No, I’m not collecting these for my bomb shelter; these are necessary supplies for my bedroom after my experiences with Hurricane Irene and a bizarre October blizzard.

These adventures never lasted more than an hour and ended with a chorus of “aww man” when the electricity would return. However, I quickly learned after Irene and the October snowstorm that losing power is not as fun as I once thought.

During Irene, I lost power at 6 a.m. and was awakened from my sleep by the roaring of my generator. This awakening proved unnecessary when my generator broke, and my sump pump overflowed anyway.

I can’t think of any better family bonding experience then bailing out buckets of water from the basement before the sun has even risen. As soon as I could, I was out the door and at a friend’s house.

But surviving Irene proved to be a breeze compared to living in my 46 degree house after a freak October snowfall. The only warmth I could receive was from the hot water of my shower, but even this was bittersweet since I had to shower in the dark.

I must have shampooed my body at least twice by mistake during those numbingly cold days, and I have numerous cuts on my hands after picking up my razor from the wrong end multiple times.

So while you may think I am being overly cautious this winter, put yourself in my shoes; after living for 12 days without power, I am not taking any chances. And with this winter forecasted to be a snowy one, my practice in October and during Irene was probably just boot camp.

So bring it on Mother Nature…just as soon as I fix my generator.