I’ve been concerned about hurricane preparedness but I’m too late for the window covering project this time. Hurricane Dorian is headed this way (although the actual prediction is flexible at this point).

If the current wind speed probabilities hold, could be hit by a storm rated 3 on the hurricane scale Sunday.

My food preparation (except for more dog food) is in pretty good shape. (I’ll buy some additional stuff today.)

I remember staying up all night September 9th-10th, 2017, to watch the Tampa TV channels’ websites (live feeds) as the storm hit this area. It was frightening but I needed to feel involved with a historic event. No storm had ever hit Sun City Center and done the kind of damage associated with a hurricane. As it turned out, in 2017, Irma did come through but the damage was minimal and none to my condo.

I need to batten down the hatches. My patio has a lot of furniture on it and I’ll need to move everything into my screened-in lanai or great room. Hopefully Saturday I can get my cleaning guy to help me with the two heavy loungers. If he won’t help, I may call my dance friends, Phil or Ron. I have a few days before “impact,” now predicted to be Sunday night to Monday morning. (Today is Thursday.) I will move the small stuff today and tomorrow but it’s really hot (mid-90’s) so I’ll do a little at a time. Most of the stuff is light. I’ll move the plants, small tables, and rugs. I don’t want anything to become a flying missile. On my side lanai, I have four chairs with cushions and a few tables. The cushions will be taken to the garage and the chair frames and tables stacked.

Since I’m in Florida, and we’re officially in the “storm season,” I’m very conscious of what I might need if a hurricane came through this area. I have been reviewing storm prep publications which provide checklists and I think I’m in pretty good shape.

I’d still like to look into the possibility of hurricane shutters or storm-rated windows in my dining room, master and guest bedrooms. (My great room already has hurricane rated windows so, until I get the upgrades, I could just close off those other areas and reside in the safe-window part of my condo.) I’m also considering getting a propane generator with wheels. Otherwise, I have most everything.

I could use more bottled water, but I’ve been washing out large plastic bottles and storing them in my garage freezer. Since the daily suggestion is three gallons per person, and they suggest a 3-5 day supply, I need quite a bit. I should also get more canned food and dog food, because I keep using what I buy. But I also have a lot of good frozen food which would stay frozen for a while.

If there’s ever a predicted storm, I’ll fill the bathtub in my guest bathroom with water for “flushing.” And maybe put pails of water in my master bath shower. (Reminder: Check to see if I have pails. If I don’t, buy plastic pails at Nearly New.)

I hope it never happens, but I want to be prepared. Actually in Sun City Center’s 50+ years of existence, it’s never directly hit this community. In 2017, a storm was predicted score a hit and then it veered easterly and only minor damage was inflicted on our area. But the prediction showed it could happen so I want to be ready.

If you go to my blog pages for September 2017 (to the right of this post under the “Archives” heading), you can scroll down to September 7, 2017 entitled, “Praying for friends in Florida,” and then after you read that post, read through the later posts to September 12th to see what happened when Irma went through our area.

I might buy a small propane camp stove for cooking but my grill would also work. (I would need to be able to make my coffee, even if it’s instant which I have in reserve.)

I’d need to move the deck furniture. My deck is an open area with only a roof. I’d move the furniture from the deck to my screen-enclosed lanai and stack the screened lanai furniture against the block wall. I think that would keep things from blowing around. Actually I could move the long lounge chairs from the patio to my great room (instead of the screened lanai) but that would probably bring in small critters because they crawl up into those chairs and would come inside with them. They wouldn’t hurt anything, but I’d rather not have geckos in my greatroom.

I do need to always keep my golf cart charged, my gas tank filled, and maybe fill the extra propane tank in the garage. I might even get some water purification tablets in case I need to use “questionable” water.

My radio has a hand crank on it so it’ll work with a little labor. I have a large battery intended to be used to charge cellphones, etc. As long as my smart phone is charged, I’d have communication but I need to keep everything that is battery operated at full charge status. I’d want to pre-charge my camera batteries, my computers (x 2) and my Kindle. (And yes, I can recharge my Kindle reader from that large battery.) Even if I lost power for a week, I could easily get by.

