It's not just the water and food you need in an emergency...

Last Monday as I camped on the deck with the small children

and made forays into the house and garage for things we needed

I realised we didn't just need hot tea and food

we needed some comfort as well.

I have an enormous cupboard of quilts

by the door that I can grab for sitting on and wrapping ourselves in.

I have a bunch of plastic cups by that cupboard

all ready for drinking.

I have a drawer right by the door with the radio,

the wipes the candles and such like.

The hand sanitiser just lives right by the door all the time.

What I'm going to make now is a pretty bag

(decorated with my Scout badges)

and fill it with goodies to comfort and entertain the small people

and keep the big people busy

while we wait for time to pass

and the ground to stop shaking

next time there is a big aftershock.

I'm going to put in:

a game

pens and paper for both children

sweets and chocolate

knitting needles and lovely wool for me

(I think it helps the children to see mum doing something

normal and being all calm!!)

a book to read to the children

a couple of toys

For if the events of the last 9 months

have taught us anything,

it's that this is the new normal for us now!

Being prepared is for the smart kids.