Preparing for a tough winter

[Alice]

OK ladies, I am in big trouble!  So we moved from a home that had a gas stove, gas fire log--you know, the things that would work in a power outage to feed us and keep us warm. So now we move to a home without a fireplace and electric everything.  Now what am I supposed to do since I didn't even think that we could possibly be without power?

My best thoughts on this is that since we are now "almost in the city" we are closer to both of our parents and what are the chances that we would ALL be without power at the same time? I'm thinking we'd just move in with them. Or a nearby hotel.  Or maybe even my work!

Hmm, I pray we have a mild winter with no power outages. For that matter, no power outages ever!

Alice

[mooremama]

I'm not sure where you live and how low the temps will drop this winter but with no power over a couple of days, it could become cold enough in your house for the pipes to freeze. 

We have electric everything too and have always had a kerosene heater for our back-up heat.  I have hung blankets in the doorways and blocked off the bathroom/livingroom/kitchen area from the rest of the house so the kerosene heater could heat the rooms we stayed in the most.  We now heat with wood but I will always keep my kerosene heater....you just never know. 

Beth

[sbdriver]

Beth how awesome about your extra oak wood that came your way!!

I have most of my supplies here but I do want to get a campstove. I know a guy who has a couple of cases of the cans of fuel just sitting in his shed that I could get at least 1 case and for free.

I have a Big Buddy heater as well with spare propane tanks for it. My thought is I could sit it by a window that is opened a bit for ventilation and it would at least take the chill off. We use them here in a tent when camping so if it can keep heat in there it should work by a window.

Great thread 

[fishermanwife]

Yes we have buddy heaters also, we bought a new one last year that you can use inside with a sensor on it for bad gases. We also have a coleman camp stove for warming up soups and such and a grill out back that we are getting a rik of wood delivered this weekend for.

[Shelly]

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/us-winter-2013-2014-snow/18574742

For my area in Northern central utah, they're predicting above normal snowfall and titled the article, Snow to Bury Rockies...  I have a 10,000 foot mountain a couple blocks behind my house.    Time will tell, I guess.  I'm glad I'm preparing.

[luv2bmom]

Dh and I are getting more wood this week, 2 loads for ourselves and 3 loads for my elderly parents.  Every year our family gathers together and have a wood cutting day at their house for their winter burning wood.  This year we are getting it ready here and delivering it to them!  We have enough stacked for our personal use but a friend offered us to get what we want from his woods, such a blessing!

I also didn't put up corn for the freezer this year  (oops) so I have been stocking up on frozen Birds Eye brand sweet microwavable corn, it's been on sale 10 for $10!  We love it and it's perfect amount for the 2 of us. 

Just an update as we prepare for the snow that is coming!

[Alice]

We are getting 5 new windows in our new-to-us home. We have noticed they don't latch properly so that means there are problems. That should help a lot. We still will rely of God to provide if we have an extended power outage. No fire place, no gas stove, well from a pump and parents that live close by! We at least have canned goods and a grill if we really get into trouble and need food. Blankets are in abundance so we should be able to cuddle if need be under the many blankets. We do have bottled water and a decent basement that should hold warmth for a good while. 

Alice

[Rooney]

We have started buying an item here and there that is run by hand crank.  For example a flashlight, radio and lantern that run like this.  This way we never have to worry about batteries going bad.    They have a good selection at Home Depot (Hubby's favorite place).

[greyhoundgirl]

We lived here 13 years before having a winter where we were without power for more than just several hours.  But that ice storm in 2010 was something!  So we now have the generator just in case (in a mostly electric home-gas heat but electric blower so we can use it with the genny).  Also, we have a little portable propane heater Earl bought somewhere or other.  Doesn't do a ton but if everyone is around it in one area you can warm up a bit.  We now have the camp stove (bought for camping this spring) for cooking if need be (our grill is on the fritz).  I think my main priority areas are having easy to heat/cook foods and water for drinking.

[greyhoundgirl]

Looks like some of us could get some winter weather the next few days.  I'm sure it will be much more so up north, but even here they are saying we may get some ice.  I think we're fairly well prepared for at least a couple of days without power (I don't expect that, but just in case).  I have quite a bit of homemade chicken broth made which would help with quick soups, will put some extra water in the fridge and have one of those big handled jugs from camping.  This time we have the camp stove, unlike the big storm almost 4 years ago, and a generator which can run the electric blower for our gas heat.  Probably should check the gas cans today.

Anyone else looking at bad weather this weekend and getting ready?

[MissMandy]

...we should be able to cuddle if need be under the many blankets.

Sometimes that's the best part 

We have started buying an item here and there that is run by hand crank.  For example a flashlight, radio and lantern that run like this.  This way we never have to worry about batteries going bad.    They have a good selection at Home Depot (Hubby's favorite place).

I bought a hand-cranked radio/flashlight/multi-charger for Jean for Christmas last year, and we just had to use it for the first time last week when we had a quick power outage.  WHat a great thing to have on hand!!

[Alice]

It hasn't even really been winter yet here but this past weekend with the wild storms there were thousands of people without power and some still don't have it back on. I guess we don't have to wait until winter for a power outage. We didn't lose power but lots of people we know did.  Thankfully they all had options for showers and food and that makes me feel a little bit better that we, too, probably still could find family that had power and maybe freshen up there.

Mandy, maybe we should all PRACTICE the cuddling part to be sure we know how that works!

Alice

[greyhoundgirl]

It hasn't even really been winter yet here but this past weekend with the wild storms there were thousands of people without power and some still don't have it back on. I guess we don't have to wait until winter for a power outage. We didn't lose power but lots of people we know did.  Thankfully they all had options for showers and food and that makes me feel a little bit better that we, too, probably still could find family that had power and maybe freshen up there.

Mandy, maybe we should all PRACTICE the cuddling part to be sure we know how that works!

Alice

You are certainly right about that.  Prior to the bad ice storm 4 years ago, our worst power outage here was during the horrific tornados of 1999.  It touched down just north of us and went all the way up through Moore that time as well, but we were still without power for several days and it was HOT being May (90's).