August 22, 2009
When the lights go down in the city.
Ooooh! I found a Dorcy LED Rechargeable Spotlight on sale for just $14.99!
During hurricane season, (June 1st to November 31st) the possibility of losing power happens every time there is a hurricane or even just a thunderstorm, so I am always well stocked on batteries, flashlights and candles, lighters, etc, so that when the power goes out we can see, so we don't have to sit here in the dark until the lights come back on.
Every summer I buy at least 1 new flashlight and at least 2 packages of batteries for it and the other flashlights that I already have.
But a spotlight?!
Oh man that would be awesome to have!
Those are so bright, you can see everything with one of those.
$14.99 is a great price for it too, they are usually $30-$40 for one of them, so saving about $15 is really awesome.
If we had a spotlight, that could be the main light source, and then each of us could have our own flashlight to take to our bedrooms at night, to go to the bathroom, and to go look outside to see if there's any damage to the house, or anything that we need to pick up so it doesn't get thrown through a window, ours or a neighbors'.
I might just have to pick that up when I get paid this week.
I can definitely use it.
April 22, 2009
Food, computers, and stocking up.
The other day, I said that I was going to make my own video of how to cook with the NuWave Oven Pro, and post it here and on youtube, and maybe get NuWave's attention, so I can get the new pizza kit they have. (Hey, it could happen)
Tonight, I made a 5lb chicken in only 1 hour and 15 minutes, it was perfect, I put bbq sauce on it for the last 10 minutes of cooking time, and it came out incredible, tasted way better than those rotisserie chickens you can get at a deli, super yummy.
My video was so packed full of info too, I even got the names of the 3 ways that it cooks correct from memory, not having to read them this time, conduction, convection, and far infrared.
The last 2 times someone asked me how it cooks, I kept forgetting their actual names, and said conduction, infrared, and the circular heat cooking method.
haha
But I really did pack the 4 minute video with a ton of information, instructions, and even rattled off some of the foods I've made in it since getting it.
Anyway, I made videos every step of the way, I edited them in windows movie maker, it was a really kick ass video, and then I screwed up.
I wanted to name the video the same name as I had saved the first part of the videos I had made, and I wasn't thinking clearly, and I deleted all of the smaller video clips I had used to make the final video, and even deleted them from the recycle bin.
I tried 3 different programs to restore all of the clips, but nope, they were already being overwritten by my computer.
Sometimes, not all of the time, as soon as you delete a file, and also delete it from the recycle bin, your computer thinks that it's freed up space, so it starts overwriting the space on your hard drive.
I did find all of the video files, but they had already been destroyed and partially overwritten.
*sigh*
I'll just have to do again the next time I cook something in it, which will probably be tomorrow night.
With hurricane season coming up soon on June 1st, I've begun stockpiling our supply bins.
I start getting a ton of canned foods that can be eaten cold, plastic utensils, paper plates and bowls, batteries, water, snacks etc.
I think I may have gone a bit overboard last year though.
When I opened up the bins that I keep in my closet, I found some stuff that I left in there.
I have quite the surplus of toilet paper and baby wipes.
I have 10/4 packs of toilet paper, and 10 refill packages of baby wipes with 1 brand new container of wipes still wrapped in the plastic.
Well, at least I won't have to buy any of that stuff this year, now I just need to cross those items off of my shopping list so I don't buy even more of them.
I just need to find my list now.
Hrm.
August 19, 2008
Fay fail.
August 19, 2008
Fay? Fay?
I think tropical storm Fay forgot to turn on the rain faucet for this area.
It never fails, they call school off, they open the schools as shelters, and then the storm never actually hits, and so the county is now out millions of dollars because the storm never even came close so they can't get the money back from the federal government.
They called school far too early yesterday, they should have waited until 6pm to make that call because at 6, they knew it wasn't coming here.
But the panic that the local weather people create every time there's the possibility of a storm, just drives me nuts.
I hate it.
As late as 1am, they were still telling people to get into their interior rooms when the winds start, yet they knew and were telling people, that the storm was going to make landfall far far south of us.
