Children's Art

Friday October 30, 2009

This past week I have been writing about art and natural disasters. I have met many people who lost prized art items during disasters. Even if it happened years before they still mourn the loss.

For many people the loss of their child's art work is also a very poignant blow. A child's artwork is a powerful emotional connection to the many years and memories which they have shared. A sentimental treasure which you are unable to replace at any cost.

With a little planning you can make sure to always retain at least a portion of your child's creative creations.

1. Pick out pictures which your child made at different ages and mail them to a trusted out-of-area contact.
2. Place some similar child art into your safety deposit box.
3. Scan your favorite pictures and cards from your child onto your computer.
4. Store some of the smaller drawings and literary efforts in the back of a framed object which you always evacuate.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

Protecting Art During Natural Disasters

Wednesday October 28, 2009

You don't have to be wealthy to be an art collector. Sometimes you just have to have an educated eye and patience. Many people have cherished collections which they have been assembling for many years. When you think of an art collection paintings, sculptures, and drawings are the first things which usually come to mind. However there are also collections of photographs, textiles, paper cuts, pottery, etc. When faced with a natural disaster how should you protect these treasured items?

To minimize your risk it is essential to keep an accurate inventory and apprasial of your collection. Detailed photographs of the collections items should be taken. If the collection has financial value than adequate insurance coverage should be maintained. Copies of all these documents should be stored in a secure secondary location well away from the disaster area.

Of course, if it is possible, the best plan is to evacuate the collection prior to a natural disaster. Sometimes, even with our best efforts, our treasures are damaged by the destructive forces of a disaster. Flooding or water damage is responsible for the loss most items. Here are a few techniques to try and salvage even completely soaked possessions.

1. Don't touch the surface of a painting, photograph, document, etc.
2. If the item is in a frame remove it and allow it to dry on its own.
3. Lightly rinse the surface of a photo or document with clean water.
4. Place items in a well ventilated plastic bag and place in a freezer immediately.
5. If stacking photos place a layer of wax paper between them.
6. If the item has significant financial or sentimental value a conservator should be consulted.
7. When you are ready to work on the photos remove them from the freezer, place them face up on a flat, well ventilated surface away from any direct sunlight.

With some effort and care it might be possible to rescue at least a portion of your valued collection.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

Nature-The Highest Art Form

Monday October 26, 2009

I don't think art (even the most beautiful art) can come close to the beauty of nature. This past weekend I took my granddaughter to the Destin Festival of the Arts which was held at Henderson Beach. We had a good time looking at the creations of the 150 fine artists who were at this festival.

It was a great opportunity for my little 5 year old budding artist to examine and then talk to the grown-up artists. When a piece of art would capture her interest she would go still and study it through narrowed eyes. Then with the directness of a child she would demand to know how the artist had created it.

As we made our way through the booths I was struck by how often the artists were inspired by nature. Some of the work was good, actually really good, but it still couldn't capture the true wonder of nature. I made a point for her to stop and gaze up at the sky and then out at the beautiful Gulf waters. After she had compared a painting of a beautiful beach scene to the actual beach I asked her if she could describe the difference to me. She told me she thought the painting was nice. She then said that when she really looked at the beach she could feel in here and put her hand to her heart.

Leave it to a child to sum it up so nicely. Great art has the ability to touch you and make you feel. However, great art is rare. The beauty of nature can make you feel every moment of the day if you just take the time to stop and be observant. Certainly if you are ever witness to the impressive canvas Mother Nature paints during a natural disaster it will be imprinted on your heart forever.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

What's In The Water!

Wednesday October 21, 2009

I love the month of October in my hometown of Destin, Florida. During October the beaches are not crowded and the weather is usually warm and sunny. Recently I decided it was time to treat myself to a few hours of beach time. It was a glorious decision. I walked in the sugar sand and then waded into the sparkling water. I was peacefully floating there and gazing up at the sky when I hear a woman's voice screaming, "Oh my God! What's in the water? Is that a shark?" My heart skipped a beat and then started slamming against my chest wall as I (along with several other people in the water) frantically struggled to get out of water immediately. Once ashore I started scanning the water to find the vicious shark which had been coming after me and I saw nothing, not even any dolphins. The woman muttered, "Well I thought there was something" and then walked off.

