Things are getting Sandy around here...

 

In true form of a NotsoBlandLife, we are in the path of one of the biggest hurricanes to ever hit the US.  In MARYLAND.  Yes, that is weird.  We hardly ever are hit by hurricanes, yet this is the 2nd one a little over a year.

This image was found here.

 
















As you can see, the whole state of Maryland is under the "cone" of Hurricane Sandy.  There is a little "S" right over our state?  Yes, our home is close to that S and that symbolizes wear the NOAA thinks the center of the storm will pass.  Fantabulous!

I love a good storm.  I love the hype and all the prep, it's excited.  I wanted to be a weather girl way back in the day.  So I love storms.  This storm though, this is going to be a big deal.  Last year, when Irene hit us, we lost power for 3 full days.  That was not fun.  Well, it was a first, but then it got old fast.  Plus, we didn't prepare enough.  Yes, we cleaned off our deck and brought in loose items and got gas, but as far as food and water and all that, we didn't prep very well.  We didn't starve either, but we lost a LOT of food because I went grocery shopping and bought all perishable items that we ended up having to eat fast or throw away.

We never lose power in storms, so we figured even if we did lose it during Irene, we'd get it back fast.  No.  Not how life works!  So this time, we've really prepared.  I didn't spend any money on perishable stuff.  I've frozen lots of water and baked some goods.  Last time we didn't bother with batteries, this time we've stocked up!

This is a satellite pic from Foots Forecast  from yesterday.  Look at how big that momma is!!!  Foot's Forecast is a great team of meteorologists that give us awesome updates around the Mid-Atlantic region.  We heart them!

We have done some prep but still need to tape down our table tiles and tie up that last chair so it doesn't blow away.

You can see the low, dark clouds are already starting to roll in.  The wind is starting to pick up too.

Flashlights, lanterns, batteries, candles, lighters...all ready.  The weatherman strongly oppose the use of candles so it's a decision you have to make for yourselves.  We usually light a candle, with a safe jar around it, in the bathroom on our main floor so we don't stumble around in there in the dark.  Plus, it smells nice, because...well, it's the bathroom;)

I've made cookies, and banana bread, and I am still planning on making some blueberry muffins and a small ham that will last well in a semi-cold fridge or cooler.  Good for sammies and general merriment;)

We are in the middle of cleaning out the fridge and freezer of things we don't need and filling it up with bags of ice (props to our awesome freezer ice maker that cranks ice out like a pro, we've been bagging it up for days) and bottles of water.  The milk jug is full of tap water and will serve to help keep the freezer or the cooler nice and cold.

Other things we are doing to prepare is pile up some blankets and pillows on our first floor so we can camp out there if needed, we want to stay off our top floor when it's bad because of the big trees behind our townhouse.  Also, we are making sure we bring Frodo's litter down from the guest room so he has a safe place to use the "facilities" (Lord help us all recover from the smell, he is a STINKY kitty) and also making sure he has enough food. 

Our games and books and important meds are going to hang out on the table for easy access.  We are also making sure our laundry is all caught up and put away, except I am pulling out a few full outfits and laying them out on the floor in our room so I don't have to stumble around looking for this or that.  We have our Fondue Pot and Sterno (Thanks Blythe, for the idea) all ready to heat up soups if needed. 

We also have 2 shop vacs ready to go in the basement, just in case water starts pouring in there.  We think the flooding problem is fixed since the buried drain next to our foundation has been disconnected.  We haven't had any problems since September when we asked our neighbors if we could PLEASE disconnect it during a rainstorm.  The drain is still buried there...but it's covered up so water can't get into it.  You never know though, with all the rain coming our way the basement may flood for other reasons.  We are ready to sop it up if that happens, as long as there is electricity.  Thank goodness we haven't fixed the mess down there yet...I'd be heart broken if we paid tons of money to fix it and it flooded again. 

Well, I think we are ready for this.  I'm wondering how much school we will miss, and if we will have to make it up again like last year (most counties applied for a waiver so they didn't have to, Harford County wasn't so nice!)  I hope everyone in the MD area and surrounding states is taking the precautions that the news is suggesting, when it comes to safety you can't ever be TOO prepared.  I pray you are all safe and sound at the end of Sandy's tantrum!  Hunker down!!

Any other things you are doing to prepare for the storm?