the coming days...

 The weather predictions look worse and worse; AAUW pre-emptively cancelled Thursday night's meeting (it may be moot, anyway: it was to be on campus and campus may well be closed). They're talking about freezing rain again, maybe "up to 1/2" of ice" which is BAD. I'm worried about the power but there's nothing I can do - I can't decamp to another place, it would be at least five or six hours of driving to get somewhere where I might be safe from bad weather, and it would require a hotel stay (I am not sure Laura would be down for me suddenly showing up on her doorstep, though she looks like she's out of the bad area.

I'm mostly concerned about losing power; there's no way to heat my house without it. Light would also be an issue; I should have checked my lantern because I misremembered and it takes D batteries, which I do not have. There are some live ones in there but I don't know how long they'll last. (If the bad weather doesn't come in as early as predicted I might be able to run out after my afternoon meeting and get some at Walgreens, which is unfortunately across town). And connectivity; I did buy a (disposable? I guess?) emergency battery holding two cell phone charges; I hope I don't need it because I look askance at it and go "will this actually fry my phone?" so I might just power the phone down if there's no electricity to recharge and only check it once or twice a day to keep up with the weather.

Fortunately, I did grab the last LED "headlamp" flashlight at the store today (it takes AAs, which I do have, and I got more, because I have battery operated candles that take them). I thought if worse came to worse I could put it on and read in bed while staying warm. (And a friend on Ravelry pointed out they're also good for home-repair tasks where you need a light but both hands free, so I will likely use it again). 

I did also get more bottled water (for drinking, if our water lines go out, which happened last year) and a few things that can be eaten without cooking (A box of Larabars, which are not the greatest thing ever to eat, but if we make it through without my needing them I might put them in a Blessing Box because maybe there are folks who just need quick portable energy). And some bread and milk - if worse comes to worse I could put the cold things I want to keep in a box and set it outside, it's going to be below freezing). 

But I also have this to help keep warm if needed. It's an utterly ridiculous impulse purchase I mail ordered a little while back when I was feeling sorry for myself* but now I'm glad I have it. It's cute, and yes, I might be a bit old to wear something like this in public (I was too serious when I was in my late teens and 20s and could have gotten away with it). It's like a poncho but it has buttons to kind of set off two flaps into "sleeves" of a sort. It comes down to about my knees so it will keep my upper body warm. 

 So if worse comes to worse, I can put this on, and get into bed under a bunch of quilts, and strap on the LED headlamp and read and hope the power comes back soon. (I'm really hoping we don't lose power. I think at this point it will be bad enough that school's cancelled for the day, but oh well)

must remember to put the taps on a drip if we lose power so I don't get frozen pipes. 

(*I don't know if other people are doing this in the pandemic but I do find myself ordering little things - and sometimes not so little - online, even things I might be able to hold off and purchase in-person in Sherman (like the shampoo I use) because that tiny expectation of "a package is coming today!" gives another little reason to get out of bed in the morning.)

We're supposed to get above freezing on Saturday so I'm hoping the WORST power outage might only be 2 days. Which, yes, would be annoying and isolating and COLD, and I'd probably have to pitch the stuff in my freezer. If it gets VERY cold I may put a chair in the bathroom (the smallest room and it has no outside wall) and have some candles going and my emergency oil lantern to see if I can generate enough heat to be minimally comfortable. 

Going somewhere will not be possible if there's ice; it's safer to stay put and maybe be cold than to try to go out on the roads. And no, campus does not have generators - if they did, I'd consider taking some blankets and pillows to my office and planning on sleeping on the floor.