A Bookworm's Tips for Preparing for Winter Storms

by Donna Huber

Are you in the path of Winter Storm Fern? In my area, we are just over 24 hours out from when they say it will start. It will be an ice storm - a major ice storm is likely. They are using words like catastrophic, crippling, and destructive. Yeah, they could be using those words to increase ratings, but even the National Weather Service is using these words. They are also predicting up to an inch (2.5 cm) of ice. I can't remember weather people using those terms or predicting that much ice. So I'm getting prepared to hunker down. Here are my bookish tips. (These are meant to be fun. Please follow the advice of experts when making your winter weather plans.)

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Tip 1 - Stock up on reading material

I've seen some forecasts for up to 8 book weather this weekend. If the storm hasn't started in your area and your library is open, go today to grab some books, particularly if you prefer print to ebooks. If power outages aren't a worry for you, also check out their movie collection. Or perhaps you have kids to entertain, see if your library offers board games that you can check out.  

If your library is already closed, check out your digital offerings. Through my library, I have access to Libby, Hoopla, and Palace. Remember, you will likely need a wi-fi connection to download ebooks to your Kindle, and if the power is out, it's likely your internet will be too. So make sure whatever you check out, open on your Kindle before the lights go out.

Let's discuss audiobooks for a second. I listen to a lot of audiobooks, but the only way I can listen to them is with my phone. So while I could download an audiobook to listen to even if my wi-fi goes out, I'm not sure I want to use my phone battery listening to a book for several hours. Hopefully, I will finish my current listen (The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy) by Saturday morning (it's for my mystery book club on Tuesday), and then I'll focus on evening out my book-to-audio ratio.

I'm currently reading a nonfiction book on my Kindle, Tom Paine's War by Jack Kelly. While it is interesting, I'm not sure about reading for 8 hours straight. So I'm pulling out a couple of paperbacks I got last year, The Mailman by Andrew Welsh-Huggins (book 2 comes out in March so it would be great to get it read) and Death at the Playhouses by Stuart Douglas (it's book 2 of the Lowe and Le Breton mystery series. I reviewed book 1, Death at the Dress Rehearsal). 

If your print books are on shelves, go ahead and pull them. Put them in an easy-to-get-to spot so you aren't searching in the dark.

Even if you love the book you're reading, it is still a good idea to have a few back-ups for variety or if you read faster than you thought you would.

If you need recommendations for what to read, definitely check out our reviews. We will continue to have a new review every day, as I'll have everything scheduled before the storm arrives.

Tip 2 - Prepare a blanket fort or cave

Wide-spread power outages are predicted for my area. I live in a heavily treed area, so even if the powerlines don't fall because of ice, power might be knocked out due to downed trees (did I mention they are also predicting high winds?). I don't have a secondary heat source or backup generator should the power go out. 

I love cuddling under a blanket with a good book, and I think a blanket cave sounds kind of fun. It is definitely not something I usually do. I read today that blankets actually keep you warmer than a coat - I don't know if that is true because it was on social media. But I have a lot of blankets at the ready for both the cats and me. I might also throw in a few extra pillows for extra coziness. 

In addition to a blanket fort, make sure you have cozy clothing to relax in. I like wearing fleece-lined leggings because it is easy to pull a pair of sweat pants on over them without feeling too bulky. I also have great boot socks. They are thick and so cozy. Again, I can easily put a pair of wool socks on under them if I need a little extra warmth. I still have thermal shirts from when I worked at the zoo (animals still had to be fed in this weather, and where I worked, the enclosures weren't heated. So I'll put one of them on under a big cowl-necked sweatshirt that has thumbholes to keep my hands warm while turning pages. I also have cozy hats, gloves, and scarves if need be. The best part of all these cuddly clothes - they are comfortable enough to sleep in, so I won't have to change into cold clothes.

Tip 3 - Have plenty of snacks

When it's cold, you burn more calories, so I tend to eat a bit more junk food when there is severe winter weather. Once the power goes out and I burrow into my blanket cave, I don't plan to leave, so I will keep a stash of snacks nearby. 

I plan to have a big, hot breakfast Saturday morning, and I put a big pot of veggie soup in my cast-iron Dutch oven. Even if the power goes out, the pot should hold its warmth for quite a while. Once the power goes out, I'll throw a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a basket along with fruit (I have apples, bananas, and oranges as well as dried fruit), chips, and cookies. I still have some chocolates leftover from Christmas, so those go in the basket too. 

I plan to fill up several water bottles on Saturday morning because hydration is important. I have purchased bottled water too but I have to share with the cats (I'm on a well so if the power goes out so does the water so if you are on city/county water this might not be as much of a concern for you but again if it is cold you won't want to leave your blanket cave to get a drink). I have Gatorade and a few small cans of soda for variety. 

Now, the one thing that will be missed if the power goes out is a hot cup of tea or cocoa. However, I have a plan for that as well. I learned over Christmas that my carafe will keep a beverage hot for 9 - 10 hours. So I will boil extra water to put in the carafe. I'm currently drinking a white tea, so it doesn't need as hot of water as black tea. It won't keep me in hot water for as long as they are telling us to prepare for a power outage, but it will be nice to have a hot beverage at the beginning of the "fun".

Tip 4 - Charge your devices

I don't have any power banks or things like that to recharge my devices once the power goes out. That is one of the reasons I won't be listening to audiobooks in the dark (unless the roads are clear enough that I can get out to a place that does have power). I have a Kindle Paperwhite and a Kindle Scribe, both of which hold a charge for weeks. I'll make sure they are both fully charged. 

Obivously I'll charge my phone, and thankfully it holds a charge for several days if I use it sparingly - so staying off social media for the most part.

If you are planning on reading print books, a book light is a must. It was fun as a child to read by flashlight, but I don't want to be holding one for hours. I have a small battery-operated camp lantern that's really bright. But as I've aged, I need more focused light on the page to read it. I have a book light that clips onto the book. It is charged through a USB port, so I'll make sure it is fully charged. 

While I don't have a battery bank, I do have a couple of laptops, which, without the Internet, I won't be using. So if really need be, I can charge my devices by plugging into my laptops.

If you are doing the Kindle Challenges and don't want to miss a day of reading, even if you are reading on your Kindle, you will need to read at least a few pages through the Kindle app on your phone. Without wi-fi your Kindle won't sync, and your days won't count. But if you read on the app, then it will sync (if you have a data plan). It usually only takes a few pages for it to register as a day read so you won't use too much of your phone battery.

Do you have any tips? What are your plans to weather the winter storm? I hope everyone stays safe and gets a lot of time to read.

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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