Greenville, SC, was not hit nearly as hard as many other areas, but Helene still took us by surprise. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would go without power for as long as we did (four days for my family, nine days for many of my friends, some areas of town are still in the dark) and that my kids would still be out of school. They return to the classroom today, thankfully, after missing eight days. We are incredibly fortunate that our house did not experience any flooding and we did not lose a single tree. Much of my neighborhood and the city as a whole looked like a war zone last week. Internet is still out for lots of people in the Upstate.

My husband’s truck functions as a generator, so we were able to keep our fridge up and running, as well as charge phones and make coffee and plug in a lamp occasionally. We were lucky. Our stove and our hot water heater are both gas, so we could cook on our stove top and take hot showers. All in all, the power outage wasn’t terrible. We are heartbroken for our neighbors in the mountains who lost everything. No internet meant no television, so I wasn’t fully aware of just how awful things in NC are for quite a while. In all honesty, the lack of information was a blessing in disguise.

Helene Radar

I anticipated my family in Atlanta getting hit harder than Greenville, but I woke Friday morning (the day the storm hit) to wild wind and rain and this radar on my phone. Our power had just gone out. I realized Helene was actually going to make an impact in South Carolina, and a big one at that.

Cooking and showers looked like this for the next several days…

Gas Stove Cooking

All in all, not too shabby. Yes, those are Nippies stuck to the shower.

When we weren’t cleaning up debris, we played lots of card games and completed several puzzles. Truly, the silver lining in all of this is the quality time we spent together unplugged.

Puzzle

Sadly, many of our friends were facing much worse scenarios than just no power. These are some houses in nearby neighborhoods. I honestly do not know how we were spared.

Helene Damage

I took Bodie to school this morning and was relieved that we only had one minor detour. These kids really need to get back into the buildings. Not my kids, specifically (although they are much happier when they are with friends and on a routine), but the vulnerable population who relies on the food, supervision and safety schools provide. Thank you, Greenville County Schools, for making this happen as soon as it was safe to do so! Now my thoughts are on Florida as Milton heads straight for the peninsula.

Amazon Prime shopping looks very different lately. Helene changed my perspective on pretty much everything I previously thought about disaster prep, so I’ve been stocking up on supplies. Sadly, the item I most want is not part of any Prime deals, but this Berkey water filter is at the top of my Christmas list. Who am I? Ashley the Prepper, I reckon. If you want to ensure you always have safe water should disaster strike, Berkey is the gold standard. https://amzn.to/3Bz6Bgu Yes, they are expensive. However, I don’t ever want to be caught in an unsafe water situation.

Berkey Water Filter

Since many homes no longer have land lines, cell phones are a need, not a want. Solar chargers ensure your phone will always have juice even without power. Luckily, these are a Prime Day deal. https://amzn.to/3Y2lWxs

Solar Chargers

A hanging lantern is incredibly useful in a power outage. I bought a few of these, plus a bunch of batteries, as part of my Prime shopping. Lantern here: https://amzn.to/3Yg0NkE and batteries here: https://amzn.to/3BBtz6J

Lantern and Batteries

Enough doom and gloom…I did look into a few Advent calendars for my kids because we need something to look forward to. Per usual, a Sephora Advent calendar is best suited for Emery…and most other females aged 10-100. The 2024 edition is on sale here: https://amzn.to/4dVwtRf

Sephora Advent Calendar

Bodie will love this fishing Advent calendar. The Prime Day price discount is fabulous! I can’t really speak to the quality of these lures, but I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of opening one each day in December. Grab them for your fishing fellas here: https://amzn.to/3ZX3c5h

Fishing Advent Calendar

This last Advent calendar I found isn’t relevant to my family, but I think it’s adorable. Jeep owners, spread some cheer with 24 days of holiday ducks! Cute for little kids, too, but I always think of Wranglers when I see rubber duckies. Jeep peeps, click here: https://amzn.to/4eBsqua

Duckies

I hope you all have a great rest of the week. My Florida friends, I am praying for you.