Hand crank radio: Check, Jugs of water: Check, Christmas cheer: Check.

A few days ago I come home and my mother is reading Time magazine. The cover story is asking the reader if there is a catastrophic desaster will you be one of the survivors. I walk in and my mother, very seriously, asks me if I thought I might survive.

"Iffy."

"I know I would survive, I'd be a fighter. I'd be one of the few that actually makes it."

...

For those of you not living or visiting the Maryland/Virginia area this summer, there was a series of tornadoes yesterday leaving most of the area without power.

I was the only one home when the power went out. I, naturally, spent the afternoon and evening praticing my masterful survival skills of wasting my laptop battery and wondering about the relationship between power outage distance and restaurants I might consider eating takeout from. Not a totally unproductive afternoon considering.

My mom and dad finally made it home. So, after arguing with my mother who was holding a can of refried beans in one hand and corn in the other while insisting we had dinner right here, Jim and I got in the mini van (mom told us we were not allowed to crash and die in her Prius)and braved the torrential downpour and possible tornado sighting in Maryland for calzones and chicken salads.

It took forever because half of Springfield had our same idea, so by the time we got home it was late and nearly pitch black inside the house.

Luckly, my survivorman mother had broken out her for-emergency-only supply of Christmas themed candles.




We had a lovely dinner taking turns cranking the hand crank radio every ten minutes until Jim realized it also took batteries.