What is happening
Okay the last couple of months of 2006 where interesting up here in the northwest. November was the wettest one that we have had in years, we got a snow storm that knocked out power for a couple of days (not heat is not fun so I order up a generator just in case). In December we had wind storms that knocked out the power at the house for 6.5 days (thank goodness that I bought that generator). We started up the generator and ran extension cords to the fridges and the freezer, as well as a couple of lights! Not only did the generator provide power for us but 2 of our neighbors as well (yes we ran cords to their homes as well! we only had to fuel it twice a day (7 gals of gas each time). I had about 10 gallons on hand plus 7 gallons in the generator so the first day we were okay. Finding a gas station with power was fun, trying to find gas cans in stores was even more fun, but we did it (3 5 gallon jerry cans, 4 2 gallon plastic cans, 2 5 gallon plastic cans later, which are for the most part filled and ready to go for the next time). I spent 2 hours in line at Costco to fill them almost daily. I finally found a station that had smaller lines (more cost per gallon) so Jason and I started filling up there. I bought a pump so I could pull gas out of the car tanks if needed as well. It was costing us about 40 to 60 dollars every other day for gas. I did wire up our furnace to the generator so we got forced air heat back. We opened our home to ward members so they could come down and be warm, have a hot meal and just visit. Things I learned about being prepared:
1. I am glad that the LDS church has been teaching us to store food and fuel for a year (Okay we aren't there yet but we are getting a lot closer).
2. Make sure you check on all of your neighbors, (we found out that some had been staying in their homes with no heat or power for 4 days before we saw them).
3. Make sure all of your cars are full of gas and are ready to go.
4. Call all of your home teaching families and see that they are okay.
5. Be willing to serve others (we cut down trees, cut up fallen trees, help hauled out debris out of storm drains, etc.)
6. Open up your home and share with others.
7. Gas appliances are a good thing to have when the power is out.
8. Keep a good supply of fuel for your fireplaces (we have 2) so you can keep warm, and share that supply with others whom may not have any.
But we did have power for christmas! two days later we had driving rain and our basement had water come in ( I found that the chimney and the house lost the cement that the builders put in to seal up the gaps had fallen out over time) so pulling out wet carpet pad is not fun, dry out the carpet was no small task either. So we are changing ou the carpet to carpet squares that can be pulled up and replace easily.
1. I am glad that the LDS church has been teaching us to store food and fuel for a year (Okay we aren't there yet but we are getting a lot closer).
2. Make sure you check on all of your neighbors, (we found out that some had been staying in their homes with no heat or power for 4 days before we saw them).
3. Make sure all of your cars are full of gas and are ready to go.
4. Call all of your home teaching families and see that they are okay.
5. Be willing to serve others (we cut down trees, cut up fallen trees, help hauled out debris out of storm drains, etc.)
6. Open up your home and share with others.
7. Gas appliances are a good thing to have when the power is out.
8. Keep a good supply of fuel for your fireplaces (we have 2) so you can keep warm, and share that supply with others whom may not have any.
But we did have power for christmas! two days later we had driving rain and our basement had water come in ( I found that the chimney and the house lost the cement that the builders put in to seal up the gaps had fallen out over time) so pulling out wet carpet pad is not fun, dry out the carpet was no small task either. So we are changing ou the carpet to carpet squares that can be pulled up and replace easily.