NEWS

Supplies for Snowmagedden

When warnings of the impending “historic” ice and snowstorms for the Davidson area were broadcast, the news media went full doomsday. Being told to prepare to “hunker down” for five to seven days, possibly without power, I admit caused me just a tad of anxiety. I took this seriously because my emergency supplies consisted of one flimsy flashlight and a few of those decorative “tap” lamps that politely shut themselves off after four hours. I guess the manufacturer thinks they are only used when you have company and offer a subtle hint to guests that it’s time to leave.

My well-researched ice melt promised “overnight” by Amazon, failed to arrive and like Scarlet O’Hara, was told “tomorrow,” and then the next day “tomorrow.” When I got the final notice to “expect delivery February 3,” I began what can only be described as a scavenger hunt for ice melt, candles, and more illumination products. I was at Lowe's at 7 a.m. for ice melt and candles only to be told “Sorry, lady, no ice melt and no candles.” They did have matches. Who knew that a small box of matches cost $4.50? Remember the days when we got them for free at restaurants?

I did not give up. Friends (and I will remember you) offered me some of their ice melt. One neighbor gave me a large Coleman lantern. I looked at her with such love and affection, as if she had given me a kidney. I almost wept. I was able to score a very over-priced flashlight at Batteries Plus. I scoured Amazon for the baddest flashlight I could find and I did find one. Just in the nick of time, my military-grade flashlight called “BigGUN” arrived. It comes with a red lens attachment that if you are lost on Everest, anyone within 100 miles will see it.

Groceries. My friends know for the past year I have been obsessed with Costco’s Jalapeño pimento cheese. I keep at least three or four containers for “unexpected emergencies.”

I was down to two containers, so my Costco trip included buying two more containers along with three cartons of Half and Half for my coffee which, admittedly, I can’t drink or live without.

And, speaking of coffee, I watched YouTube videos on how to keep coffee fresh (in case the power went out). I brewed a large pot and put it in air-tight containers, as advised in yet another YouTube video. Yes, I have a gas stove, and even though I had a new box of matches, fire and gas, well, I didn’t want to blow up the entire neighborhood and leave that legacy for my son to bear. Don’t ask me why I bought an enormous bag of popcorn kernels that my son will probably have to donate as it will last longer than I anticipate being alive to enjoy. So, if you have a movie night and find yourself without this critical lifeforce of a snack, call me.

Jean, master of the snow shovel

The night before the storm, I cooked enough pasta for 20 people and a large pot of rice (I rarely eat rice, but this is an emergency situation). Everyone knows, too, that when you go to Costco, you end up buying more than you intend, so two pairs of fleece-lined pants got tossed in the buggy and onto my bottom line. Then there was a neighbor who called to say he was going to the ABC store, and another neighbor was going to Total Wine. What’s a girl to do to calm her nerves?

Candles. Never again will I roll my eyes at what I used to call the “gift candle era.” There was one Christmas I must have received four candles that were in all honesty, under appreciated. All I could find anywhere were scented candles and I didn’t want my house to smell like lemon grass or lavender for the next decade. During my search for candles with another neighbor, we went to this random “variety” store in Mooresville. Once again, the only thing left were scented candles, but I happened upon a “shiny object” that turned out to be a round “light.” Seriously, it looks exactly like something a fortune teller would use while reading palms. It worked great, so get in touch if you need your palm read.

My son lives in Colorado, and he experiences more "weather events" than I do. When I told him that we might lose power, he suggested that I fill the bathtub with water because the toilets may not flush. I needed details on this that I wish I had never had to listen to. He also encouraged me to just look at a YouTube video about it (I can’t unsee that). While I was YouTubing, I googled other resourceful tips. Did you know you can put tea candles on a pizza pan, put it in the oven with a pot of soup on an upper rack to heat it up?

I think one of the best things I did to prepare was to put my trashcan outside my patio door so I would not have to make the treacherous walk to the garage where it’s normally kept. I didn’t want to throw trash bags onto the patio for two reasons. One, I wanted to preserve some form of dignity during the storm, and two, I imagined there are animals who would risk life and limb for a midnight snack.

In the end, these storms passed. I gained four pounds. I learned how very grateful I am for neighbors and friends who checked on me constantly, shared supplies, and reminded me that even in an apocalypse, people can be wonderfully warm. It truly melted my heart.