About impulse buying and hurricanes...

Subject: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:04 am

AH...another tropical system washes across Florida. People freak out.

And, I had to share...in Tallahassee, they all rush out to buy bottled water, bread, and toilet paper.

I get the water bit. I understand the bread. But, TOILET PAPER? scratch

Hm...humans...aren't we an odd lot?
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Southern fiction with a madhatter twist...
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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:14 am

I've wondered about that too, Rhett. Maybe it's because you can't get those really thick Sears catalogs anymore.
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Brew
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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 3:36 am

And they might not want to waste precious water for that function.

We don't get the hurricanes or tropical storms here, but I stay stocked with water and TP, as well as staples in the pantry and freezer, and gas for the generator.

We had an ice storm a few years ago and learned to be prepared since we were cut off from the world for two full weeks.
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Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:44 am

I think most likely Brew got it right. I still remember those old outhouses with the magazines and catalogues with pages missing.

There are areas in the world that don't use toilet paper - yet.
Water is used to clean, however drying can be a problem. Don't even think about using a towel hanging in a toilet.
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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 11:40 am

About a month ago we were without electricity in the woods from 11:00 PM Friday night to Sunday afternoon about 3:00.

We also purchased bags of ice to put in the freezer and refrigerator. We did have toilet paper. You are also supposed to have cash on hand and clean underwear; just a couple of tips learned in Red Cross training.

We also got some new lanterns, as the ones we had were nice and compact and collapsed, but when you pulled them up, the bulbs became loose and wouldn't light, so all we could do in the evening light was sit and watch the bats fly outside. It is a good idea to try all your emergency equipment. We also now have a one burner butane stove to make coffee. That was a definite problem!!!

Carol

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:25 pm

Last year, I went to Lowe's for a roll of duct tape and came home with a generator about a third the size of my car. Talk about impulse buy!!!
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Southern fiction with a madhatter twist...
www.rhettdevane.com

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 1:43 pm

Way to go, Rhett! That was a good impulse, I'd say!
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Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 2:29 pm

Nothing works better than a paperback book.

Rhett, now I understand why you are called Madhatter.
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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:16 pm

I know that emergency preparedness people advocate having at least 72 hours worth of food, water and other supplies on hand ALL THE TIME. I can understand that folks who aren't prepared are going to rush to the store.

But I gotta wonder, do all these people have households full of batteries that aren't any good so that they suddenly need several crates of them when a storm comes. And what's a family of three going to do with 10 loaves of bread? And why are people in areas where storms come through often always buying plywood to cover the windows? Didn't they save what they used last time?

Growing up in Florida, I always wondered about such things, and now, years later, the answers remain illusive.

Malcolm
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Malcolm R. Campbell

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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 4:40 pm

I've always wondered why people want to live in areas where they know they will get smacked with tornadoes. And for those who live in a trailer park - they seem to be magnates for tornadoes.

Hurricanes often travel similar paths. One would think that people who choose to live in those coastal areas would always be prepared. But then that would make sense.
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"To Beirut and Back"
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Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:27 pm

True, Abe. I've often wondered about Malcolm's questions so maybe that's the answer - people don't make sense. You'd think, though, that even the dumbest guy on earth would save the plywood for next time.
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www.dickstodghill.com

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Sat Aug 23, 2008 12:14 am

Especially at today's prices! Laughing

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Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:21 pm

Ah...but, most people are somewhat prepared. I have plenty of camping gear and a gas grill. Also, a chain saw to cut up any large limbs.

I still get caught up in all the fizzing about, though. Hard not to...

I did finally get rid of one can of Spam that had lived on my shelf for quite some time. Don't even like the stuff. Just bought it because it would probably survive a nuclear war.

A meal of Spam and fruitcake.

Yum...

Have to add...we did get about fourteen inches of rain in twenty-four hours. A lot of flooded roads. But, no large trees down near my house. Now, there is another system brewing in the Caribbean. Party time.
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Southern fiction with a madhatter twist...
www.rhettdevane.com

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:51 pm

Rhet--don't forget the Twinkies. I hear they have a shelf life of several hundred years! Laughing

Hot chocolate mixes are good too. I like spam!!
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Zada Connaway
Mother's Journals: parts 1, 2 and 3 ISBN # 1-4241-6969-0

http://www.zadaconnaway.com/

Subject: Re: About impulse buying and hurricanes... Sun Aug 24, 2008 11:56 pm

Here we are told to have 3 weeks of stuff on hand. There's only one spit o'land that links Nova Scotia to the rest of North America, and if something real bad comes up the Bay of Fundy - whap! - we're an island. Venturing outside last year I did notice that a hurricane up close sounds suspiciously like the tornadoes did where I grew up, but the air is much, much warmer and so is the rain. I will be stocking up on spam and whatever else I can heat on the woodstove or the barbecue soon - storm season is supposed to be a handful this year. Spam and macaroni and cheese sounds good...
Rhett, watch out for the alligators. I saw on the news that they are showing up quite a distance from their usually swampy grasslands...in the backyards of temporarily swamped neighbourhoods. affraid

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