7 Hours of 72 Hour Stress

Of course moving is stressful.  Everyone knows that.  I just never thought that 72-hour-kit location and placement would be at the top of my list of stressors.

And yet Thursday the 8th I went to a friends house for a play date and told her I was stressed that my garage wasn't yet unpacked and organized.

New Friend:  "But if all you have left is the garage, you're doing pretty well..."

Me:  "It's because I don't know where my 72-hour-kits are.  I know they're somewhere in there, it's just too crowded and disorganized so I can't find them quickly.  I told myself that would be the first thing I'd do when we got here--put the 72-hour-kits next to the garage door..."

The same day, a few short hours later, the dryer turned off suddenly.  I went outside and flipped the circuit breaker for the laundry room.  It didn't work.  Then I  noticed the power was off in the whole house.  I went outside and flipped all the breakers.

Nothing.

I figured we (Doug) missed a bill in the chaos of moving.

But that wasn't the problem:  The whole neighborhood was turned off.

Later, I learned it wasn't just the neighborhood.  The blackout extended into Mexico, over to Arizona, and up to Orange County California.

I may OR MAY NOT have had several minor panic attacks after acquiring this knowledge.

I will say that I pulled all the wet clothes out of the dryer and spread them through the house to dry as well as hand washed all the dishes due to lack of faith that power would ever, EVER be restored.

(And it's possible I started scheming up ways to go completely "off grid" and turn all pioneer-y.)

Clearly, moderate action needed to be taken to prevent major craziness.  SO...

Last week, we cleaned and organized our entire garage.  72-hour-kits have been located and placed in an easy to grab spot.  Online orders have been placed for additional needed supplies.  (I'm replacing our 72-hour backpacks with rolling backpacks, getting a few more lanterns, and adding a box of MRE's to our food storage.)  Soon, Doug will be purchasing one or two 55-gallon water tanks to fill and stick on the side of the house.  The under-stairs space has been cleaned and filled with shelves which will gradually be filled with cans of food.  (And hot chocolate mix.)  The can safe has been located and will soon be refilled with cash.  (It was removed for safer travel.)

And once again, we are--mostly/sorta/a little bit--prepared.  And I can go back to stressing about whether or not this new dental practice will bankrupt us.


How about you?  Do YOU know where your 72-hour kit is?
Had any blackouts or earthquakes in YOUR neck of the woods???