Although I wasn't able to see any dangerous creatures, I still did not feel comfortable getting back into the water. My bliss had been destroyed and so I sat on the beach thinking of all the dangerous things which can lurk in the water. For example there is an invisible killer lurking in the typhoon produced flood waters of the Philippines. It has already claimed over 100 lives and it is named Leptospiroris.

Leptospiroris is a bacterial infection caused by exposure to water which has been contaminated by animal urine. The infected animals are usually rats, mice, or voles but cattle, pigs, dogs, and other wild animals have also been known to spread the disease. This bacterial infection remains contagious as long as it is still moist and is transmitted by ingesting it or by skin exposure. There is no human to human transmission of this disease. This potentially deadly disease is just one of many reasons to use extreme caution with flood waters following a natural disaster.

After thinking about it for a time I decided to go back into the water. I guess I would rather take my chances with a big visible danger rather than with a tiny invisible one.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

The Name Game

Monday October 19, 2009

I have been anxiously watching the weather reports for the Philippines. It appears another strong typhoon has formed and is tracking its way towards this beleaguered island. I find it difficult to monitor storms in this part of the world (especially the Philippines) because often the same storm will be assigned two very different names. I became intrigued as to why this was so and did a little research. I want to share the information with you and see if you can understand it because honestly I am still having some trouble comprehending.

Since January of 2000 all tropical cyclones which form in the Northwest Pacific basin have Asian names which are chosen by the members of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Typhoon Committee. The contributing nations are Cambodia, China, DPR Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, Lao PDR, Macau, Malaysia, Micronesia, Philippines, RO Korea, Thailand, U.S.A., and Vietnam. The names are not used in an alphabetical sequence but instead in the order of the the contributing nation. When it is time to name tropical storms the Japanese do the name choosing at the Tokyo Typhoon Centre. The Asian names are usually not personal names. Instead the storms can be named after food, trees, flowers, animals, or even adjectives.

The name game becomes even more confusing when the storm is in the Philippines. The Philippine Weather Bureau names all weather disturbances, tropical depressions, tropical storms, and typhoons with local names. So in the past month they have been hit by Tropical Storm Ketsana/Ondoy and Typhoon Parma/Pepeng. The Philippine Weather Service regard tropical depressions as extremely dangerous due to the flooding these systems produce. They report that a storm system with a familiar name is easier to remember and draws more public attention especially in the rural parts of the country. The Philippine's storm names are reused every 4 years. So it is possible for there to be another Typhoon Pepeng in 2013.

As I said in the beginning, I am still having some trouble comprehending this convoluted naming process. However I do think they got the perfect name for Typhoon Lupit/Ramil which is now headed towards the Philippines. Lupit is the Filipino word for cruel.

Additional evacuation advice available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

You Can Learn A Lot From A Recycling Bin

Friday October 16, 2009

As I have reported before, in excruciating detail, I have been harassed into exercising more by a group of my much younger friends who have no respect for my advanced age. I have tried to get my walk in earlier and earlier before they have a chance to find me and make me go with them. I didn't want anyone urging me to walk faster, go further, etc. I thought I needed to slowly increase my speed. However, the other day I found my motivation to pick up the pace. It was the recycling truck. It was fascinating to see what my neighbors had left out for recycling. Wine bottles, beer cans, and junk food OH MY!

I didn't intend to be so noisy. I was just walking, okay maybe strolling along, one morning when I happen to see a recycling bin stuffed with items which in no way matched what I knew about the family living at this address. There in the recycling bin of Mrs. Organic Vegetarian Healthy was the packaging from a jumbo box of burgers (and I am not talking tofu or even turkey). I paused to retie my tennis shoe by their bin and observed that processed sugars and fatty foods were no stranger to this household. Then I heard the rumble of the recycling truck headed my way. I quickly resumed my walk and viewing of the curbside bins. I finished my walk ahead of the truck and in record time.

