With Florence heading our way, it’s time to start prepping.  I’m out in the country and on a well, so I have to make sure the animals and I are good for a few days without power and water.

Took a trip into town and came back with bags of kibble and chicken feed, a few gallons of drinking water, bread for peanut butter sandwiches, and other non-perishable foods that don’t have to be cooked to eat.  And, of course, the all-important hurricane chocolate.  Note to self: save that until Florence actually gets here.

Here at the house, I’ve rinsed out old milk and orange juice jugs and filled them with water to use for washing and flushing, should it be necessary.  I’ll fill tubs and buckets when  we get closer, since those will sit out on the carport and I don’t want to hatch any more mosquitoes than necessary.  I’m moving all the loose items to covered areas and securing as much as possible.  I also have several flashlights, batteries, candles, and matches easily accessible for when the power goes out.

I’m putting together packs for the dogs and cat, just in case we have to relocate temporarily.  Khar gets a bag with kibble, litter and tray, her medical records, and a catnip mousie.  Her carrier is out so she won’t panic and hide if it suddenly appears.  For the dogs, it’s medical records, medications for Kodiak, kibble, jugs of water (we’ll share), and a couple of bouncy balls.  Their crates are already loaded in the van and leashes are hanging by the door.

The pine trees are my biggest concern, and there’s nothing I can do about them.  I’ve heard more than once that the lady who used to live here worried about those trees, especially the ones that are right near the house.  For some reason, nothing was ever done about them when they were still small enough to deal with easily.  Now that they’re huge, the cost of having them cut down is rather prohibitive.

Ah, well.  I’ll do what I can and hope things aren’t too bad.

Interesting note:  This date last year was my first day at the new job, and we had a hurricane hit us.  I’m thinking I should have heeded the warning of the combination of a hurricane and 9/11 as a start date…

If Florence is headed in your direction, here are some good resources for getting prepared:

National Hurricane Center Hurricane Preparedness – Be Ready

ASPCA Disaster Preparedness

HSUS Make a Disaster Plan for Your Pets