thistle Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Well, Capital Weather Gang is now saying hurricane Sandy may be like the 'perfect storm'-1 part hurricane, 1 part Nor'easter, 1 part blizzard potentially-bodes well for the picnic, right? I'm hoping this is just precautionary, regardless, hurricane/Halloween picnic on Sunday!, & bonus points to anyone who fixes a batch of hurricanes (the drink), wish I had sidewalls for the EZ-up.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 thistle, I have an 8' canopy with sidewalls that you're welcome to borrow for the picnic. If anyone wants to pick it up at my house (just north of the American Legion bridge), send me a pm. I won't be able to come to the picnic. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 thistle, I have an 8' canopy with sidewalls that you're welcome to borrow for the picnic. If anyone wants to pick it up at my house (just north of the American Legion bridge), send me a pm. I won't be able to come to the picnic. :-( Is there not a pavilion at the picnic site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Well, Capital Weather Gang is now saying hurricane Sandy may be like the 'perfect storm'-1 part hurricane, 1 part Nor'easter, 1 part blizzard potentially Also, full moon, so the high tides could really screw the coast. Incidentally, why do these things always descend when I have no food in the house? I intended to go to the store just about every evening this week, but things kept coming up. Last night I could have gone, but an epic bad day at work drove me straight home to my last bottle of wine (!!!!!). God grant me the serenity to go to the Giant... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 God grant me the serenity to go to the Giant... And may God grant you the wisdom not to ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 And may God grant you the wisdom not to ... I'm going to go to the RRB farmers market this afternoon for produce, but in a perfect storm of pantry depletion, I need staples too--pasta, peanut butter, lentils. And with no car, living a half block from the Giant... well, a lady's just got to hope that the wind is at her back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weezy Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 For me, the must-have is ice. I've got almost a third of a pig in the freezer and I am NOT going to lose it if the power goes out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Is there not a pavilion at the picnic site? There is, but the question may become how much wind will be a factor. That's why the sidewalls would be important. People aren't going to be cooking under the pavilion either. It sounds from current forecasting that Monday - Tuesday will be the big problem, with scattered showers and winds that are comparatively low on Sunday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 That's what I'm hoping, that we'll ease into hurricane mode at the picnic-I can improvise sidewalls (I knew I was saving those curtains off the last gazebo that was I was too lazy to bring down before a storm, for a reason). I'm not sure why I'm bringing the stove, no one has expressed a need to cook onsite, but I like to be prepared, & if it gets cold, we can huddle around it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 People are hitting the grocery store shelves early. I went to Springfield Costco at lunch, got water, batteries, and a couple of Coleman battery operated lanterns. They were being hit pretty hard by shoppers stocking up. A client of mine, who works at a Giant in Springfield, told me that they were out of water, bread, and milk. Asked Hubby to pick up bags of ice on the way home. We will put them in the freezer. Have to assess the food situation over the weekend. We don't eat much canned food, if we buy some and don't need it, we can donate to the food bank. Being from Louisiana, I may over prepare for Hurricanes, but, you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMatt Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 A client of mine, who works at a Giant in Springfield, told me that they were out of water, bread, and milk. But what about toilet paper? That's the fourth corner of the preparedness panic square! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Shoppers Food Warehouse in Alexandria was hopping today mid-afternoon. Since I don't usually have that much food in my house I wasn't buying much - enough to get through if I don't feel like going out - and of course buying supplies to help my liquor cabinet (limes, lemons, tonic, etc.). Gas stoves usually work if the power is out, right? I hope? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted October 26, 2012 Author Share Posted October 26, 2012 yes, gas stove at the picnic on Sunday, no one has asked to cook on it, but it'll be there, we are going to outlast the weather-I'm thinking about bringing the griddle, & cooking bacon to break it in...disaster prep will kick in late Sunday night.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 The zombies were having fun, the party had just begun . . . . The new storm deserves a new thread, is my opinion. DH just got home, stopped at Safeway on the way home, said that people were stocking up on bottled water, which I got at lunch (also Coleman lanterns and batteries). But nobody (but him) was buying bags of ice. Think ahead, people. Get ice before you think you need it. Cheap insurance. Don't be thinking, "well, maybe it will go north, and we don't have to worry." This storm is 300 miles wide. It's going to hit warm water soon, and when it hits, wherever it hits, it will be 400 miles wide. There will be power outages. It could be you. And all the lovely home made goodies in your freezer that you have put there since the derecho, what about them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrain Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Gas stoves usually work if the power is out, right? I hope? Yes, and if you have an electric starter, you can manually light a burner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 Or matches. They still make matches, don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Being from Louisiana, I may over prepare for Hurricanes, but, you never know. Being from Florida, I concur. I picked everything up yesterday when I could get sparkling spring water. Mr. lperry also brought in a load of firewood to keep it dry so it will start right up in the post-storm chill. No sense in being any less comfortable than necessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thistle Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 Yes, firewood, we loaded in our firewood last weekend, we (being myself & the 2 kids) stacked a full cord in the backyard in about an hour & a half (& I thought I was going to die)...we're close to ready for a