What Last Night Taught Me

Last night our electricity went out because of a storm.  Losing our electricity is not unusual.  Like our water system, our electric system has not kept up with the supply needed by all the new construction in our area.  Even on the sunniest of days we can lose power.

So, what did I learn last night?

1.  We need more flashlights.
2.  Said flashlights need to be put up where two little guys can't get them.
3.  We need lots of batteries for those flashlights.
4.  We need more oil lamps.  Yes, we have two.  One doesn't have a globe, so it needs a new globe.
5.  We need to store oil lamp.
6.  We need to store oil lamp wicks.
7.  When we lose electricity our phones don't work.
8.  Yes, our cell phones will work, but will eventually need to be recharged--using electricity.
9.  Our nebulizers for our asthma medications don't work without electricity.
10.  Yes, we have a nebulizer that will work in the car, but do I really want to go out in the car to take a breathing treatment in a storm with lots of rain, thunder and lightening?
11.  Our refrigerator that provides us with filtered water will not provide us with filtered water without electricity.
12.  Yes, we need filtered water.  Remember, our water system is bad....as in sometimes the water looks like mud.
13.  Yes, dear daughter.  We have water stored for just this purpose.  Check in the boys bedroom closet.
14.  I have plenty of candles.
15.  I  don't have plenty of lighters or matches.
16.  Candle light is kind of romantic, but not when several children are afraid of the storm.

Thankfully we lost electricity at bedtime and it came back on during the night.  I was actually just starting a breathing treatment for myself when the power went out.  I was able to make do with an inhaler.  However, they just don't work as well for me.  The others who needed treatments had already had them.

What if our power was out for several days?  It has happened in this area.  Thankfully, we have not experienced it, but ice and snow tend to cause lots of damage down here in the deep south and there have been areas without power for many weeks.  Have you experienced extended times without electricity?Are you prepared for times with no electricity?  How DO you prepare?