Page 3 - June Seaword Pages 2021

MY STUFF Beach and Dune Page 3

RE-ENTRY was easy to succumb

to inertia after our Committee Reports
relatively stress-free
The following column is a re-
print from 2008 when the author months in Ocean Vil- Priscilla Oehl We’ve come to the part of the year crank radio with cell phone charging
lage.
had returned from an Ocean Village And so, procrasti- PREGG@aol.com when hurricane watches become capacity.
• Consider including a weather ra-
winter. Not much has changed!! nation, that “thief of time”, once common in weather forecasts. While dio.
it’s never fun to think about our beau-
“All good things must come to tiful Ocean Village being threatened • A multi-purpose tool, wrench, or
an end.” Not too profound a quote again reared its ugly head. We ac- by a hurricane, it is important that we pliers - to turn off utilities.
knowledged passively all the tasks
from somebody, but obviously true. to be accomplished and wondered are prepared in the event of a storm • Dust masks - to help filter contam-
It was blissful to enjoy endless where to begin. There were those crisis. Here is information to help in inated air.
summer in the winter. And actually signs of a leaking roof and some advance - with the hope that we nev- vPlastic sheeting, blue tarps, 100’
until I made myself look at a calen- peeling paint to be dealt with. And er have to resort to it! rope or cord, duct tape - to shelter in
place if there is damage to your con-
dar, my mind-set was that when we of course RECONNECTING, not Hurricane Readiness Checklist do.
returned North we would be head- only with friends not seen since De- What do you need to do to prepare • Fire extinguisher.
ing into fall. Some time in March cember, but with the wireless router for a hurricane at Ocean Village? • Paper local maps and road atlas.
I thought that I really should go to and the high-speed internet. Many
Steinmart and peruse the fashions hours on the phone took care of the Stockpile These Supplies Helpful Hints: Before the Hurri-
• Cash: no electricity means no cane Hits
for fall, until I realized that warm friends’ connection, while the wire- credit cards or ATM. • Bring in all lanai furniture.
weather lay ahead for another five less router, my husband’s domain, • A full tank of gas (as gas pumps • Close and lock your windows,
or six months. has taken much longer, giving us rely on electricity) or your electric ve- doors, and hurricane shutters.
And so, here we are, back in hicle fully charged. • Keep a “Go Bag” of key items
Pennsylvania where Spring seems some time to do things other than • Bottled water: 2 bottles/ 1 gallon (clothes, meds, docs, digital backups).
check and send e-mail.
to come later each year. After the Still by the middle of the day, per person for 2 weeks at a minimum. • Take photos of all contents of your
• Gatorade or other high electrolyte condo units, including what is in clos-
arduous packing of the car with realizing that none of the “musts” beverages. ets and freezer.
many of the unnecessary items we have been started, yet alone com- • Food: Canned goods (beans, oth- • Freeze any food or drinking wa-
brought down in December, the 18 pleted, we look at each other and er proteins, vegetables), dried fruits, ter that can be frozen if you expect a
hour drive up seemed relatively ask, “Where did the time go?”, peanut butter, jelly, bread, apples, or- power outage.
easy. One stop along the way before surely a rhetorical question. We anges, grapes, bananas, pears, avoca- • Turn the refrigerator and freezer
we arrived to 38 degrees and rain obviously are still on Florida time does. to the coldest setting and keep them
mixed with light snow. So much for with Florida priorities. For me, with • Manual food can opener. closed as much as possible so food
will last longer if power goes out.
• A cooler.
returning to warm weather. How- no imminent visitors, I pile the un- • A bathtub filled with water so you • Store important family documents
ever, there WERE forsythia, and packed clothing on the guest room can flush the toilet, or empty jugs to such as copies of insurance policies,
daffodils ........ encouraging signs bed. Soon, I rationalize, it will be fill water from the ocean. utility bills and other identification,
that Spring was on the way. summer, so why put everything • 14 days of medicine (prescription and bank account records electron-
One would think that the dismal and over-the-counter), just to be sure. ically and in a waterproof, portable
• Personal hygiene and sanitation container.
first days which kept us indoors away just now? items. • Prepare a list of emergency phone
Besides, I need to go through all
might have encouraged prompt un- the unworn winter clothing which • Hand sanitizer and soap. numbers and email contact informa-
packing. Alas, that is the difficult clutters up the closets and drawers. vMoist towelettes, garbage bags, tion for local services.
part of returning. Faced with a myr- Somewhere I have misplaced the and plastic ties. • Establish one out-of-area contact
iad of things to be done, including book about simplifying one’s life. • Bug spray and sunscreen, as it is for your family. This reduces phone
re-reading the Christmas cards left Maybe I can find the time to read it. often hot and humid after the hurri- calls, streamlines check-ins, and eas-
in a basket on the kitchen counter, it cane departs the area. es fears of your family members.
• If evacuating, traffic delays are
• A well-stocked first aid kit.
• Sturdy, closed-toed shoes: debris common, so it is a good idea to hide
cash money in different places in your
contains broken glass and nails.
Communications Committee • Rain gear. car. There are frequently crimes of
opportunity when stuck in traffic.
A • full set of dry clothes.
• A whistle - in case you need to sig-
• A Red Cross shelter is your last
Ocean Villagers, the Communi- number inside and take it to the Adm- nal for help. choice, unless you are registered for a
cations Committee needs your help. istration Building. Let us know what • A solar lantern. special needs shelter, says Eileen Em-
We are writing the History of Ocean the objects represent and we will give • Flashlights and plenty of batteries. ery of the Ocean Village POA.
Village and require photos, artifacts, you credit in the article if we can use • Solar, battery-powered, or hand Carolyn Fortuna
and stories which will visually en- them. After copying the information
hance our articles. The Village will or artifact, we will return it to you. Summer Tennis Program
be 50 years old in 2023, so we would A special thank you to Lois Patton,
like to complete the project by then. Peter Harrison, Betty Messier, and Hi all!! It’s the summer season and An email will be sent each preced-
If you have something we may bor- Carol Hulse who have already found that means it’s time for SUMMER ing week requesting sign-ups for the
row, please put it - the photos, stories, gems for our project: The History of TENNIS!!! following Tuesday and Thursday.
Parker and Charyl will be coordi-
Have a wonderful summer!
the artifacts - in an envelope. Be sure Ocean Village. nating the Summer Tennis Program
to put your name, address and phone Pat Sorvino this year. And thank you to Lynda Charyl: cldayton@me.com
Willer for all her hard work coordi- 410 343-1100
Look for The Seaword June, July, Aug. & Sept. summer editions online nating it through the past years. Parker: miralparker@me.com
on our website. Please call Administration if you cannot download. The season will begin on June 8 405 627-7821
and run every Tuesday and Thursday
through August 26.