Water Storage Tanks and Spam Fried Rice

LAWKI Day 15
September 3, 2010

I included the updated picture of our fridge today. Someone emailed me and asked for it. In all reality, it doesn’t look too bad. The fridge still has fruit in it and then all the bottles of condiments that will never be gone. It is sad to see it more empty. Most people don’t know this, but this fridge is brand new and was delivered only 2 days before LAWKI month started. It held so much food those first 2 days! I look forward to being able to use it normally in 2 weeks.

What is really shocking is the completely empty outside fridge. It is where we usually have the 6 gallons of milk and 3-5 dozen eggs and the extra meat and cheese. There is nothing on the shelves now but the last container of eggs and the cream cheese in the door.

Our first real break with the LAWKI month came last night as we went to friend’s house for dinner. We took a loaf of bread, microwave popcorn, a box of chocolates and dessert (Jell-o Poke Cake with cool whip from the freezer) to trade for the dinner. I think the thing that sealed the deal was the box of Samoa Girl Scout Cookies. That bought us dinner plus some garden produce to bring home. Thanks, Showalters!

Breakfast: Whatever
Lunch: M & S pita roll-ups, Kids school
Dinner: With friends


Here is Michael next to our new water storage tanks. The general recommendations that we based our initial water storage on was a gallon of water, per person, for two weeks. So we have 60 gallons of water in Mylar bags/boxes in the storage room. Then we felt like we needed 2 five-gallon jugs that sit full by the back door ready to go in an emergency evacuation. We also have had 2 of the 55-gallon storage tanks in the garage, with washing and sanitation in mind, but still never felt like it was enough. I think we have reached the point where we have done about all we can do short of having a swimming pool in the back yard.

We bought these 275-gallon tanks last week. On Wednesday, Michael and I spent the afternoon rearranging the garage to fit them into the corner. He then attached them to the garage wall studs with earthquake straps that are made for securing water heaters, figuring they would be very useless, destructive hood ornaments on his car after an earthquake. It took 33 minutes to fill each one up---yes, Michael timed it--- and we only filled it to the 250-gallon line to allow for expansion in the event they freeze in the winter. We are hoping they won’t do that in the garage, especially if we ever need them in the winter months.

One of the first comments from friends/family was, “That ought to keep you in water long enough to bury everyone else and then die.” Here’s hoping the water is back on after an emergency long before that day comes.



LAWKI Day 16
September 4, 2010

I opened the first can of Morning Moo powdered milk product this morning. As you can see by the picture of our last gallon in the fridge taken Friday morning, we are out now. I mixed up a pitcher of the chocolate stuff as well. John and Katie both tried it, with Katie finding it tolerable and John thinking it tasted like “powdery evaporated milk”, whatever that is. I don’t plan on tasting it unless it is mixed in with pancakes or something else. I use powdered milk when making my own pancake mix or Kinder candy (peanut butter and honey treats) so everyone knows what it smells like, and vaguely what it tastes like. It will be interesting to see if the milk lovers in the family will ever just pour a glass to drink or if will only be used in cooking. Personally, I think we will be drinking a lot more Kool-aid and Tang the next 2 weeks.

I went through with my threat on Thursday and made the Spam Fried Rice for dinner tonight. It was surprisingly good. Of course, with Trinh’s fantastic Vietnamese Fried Rice recipe, even Spam tastes good. If I do it again, I would fry it just a bit longer to make it crispy on all sides. That would counter the mushy texture a bit better. I’m interested to see what Michael will think of it when he gets home.



Breakfast: Toast & whatever, complaints about no more instant oatmeal
Lunch: Turkey Sandwiches, Michael sandwiches and stuff
Dinner: Spam Fried Rice

Things heard around the house tonight:
“Seriously, it’s only day 15?”
“We are going to day 31?!”
“Write that you died of starvation and that this is [child’s name] writing this entry.”
When told it was flu shot time, “No, not this month. We have to be able to go get ice cream after!”