And now on the noon news, they are talking about the damage that we didn't get.
Pure craziness.
August 18, 2008
Bye, thanks for the mess to clean up.
My neighbors have officially moved out.
They were mostly finished on Sunday evening, they came back today for just a couple more things, and then her husband came back over supposedly to clean up all the trash.
Wanna see his idea of cleaning up all the trash?
You can click for bigger.
He pushed all of their trash cans over near mine, and just dumped a bunch of stuff on top of them.
Broken garbage bags, pool floaties, moldy wet carpets, all kinds of crap.
Then over on that side of the duplex, is all the rest of their garbage.
There's no trash pickup tomorrow, it will come on Wednesday instead, but they aren't going to be coming back to put theirs to the curb.
Her husband said to me after I went out and told him about the no trash pick up due to the storm, "Well your boys can take care of this on Tuesday night then. You were good neighbors, the wife is really sad about leaving you, you were a good friend to her. All she's done is cry because we're moving away from you. Call her every now and then would ya? She really cares about you and your boys."
She is a good woman deep down, no matter how messed up their lives were, she did try to be a good person, she did care, and I know that when we said our goodbyes on Sunday, she was really choked up about moving away from us.
She said she didn't know what she was going to do now, what will happen to her when she has another diabetes spell, I was always there, I always heard her and came over to help, what's she gonna do, she just kept saying.
I told her she could call me anytime, I couldn't go to her, no car, but she could talk to me whenever she wanted.
She just cried even more.
But damn that man for leaving all that fucking trash for us to take care of.
The boys and I will take care of it, I don't want the landlord to have to deal with it, he works so much as it is, and he's going to have to do some major cleaning in there before he can rent it out again, so we'll deal with their trash on Tuesday night.
Well, whatever doesn't get blown away in tomorrow's storm.
I just can't believe they left all of that crap.
At the curb, he put a huge blue sectional sofa and a microwave before I finally realized someone was out there and told him about the no trash pick up.
I should have just let him take it all to the curb had I known he was going to be an ass and not come back to take care of it himself.
Sometimes, I just don't think things all the way through.
August 18, 2008
Fay makes pretty painted skies.
Tropical storm Fay is no longer a cat 1, but it will still be windy, we may still lose power, but right now, the skies are gorgeous.
Like fire, pinks, blues, it's just beautiful out there.
August 18, 2008
Hello Fay.
I'm fine, just having my usual freakout spasms and crap from the weather, and muscle relaxers are messing with my head.
School is already canceled for Sarasota county tomorrow, it's a cat 1 or less, not more, no worries.
We have plenty of food an water, we're good.
The power will probably go out, but eh, that's nothing.
I'll be back later on when I feel better.
May 23, 2008
Getting a head start on it now.
When I was coming home from the store, I noticed a neighbor of mine pulling into his driveway with one of those travel trailers attached to the back of his pickup truck.
It was full of plywood, had a new generator in the box, a chainsaw, and all kinds of smaller boxes with who knows what inside of them.
He's a new neighbor on the street, maybe lived here now for about 4 months or so, and he's already prepping for hurricane season.
You really do have to do that kind of stuff now or you won't be able to get anything at the last minute.
NOAA is predicting an above average season, so yeah, I guess my new neighbor is smart by getting all that stuff now.
Here's what they have said about this year's hurricane season;
Twelve to 16 named storms this season are expected during the June 1 to Nov. 30 season, six to nine of which might become hurricanes, said Gerry Bell, lead seasonal forecaster with the National Climate Prediction Center.Bell also said two to five of those hurricanes could grow to Category 3 or stronger, with winds of 111 mph to 130 mph.
May 21, 2008
The EBS will be in effect.
The Emergency Blogcasting System will be in effect during the upcoming hurricane season.
What is that?
Well it's where I will have 2 contacts, other bloggers, that I can contact if in the event I lose power or have to evacuate due to a hurricane hitting this area.
Sarasota has not been hit in the 10 years I've lived here now, *knock on wood* but it could happen.
