I had one of those shakey flashlights and it stopped working. Although this may be because I shook it more or less nonstop for the first month I had it. Well, I and my kids did. Okay, mostly me.

I still need to get a good quality solar/handcrank emergency radio, but in my head, I want it to work with, like, AMFMVHFUHFNOAAHam but there aren't any that do everything. So I have to choose. And you know me and choices.

My complacency is now somewhat driven by my neighborhood. Between all of us, we can pretty much take care of it. Though I will buy extra snackies for the hurricane party tomorrow night!

I'm actually able to keep crackers and stuff that I don't nibble on for impromptu deck and porch parties. Even building up a wine stash with their preferences in mind.

Does anyone drive a Honda Odyssey? Do you like it? Or any other fairly recent minivan? They don't make mine anymore and it has 300,000 miles on it, so I'm thinking we're due.

Liese, does this mean your awesome station wagon is done for?

K just sold her Civic (to Carmax!) It's 10 years old and had over 200,000 miles + suspension issues galore AND it's burning oil. But she got $2200 for it!!

don't have a minivan, but you know who has opinions/reviews on them: [link]

That's really good. Used cars are getting good money now (and costing more...)

I didn't have to swim 2 miles tonight, I did that Wednesday (I do 2 miles 3x a week.) But I got to 1.5, lanes were clear, so why the hell not? And had good times. Yay!

Texting will be easier than calls.

That's my motto in everyday life, too! Not all of my friends agree, sadly.

Liese, my mother had one for probably five years and then passed it onto my sister when she upgraded... my mother took great care of it and only had a problem once with one of the electric doors (and it was a $900 fix, which sucks but...); my sister doesn't really take it in much, I don't think, and it's still plugging away. I think it's probably 10 years old now at least? It's been a great car.

Between all of us, we can pretty much take care of it.

My neighbor just told me she has beer and a generator, and I have groceries, and will have funeral leftovers, so I think we're all set.

I'm trying hard not to freak out about my mom being right up by the shore in Massachusetts. She's up there alone with the dog, and there's inconsitent messages from the various towns in the area about what the evacuation/sheltering plans are or are not.

What's really getting to me is that there's a good chance phone service will be down, so there may be no way for me to hear from her until well after.

The last thing I saw was that the storm was already losing its power before it even hit land, so it sounded like it will chug its way up the coast with a lot of rain and etc. but not as much OMGHURRICANE. If that's any consolation.