hurricane..., Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 The Columbia Heights Giant was a veritable pleasure at 9:30 tonight. (Note: "pleasure" is meant to relate to a normal day at the Giant, not/not to relate to "pleasure.") The aisles were stocked, there were no crowds, and the employees were really pleasant with people who commiserated with them about what a crappy day they'd had and what a crappy weekend was to come (honestly, how much must it suck to work at a grocery store when a crazy storm is coming). It's closed now but it may be that "pleasant" toward closing tomorrow night and the next night. But just in case I'm wrong, bring a helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I'm holding off on ice until we get a clearer picture of what is happening and when. My freezer is full. We have bags of ice and chinese soup containers of ice filling any empty space. We will use ice from the store in the coolers so we don't need to open the fridge for milk, yogurt, cold cuts, etc immediately. If I buy it now, it will melt before Sunday night, Monday morning when it gets bad. I'm feeling antsy that we don't have enough water but otherwise feel good but the food, chocolate and other preps. If I could find my extra phone battery, that would help too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 The Columbia Heights Giant was a veritable pleasure at 9:30 tonight. (Note: "pleasure" is meant to relate to a normal day at the Giant, not/not to relate to "pleasure.") The aisles were stocked, there were no crowds, and the employees were really pleasant with people who commiserated with them about what a crappy day they'd had and what a crappy weekend was to come (honestly, how much must it suck to work at a grocery store when a crazy storm is coming). It's closed now but it may be that "pleasant" toward closing tomorrow night and the next night. But just in case I'm wrong, bring a helmet. Thanks for this. I have to go to the Target tomorrow for a prescription refill and thought I would go to the Giant for things for the wake for Mrs. B. I sincerely hope it won't be a zoo tomorrow morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Yes, and if you have an electric starter, you can manually light a burner. Unless it's a newer stove with the "feature" of not letting the gas flow if there's no electricity. Because, you know, stoves are dangerous, and matches are dangerous, and we wouldn't want to put people in danger now, would we? Safety first, everybody! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Chinese soup containers full of ice is a good idea. Starting that now. And plastic shopping bags full of ice from the ice maker is a good idea, too. Pack the freezer full of ice. Honestly, I need coffee more than I need food. I can run for days on coconut milk/almond milk/soy protein shakes, but without coffee, well, it's not pretty. How to make cold brewed coffee in a French Press. (America's Test Kitchen) Makes about 2 cups of coffee concentrate I like to make cold-brew with a medium roast, as I find it tastes more like coffee and less like the roasting process than dark or French roast. Light roasts tend to be too acidic. As with any kind of coffee brewing, it’s best to grind the beans yourself just before using them. The ratio of water to coffee is 1:1 by volume and roughly 4:1 by weight, so feel free to scale the recipe to suit your needs. If you don’t have a French press you can make the coffee in a pitcher and strain it through a fine-mesh strainer, and finally through a coffee filter, as in step 2. 3½ cups finely ground medium roast coffee (see note) Kosher salt (optional) 1. Stir together coffee and 3½ cups room-temperature water in large French press. Allow raft of ground coffee to form, about 10 minutes, and stir again to incorporate. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours (an hour shorter or longer is fine). 2. Using French press plunger, press firmly on grinds to separate them from concentrate. Pour coffee concentrate into coffee filter-lined fine-mesh strainer set over large measuring cup. Let sit until concentrate filters through, up to 30 minutes. (You should have about 2 cups of coffee concentrate; concentrate can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days). 3. Combine ½ cup coffee concentrate, ½ cup cold water, and pinch Kosher salt (if using) and pour into glass with ice. Drink. How to make cofd coffee concentrate. (Lyn Rosetto Kasper) Take 1 pound medium grind coffee. Add 10–11 cups of cold water. Leave it on the counter overnight. Strain in the morning. For hot coffee just add hot water to taste; for iced coffee, ice and water or milk. It should keep for 2 weeks in the fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 28, 2012 Share Posted October 28, 2012 Can't find hardwood charcoal. Sightings welcomed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 It's wet. And cold. Basements are great for keeping wines cool; they're terrible for keeping wines dry. Note: Plastic garbage bags are effective as makeshift barriers against water. -- PS I know Facebook and Twitter have pretty much displaced dr.com as the social medium of choice, but I hope folks here still chime in and let us all know how you're doing. Rains here in Arlington have eased off a bit as the sun came up, but it's going to be a long couple of days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcandohio Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 My partner and I are in Ohio, but send positive thoughts to all of our DC friends. Please be safe, and don't drive through standing water!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 We've cooked all the perishables except for the bacon, which is slated for an early lunch if the power holds. Coolers are filled with ice. So is the freezer. I've put both the freezer and fridge on the coldest setting. Just sitting and waiting now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 This picture was just taken of an Ocean City, MD neighborhood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.A.R. Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 The Wegman's in Fairfax is loaded with food and has no customers- really the best time to visit Wegman's. A friend informs me that Target in Burke has tons of flashlights and batteries and also has no customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 We just picked up ice at the 7 Eleven on Quaker. Rite Aid in Bradlee was out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I'm doing my lunch debate - do I go out and try to hit one of the few places open while it's mostly still just rain, or go ahead and bunker down? I've moved my car (it was at the end of a row of parking, now it's between two larger cars, which should make the amount of area that can be hit by debris easily smaller), so I'm not moving it again. But I can walk a short distance. (Or cab, if I stay inside Arlington. Both Uber and Red Top are running, though DC cabs can add up to $15 onto fares. Tempted to hit Ragtime...