Discussions

Hi, Claire- I’m in the same boat as you, and we did lose power for over a week about three years ago… during the coldest week of that winter! What I’ve done to be ready for the next winter power outage: Emergency blankets: good ones, fabric with a reflective layer. Don’t skimp on these – they are invaluable. Buy the best you can afford, and have extras if possible, even if they’re just the disposable ones. Older people lose body heat faster than younger ones and may not be aware of hypothermia or frostbite due to medical issues. Check extremities, especially feet, frequently. Have a way to heat water and food, but be safe. A gel alcohol camp stove or chafing dish will do the job and pose less of a carbon monoxide risk. Be sure to use any open flame away from pets and small children, keep any flammable items away, and use only on a flame proof, sturdy surface not overhung by shelves or curtains. On a table protected by good tiles is good. Don’t put it on metal unless you have a tile to absorb the heat. Metal can get quite hot otherwise and damage surfaces or cause a burn. In an apartment, the two biggest hazards are fire and carbon monoxide. Any open flame is a danger to yourself and your neighbors. If you are using an outdoor grill to cook on, be sure to follow any guidelines from your local fire department and also keep a fire extinguisher handy. During a “weather event” of any kind, first responders may be delayed in responding to even an emergency. Again, get a good extinguisher or at least have a bucket of sand on hand. Stay hydrated. Your body requires a certain amount of water to properly metabolize food to create body heat, and winter air is often very dry. Use thermoses to keep food and drink warm.  If you have southern exposure, be sure to open the drapes to let the sun in to warm the air. It can raise the air temperature as much as twenty degrees with direct sun. Close the drapes if it’s dark. Check window seals and insulate or recall if there are drafts. (Check with your landlord first!) If you are not allowed to do heavy repairs, hang good curtains. There are insulating plastic curtains to both maximize solar heat or reversed to reduce it during the summer. I haven’t tried these yet, but they’re supposed to be good. A solar oven or water heater might help if you have access to an area where you can put it and have it undisturbed. Watch the glare… have sunglasses and silicone potholders for removing (hopefully) hot containers. Follow directions for safety protocols. Sorry, this was kind of a long post, but I’ve been going over this myself since this winter is supposed to be a bad one. I don’t think I forgot anything, but let me know;). Good luck.

I was definitely burnt out from not only the stress of the pandemic and the loss of employment, but also the relentless news coverage of not only the covid but the political situation. I’d also had some bug that in retrospect probably was covid early in 2020, and it left me plagued by insomnia and lingering respiratory problems. I just started feeling better around this past December… almost a year of dragging around feeling like crap. My burnout remedy for days I was particularly low was to try to learn new things. I honed my sewing and crochet skills, learned about Ayurveda and Indian cooking, tried some short story writing, made bread from scratch. I also took lots of naps. Sleeping a lot is a sign of depression, I know, but if you’re able to indulge in a nap once in awhile it can help. Depression can  be triggered by sleep deprivation, and where I wasn’t sleeping well I slept when I was able. Another problem with burnout is that a lack of concentration often goes with it. Don’t beat yourself up if you have problems with tasks that normally are easy for you. Take your time, write things down if you have to, make lists and leave yourself notes…do whatever it takes to make it easier for you to get done what needs doing. Keep the instructions handy even if you’ve done it before. Faith is important, too. It helped me a lot to think that everything was in the hands of God (or the higher power of your choice.) and I prayed a lot for guidance and help coping.

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Hi, Claire- I’m in the same boat as you, and we did lose power for over a week about three years ago… during the coldest week of that winter! What I’ve done to be ready for the next winter power outage: Emergency blankets: good ones, fabric with a reflective layer. Don’t skimp on these – they are invaluable. Buy the best you can afford, and have extras if possible, even if they’re just the disposable ones. Older people lose body heat faster than younger ones and may not be aware of hypothermia or frostbite due to medical issues. Check extremities, especially feet, frequently. Have a way to heat water and food, but be safe. A gel alcohol camp stove or chafing dish will do the job and pose less of a carbon monoxide risk. Be sure to use any open flame away from pets and small children, keep any flammable items away, and use only on a flame proof, sturdy surface not overhung by shelves or curtains. On a table protected by good tiles is good. Don’t put it on metal unless you have a tile to absorb the heat. Metal can get quite hot otherwise and damage surfaces or cause a burn. In an apartment, the two biggest hazards are fire and carbon monoxide. Any open flame is a danger to yourself and your neighbors. If you are using an outdoor grill to cook on, be sure to follow any guidelines from your local fire department and also keep a fire extinguisher handy. During a “weather event” of any kind, first responders may be delayed in responding to even an emergency. Again, get a good extinguisher or at least have a bucket of sand on hand. Stay hydrated. Your body requires a certain amount of water to properly metabolize food to create body heat, and winter air is often very dry. Use thermoses to keep food and drink warm.  If you have southern exposure, be sure to open the drapes to let the sun in to warm the air. It can raise the air temperature as much as twenty degrees with direct sun. Close the drapes if it’s dark. Check window seals and insulate or recall if there are drafts. (Check with your landlord first!) If you are not allowed to do heavy repairs, hang good curtains. There are insulating plastic curtains to both maximize solar heat or reversed to reduce it during the summer. I haven’t tried these yet, but they’re supposed to be good. A solar oven or water heater might help if you have access to an area where you can put it and have it undisturbed. Watch the glare… have sunglasses and silicone potholders for removing (hopefully) hot containers. Follow directions for safety protocols. Sorry, this was kind of a long post, but I’ve been going over this myself since this winter is supposed to be a bad one. I don’t think I forgot anything, but let me know;). Good luck.

I was definitely burnt out from not only the stress of the pandemic and the loss of employment, but also the relentless news coverage of not only the covid but the political situation. I’d also had some bug that in retrospect probably was covid early in 2020, and it left me plagued by insomnia and lingering respiratory problems. I just started feeling better around this past December… almost a year of dragging around feeling like crap. My burnout remedy for days I was particularly low was to try to learn new things. I honed my sewing and crochet skills, learned about Ayurveda and Indian cooking, tried some short story writing, made bread from scratch. I also took lots of naps. Sleeping a lot is a sign of depression, I know, but if you’re able to indulge in a nap once in awhile it can help. Depression can  be triggered by sleep deprivation, and where I wasn’t sleeping well I slept when I was able. Another problem with burnout is that a lack of concentration often goes with it. Don’t beat yourself up if you have problems with tasks that normally are easy for you. Take your time, write things down if you have to, make lists and leave yourself notes…do whatever it takes to make it easier for you to get done what needs doing. Keep the instructions handy even if you’ve done it before. Faith is important, too. It helped me a lot to think that everything was in the hands of God (or the higher power of your choice.) and I prayed a lot for guidance and help coping.