Jewish Musings, Tuesday, 11/1/2016

[savtele]

What’s on your mind – how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.

Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:

Angelika
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy

[savtele]

Boker Tov All - I take it we all survived. John & I spent much of the day cleaning out the basement - one of those things that seems to need a semi-regular schedule. And since, just a few days ago, I watched a show about a blackout in a large city, with emergencies & shenannigans happening, as long as we were in the basement, we checked out some of our "emergency preps." So I thought we could talk about that.

I know that some of us deal with hurricane season.
Many of us have dealt with forest/grassland fires.
Earthquakes. (how DOES one prepare for that??)
Blizzards & winter storms. With power outages & blocked roads.

Several summers ago there were forest fires close to our area. At the time, I packed a "go-bag" for both of us - a package of underwear, socks, tennis shoes, sweats, sleeping bag & toiletries, and a list of things to NOT leave behind: all meds, mortgage & insurance papers, ID, including passports. You never know. We've kept the bags - and today we found them, forgotten. So, they are now in an accessible place.

We also have flashlights in all rooms (when the lights go out here - it's REALLY dark!), a landline that works in case of power outage, propane & fuel for the BBQ. Also woodpile all chopped & stocked for when it gets icy & cold. And, by the back door, 2 barrels of rainwater. (if our well goes down, we'll still be able to flush those toilets!)

Of course, canned goods & dry goods. Peanut butter (I learned several years ago that Nutella is NOT a good "emergency pantry" item - we eat it with a spoon right from the jar & every day it's in the house is an emergency!) And I intend to add powdered milk to the pantry - it'll keep forever, it's good for baking & in the coffee & a bit of cocoa powder added to it makes a treat! & I need to get more batteries.

I hope we never need our emergency stuff. But it's better not to need it & have it ready, than to be caught without!

Here's to good prep, & may we never need it!

[lee058]

Good morning everybody. I have to leave the house in a few minutes so this will be short, but I will try and get back later. Re emergency preparations: We have flashlights in practically every room in the house, although I need to buy more batteries for future replacements. I think H, DS and I ought to think up some more things we can do; thanks for the suggestions!!

Tomorrow is my mom's birthday. I can't believe she is going to be 96!!!

Have a peaceful day, Lee

[peachymom1]

Lee, happy early birthday to your mom!

About preparing for emergencies, at work I'm well prepared. We all have to take annual training for fire/life safety and earthquake preparation. I have canned almonds and vegetarian chili in my drawer, and lots of water bottles for the whole department, and I have a backpack with emergency stuff in it. We also have first aid kits on every floor of the building.

At home, we have flashlights and tons of batteries, and plenty of canned and packaged food. I've lived through two major earthquakes in my life (1971 and 1994), both happened in the early morning while the whole family was at home, and in both instances, the biggest issue was getting enough water and staying warm (they happened in February and January, respectively). So we have extra blankets and afghans stored in the closets and even in the ottoman in the living room.

It's beautiful and clear here today, a bit chilly but lovely. I'm going to go make a cup of cinnamon tea.

[hollygail]

I wasn't in California for the 1971 earthquake, but was for the 1993. DH and I were introduced at the end of 1993; one reason we weren't introduced in the fall was that his sister's house was being rebuilt (she and her DH and my then-future DFIL were living in temporary housing) so he was driving to LA almost every weekend to help out... I was living in San Diego in January of 1993, and I just don't remember what the earthquake felt like here... (I did live through a couple in LA and at least one in Northern California.)

However, southern California has a "fire season" (fires are often started by arson, not natural causes). DH and I were evacuated one time in the 1990s (I don't remember the year, only the fire and its damage). There was a police car parked on our corner for more than an hour, so we figured he was waiting for the order to evacuate us (news reports had already told us that neighborhoods near ours were being evacuated). I packed a few "irreplaceable" things (like baby pictures; right?) and left the suitcases by the front door. Two different friends had phoned to offer us a bedroom if we wanted (we accepted one offer). After we were allowed back into our neighborhood, our house was fine, as was the house next door, but a few houses away from us were a few that were burned to the ground.