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsDiPesto Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Watching a friends house and cats, back at my place now, putting ice in plastic bags and keeping it in the freezer until I need to deploy it throughout the fridge as well. Did the same thing at the house. Brought my bike in. I made butternut squash soup last night, and I'll portion it out into containers later. Over the weekend, the stores I went to were stripped of water. I just wanted distilled for my CPAP device, and ran into a friend at Harris Teeter who was looking for the same thing for his partner. We discussed how those who cleaned out the distilled water were probably planning on drinking it, in which case, they'll just wash vital trace minerals out of their system. Karma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 If anyone is in my neck of the woods, the CVS at Glebe and Pershing had some individual bottles of water, but no cases. Pretty much full of everything else, though. Eastern Carryout was definitely open, and I think Glebe Market was. El Paso Cafe and Thai Curry were not, but the Popeye's was - but out of chicken fingers and nuggets. I got a four piece, ate two (and the sides) and now have two extra pieces for when the mood strikes me...the chicken was almost too hot to eat there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrain Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 If anyone is in my neck of the woods, the CVS at Glebe and Pershing had some individual bottles of water, but no cases. Pretty much full of everything else, though. Eastern Carryout was definitely open, and I think Glebe Market was. El Paso Cafe and Thai Curry were not, but the Popeye's was - but out of chicken fingers and nuggets. I got a four piece, ate two (and the sides) and now have two extra pieces for when the mood strikes me...the chicken was almost too hot to eat there! Any intel on Ravi Kabob? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Wegmann's in Fairfax is very well stocked with almost everything, including cases of water, bread, milk, canned food. The produce aisle was well stocked, the cheese department, the wine department. It was almost surreal after the drive there, which was a little scary. We got two bags of hardwood charcoal, and some last minute items. I say "almost" because they were out of organic peanut butter entirely. I guess the George Mason students made a run on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeanMike Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Any intel on Ravi Kabob? It was open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I say "almost" because they were out of organic peanut butter entirely. I guess the George Mason students made a run on it. That's probably from that PB recall a couple of weeks back. A lot of places don't have it back on the shelves yet, and Mr. lperry is a peanut butter junkie. We ended up finding it at Mom's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Anyone need anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielK Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 A new roof? I lost some shingles and now getting some leaks in my kitchen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Anyone need anything? World peace and allergy medication that really works? We're fine. Debating a move to the basement tonight... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Debating a move to the basement tonight... Me, too. We have 80 foot tall oak trees in the back yard, less than 80 feet from the house. Maybe 40 feet. OTOH, storm appears to be passing north of DC (we're in Burke). On the third hand, wind really picking up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Debating a move to the basement tonight... I checked my basement around 10 AM this morning, and it was already leaking. It's going to be a "vigilant" couple of days for me, protecting my things from water. Seriously, if anyone is without power and needs shelter, or an emergency ride somewhere, flip me a PM (don't wait *too* long, as I'll be reaching for my corkscrew shortly). I'm armed with a frozen smoked fish pie from Sweet Magnolia, and a freshly made lobster roll from Liberty Tavern. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I checked my basement around 10 AM this morning, and it was already leaking. It's going to be a "vigilant" couple of days for me, protecting my things from water. Seriously, if anyone is without power and needs shelter, or an emergency ride somewhere, flip me a PM (don't wait *too* long, as I'll be reaching for my corkscrew shortly).I'm armed with a frozen smoked fish pie from Sweet Magnolia, and a freshly made lobster roll from Liberty Tavern. Son of a bitch if *I* didn't just lose power. It's fluttering off and on, but knowing my neighborhood's track record, I'm in for a long night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Anyone need anything? Wanna come by and walk my dog in a few hours? I knew I should have potty trained her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Washington Post reporting at least three trees have fallen on homes in Northwest DC. Most of my neighbors have not taken in their garbage cans. I think they have no idea what kind of damage an airborn garbage can can do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 We're fine. Debating a move to the basement tonight... I'm thinking the dining room. It's in the center of the house on the center floor. Our basement is unfinished and a mess and would be awful to sleep in. (That's not even counting whether we might get water in there, though we usually don't.) We have big trees in both front and back and lost a pretty a big limb on the one in front (bedroom side) during the derecho. I'm not usually this overly cautious but I'm making an exception for tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ilaine Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Yeah, it would suck to be "elderly woman killed when tree falls on house." I wonder at what age one stops being a person with a name and an age and becomes "elderly woman"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Yeah, it would suck to be "elderly woman killed when tree falls on house." I wonder at what age one stops being a person with a name and an age and becomes "elderly woman"? It is relative to the age of the person writing the article. So if you are older then his/her granny, you are probably screwed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhone1998 Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Basement flooding, commenced. At least (knock on wood) we've still got power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now