January 6, 2025
Sorry I’m not more creative right now – I had wrist surgery on Thursday, and the pain medicine has been SO WONDERFUL… it’s like not having insomnia!
I’ve been sleeping about 12 hours a night, and dreaming insane, complicated dreams. Bliss…
But I have been thinking about you, and I thought it was about time that we all check our emergency evacuation bags to make certain that everything’s current.
- Do you have your most up-to-date prescriptions?
- Are the over-the-counter medicines that you’ve included fresh?
- Do you have good walking shoes, warm socks, and whatever clothes might be appropriate for this time of year?
- Is your telephone back-up batter charged?
- Do you have a reasonable amount of cash – in small bills – tucked away somewhere secure in an inside pocket?
Someone once told me that he didn’t want to have a bag prepared, because that would just mean that something was going to happen… What foolishness!
Unless you’ve suddenly developed the ability to influence events by your own actions (well, we ALL influence events, but you know what I mean!), be smart and be prepared.
I’ve never needed my bag. That’s the perfect outcome, eh?
love,
Janice
p.s. Ten years ago, we accessorized a simple black wardrobe with pink and red and floral… Having a signature theme to one’s accessories is tempting, isn’t it?
Janice, wish you a fast recovery, get well soon!
How wonderful to get the sleep you need! Here’s to a speedy recovery.
Thanks for the timely reminder to keep our “go bags” updated. I try to do this every 4-6 months but it often slips my mind.
I am truly glad that the pain medication has been working for you. What a gift! We heal while we sleep, so for someone like me who cannot take anything stronger than codeine (even with all my cancer surgeries) I can only imagine the bliss this must be. I am thrilled for you and I will pray for your complete (and speedy) healing.
I used to tease my parents about their level of preparedness. We had emergency “supplies” to cover just about any eventuality, especially while we traveled. As a young adult, living in Europe for 4 years, I found myself contentedly winging it 99% of the time. I didn’t take preparedness seriously until I became a parent. My late husband was an Eagle Scout and it showed—our family “go bag” was restocked and updated every few months. I have been remiss in this, especially in my travel preparedness. When I went to California last year, and broke two ribs on the way, I had to rely on my friends whom I was visiting for everything from Tylenol to an ace wrap. I have learned my lesson!
In any case, I would imagine you are currently wearing cozy pull ons and nothing that requires buttons at this time. Stay safe and heal well!
Hoping you heal quickly and well from the surgery!
Thank you for the reminder about “Go-Bags”. I live in DC and do need to be prepared against any emergency.
Your posts have brought me so much joy and inspiration. Thank you.
Lisa
So glad you’re getting some great pain relief after your surgery! I hope your recovery goes well. My go bags are always ready, just in case. I have a spreadsheet for all of it and expiration dates to make it easy to see if I need to replace anything.
Sending healing thoughts and vibes your way, Janice. And one more thought regarding preparedness–if you drive a car, be sure to keep gas or electricity topped up. I’m worrying right now because I have let my gas tank get very low….
Yes! I get nervous when my gas gauge reaches 1/4 full, but my husband likes to run it down so that we get the most we can with our 10 cents or 20 cents off with our grocery store rewards.
I don’t know anyone in the UK that has a “go bag”. I’m not sure what I’d put in it or where I’d store it. My understair cupboard is tiny.
I can see the sense in having a small bag with all my medications in, just in case we need to rush out of the house in the middle of the night.
In bad weather, we tend to hunker down, so a full pantry and freezer full of food is more important.
This post seems a little outside your lane…but I like it! I’ve known many people who find themselves needing to escape natural disasters like hurricanes and forest fires, whether from their home or while on vacation, so suggesting a “bugout” bag is a very good idea! (And yes, my name is Janice, too!).
It isn’t really outside my lane – it’s about packing! But it’s such an important thing for us to remember, and I do care about you all so much, it just seems that from time to time I want to be sure that you’re prepared for things. This week’s weather has reminded me of what kinds of things can go awry at a moment’s notice!
love,
Janice Deu
For the crowd who has EVER menstruated, I will add to be sure to bring your pads, tampons, whatever you need like that. Even if you think you’re mostly done or so regular that OF COURSE there won’t be a “breakthrough” the week of THAT emergency – stress does weird things to bodies! I can live without my CPAP machine but it’d be pretty hard to take care of everything I need to take care of if I was worried about a sudden visit from “Aunt Flo”.