I have not given considerable thought to preparation for emergencies. My pantry is stocked with non-perishables (canned goods, packaged goods) and my fridge and freezer have healthy food (of course, that supposes the electricity stays connected). DH made sure we have flashlights in most rooms (master bedroom and kitchen being the single most important) and although the one on top of the fridge gets in my way sometimes, I have never thought about moving it somewhere else...

When I worked full-time, my office was prepared for emergencies: back-up power for the computers, for example, first aid kits (which were always well stocked too), things of that kind.

[lee058]

Hi again. I just wanted to mention that after I picked DS up from work, we went out for a second breakfast of corned beef hash. One of our favorite restaurants is the only Jewish deli in Northern VA that imports bagels and lots of other foods directly from NY. Believe it or not, it's called "Chutzpah." We love it! I drank three cups of coffee on top of the two that I had with my first breakfast at home, so I will undoubtedly be wired for the rest of the day and evening. I was going to take a nap since I didn't have enough sleep last night (because of Halloween), but I don't think I could possibly sleep.

Right now, I am enjoying sitting at the computer watching the birds outside the windows. They are flying around like miniature whirlwinds --- cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, etc. The leaves are finally changing colors so I am enjoying that too.

That's about it for the moment; I just wanted to share my good feelings with all of you! Have a happy and peaceful rest of the day, Lee

[savtele]

Peachy, when I was working full time, the facility, being a CCRC, was well-stocked to take care of a large amount of residents and employees in an emergency! There was 1 large shed full of water, blankets, etc. And we all knew where the key was.

Having just "re-found" our go-bags from some years ago, I realize that I tend to get a bit lackadaisical about emergencies! That should probably stop!

[louise]

I'm here late - very busy day at work and running errands before work. I'm not prepared enough - my preparation tends to be when we have warning that s9omething's coming - but in real life you don't always get a warning. I realize I don't have a car charger for my current phone - need to get that as I remember in the last big hurricane texting on my cell phone was all I had and that's how I kept it charged. I know where flashlights and candles are and do have a little one in the den where I usually sit (TV & computer there) so I could use that to get to the other flashlights, etc. Not ideal, but something. Thank you for the reminder.

[happysavta]

I went trick or treating last night with Pokémon, Pikachu, and an Octopus. Lovely! Although these creatures running from door to door on Halloween night were masked and concealed, I'm pretty sure the voices belonged to Ari, Isaac and Dahlia.


Emergency Preparedness - In Chicago, we had a blizzard in 1977, the year I came back to the U.S. with DH, two energetic little boys and a baby girl in my belly. My poor husband from the warm beaches of Haifa had to gear up and his first heavy winter coat, first pair of gloves and boots, scarf and hat, snow shovel and window squeegee. After his first year in Chicago cold, snow and wind, we moved, ever southward.

In St. Louis, we had a tornado in 1979 while we huddled absolutely terrified in the basement. Now I know what the phrase, "the wind roared" sounds like. St. Louis was also famous for its ice storms in the winter. Personally, I prefer a snow storm to an ice storm, although truth be told, I'm no better a driver on snow than on ice.

In Tucson, we had major street flooding in 1983 which taught me that I can't drive a car on water either. Who builds a city without storm drains? Yes, it's a dessert and temperatures can go up to 110, but when it rains, it floods. Oh, yes, and if you ever want to see furious lightening displays, visit Tucson.

In San Diego, we had a tornado in 1991 in San Diego and we've had lots of minor quakes. The worst has been the fires, particularly the fires of 2003, I think it was, in San Diego. We were evacuated from our house which is near a nature preserve. There was no clean air to breath and no clear sky. The haze blocked the sun and there was ash on everything. It was eerie. San Diego was very ill prepared for a fire within the city and coordination with military resources was non-existent. There were a lot of policy changes after that.


So, chaverot, last week we were examining Bereshes, and how each of G-d's creations was good and to his satisfaction. Nothing in the text says that tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and forest fires were G-d's creations, but clearly they are not man-made phenomenon. Who gets credit for wind, fire, rain, lightening and the fury of nature?