I agree with your plan of getting home, hunkering down and heading for the hills only if really necessary. This is our approach also. A couple of thoughts.

On getting home. I assume you and your wife will have to walk. As part of your get home prep, have you considered using the small personal wheeled shopping carts I've frequently seen on the streets in Brighton Beach? Even the small ones hold a lot, would not attract attention on the street, and are more comfortable than a heavy back pack, especially if you are not used to a backpack. Also, you may end up walking in the dark. An LED head light would be better than a hand-held flash light. Two hands are better than one.

You mentioned you will post more info on your at home prep. It will helpful to know if you are in an apartment or single family, and if there is a secure place for your car. A single family house may have some resources you might not consider. For example, the hot water heater is a good source of clean water even if the water supply goes out: they have a drain plug at the bottom, and usually hold about 40 gallons of water. If you have natural gas heat/stove, these are other resources that can be used. I have run our gas heat from our portable generator during a mid-winter 3 day power outage, but some advance prep with the help of a friendly electrician was necessary. If you are in an apartment, there are still solutions, just different ones.

I look forward to more discussion of your approach and plans.