As far as I can tell, we’re as prepared as we can be for the ice storm expected to hit the DC area any minute now. It’s supposed to rain and freeze all night, and I fully expect to wake up to a house without power. Our town is full of trees: lots of beautiful old trees growing under, over, on and around power lines. When we moved in last spring, one of our neighbors told us that anytime there’s weather in this region that causes power outages, it’s pretty much guaranteed that our town will be out.

So, we’re expecting to deal with that tomorrow, although I’m prepared to be pleasantly surprised. The best case scenario would be if we had power and yet the federal government was closed, but I’m not holding my breath for that one.

At any rate, we have food, we have water, we have batteries, flashlights, candles, matches, two snow shovels, fire starter sticks (but no firewood; I’m hoping to rely on neighbors if that becomes necessary), a battery-powered radio, and a carton of rice milk. The biggest challenge will be getting coffee; I’m hoping it won’t come to making it with hot water from the tap (our water heater runs on gas). But if that’s what I have to do, that’s what I have to do.