Since we live in an area with a minimum of grisly murders and appalling scandals, local news has to make due with storms to whip themselves into a frenzy. I have yet to tune in to find out what this storm has been named.

Consumer Corner:
The recommended products for your several days without power are:
1. small radio with speaker and headphone jack, runs on AA batteries
2. small flashlights, run on AA batteries
3. novelty battery-operated white LED Xmas lights, run on AA batteries
4. Light Wedge white LED book illuminator, runs on AA batteries
5. a whole bunch of AA batteries

Your optional purchases:
iPod
Nintendo DS

Craft Corner!
You can make a hot water bottle out of an empty 2 liter soda container and some hot water! You can also make a tasteful and warm non-itchy hat from a pair of tights!

Recipe Corner!
It turns out you can fry Pilsbury Toaster Strudel when only your stove is working.