Cool but not cold.\u00a0 Sunny and windy.\u00a0\u00a0 I think.<\/p>\n
Yesterday got up into the 60s and it was chilly shirtsleeves temps out in the sun.\u00a0 And I took the day off.\u00a0 Did some cleaning and putting away, but mostly wasted time on the internet with my friends.\u00a0\u00a0 Checked on a couple of friends.\u00a0 Mostly though, had a down day to recover.<\/p>\n
Now the actual recovery will commence.\u00a0\u00a0 Stuff needs to be cleaned, restocked, and put away.\u00a0 Damage from freezing needs to be assessed and accounted for.\u00a0\u00a0 Then all the normal spring stuff needs to happen too.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I’ve got a tree coming down on Friday, and I need to clear a path, and set up a spot for the wood we’re keeping.\u00a0 Eventually a plumber will install our instant hot water heater.\u00a0 That was supposed to be this week but I wouldn’t pull him away from emergency calls even if I could.\u00a0 I’ve got stuff to get to auction, and delayed pickups to make.\u00a0 LOTS of organizing to do too.\u00a0 And gardening…<\/p>\n
Some other notes before I forget…<\/p>\n
–those one pound bottles of propane are supposed to be removable and re-install-able, but I have about 1 in 3 leak slowly when removed.\u00a0 That’s one reason not to store them indoors.\u00a0 Squirt the top with soapy water and watch for bubbles.\u00a0 Bubbles = leaking.<\/p>\n
–the lithium jumper packs from Costco, with S in the name might not be great for jumping cars but they are excellent as power packs to recharge anything with a 5v USB charger.<\/p>\n
–buckets rock.\u00a0 You should have a bunch of empty food grade 5 gallon buckets and lids in storage.<\/p>\n
–black plastic sheeting.\u00a0 Clear plastic sheeting.\u00a0 BOTH kinds of plastic sheeting.\u00a0\u00a0 You need at least one roll in storage.<\/p>\n
–space heaters of various types could save the day, even if you wouldn’t ordinarily use them for anything.<\/p>\n
— the traditional advice, “storm coming, fill the bathtub with water” is excellent advice.<\/p>\n
–a working whole house generator would have made this whole thing almost a non-issue.\u00a0 Water would have been my only concern.<\/p>\n
–check your water.\u00a0 check your preps.<\/p>\n
— the traditional advice, “storm coming, fill your vehicle gas tanks” is excellent advice.<\/p>\n
–get some CO monitors.\u00a0 Then get a couple more.\u00a0 You’ll sleep better with them than without them.<\/p>\n
–I was too busy or too tired to run any radios.\u00a0 I left the scanner off.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn’t need any info we weren’t getting from the neighborhood through texts or groups on FB.\u00a0\u00a0 I did notice the local 440mhz repeater that covers the whole city was offline.\u00a0\u00a0 I didn’t even try any HF.\u00a0 Longer event and I probably would have started firing up radios, but my concerns were local local local, and tribe.<\/p>\n
–cell coverage went down and stayed down for more than a day.\u00a0 Voice coverage and data were spotty before and after.\u00a0\u00a0 Texts came through, but could be delayed.<\/p>\n
–the Middle Earth version of Risk takes two days.\u00a0 Like the regular version of Risk.\u00a0 Two very long and frustrating days.\u00a0 Like regular Risk.\u00a0 It did keep the wife and kids out of the way– for two long days.\u00a0 Puzzles have a LOT less angst and conflict.<\/p>\n
–hot chocolate is a comfort food.\u00a0 And we ran out.\u00a0 Prepper fail.<\/p>\n
–bad stuff can happen any time.\u00a0\u00a0 Worse stuff can happen during bad stuff.<\/p>\n
–having extras to hand to people means you can help others without involving yourself intimately.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That’s good for them and you too.<\/p>\n
–there are knock on effects too, ie. second and third and fourth order effects.\u00a0 Pipes freeze and break.\u00a0\u00a0 EVERYONE needs a plumber.\u00a0 No plumbers are available so everyone heads to the store to try and DIY.\u00a0 No plumbing supplies are left in the stores.\u00a0 Pipes break and flood (why?\u00a0 Because people don’t know or think to turn off the water and NOT turn it back on without watching).\u00a0\u00a0 Flooring, walls and ceilings are ruined.\u00a0\u00a0 Houstonians know how to deal with wet stuff, you rip it out.\u00a0 But that means no dumpsters are available.\u00a0\u00a0 No dumpsters means piles of debris in front of the house.\u00a0 I’m going to buy a dumpster bag and add it to my preps.\u00a0 When one becomes available…<\/p>\n
–stuff and systems fail at the worst possible time, because that’s when they are stressed the most.\u00a0\u00a0 People too.<\/p>\n
–it’s always something.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
All good reasons to KEEP STACKING.<\/p>\n
nick <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cool but not cold.\u00a0 Sunny and windy.\u00a0\u00a0 I think.<\/p>\n
Yesterday got up into the 60s and it was chilly shirtsleeves temps out in the sun.\u00a0 And I took the day off.\u00a0 Did some cleaning and putting away, but mostly wasted time on the internet with my friends.\u00a0\u00a0 Checked on a couple of friends.\u00a0 Mostly though, had a down day to recover.<\/p>\n
Now the actual recovery will commence.\u00a0\u00a0 Stuff needs to be cleaned,<\/p>\n