07/25/2006: "...and I feel fine!"

I had a perfect guestroom painted light silver blue with a fluffy white queen sized bed, a private bath, walk-in closet, wing-back chair, stocked bookcase, a TV/DVD player with cable, a mini-fridge and a microwave. I would keep this room in pristine condition for those rare joyous occasions when I’d have guests. I also toyed with the idea of starting a small artist retreat here in Juneau or of having to get an emergency roommate in case of foreclosure due to unforeseen retail therapy relapses...and so it sat, the empty gem of my home.

Meanwhile, my upstairs living room/studio had become totally cluttered with 4 easels, stacks of matte board, canvas, paints, frames, half-finished paintings, etc. So, this past weekend I moved all my extraneous materials down into the guestroom and the difference is amazing; my studio seems twice as spacious and a lot more comfortable to work in.

I am going to put in some shelving and replace the queen-sized bed with an inflatable that I can put up only when needed. I think it’s an OK compromise…Rod, you’ll be my first post-reorganization guest so you’ll have to let me know how it works for you! Btw, did I mention that the 21st and 22nd *are* during my faculty convocation? don’t worry though, we’ll work something out…I really am excited to see you despite my phone avoidance tendencies. Just think of how much more we’ll have to talk about in person! Ooooh, and I have some most yummy red wine for you to try.

Anyway, I’m tackling one reorganization project at a time. I’m considering converting the pantry into shelving for more art supplies as well since I’ve moved all of my EOTW supplies up into the attic (EOTW: End of the World). I can’t tell you how many of my Juneau friends, when asked what kind of “disaster preparedness” plan they have, say “my plan is to come to your house”… I’m considering writing a book “How to win friends and influence people through overstocking of bottled water and cat food”. I have:

Bottled water
Dried/canned human and pet food
Extra prescription drugs
Batteries, flashlight, crank radio
Generator
blankets
respirators
fire extinguishers

Plus have a smaller kit in my car in case of volcanic eruption, earthquake or avalanche. So, how many of you out there have EOTW supplies and for what contingencies?

Replies: 14 Comments

on Tuesday, July 25th, Judy Vars said

Elise you're so crazy :crazy::D
Have fun reorganizing and redocorating.:)
I hope you get more guests than you could ever want :D
Sounds like you've got the essentials when the end of the world arrives:(
When the bleach and detergent are empty I fill them with water and save them in my high bathroom closet in a disaster we can wash our clothes. :):O

Anyway I think you're cool your :cool:

on Tuesday, July 25th, Elise said

I thought you were going to say that you're storing your drinking water in old bleach and detergent containers and I was going to say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

But I guess it will be good for washing clothes. I plan to just let myself get good and dirty! Of course, if I stay in Juneau I'll never be in want of fresh water!
:confused:

on Tuesday, July 25th, ann said

Hmm... as I recall, you said I was welcome at your house in the case of a disaster. Me and my two cats. But exactly how many people will be there, too? Maybe I should at least get some water, huh? :)

As for the extra bedroom plans, it sounds great. What are you doing with the extra bed? Need someone to buy the queen size bed from you?? Just a thought.

on Tuesday, July 25th, Elise said

Let's just say you won't be lonely!
;)
As for the bed, I was only bed sitting for a couple who needed me to keep it while they lived on their boat but they're moving back to Juneau next month and they'd like it back, so...it's good timing.

on Wednesday, July 26th, Rod said

Ha ha!! I have no problems sleeping on an inflatable bed. I had one in my hearse when I was driving across country. It was very comfy, though a little spooky when I started thinking about all the dead bodies that had been in my hease. :crazy:

on Wednesday, July 26th, Kasia said

And I though my boyfriends dad was crazy - he keeps collecting useless stuff in his garage, nut he never mentiond EOTW :laugh: :laugh:Anyway - it is sooo sweet!

on Wednesday, July 26th, Elise said

Ah yes, the hearse...do you miss it? I can't imagine sleeping in such a thing!

And Kasia, I don't collect too much "useless" stuff...just so I don't seem tooooo crazy, in Alaska we really do have earthquakes, volcanoes and avalanches...and more commonly power outages during winter etc. so even if it isn't the EOTW, I still follow the Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared!"
;)

on Wednesday, July 26th, Brian said

Do you have room for one more at your place?

on Wednesday, July 26th, Elise said

Of course Brian...although, you seem to have a pretty high metabolism so I'll have to find some high-energy powder to add to the mix!
:laugh:

on Wednesday, July 26th, Kasia said

I know you are not crazy. You are "zakrecona". :)
[remember?- the very positive meaning of "crazy" in Polish] And being prepared is very wise, actually.

on Wednesday, July 26th, elderberrystudio2000@yahoo.com">Jackie said

E: We have EOTW supplies at our house, too - but my partner is solely responsible for that preparation. We have canned foods, lots of Ramen noodles, bottled water, cat litter, toilet paper. Her dream is to get a crank radio for her birthday. We have 2 of those flashlites that you shake to generate light - no batteries needed. Her family is way more...prepared than we are. Her brothers have 55-gallon barrels of water, solar panels, etc. But yea - they grew up in the PHilippines, land of natural disasters, and man-made ones. :cry: I have been planning on going through the community disaster-preparedness training, though. So - good for you for being prepared! :laugh:

on Wednesday, July 26th, zakrecona said

Cool! I will have to believe you Kasia, that it's better!
:crazy:
And Jackie, I'd love to have solar panels but a lot of good they'd do me up here.
;)
Cat litter is something I didn't think of so thanks for that! There are some great emergency gear online stores if you're interested just let me know.
:satisfied:

on Wednesday, July 26th, Joan said

How ironic. Today I bought an extra gallon of water - the first of many, I imagine. The threat here (time frame and location) is the avian flu. I think it is on our minds a bit more as there is a large informational meeting on it tomorrow. What's the chatter up north?

on Wednesday, July 26th, Elise said

Hi Joan! You know, Alaska was supposed to get avian flu before anyone else in the US because of the migratory birds from asia.

There were all of these meetings about it but then nothing. There have been so many other terrible headline generating problems in the world that it seems to have fallen off the Threat Down!

Still, you always see those movies where something bad happens and people are running through the stores trying to stock up at the last minute. I feel better knowing that i'll have supplies if anything bad goes down.