Great Use of A Dollar Raincoat

I may have told this story already, but here goes:

This is me one summer at the crest of a hill on a freeway (actually, this is at "the point of the mountain" in Utah...between Provo/Orem area and Salt Lake City.)

What happened is this: It was raining, and a very busy Friday afternoon (this was the day Michael Jackson died 2 years ago)and we got a flat tire. It was the tire on the left side of the car, so it was quite dangerous for my hsuband to be changing that tire, with his backside jutting out into the oncoming traffic on the slick road. I was thinking: I have to warn the cars to slow down as they crested the hill. So I put on my bright yellow raincoat from the 99 Cents Only store that I had in my Car kit. And I stood there with my arms holding the coat out so I would be more visible. I also was praying no one would hit me/us. Our daughter took this picture of me with

her phone. The hard part of this whole thing was that before my husband could jack up the car, he had to remove from the car of the car all the heavy granite slabs he had just purchased! This rain coat must not have had a hood (I can't recall)...not good. I should have been wearing a rain hat!!!

The main point of this post: Have a bright colored raincoat in your car!!! If it night, you can use it many ways. You can wear it so you can be seen (if you have to get out of your car at the side of the road)and not hit by other cars whizzing past. You can wave it over your head for a distress signal. It will keep you dry if you have to walk or work in the rain.

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Keeping Warm in your Cold House

Frosted Window Panes! You think you are cold???? Is there 1 and 1/2 inches of ice on your inside window?

Do you have a nice warm bed with flannel sheets and lots of blankets?

Dealing With the Cold

Here are 2 stories from my life that may enlighten you to the fact that you can survive well if you have no heating in your home/room.

Story Number 1

This goes back to the late 60′s. I was a college student living at home (Central Wisconsin-often the "coldest spot in the nation today" as the radio announcer often told us) and my brother left for the navy. I inherited his bedroom and for the first time in my life, I had my own room. The bedroom was upstairs, across the way from the attic door, which was actually a curtain hanging in the doorway. The attic’s ceiling was just the wood underneath the shingles of the roof. No insulation. In my new bedroom, there were no heat vents coming in from the basement furnace. I lived in this bedroom for 3 years, through all seasons.

This bedroom was my schoolroom for learning how to cope with extreme indoor temperatures. Before I describe my experiences in winter in this room, let me mention that there are 2 kinds of people in this world: people who are usually hot, and people who are usually cold. I am usually cold. I wear a sweater when it is 80 degrees.

In this bedroom, during the month of January and usually half of February or more, you could see your breath! Any time of the day. Frost, as well as being on the outside of the window, was on the inside of the window and usually 1 inch thick or more. We had 3 windows on the west wall. You could not see out the window for all that frost. We never tried to chisel it off…more would come the next day if we did.

Well, I had to sleep and sleep well because I always had early classes (that started at 7am) to walk over a mile to (there are other stories!) This was my strategy:

First I made sure I had flannel top and bottom sheets on the bed. And then I made sure I had at least 5 blankets on the bed including 2 heavy wool army blankets . My pajamas were actually thick sweat pants and a thick sweat shirt with insulated (thermal underwear) top under the sweat shirt. I had thick hunting socks on my feet and a thick knit cap on my head. I can’t recall if I had mittens on…probably.

Now, here is where my brilliance shows up: I jogged in place for 10 minutes or so..until my blood was going strong, my heart was beating fast , my muscles were all working and I was generating a lot of heat. Then I would jump in bed and cover up! The heat from my body would quickly spread to the flannel sheet below me and the blankets on top of me and soon I would be in dreamland…not caring if my breath was visible and the ice on the windows increased through the night.

So do not be dismayed if you home is unheated during a power outage in winter. Just dress warm and do some heavy exercising periodically to keep you body warm. You’ll do fine.



Story Number 2



I am a pansy compared to my former neighbor. She was a single mom, had 5 kids at home, and lived across the street in a big 2 story house. For 3 winters (maybe more) there furnace was broke and never repaired. They could not afford it. So how did they keep warm? They just wore their coats all day and all night. They got used to this and were fine.

What we learn is this: We can survive in a cold house. Be grateful for the walls and roof to keep the wind out, and bundle up with extra clothes, jackets, sweaters, etc. Have on hand a nice thick knit stocking cap for each member of the family and heavy socks! (go to the hunting section of Walmart or sporting good stores for the best socks!) And have some fun exercising.

Another tip:

Use your Sterno stove or propane stove to make hot drinks of herb tea, hot chocolate, hot prune juice (this is a favorite of mine), hot broth, etc. This will comfort and warm your chilled bodies. You will survive and you will have some good stries (like me) to tell your children and grandchildren.

Thanks for logging on. Remember: If you are prepared,you shall not fear. ~Joan Hulihan

Keep Food Safe During Power Outage

KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE FOOD IN YOUR FRIDGE DURING A POWER OUTAGE

Keep Food Safe During Power Outages (Scenario #3)

Power outages may mean your refrigerator, stove, or microwave cannot work. When food is not kept cold or is not fully cooked the food can make you sick. More than 250 diseases can be caused by bacteria found in contaminated raw or undercooked food, such as meat, milk, eggs, fish, or shellfish. Keeping these foods cold and cooking them will help prevent foodborne illness.