One observation I made is that people need to save some of the plastic and glass containers they are recycling for the emergency storage of water. During natural disasters everyone should have 6 gallons of water per person per week stored. There should also be clean water saved for the pets. It takes a lot of containers to store this much water. The containers need to be prepared prior to an emergency while an abundant clean water source is still available. You should save water, juice, soda, and punch containers. Do not use milk containers because there could be harmful bacteria in the dried milk. The procedure for cleaning the containers is:

1. Wash the inside and outside of the containers with hot soapy water.
2. Rinse.
3. Prepare a sanitizing solution of one-half teaspoon of household bleach per pint of water.
4. Rinse containers with the sanitizing solution,
5. Rinse a final time with clean water.

If you have all the containers saved and prepared prior to any emergency it is an easy task to fill them with the necessary precious water quickly.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

The Sensitivity of a Shark

The Sensitivity of a Shark

Wednesday October 14, 2009

I have long been fascinated by animals and how their behavior changes before a natural disaster. I have wondered if animals possess an inherent ability to sense weather changes which is absent in humans? Perhaps we also have this innate wisdom but have forgotten how to listen to it.

Sharks are a good example of animals altering their behavior prior to a natural disaster. Scientists are now conducting studies on tagged and monitored sharks which prove what fishermen have always known. Sharks (and other fish) move from shallow waters to deeper waters with the approach of a hurricane.

A shark oil barometer is still used in Bermuda to predict an approaching hurricane. The oil is extracted from the liver of a shark (usually a Puppy shark caught between June and September) by hanging the liver up in the sun. The collected oil is placed in a clear glass bottle and then strung up outside. The shark oil is checked daily for any changes.

Oil Clear = Normal Conditions
Oil Cloudy = Stormy Weather
Oil Milky White = Hurricane

I guess sharks really do have a sensitive side!

Additional evacuation advice available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

Hurricane ,Typhoon or Willy-Willy?

Tuesday October 13, 2009

With all of the news reports coming out of the Philippines about Typhoon Parma I have received several phone calls asking me what is the difference between a typhoon and a hurricane. The answer is that there isn't much of a difference. They are both severe tropical systems with winds of greater than 74 mph. It really comes down to where the storm calls home. If the storm "lives" in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean, or the eastern Pacific Ocean it is called a hurricane. However, should that storm decide to move across the International Dateline into the western Pacific it becomes a typhoon. If one of these severe storms forms around Australia it is called, I'm not making this up, a willy-willy. It seems dangerous to name a violent weather system willy-willy. I can't imagine someone shouting, "A willy-willy is on the way!" Honestly, would you be afraid? I think I would just imagine that an odd looking cat was approaching.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

Looking Good After a Disaster---Hair

Friday October 9, 2009

In the time period during an evacuation and following a disaster there will be a great many important issues to worry about---your survival, your health, your possessions, etc. You are not going to have much worry time left to spend on how your hair looks. This is good because your hair is going to be looking bad. I'm sorry but that's just how it is. Disasters result in a loss of services needed to keep a woman's hair looking lovely. There is usually no water, or at least no uncontaminated water, to wash your hair with so it becomes dirty. Even if you somehow manage to get your hair washed there will be no power available to blow it dry or use hot rollers.

What to do? I recommend hiding. Not you but your hair. On every evacuation you should take at least one ball cap, preferably one with a big brim. If your hair is long enough pull it back into a ponytail and add one of those big headbands for additional camouflage. I have seen women who can do all these clever and cute things with scarfs twisted around their head. Unfortunately I have never mastered the scarf so I can't help you with this. I suggest finding a French woman (they are born with a scarf tying gene) and asking her for instructions. Of course the ultimate concealment for bad looking hair is undoubtedly a wig. Wigs are the quickest and easiest way to go from looking bad to looking great. Don't take my word for it. You should do your own research and visit a wig store and try some on "just for fun." If you end up buying one, or maybe even two, wigs you can justify the purchase as I did. Just say in your most serious voice, "This wig is a very necessary evacuation tool."

