I know the Ebola stuff is interesting and all that, but for those of us in the Norther Hemisphere, you might want to focus your efforts on something that WILL affect you personally, and that's WINTER. It's time to check the engines, change the oil in the generator, rotate out fuels for fresh stores, get those pantry items reviewed and be equipped for ice storms, snow storms and general yuk weather.

I just swapped out all my gas and diesel stores for fresh stuff, shut down the outside plumbing, had all the chimneys cleaned professionally. Also bought an "emergency" supply of instant coffee and fake creamer. Just in case.

Well, the coffee shows that you have your priorities straight!

We are winterizing our RV in the traditional way. Parking it next to a cactus. Left Maine two days ago, headed for Arizona.

Tonight we are going to feel the remnants of Tropical Storm Ana. A lot of rain and winds expected overnight. Hopefully the power stays on as last week, another storm cut power for almost 11 hours. That may not seem like much for most but it was the first time in a lot of years that we had no power for more then a few hours.

Spent this afternoon organizing our rag tag collection of battery operated lights and flashlights we keep on hand in the house. They are not much but are cheap and work enough for our purposes. The 2 solar lantern lights in the middle, even though they are solar, I throw 1x AA Eneloop in them and the light will last for days without a recharge. The round white LED lights take 4xAA batteries and again last for days. What I like about them is they have a nail/picture hook notch on the back so they can be hung anywhere and also have velcro strips for a semi permanent stick.

Also in the midst of charging all the spare Eneloops with about a dozen more left on the shelf beside the charger. (Need to purchase another charger as 2 AA chargers which charge 6 at a time is not enough.) The power pack is charged and inverter on hand for any low amperage 110 volt needs. I also have 2x strings of 110 volt LED lights (not shown) if needed. Although they don't require much power, the inverter uses a lot more power then they do.



Filled up 3x7 gallon Aqua containers of water then went and filled the car with gas and added about 1/2 tank to the truck.

Also got the propane tank setup out under the deck and connected to the Coleman camp stove and also have a small indoor propane heater ready if the house gets too cold. Expected low tonight is only 46-48F so probably will not need any heater.

Probably won't need all this, but it is good practice anyway.

Last weekend I put winter blades on both vehicles, changed the air filter, oil filter, oil and rotated the tires. Consolidated everything to one weekend.

Got my flu shot. Most of us are more at risk from the flu than from ebola.

I am no longer convinced that fake creamer is needed. I read that mountaineers used Klim (now owned by Nestle) in the early 1900's as standard equipment.

I tried it. Pretty much tastes like milk and tastes pretty good! Shelf life is long and makes great creamer.

Cream? You adulterate perfectly good caffeine with cream? What a ghastly practice.....

The critical component is the caffeine. I have been known to dip or chew instant coffee when necessary. I have even sucked on coffee grounds. Anything for caffeine first thing in the morning!

Fake Creamer!

Would that be Non Diary Creamer?

Corn Syrup Solids, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Sodium Caseinate (A Milk Derivative), Dipotassium Phosphate, Mono- And Diglycerides, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavor, Artificial Color.

Why not just get some dried whole milk!

- I put on the snow tires the other day - brand new Blizzaks on my SUV, got them on sale too!
- Updated my BOB / Get home bag with more fire starting stuff.
- Stored bottled water in vehicle and bought a couple boxes of protein bars.
- Told my boss about my desire to do a vehicle safety kit presentation & PowerPoint. (He's is a hunter and very much liked the idea.)
- I turned off the outside hose bibs in mid-September during a cold spell where it dropped below freezing. It was late in the year so I figured the lawn didn't need watering and the maintenance guys would blow out the sprinklers soon enough.

This post is the reason why we need a Facebook "like" button!

not much prep here,just turned over the rain barrel,covered my canoes and put garden stuff away.
i have thought about a generator to run our gas furnace if there is a big power failure but we have not had anything over all these years that lasted more than a hour or two.i did find a kerosene heater at a yard sale that was like new and i have that and 10 gallons of fuel set aside.the idea is that we would move things into one small room with the heater and wait things out.
with that and lots of camping gear,stoves,lamps,sleeping bags and so on we would be just fine.
my wife works at the Vets Hospital just a few blocks away and would be there all day so just me and the dogs would have to huddle together during the day!

A couple of tips for the kerosene heater (based on Dad's use of one back home):

1. First of the season lighting may produce some very strong odors. You may want to try it and let it burn off the odors (if any).

2. I don't think I really need to mention it, but for other readers. . .venting to avoid CO, especially in a small room. It might be wise to pick up a battery powered CO detector and keep it in the room where you are using the heater. Here is one:
http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-CO400-...red+CO+detector

I've tried Klim. Would rather go without anything. Blech!

Well, I don't know where your YOUR dipotassium phosphate for your diet, but fake creamer gives me all I can handle. AND I could use its explosive properties to improvise a distress signal. Or weapon. Or something.

► 2:38
Mythbusters - Creamer Cannon - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRw4ZRqmxOc

The first time I ever heard the word Klim was on a TV special about the Great Escape and they showed the excavation where they found old Klim cans. Klim is powdered milk and is simply an inverse spelling. BUT... I am seem to be off topic for winter preparedness!

"Klim cans were approximately four inches in diameter and three inches deep. The metal in the cans could be fashioned into a variety of different tools and other useful items such as scoops and candle holders. Klim cans were instrumental in the escape attempt from Stalag Luft III. In the book Under The Wire, William Ash and Brendan Foley tell how World War II prisoners of war removed the bottoms from the tins and hooked them together to form airtight pipes to provide air while digging escape tunnels. Scavenged Klim cans were used in the construction of the extensive ventilation ducting in three tunnels that lead out of the prison camp. One former prisoner at Stalag Luft III, Charles Huppert, told how prisoners became expert at turning tin cans into tools. Huppert said, "We used Klim tins for everything that we made, because you could cut the ends out, and have a large piece of tin to work with. You can straighten that out flat, and make a ... join them together in a locked joint, such as this, and take your wooden mallet and hammer them down. Then you take your backside of a knife and bear down on that, with a lot of pressure on both sides of that crimp, so that the tin will not separate, in order to make the tools that are used in the tunnels: the digging tools, the funnels, and the lamps to give light." - Wikipedia

On the topic of Winter-

Ventless fireplaces-
We currently have the cheap "came with the house" gas insert; pretty, darn near no heat.

Was looking at the log sets that are vent free; open the flue if dont need as much heat, close flue and keep all the heat.

Comments, concerns, pros/cons?