The storm has passed
The wind has settled down, the rain has moved on, the sun is out brighter than you remember. That is the classic wave goodbye from every hurricane. A day full of bright sunlight, blue skies, and hope!
Even in 2004, we had 3 hurricanes. The first mid-summer, 3 weeks another, and a week later another. For a solid 6 weeks we were in Storm Prep mode. And between every storm? You guessed it, a brilliant sunny, blue-sky day.
And heat! Oh my, the heat. But it’s good heat that chases the storm away. Even so, it’s still heat.
For more official guidance, please check out Senator Rick Scott’s Hurricane Preparedness page.
Keep your hydration bottle close.
Hold the beer, wine, rum, whiskey, vodka, etc. until life is humming along again. With no power to cool you off, you need all the hydration you can get.
If Gatorade is too sweet for you, I’ve got a work around for you. Stock some good quality 100% cranberry juice, and pink sea salt.
Here’s the formula:
- 3 parts water to
- 1 part juice & 1/8 tsp pink sea salt.
- This will keep you hydrated, the salt will add important minerals to help fight dehydration.
And this is when you need the frozen bottles and towels. Honestly, you can break a sweat just standing still! Find the shade to work in. Take breaks! You know it – Rome wasn’t built in a day! So, slow down, relax, cool off, hydrate up, catch your breath. Then go do more. Pace yourself – this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
Don’t forget to EAT!
ADHD can be distracting. I know, no pun intended. When hyperfocus kicks in it’s hard to realize you need to stop and eat to keep up your strength. On these days having everyone stop for a meal break will help.
- A protein bar in the pocket will help
- a cold drink and
- cheese stick will help
You may find that sit down meals are not for this season. Eating on the move season is here.
And the power is still out so you’re still eating out of the pantry. Keep the ice recharged in your cooler. Publix will be open after the storm, unless the store has been damaged badly. You can make a restock run for milk, applesauce pouches, canned fruit, bread, whatever your family needs to keep going. You might even be able to swing grilled hamburgers tonight!
If you need to start at the beginning, here is that link: Family Needs: Food & Water
The most important thing
Work together. It’s normal for boundaries to blur, help where help is needed. Take your hydration bottle with you! Give thanks to the Lord if your property is in good shape. Give the smaller kids the fun job of picking up fallen branches and moving them to a central location. While the adults and older kids go help the neighbor down the road with a blocked driveway.
And it’s a time to be inclusive, don’t ignore a willing hand to help. Another strong shoulder, or a gentle cheer may be just the help needed.
To help you keep your thoughts and your home anchored before the skies turn gray, you can download my Storm Prep Inventory printable. It’s waiting for you right now inside our resource page. Just sign up below and You will have almost instant access to it.