Hello all, Does DH (Dear Husband) or WW(Wonder Wife) know how to use the preps. Just talked to a dear friend, her DH is TDY (out of town) when their furnace went out about 2 AM last night. Granted we're in FL and 30 is not considered cold by our Northern Brothers, but it was cold to her. She had a propane heater, but no clue how to light it. No clue where sleeping bags where or anything. Wouldn't call us because it was 0200 in the morning (redundant). Read her the riot act tonight. DH was ready to go get her and the dog,( MOLLY who is an absolute sweetheart of a dog) and drag them to our house. It looks to be warmer tonight, but I won't be able to sleep until I check the weather and know she'll be O.K. Got caught in a 'furnace failed thing' once before DuffyO

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

Answers

Hi DuffyO,

If my forced air furnace went out in the middle of the night, I have a wood burning stove to keep me warm. I live in Missouri and it gets down right cold here in the winter. I also know where every thing is stored in the house and the garage.

I hope your friend can get her heat on soon.

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

Maggie, Thanks for the response. The point is, she didn't know what to do. Those of us that have made preps, need to make sure, our next in line, (gruesome excuse sp) next of kin, need to know where 'stuff' is and what to do with it. Jeeze, it's late, More tomorrow DuffyO Who'se (Major grammatical eror LOL) DH just installed the chrome kit on the PT Cruiser, that she totally loves.

-- Anonymous, March 28, 2001

DuffyO, good points. I hold the occasional drill with my dad, but he's mostly blind and isn't likely to cope by himself (without burning the house down, fer instance). However, if the neighbor were to be around, dad might be able to tell him enough to get him going. There's the perennial problem that my parents would throw a hissy fit if they knew the scope of my preparations. I'll just have to hope that I'm home.

For that matter, I still have some y2k supplies I have never tried out, like the camping water filter. (ok, ok, a dozen cyber lashes for that one.)

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

DuffyO,

Okay, I'm more awake now now. Getting back to your thoughts on people needing to know what to do and where things are when something unexpected happens.

Thinking of a list, of where certain things are and how to use them and who to call, put on the fridge door, may come in handy. When you are needing information, it would be there at all times. Also, keeping needed supplies, such as sleeping bags, tents, portable water filter, etc. stored together in one handy location...so a person isn't looking all over creation.

Got to ask, what is a chrome kit on the PT Cruiser?

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Cheapest gifts I know of: anti-hypothermia blankets, also called "space blankets." They're available at camping stores (got mine at Wal-Mart camping dept.) and cost around $3-4. They're about the size of a pack of cards and you can easily slip a couple in the glove compartment. Easy to mail too. I think they're made of mylar--somebody will know.

I recently bought a sleeping pad for our oldest cat--fuzzy cover, space blanket stuff inside, lightly quilted. Yeah, I could have made one myself and saved all that money and I might next time, but she needed it NOW. Think about your critters too, like Molly, keep THEM warm. (The blanket reflects heat from the body, so you get kind of a double dip.) I think I'd like to make a sort of teepee or tunnel for the old cat, keep her warm all over.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

OG, wonder if using the milar bags I bought and never used, on top of the mattress, with the pad and sheet on top of it...to keep me warmer at night. You had said it reflects body heat.

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

careful Maggie, you don't want to cook yourself....

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

Just thought of a dirty trick, after reading your post, put the mylar on the guest bed (during the summer) of company that you don't want to stay long. Shame on me for such thoughts. :~)

-- Anonymous, March 29, 2001

ROTF, Maggie! Yesssssss! I love the way your mind works!

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

I was laughing so much, I forgot to add:

Yes, I'm sure it would keep you warmer. The material is a bit flimsy, though, and will probably wrinkle up. That's why it was lightly quilted--just a big X and then sewn on each edge--on the kitty warmer. I wonder if fabric glue would work, glue it between two old sheets? Nah, might melt the mylar.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

OG, I use a goose down comforter for covers...I might try using mylar under the bottom sheet. As one of my friends would say "so, what could it hurt?" I think it losses something without the accent.

-- Anonymous, March 30, 2001

Maggie and Old Git, Finally got back in so I couls respond. You two are hilarious LOL We've got a bunch of those 'space blankets. I especially liked the suggestion of putting them on the beds for summer guests LOL DuffyO

-- Anonymous, April 03, 2001