A Heat Wave is headed towards New England, with temps over 90 degrees predicted for the next 3-4 days. That kind of news makes me nervous, so I’m doing everything possible to prepare.

We’re fortunate to have A/C window units in 3 rooms, which normally keeps the inside plenty cool. I will be running them round-the-clock as a precaution (much more often than normal). In the den, we also have two ceiling fans.

For the windows, I have heavy curtains up that block the light and put reflecting film on the French door as an experiment. If it actually works, and that room is much cooler, I would definitely put the film on all glass.

Water, of course, is a major concern. I purchased 4 family packs of water, 4 gallons of water, and filled up 2 pitchers for the fridge. Again, just as precaution. Lime and lemon slices for the water are ready to go and I made iced tea concentrate in case I need more flavor.

For meals, it will be cold only—toast or cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and dinner salads with chicken strips or tuna. I made egg salad, potato salad and fruit salad yesterday for sides. Also, lots of fresh veggies, fresh fruit and pretzels and crackers. In the late evening, if my hubby is inclined, he may grill. The oven and stove are not being used, no matter what.

The kitties and pups have an extra water bowl, extra food bowl and will be kept inside except for needed breaks and a quick walk.

In case the power goes out, which is my greatest fear, I do have flashlights and batteries on hand. When the heat is this extreme, we probably would go to a hotel, though, if it lasts for more than a few hours.

Otherwise, it will be a normal weekend, at home. If I’m able to shop today, there will be Super Savings Saturday to report; if not, look for it next week.

This was supposed to be the ideal summer, full of family outings, gardening, and day trips…that’s what I had hoped for anyway. Instead, it’s turned into a miserable time, sidelined by an awful injury, unable to do anything but cry, complain and feel sorry for myself.

Yours truly was cleaning out a closet on June 20 when I had an accident and severely hurt my right hand. Cause: Dropping a heavy box. Effect: An ER visit, multiple follow-up appointments, weeks of lingering pain from my fingertips all the way up to my shoulder, and an inability to function. (I couldn’t drive, write, type, cook, tie shoes, etc.)

Needless to say, it’s been complete chaos over here! All of my normal activities like couponing, grocery shopping, meal planning, blogging, errands, cleaning, just day-to-day living, has been a challenge.

The only things I could do comfortably were watch TV or read with a book/magazine propped up on a tray. I was bored, but it did give me a lot of unexpected time to think about my life, my priorities and scheduling. When you’re forced to slow down, it allows you to see more clearly. I didn’t realize how frantic the pace had been before, nor did I admit that I needed to make changes. