'TIS THE SEASON!

‘TIS THE SEASON...by Jayne Ormerod

I just scared myself silly when I looked at the calendar…it’s June already!  Summer is 12 days away!  How is it that 2014 is speeding along at a pace faster than California Chrome in the final stretch of the Kentucky Derby?  

But while I very much look forward to warm sunny days and muggy buggy nights and beach time and all that sand and summer stuff, what I don’t look forward to that other season that began June 1…Hurricane Season!  Probably not much of an issue to anyone who doesn’t live---or is planning a vacation--along the coast.  But in case you are within a flip-flop’s throw of the shore this summer, here are a few Hurricane Preparedness Tips you won’t find elsewhere. 

First, of course, be prepared. I was a girl scout, so I long ago assembled the items for my emergency kit as recommended by FEMA, so survival is not an issue.  What is at issue is the things I need to tuck into my beach bag to make the post-storm trials and tribulations a little more enjoyable.

First and foremost is my itty bitty book light!  Lack of electricity for nights on end is part of the “fun” of a week—or longer--without my creature comforts.  It’s near impossible to sleep on those hot humid nights without benefit of a/c, let alone a fan to offer a slight breeze--and don’t believe the advertisements, those little battery-powered “personal” fans do not offer a dang bit of relief!  So I will spend the nights escaping into a fictional world, preferably one set in the middle of a blizzard.

Itty-bitty book light…check!

Next in my Hurricane Beach Bag I will need liquid refreshments.  Not water (that’s part of the survival gear tucked away in the FEMA kit) but something refreshing to tickle my taste buds and relax the stress.  To that end, I have tucked away a few cases of my daily caffeine staple, Diet Coke (which isn’t quite as refreshing without ice but is still a daily requirement).  I've also set aside another basic necessity of life, Cabernet Sauvignon.  A case of it, selected because it best enjoyed at room temperature.

Alternative beverages…check!

Can’t survive the post-hurricane trials without a hammock.  Without a/c in the summer in the south, it’s too hot to sleep indoors (even though I grew up without air conditioning and spent many a summer night wilting in the dark, I can’t sleep when I’m too hot any more.  Must be an age thing.) But even if you do have the air conditioning running full speed, an occasional summer night nestled in a hammock strung between two strong trees under a blanket of stars is good for what ails ya.

Hammock…check!

          

And no survival kit would be complete without CHOCOLATE! Talk about “good for what ails ya!”  Chocolate can sooth the savage beast, calm the post-hurricane stress and provide energy for all that clean-up that awaits after 180+ mph winds knock the leaves off the trees.

           Chocolate…check!

           So after the hurricane hits, while the rest of the world goes about their daily routines, I’ll spend my nights stretched out in the hammock, nibbling chocolate while enjoying a glass of wine and reading a book by a meager light.  Kind of cozy, if you think about it.  Hey, I might not even wait for a hurricane!  

Happy Summer Everyone!!!!