Yikes, No Gas!

Mr. Cowboy has had three calls from different people today saying that that there is no gas in town. Mr. Cowboy told them we had our gas cans filled and they could have some. I told him no way. That gas is for my generator that is going to run so I have air conditioning! Sorry, I am going to be stingy with my gas. But it is true. A lot of gas stations in town are closing because they don't have any gas. I filled up yesterday. While I was filling up there were a bunch of people filling up 50 gallon tanks. People are doing some serious hording. It's scary. I also went to Sam's club and got a bunch of snack stuff and two more pallets of water. You can never have enough water. Mrs. Mom asked for some hurricane preparedness tips. Here are some things that I do all year round to make sure that every summer and fall I am ready.

1. I have a ready to go 72 hour kit. This has everything from canned food, clothes, toiletries, games for the kids, and some basic first aid supplies. We also keep copies of important papers in a plastic zip lock bag. This is in a Tupperware bin so that if I have to leave right away I can. I can just grab this bin and run for the door. After I have grabbed the tower to my computer.

2. Every time I go to the grocery store I pick up some water. We are always using and rotating our water storage, so I am always picking some up. Right now the stores here are pretty well stocked with water. Three years ago that was a different story.

3. Food Storage. Need I say more? I have tones of canned food to eat just in case we are stuck here for a while. I have a lot of food that the kids will eat. I have a bunch of canned chicken. This is so I will not have to go to the store for anything. I have enough for about two weeks. If we had to stay here.

4. Invest in a generator. It is a life saver. I am so glad we have three. So, even if we can't run them all day long we can at least have air conditioning in the night time for comfortable sleeping.

5. Top off your gas tanks before the storm hits. Make sure your gas cans are full. If you plan to leave do so in enough time so that you are not stuck in traffic. I know people who already have made hotel reservations for this weekend. Nobody is messing around this time. People are being evacuated from New Orleans by 4:30 today.

I am sure there are more things that we do. But these are just the ones off the top of my head. I know right now I am cleaning and doing laundry like crazy, just in case I won't be able to do this for a while. I know we have things like tents and some serious camping supplies. We also have stock in batteries and flashlights. I have candles too, so, I feel pretty ready. I can sit through a category 2 storm, but any bigger than that I think I will cry and have to leave. I don't have anywhere to go right now. That is the hole in my plan. All my husband's family lives closer to the Gulf. We are about 25 minutes form the Gulf. Hopefully the storm will die off completely. Which I doubt, but I can hope.