Power keeps going in and out, so I may not be able to stay online...

@cherokeepatti Yup. The wind got up to 40 mph gusts...did a number on the electricity, internet and tv. It seems calmer now.

@4meAndyou oooh not good.

@cherokeepatti It's better now...moving past.

@4meAndyou Do you have any battery lights or a battery radio? I have a CD player with a radio that can be run on batteries and plenty of batteries to use in it. Makes a big difference when the power is off all day and night. And plenty of LED battery lights to use.And a few tea light candle holders with a lot of candles that I can use. When the power was off about 16 hours after an ice storm a few years ago I rigged up a little candle-stove with a rack over it to heat up some leftover enchiladas for us to eat. It took a little while to warm up but they were hot enough. Heated water over the gas fireplace to make tea too. I now have a little propane burner and a couple bottles of fuel to cook with. Kind of wary of propane.

@cherokeepatti I have battery powered TAC lanterns, and lots of candles if I need them. I bought an emergency radio to use to listen to emergency news about 3 years ago, (a rip off from Publishers Clearing House), and it never worked. I also have a small sterno stove, and some sterno if there is a prolonged outage.

@4meAndyou I can use Sterno in my rocket stove if need be. But it has to be well-ventilated like in the sunroom with the windows open. But it would work well if I needed to heat food.

@cherokeepatti It's supposed to be safe to use indoors. They use it under chafing dishes...but with your birds, I would take no chances.

@4meAndyou I have to be careful with candles indoors too. No scented candles and none with lead in the wicks. Best ones are soy candles I think.

@cherokeepatti Yup. They have soy candles with leadless wicks. I bought some a long time ago when I was much more into candles. Now I have asthma and can't burn them at all.

@4meAndyou In the winter sometimes I like to put 3 votive candles in the fireplace to and light them and close the doors, gives a nice soft comforting light at night and anything burned goes up the chimney.

@cherokeepatti Sounds very pretty! After my last divorce I rented a room with a fireplace. The person who lived there before me had a log in there, and was burning regular candles on top of the log. I scoured the whole place out, including the melted wax, and during the time I lived there I saw bits of twigs and leaves and what have you fall onto the hearth from the un useable chimney.

@4meAndyou I use candle holders. Have candle lanterns for tea lights that put off a pretty shadow.

@cherokeepatti That sounds very nice!!!