And on a related note – if you have any of these items to donate to food pantries or shelters, they are expensive and ALWAYS appreciated!
Hm, I think of the pictures and films and books I’ve read about The Blitz in London, people in the Underground, playing cards or reading or knitting. (and a few toasts to victory and drinking songs) If you have a car, keep items in there, and if you don’t, well, where do you keep your umbrella or your sweater when you’re out?
I have small go-bags with essentials but gave up on keeping clothes or food in them. My sizes change too dramatically and our pantry is very organized. OH winters are crazy, so the cars typically have a full tank of gas, blankets, a small candle and lighter, and snacks if the trip is longer than a few miles.
Sending you healing wishes for a speedy recovery!
Wishing you a quick and uneventful recovery, Janice. Enjoy the good sleep! And thank you for the go bag reminder, very timely with all the winter storm forecasts across North America.
Have food & bottled water & dishes for pets already in the car so that you need to only leash them or get the cat in the carrier. For a couple years, I did not own a car as a 50 something year old so I made sure to ask neighbors if I could get a ride if we needed to evacuate our apt building. I put there numbers on the refrigerator. Also on the back of my front door I hava a note for the police/fire dept stating who lives there & if I have any physical limitations – need glasses, need hearing aids to hear clearly, allergies to meds etc.
Wishing you a speedy, painless recovery!
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the personal preparedness plug. So many don’t have this or even understand the need so any time it can be communicated it’s appreciated by those of us who work in disaster preparedness/response/recovery.
Get well soon!!
So many times I’ve started to comment and never have. Now does seem the appropriate time because I did alter the clothes in my emergency bag this year when I was evacuated. I live near the Grampians National Park in Victoria, Australia. My emergency bag is always for bush fires and it does contain some similar things to yours and some very different things. But importantly for here, it contains a pair of black Anneli pants.
https://elkthelabel.com/products/anneli-pant
An amazing Australian designer and an amazingly comfortable and stylish design of pants. I also regularly wear the jasper and magenta coloured Anneli pants and the lime green ones from the light weight range. I’m a colours kind of girl.
Your three day packing guides are wonderful! I only started wearing black once you had given me the courage to go dark without looking like a goth.
I lived out of my emergency three day packing stash for nine days of evacuations having fled into Brunswick, Melbourne. I didn’t look like a goth (although the ones in Brunswick are beautiful anyway) but I did look stunning as I enjoyed the grubby alley of Green’s Refectory, the happy din of A1 Bakery, and while watching the clouds as I did backstroke laps in the outdoor pool at the Brunswick Baths.
Thank you so much for your page. Reading of your heroines helped me get through a rough 2024 in a fashionable way reducing my wardrobe stress. And I did enjoy what was a very Australian Christmas on my three stretched to nine day packing wardrobe.
Your page is a joy forever! Thank you again!
Now I still have weeks of cleaning up here at home (which survived the fires) and I only have another week before I’m back at work. I hope a speedy recovery for you and might I suggest some Australian authors and books for your reading while you recover?
Robbie Arnold – The Rain Heron
Gail Jones – Dreams of Speaking
Ambelin Kwaymullina – The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf
Alexis Wright – Carpentaria
Four to start with. :)
Hi & hugs from Melbourne! Good to hear you & property survived the fires.
Great that your emergency bag had what you needed for 3 to 9 days. Janice’s packing ideas help you get a wardrobe that is versatile & stretches. Add a bit of laundry & you are set.
I was also thinking ID such as passport could be in bag.
Wishing you a speedy recovery! I recently had surgery, and preparing for it was quite a lot of work. I’m really glad I did, though. I even had to gather a wardrobe that matched what I was allowed to wear. A few weeks in, I’m grateful for those items, haha! Be sure to get plenty of rest and feel better soon.
Janice,
I echo the sentiments of others, wishing you a painless and rapid recovery !
Whether for packing, or as a “bug out” precaution, I keep a small underseater rolling tote packed with whatever toiletries I might use on a trip, as well as make-up items, shower and bathroom necessities, and over the counter medical supplies. There is enough room leftover to throw in a nightie, undies, and a top or two, if quickly needed . And— there’s this blog that I read 3x a week, done by a very wise and creative lady, ( ahem!). who has taught me how to quickly grab in a heartbeat, a selection of clothes that all mix and match to get me through an emergency event!