Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Tornado Season

I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m an East Coast girl living in the Midwest. There's a lot to get used to, when you move from one section of the country to another and one important factor is weather. I didn’t grow up with tornadoes. To this day those sirens strike fear in my heart.

So much of life changes and as moms we’re used to constantly coming up with strategies for different situations and fine-tuning them along the way. Storm preparation is something I’ve had to think about on all kinds of levels for a very long time. I have my own check-list of essentials and, no matter where you live, I’m sure they’ll benefit you too.

Tornado Season | graphic designed by and property of www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics



Find a designated safe spot. It should be on the lower level of your home and it should be comfortable as you may have to spend time there. We have a bedroom in our basement and I chose the closet of that bedroom.

Cover the necessities. You want to be comfortable, bring down a pillow and blanket. Have your cell phone charged, stocked with music and don’t forget the ear buds. It’s best if you don’t hear what’s going on around you while in there. Take care of your emotional needs, I generally stock it with something chocolate. Oh, and a batch of cocktails.


Tornado Cocktail | www.BakingInATornado.com

Tornado Cocktail

Keep your eye on the clock, you’ve generally got a pretty good idea when it’s coming.

As the storm time approaches, regularly look out the window checking to the right and to the left; sometimes it can come from an unexpected direction.

Just before the storm hits, the whole world seems to get a little darker.

You can feel the air change, like someone has sucked all the oxygen out of the house. The fear has you almost frozen.

The energy is building. Suddenly a door in your own house slams. You hear a roar.

It’s time
              run 
                     dive into the closet

                           because here it is 


                                    exactly what you’ve been preparing for. . .

                                                                               The kids are home from school.

Happy April Fools Day, everyone.


 Baking In A Tornado signature | www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics




Tornado Cocktail
                                                                           ©www.BakingInATornado.com
 
Printable Recipe
 
Ingredients:
2 ounces pineapple vodka
1 ounce whipped cream vodka
2 ounces orange liqueur
2 ounces pineapple juice
1 ounce orange juice
1 ounce mixed berry juice (I use V8 Splash Berry Blend)
1 ounce grenadine syrup
 
Directions:
*Mix the vodkas, orange liqueur, orange juice and pineapple juice.
*Refrigerate until cold.
*Just before serving mix again, then add the grenadine and juice.
*Pour over ice.


26 comments:

  1. My twin funnel tornado arrives at 3:30 on weekdays. But, no fooling, I live in Kansas, and I should probably restock our supplies in the basement in case we have to hunker down there and ride out a tornado watch. Take care!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, there's definitely the need to be sure you're really prepared, especially with little kids in the house.

      Delete
  2. Storm preparation is a must around here... sans the alcohol. I think I double stock the chocolate with my stash of batteries and candles :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, I laughed! It's SOOOO true!!! Stocking my closet as we speak...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I didn't see it coming! Loved it, Karen!
    And that cocktail...5 ounces of booze, 5 ounces of juice. Yep, that ought to do it ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. You completely freaked me out! Especially the part about feeling like someone has sucked the air out of your home!!! LOVE the post - and that glorious drink recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Monica. Glad I freaked you out, that's what April Fools is for!

      Delete
  6. Karen, you don't need the ear buds. You might not hear when it's all over and you could be down there for months, ha ha ha ha. And those cocktails could add a few extra weeks to your time in that closet.
    Let's hope that the next time, it is the kids coming from school!!
    Enjoy the rest of the week :) And I think I'll add a couple more ounces to your ingredients :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, add what you like. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!

      Delete
  7. Three to Five. That's the time between when the kids are home and the man arrives. I've grown up with tornadoes, and there is nothing like the damage the kids can create. :)
    I love the idea of chocolate, cocktails and hiding , though. Monday through Friday. I think I have some shopping to do.
    Love the twist!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Shop away, my friend. Text me when you're safely in the closet (wait, that didn't sound right).

      Delete
  8. Hahaha nice one! I was reading this because of all of the lovely tornado talk yesterday. I am terrified of them!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm with you. My heart stops when those sirens go off.

      Delete
  9. LOL!! I was not expecting that!!!
    You would think after living over 10 years in the New Tornado Alley, that I would be used to the nasty, freakin' tornado season but NOPE!! I grew up mostly in the mountains. We didn't have tornadoes! Blizzards, yes. Tornadoes, no.
    And now I'm back.... SIGH... I wanna move back to the mountains!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I grew up with blizzards and even squalls but tornadoes scare the heck out of me.

      Delete

Warning: Comment at your own risk. I have Comment Moderation, meaning I approve all comments before they show up here. So go ahead, I'm not scared!