Know How to Protect Your Food

If you think your power might be out for a long time, use foods that can spoil fast before foods that keep longer. Find out now where you can buy dry ice to keep your freezer cold, or blocks of ice for the refrigerator. Buy an ice chest.

Keep Food Cold

Keep doors to refrigerators and freezers closed to keep cold air inside. Freezers that are part of a refrigerator-freezer combination will keep food frozen for up to a day. A free-standing chest or upright freezer will keep food frozen solid for two days if it is fully loaded. A half-full freezer will keep food frozen for a day, especially if the food has been grouped together.

Power Outage Expected to Last More Than a Day

It is most important to keep meat, seafood, and dairy products cold. An ice chest packed with ice or snow can keep food cold. Bags of ice or block ice can be purchased and placed in the refrigerator to keep food cold.

Dry ice from a local ice company or grocery store can help save frozen food. Use caution when handling dry ice and follow these tips:

Never touch with bare hands, taste, or put in mouth

Provide good ventilation prior to placing dry ice in freezer and don't inhale gas vapors

Don't place dry ice directly on food or glass shelves and don't use in an operating freezer.

Can't Fit Everything Into the Ice Chest

It is most important to keep meat, seafood, and dairy products cold. In cold weather, other items can be stored in a cardboard box in a garage or shed. Generally, the following items can be kept on a countertop or in the garage:

Jams and jellies, Butter and margarine, Ketchup, mustard, pickles, relish and similar condiments

Fresh uncut fruit and vegetables.

Don't Store Food Outside During Winter

Storing food outside during winter isn't recommended. The outside temperature changes from hour to hour. The sun may thaw frozen foods or warm cold foods so that they grow bacteria. If you store food outside anyway, make sure that animals don't contaminate the food.

Know What Food to Keep and What to Throw Out

If food is cold to the touch, and you know it has not been above 45 degrees F for more than an hour or two, it is probably safe to keep, use, or refreeze. Throw away all meat, seafood, dairy products, or cooked foods that don't feel cold to the touch. Even under proper refrigeration, many raw foods should be kept only three or four days before they are cooked, frozen, or thrown away. If in doubt, throw it out. Never taste suspicious food. It may look and smell fine, but the bacteria that cause foodborne illness may have grown on the food and will make you sick.

SOURCE: http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/food/poweroutage.html

Scenario # 3 Power Outage

Part of being prepared is knowing what to do in a power outage.

When there is a power problem, leave it to the experts to resolve. Never investigate the source of a power problem on your own.

If you see a fallen wire, stay away and call 9-1-1 right away. (This information is from the California Edison Company. )

If there is a power problem in your home:

If you’ve had problems with your power for more than a few minutes, please let us know.

Reporting the outage online is fast and easy.
You can also call SCE at 1-800-611-1911.

Charlie Brown is prepared!

Yes, it is that time of year! This past week, historic Santa Ana winds blew down trees and knocked out power in the Inland Empire...not very far from us at all! Are you prepared like Charlie Brown?

WARMTH

I love this product! I opened one up 2 Sundays ago at about 3:15pm to show to the RS sisters at the 3:40 meeting. I passed it around, it was warm, and I told everyone it was not too hot because it was old. I stand corrected. yes, it was kind of old... a year old...maybe 2...but it got hotter and hotter after I came home from church! I kept it with me...even at 9pm at night it was so nice and hot. Even at 11:00 it still was active...not as hot as 9pm, but still very warm and comforting. Truckers wear these in their shirt pockets. Women can tuck them in their bras. Just holding one between your hands is nice. You simply rip open the package, take out the pouch and shake it. The pouch is made of some kind of fiber that lets the air in to mix with the powdery ingredients inside and this activates it to produce heat. There are 2 sizes. Don't buy the small hand warmers... they are too tiny...buy the bigger pack. Keep them in you car's glove compartment so you can find them easily. They will be a comfort to you if you are stranded in a car in cold weather!
Using hot hands with a blanket is the best thing to do if you end up spending many hours in your car.Warm hats, gloves, scarves: keep extras in your car. Actually, mittens are warmer than gloves.

Is Your Car Ready For Winter?

To Winterize Your Car, Attend to the Following:

1. Battery and ignition system should be in top condition and battery terminals clean.

2. Ensure antifreze levels are sufficient to avoid freezing.

3. Ensure the heater and defroster work properly.

4. Check and repair windshield wiper equipment, ensure proper washer fluid level.

(Our son recommends bringing an extra gallon of wiper fluid along in case of heavy blizzard.)

5. Ensure the thermostat works properly.

6. Check lights and flashing hazards for serviceability.

7. Check for leaks and crimped pipes in the exhaust system: repair or replace as necessary. carbon monoxide is deadly and usually gives no warning.

8. Check brakes for wear and fluid levels.

9. Check oil for level and weight. Heavier oils congeal more at low temperatures and do not lubricate as well.

10. Consider snow tires, snow tires with studs, or chains.

11. Replace fuel and air filters. Keep water out of system by using additives and maintaining a full tank of gas.