Power for the HVAC is a must have in Florida. September power outages lasting more than an hour make staying in the house quite uncomfortable.

I can usually get my oil lamps to last me a couple days between feedings. Losing the stovetop just gives me an excuse to break out the cast iron and the firepan and go to elk camp mode. In cold weather, I only need to keep the house warm enough to protect the utilities from freezing. If it doesn't become too much of an inconvenience, it's easy to turn the whole thing into an adventure.