I love it here and I understand the risks from a hurricane, but I purchased flood insurance and I think I’m set.

I love to read but when I get involved in a book, I start feeling that I’m living in a similar situation.

The books which I find do this to me most are post-apocalyptic sci-fi tales.

Post-apocalyptic stories are generally about some form of invasion or destructive situation which has taken down the power grid and folks have to live in a totally different environment.

As I get into this type of book, I find myself preparing for a situation where we’d have to exist on what we have on-hand. I stock up. I become frugal. It’s silly but it feels necessary.

I’m reading one now, “Cyber Storm.” In it the internet has been taken down. I haven’t completed the story, but it’s drawing me in and I’m thinking about where I’d be if everything on-line failed. Banking, shopping, gas pumps, etc. would not be available.

Have you ever tried to shop at a store when their computers aren’t running? CVS closed when this situation occurred. Their internet connection failed. Credit cards couldn’t be accepted, prescription files were not accessible. They closed their doors.

Imagine if this happened everywhere. It sure gives you something to think about.

I’m very happy but my life would be considered dull by most folks. I’m just home sitting on my couch much of the time, especially the past couple of weeks because it’s been raining almost every day. Yup, I watch a lot of TV. Don’t accomplish much but my tiny dog, Sophie, loves it.

To be honest, I would love to go to the pool, but because of the weather threats, it’s been closed much of the time.

I do a lot of shopping online. I’ve found that Sam’s Club and Amazon deliver stuff I’d normally go out to buy.

Example: I had ants in my kitchen Saturday but it was a rainy so I ordered ant traps from Amazon and had them installed by yesterday (Sunday) afternoon. I ordered toilet tissue yesterday (it’ll be here today). The other day I realized I was low on dishwasher detergent. On Amazon, Cascade came the next day. Because I’ve paid for premium status, I never have to pay for shipping and the prices are lower than at my local store.

Do I get my housework done? Nope! I need to do laundry, organize my closet, and clean my lanai. Will it be done today? Nope! I’m going to play Euchre.

Had all my windows, screens, frames, tracks, cleaned yesterday. Looks so bright!!

Sophie has stolen my comb two times but when I firmly told her to “Stop! Bring it to Mama!” she did bring it to me and dropped it.

A few weeks ago I bought a new behind-the-door jewelry organizer. It’s not perfect but my chains no longer get tangled, and I can see what I might want to wear. A week or two ago I did a post on that purchase and used a illustration which was provided by the seller.

I am posting a photo I just took which would work if I ever needed to provide proof of what I own. Most of the jewelry is 14kt gold. Several pieces include diamonds or semi precious stones. None is extremely valuable but some was my mother’s and other pieces, were my great grandmother’s. None would bring much if sold, but they are precious to me.

But before anyone thinks about robbing me, this unit locks, but even more important, I have an excellent security system throughout my condo with cameras, etc. If anyone enters, the police would be notified. For a few hundred dollars of used jewelry, it wouldn’t be worth it.

It’s obvious I don’t need more jewelry, but I keep adding to my collection. I guess I’m hooked by the glitter and glamour of pretty things. And besides there’s lots of room in my new jewelry organizer for additional items.

This afternoon I played euchre with friends. Came home in the rain and it’s still coming down. I had thought (briefly) that I might go to Rockin Rendezvous, but I’m so comfortable and I don’t have to go out so why would I? I’m not hungry but I should probably fix something (even if it’s just a frozen dinner). I plan to just relax. I love having that flexibility. I don’t have to do anything. Tomorrow my handy man will be coming by to tackle my “to do” list. I’m also having my A/C serviced. But there’s nothing I MUST do at any time. Yes, I need to feed and care for Sophie, but I have no stress. I can just take it easy all evening and for most of the foreseeable future. Maybe I’ll watch a movie. I might read a book. Going to bed early sounds great!

My life might sound dull to some (and it’s sure quieter than I used to enjoy), but I love the tranquility I feel. I review the good times from my past, but I also look forward to fun times in the future.

Life is good!