No.865: How I’m Preparing for a Cold Winter

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In light of current events and a general sense of instability, I’ve been thinking a lot about what we can do to prepare for a cold winter.  We live in the mid-Atlantic so we don’t get bitterly cold temperatures, but it is entirely possible to lose power out here in the country!  To prepare for this, I’ve been playing out the mental exercise of, “What would we need if we lost power for an extended period of time?  How could we stay comfortable if electricity costs became financially prohibitive and we had to knock the thermostat down a few degrees?”  We’ve had winter outages before and already have a head start with a generator and a manual well pump, but here’s what else I’ve been working on:

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STOCKING UP ON FOOD AND BROTH

For the past six weeks, I’ve been picking up five extra items in my weekly grocery trip to put back for winter.  These are typically items that we use for chili/stews/soups (tomatoes, beans, etc) but I also think I should get items that we could eat straight out of the can, should the need arise.  I’ve also been working on a stockpile of chicken and beef broth using bones and carcasses.  I freeze the broth in one cup Souper Cubes and then keep them in big freezer bags until needed.  Very handy!

CHOPPING FIREWOOD

We should be set for 2024 but have been working to get 2025’s cut and ready to dry out!

CHECKING COATS AND SNOW GEAR

I went through our snow gear bin and pulled out all of the items that our family has outgrown.  Thankfully, we have most of what we need and I only have to find a few things for my daughter and middle sons.  I also made sure we had thermal underwear for everyone and am considering stocking up on wool socks.

COLLECTING AND WASHING BLANKETS

‘Tis the season for wrapping up in cozy blankets!  I’ve been refreshing our collection with a trip through the washing machine and I picked up one new addition at Home Goods.

MAKING A WINTER BOOK LIST

Nothing is better than reading a good book by the fire, so I’ve been going through my book piles for choices appropriate for the season.  Here are a few possibilities:

• The Winter Station by Jody Shields
• Cherries in Winter: My Family’s Recipe for Hope in Hard Times by Suzan Colon
• Dark Winter: How the Sun Is Causing a 30-Year Cold Spell by John L. Casey
• Once Upon a River by Diane Setterfield
• The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz

STOCKING UP ON MEDICINE, SUPPLEMENTS AND TEA

I’m not a doctor so do your own research – blah, blah, blah – but I prioritize taking a multivitamin, a probiotic, supplemental vitamin D, and fish oil every day in the winter.  I add vitamin C, quercetin and zinc when I feel myself getting sick and I like to stock up on Cold Calm and Vitamin C tea for those times too.

UPDATING EMERGENCY CAR KITS

My husband and teenagers are on the road a lot, so these emergency car kits give me peace of mind.  This time of year, I like to replace any stale/expired food and make sure there are enough hand and foot warmers, gloves, wool caps and socks in each bag.  (My complete itemized list is in this post.)  I need to make sure an ice scraper and a blanket are still in the cars.  I’ve also heard that kitty litter is a good idea to have in the chance that your car gets stuck in the snow.

MORE THINGS TO DO AND CONSIDER…

• Clean the fireplace
• Check the batteries in the carbon monoxide detector
• Take inventory of our candles
• Buy an extra bag or two of charcoal for the grill
• Stock up on tissues