I’m not a prepper.
I don’t think the end of the world is coming and I don’t have a secret room in my basement full of guns and canned vegetables.
However, I do believe that we need to face the fact that there is a new reality that we all need to adjust to.
One of the reasons we stayed in NJ was because we didn’t get earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, or other natural disasters that devastate other parts of the world.
No more.
So, after our second autumn in a row with a devastating hurricane, I feel like it’s time to listen to what Mother Nature is saying and start preparing a bit better.
When I was a kid, my Mom used to top off her tank regularly.
We’d pull into the gas station and she’d give the guy a $10 bill and say, “Just top it off, please.”
(When I was little, $10 worth of gas actually gave you a couple of gallons.)
I remember this from the early 80’s, and now that we, too, are sitting in gas lines, as she was in the late 70’s, I understand the impulse to “top it off, please.”
I know exactly how far below the empty mark my car can still run.
No more.
I think having a “bug out box” stored away in your house is not a terrible idea.
Keeping a stash of batteries separate from the gajillion batteries we have for toys…makes a little sense.
Having firewood cut, dry and ready to be burned? I’m on it.
Last year, Hurricane Irene took us all by surprise.
This year, many more of us were prepared in many more ways.
Last year, you didn’t see the gas lines.
That’s because last year, very few of us had generators.
So, people prepared and bought the generators.
That were powered by gas.
Thus, the gas lines.
My guess is, if this happens again, the gas lines will be long in the days leading up to the hurricane, but after, the lines won’t get quite as out of control.
We learn a little more each time.
Disaster brings out the best and the worst of people.
I’ve seen some incredible acts of kindness over the past week, some of which I’ve shared here, on the blog, and some that I’ve witnessed in smaller ways.
I’ve also heard some stories about the very worst of human behavior.
Fights in gas lines, people starting rumors, neighbors stealing gas, stealing generators.
All I can hope is that when the next disaster rolls around, and it will, people learn from this one and behave better.
As for us, we will be a little more prepared than we were this year, and this year, I thought we were pretty well prepared.
Don’t just live and learn.
Live, learn and adapt.
Daily Gratitude, Day 6
Today I am grateful that I live in a country where I can vote for my leaders. While I am disheartened by how very divided this nation has become, I am still grateful to live here.
So sorry you have to deal with the gas lines. 🙁
Comment by thismummaslife — November 7, 2012 @ 12:10 am |
It’s okay…the kids and I played Name That Tune while we waited in our line and it made the time go MUCH quicker. 🙂
Comment by abozza — November 7, 2012 @ 7:00 am |
Sounds like good plan! We played “I Spy” while waiting to vote. 🙂
Comment by thismummaslife — November 7, 2012 @ 2:38 pm
We deal with the threat of hurricanes regularly. And an ice storm can close things down for a week around here. So we have a generator—not to keep us warm or to cook because the wood stove does that—to run the freezers for a few hours each day to save all our farm meats and frozen produce. Also we take a quick shower while it runs since we have well water dependent upon the well pump. We have about 5 or 6 cans of gas that we try to keep full in case of emergency. We use them to fill our cars if they sit too long to keep them from getting stale and then just refill. Like you, we earned the hard way that the generator does no good without the gasoline!!!! Stevie@ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com
Comment by Stevie — November 7, 2012 @ 7:57 am |
Sounds like you are well prepared! Hard lessons are the best ones learned, unfortunately!
Comment by abozza — November 7, 2012 @ 9:41 am |
So smart. I have to be better about not draining my tank down to nothing.
Comment by Suburban Snapshots — November 9, 2012 @ 9:54 pm |
It’s hard not to get lazy when I don’t NEED the gas!
Comment by abozza — November 10, 2012 @ 8:00 am |