Dreary

One of the items on the to do list this week was to pick up a couple of extra items for the pantry. Since my ah-ha moment a couple of years ago, I generally keep the cupboard stocked with extra, easy to fix food. Its gotten to point that if I get down to my last jar of peanut butter it gets my attention. Stocking the pantry for disaster preparedness however is not what you would think. You see, I am a confessed foodie. The idea of eating truly crappy food in the middle of what might already be a bad situation, does nothing for my perceived ability to cope with a disaster. There is not a single meal-ready-to-eat or mystery protein bar in anomous disaster kit package in my house. Instead, there is pasta in a range of shapes and sizes, complete with sauce. The cans of tuna share shelf space with canned shrimp and clams and chicken. There is cornmeal, oats, flour, soup and rice. And perhaps more importantly, a good half dozen bottles of wine and other festive beverages and a fair stash of chocolate. I had all the fixins for smores, but I don't seem to be able to keep that stocked this summer. I was thrilled this weekend to find a market with individual packages of nutella --perfect for the car emergency kit. The point is, that pantry gives me lots of options for tasty and nutritious food that might actually make me happy just when we are having a really bad day.

There is something about disaster preparedness can seem so, well, not so fun. There is something depressing about it usually. Thinking about preparing means one has to think about having a bad day. So we don't like to think about it. And dreary disaster kits with unknown foodstuffs don't help. There is nothing uplifting about them. Disasters are hard enough. Plan for the basics, but I say we need to do it our way. I love knowing that I'll go into another Northwest storm season and even if we loose power again for a week, the house will be warm and I can have the neighbors over for some real food that serves the spirit.

What makes you happy? A favorite tea? A certain coffee? Mac & cheese? A good red wine? Buy doubles next time your shopping, its amazing how much more fun it is.