for safe keeping. The mattresses should protect everything in the waterproof containers if god-forbid, her roof blows off.
19. I found this link last night on how to charge your phone with out power using a battery. You can follow the link here. Mr. Teacher and I will be staying fully charged by using potable batteries and the car chargers since we have a car in the garage.
20. STAY CALM! STAY RESPECTFUL! STAY KIND!!!!! Some people are really losing their minds and their manners. we are all in the same boat. It is scary. The anticipation is awful. No one knows what will happen, but that doesn’t give you the right to be cruel, selfish, and mean. Right now we have to stick together!!!!BE SAFE! Stay in contact with your friends and family.

See you after the storm!