Winter Storm Weekend 1: Testing Preparedness Muscles

There once was a time when I thought the word historic was an exciting term to describe the future, but these days it tastes bitter. After experiencing the “historic” “once in a thousand year” “unprecedented” Hurricane Helene, I’d be perfectly content not to experience historic weather ever again. So when our famous young meteorologist, Ethan from North Carolina Weather Authority, started posting his snow and then ice maps on Facebook last week I was less than thrilled.

Determined not to be unprepared, there was a buzz in our community. Nervous but steadfast, folks readied themselves for Winter Storm Fern. We bought our groceries, washed our dishes (the horrid memory of forgotten dishes in post-hurricane dishwashers!), washed our clothes, pulled out the flashlights, filled the water jugs we still had from fourteen months ago, filled buckets and tubs for toilet flushing, and so on.

For me, the toughest part of preparation was not fear of being unprepared – a few days without electricity feels laughably simple now. Instead, it was the discomfort of reliving memories of last year and the terrifying knowledge of how many of our community members are vulnerable in inadequate housing and struggling financially. On the latter, it felt encouraging that our little town of Swannanoa has much more infrastructure for community care. Many organizations were born out of the aftermath of the hurricane, our collective sense of community shifted, and our real connections to our neighbors (both the literal next door kind and broader definition) is strong. Arrangements for propane and food and shelter zigzagged throughout our town and beyond.

And then the sun set on Friday, the parkway barriers blocked the roads once more, business after business announced early and weekend closings, and we held a collective breath. Saturday was a blur, I cleaned and baked and arranged as if there was a literal countdown before the lights shut off. And when they didn’t, I stayed alert – drain the bath in the morning, everyone take their showers, make breakfast as fast as possible, wash every dish, wash every load. Quick, quick, quick. Don’t eat the muffins, save those just in case. Eat from the fridge for now. The forecast changed from snow to ice. My lights stayed on. Our neighbors in Nashville, Tennessee and other parts of the country were not as lucky.

By Monday afternoon, enough ice had melted on our street that we ventured out to The Hop and The Pop – giving in finally to the weekend begging from our kids. They were unconvinced that nearly the entire county shut down over the weekend. No school on Monday and Tuesday meant that for the second week in a row (the previous weekend was a pre-scheduled four day weekend), I had several days of working from home with all three kids. It was stressful on round 1, stressful on round 2, and looking towards this coming weekend I am mentally steeling myself for round 3.

There were sweet moments too – giggling kids pretending to be “spies” and “how long can you sit in the bathtub” challenges and art and card tricks and books and practicing for the school play.

This week promises three “normal” days of school drop offs and pickups, play practices, swim classes, work, and coffee stops. I restocked all the groceries after catching a glimpse of snow maps and seeing the word “cyclone” thrown around (yikes!). On Saturday, you’ll likely catch me cleaning and baking and arranging – the winter storm countdown ticking once again.

Sending you warmth, friends! ❤️ Runda