This year's crazy weather is making me think it could be a bad hurricane season here.
There's been a ton of tornadoes in the midwest, the earthquake in China, the cyclone in Myanmar, and flooding elsewhere in the country.
I'm concerned, but not panicking.
My 2 contacts are Christine and Holly.
If in the event I lose power or have to evacuate, I will contact the both of them to let them know, and they will post here to keep you all updated.
I may go out and check out the prices on generators now rather than wait till a hurricane is coming.
If you wait too long here, you won't get any plywood or a generator, or food and water.
I start stocking up on hurricane supplies the first week of June.
I go shopping and get canned food, batteries for the flashlight and radio, more candles, lighters, water etc etc.
Every time I go shopping, I buy at least 6 more cans of spaghettios or other easy to eat, don't need to be heated food items.
If we don't use it ourselves during season, I either slowly add things to the cupboards for the teens to eat, or I take it and donate it to an area where people did get hit.
Hurricane season starts June 1st, and I'm hoping I won't have to use the EBS, but if I do, I have 2 really great blogging friends to help me keep all my readers updated.
August 29, 2006
It's not a hurricane but, it's sorta coming our way.
Ernesto, (oooh la la, lovely name) is making a westward turn towards the west coast after making an east coast turn last night.
These things can never make up their minds.
But anyway, it's speed is approx. 45 mph right now and is taking better form.
It's supposed to hit the south western part of the state around 6-7pm this evening and be near me if it keeps it's current course, around midnight or so they estimate.
It's a tropical storm. I'll get some wind, mostly rain, we won't be able to flush which I'm so used to with septic systems so no big deal to me there.
Ok, what is in the extended entry is kind of funny.
It's not politically correct. I already know this. Don't email me, or comment me, telling me it's not funny.
It kind of is.
Don't like it, click the x ok?
Ok.
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October 23, 2005
I believe Kat has evacuated.....
She's been unavailable by phone since last night and she's not online, so you do the math. I'm sure she and the boys are just fine and they're on the road. I'm hoping she'll call me tonight with an update and I'll let everyone know how they're doing.
Wilma may or may not strenghten before she slams into Florida, so the forecast is still uncertain. Damn storm.
Kat knows that I'll update her blog and everything, so I'll be back periodicially with any info I may receive. Have a great Sunday.
-- Jenni
October 21, 2005
Wilma.
She needs to make up her mind. Where is she going and when.
We are ready no matter what direction or strength she goes but damn, slow down, hurry up, just pick a direction and target please.
I know, silly Kat, telling weather what to do.
It's worth a shot.
August 29, 2005
Watch and wait.
Hurricane Risk for New Orleans*
Researcher Jay Combe has reached a troubling conclusion. He's told his supervisors at the Army Corps of Engineers that if The Hurricane hits New Orleans, most of the buildings in the city would probably be destroyed. If the water didn't demolish them, the hurricane's horrific winds would. And Combe says that raises a question: How many people would die?Some researchers say 40,000. Some say 20,000. This Army Corps researcher says those figures are probably too low.
Combe worries, "I think of a terrible disaster. I think of 100,000."
And as long as it stays up, the french quarter cam.
Interesting things cold happen. This is gonna be really bad for them.
Fire ants have developed a unique method to keep from drowning. At first hint of rising water, worker ants gather the entire colony into a ball - sometimes as big as a basketball. As the water overtakes the mound, the ball rides the flood like a living raft, rolling in the water so all the members can take turns breathing. When they strike a solid object, be it a swimming dog or your canoe, they quickly swarm aboard.
Things to watch out for:
* Dead bodies
* Floating Fire Ant Balls
* Floating sewage
* Toxic Waste - including Oil and Gasoline
* Wild Animals - including Alligators and Bigfoot
* Graves
I really hope it doesn't get super bad but I don't think it's gonna be good.
My thoughts are with everyone over there, the ones who have left and the ones who couldn't afford to leave.
I have some stuff to do this moring and such but then I'll be back around later in the day.
email me
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