Looks like it's our turn.... TS Hanna on the way

Well we're in it now.

... though it's a lot less than it could have been.

Yup. I'm pretty much yawning about the whole Hanna thing. But I'm using it as a practice run.

I don't expect much more than wind and wet. Not a big deal. But I just went out and bought a chainsaw I've been looking at for about a month now, and used it to demo most of the old fenceline at the house as a way to test it out, get the work done, and make sure I know how to safely use it. I've never used a chainsaw with a bar brake on it before- took some getting used to, but it's DEFINITELY a good feature to have.

Also noted Lowes has these 6.5 gallon water jugs, for $10 a piece, Bought 4 of them. They have a "safe fill line"- not sure what that's about, as any temperature we humans will be ok in won't cause undue pressurization of the jug if you fill it to the brim. So I think I can actually get 7.5 gallons of water in each one. Have about 70 gallons of water for drinking on hand now. So that'd keep us good to go without outside help on the water front for about 17 days, and that's being conservative. I figure a gallon a day, each, for me, the kid, and the wife, and a gallon a day between the dogs (80 pound English Lab, 75 pound American Lab, 45 pound Aussie, and a 10 pound Pekingese.

I think that's generous for the dogs, and the kid likely doesn't drink a gallon a day. He's about 65 pounds last I recall. I know when I ride the bike during summer I drink about 3 liters of water in the camelback if I'm out in it, plus incidentals. That's about 2 gallons- but I'm also out sweating in the height of summer, so I think calling it a gallon would be good for me in this case. Never got an idea of the wife's intake, but I think a gallon ought to do it. Worse come to it, I can always gather, sift, boil, and bleach.

Also grabbed a couple 24-packs of AAs, I have a ton of AAAs from a previous stockup (though granted, they're a hodgepodge of dollarstore brands so I expect some duds, but ought to be fine for LED headlights and flashlights. They'll be replaced with Energizers shortly. Got the kid a headlight as well and showed him how it works. He's excited about tonight, so he can try it out with the red LEDs so he'll be "like the soldiers on TV".

I'll probably stay up late tonight/tomorrow morning to keep an eye on things. There's a picnic table outside that I figure if it comes to it and it looks like it's gonna take off, I'll flip upside down so it loses any sort of aerodynamic advantage against it's own weight.

About the only thing I'd like to have is a stock of Mountain House meals, or MREs. I noted that sportsmansguide has MREs on sale for $30 per case of 12. Very good deal, and if you break them down the way we used to in our rucks, they are pretty compact.

Yeah, I know that the chances are I'll never need all this stuff. But if I ever do, I'll need it VERY bad.