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

Looking Good After a Disaster-Skin Care

October 8, 2009 Thursday

I am seriously upset by those disaster movies where the people come through their terrible ordeals looking great. I know you know what I'm talking about. Perhaps the script calls for the female lead to be caught in a violent earthquake. The earthquake will knock her off a steep cliff and into a flooded, raging river which will then wash her downstream. In movie-land when the heroine manages to drag herself ashore she will have damp but attractive hair, flawless make-up, and an artfully applied bruise on the side of her face (all the better to showcase her beautiful cheekbones).

Give me a break! I climbed down a ravine after someone who had fallen once and you want to know what I looked like by the time it was over? I was covered in dirt and mud, my nails were broken off and bleeding, and my face was covered with a mixture of smeared mascara and dried snot from my crying. Lovely? No. Real? Yes.

In order to look better following a disaster of any kind the first thing you must do is lower your standards...a lot. If you are able to stay clean and prevent any further damage you will have been successful. Uncontaminated water is a precious commodity following any disaster. It is crucial for you to obtain enough clean water to drink and wash yourself with. Dehydration will make your skin look older and, if severe enough, could make you ill. Illness has never positively added to anyone's appearance. Contaminated water could cause a wide variety of skin reactions so don't use it to wash yourself. It is possible to clean your face and body with one bottle of water and three of those moistened cleansing towelettes during emergency conditions. (Yes, I am speaking from experience.)

The most important lotion you can apply to your skin after cleaning is either sun tan lotion or moisturizer. I am most often impacted by hurricanes which are followed by intense heat so I reach for the sunscreen. If you are in a disaster which has only overcast skies and rain, you should choose the moisturizer. Protect your lips with a good basic lip balm such as ChapStick or Burt's Bees. Both of these products are good and readily available at most drug stores.

This is where you should halt the trying to look good activities. Put on a big pair of sun glasses to hide behind and get back to the hard work of dealing with whatever disaster has impacted your life.

Additional evacuation information available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com

I Feel Like a Cow

October 6, 2009 Tuesday

I recently had to make a plane trip and I have returned home feeling like a cow. This time I am not talking about how much weight I gained while away. I am instead referring to the bovine-like experience of airport security. The human herd was first rounded up into a very small area before being "cut" and then fed into various shoots. We were then prodded to hurriedly make our way through these lines and eventually we burst out of a final gate feeling winded and dazed. At this point a few unfortunates were led away by someone caring a device which really did look like a cattle prod. I quickly rushed away before they captured me too. Yes I was feeling more and more like a cow being herded to the slaughterhouse. I reminisced that travel is certainly not the glamorous adventure it once was.

In order to take my mind off the indignities of modern day travel, I started planning the most effective way to evacuate by plane. If plane travel will be your method of evacuation, you must select only the most treasured items to take with you. All packed belongings will have to adhere to the allowed luggage size and weight requirements of the airline you are traveling on. Most airlines now allow one carry-on bag not to exceed 45" (length + width + height), one personal item (purse, briefcase, diaper bag, laptop computer), and two bags which do not exceed 50 pounds or 62" (length + width + height). You should be aware that you will be charged $20 for the first bag and $30 for the second bag each way (these fees will probably only increase with time).

Although it will be difficult to fit your evacuation possessions into these tough guidelines, there are a few strategies you can employ which will help. The first is to buy light weight luggage. If you are only going to be allowed 50 pounds do not start with a suitcase weighing 8 pounds. There are rolling duffel bags which meet the 62" requirement and are able to accommodate a wide range unusually shaped objects. Since so much can be stuffed into these bags, you should weigh them after you have packed. The second helpful hint is to take a carry-on which is exactly 45" in dimension and not one inch less. Fill this suitcase up with your heaviest possessions since they rarely weigh a carry-on. Next take the largest personal item you own (purse, briefcase, diaper bag, etc) and fill it up. It is lucky for us that the purses being sold these days are enormous! Dress yourself in a nice outfit you would hate to lose and wear any bulky shoes or boots you intend to evacuate. It is better to have them on your feet rather than try to pack them. Don't forget that everyone is allowed a jacket or coat as a free item.

Now that you are loaded up you can go to the airport where you will be herded through security.

Additional evacuation advice available at www.wineandchocolateplan.com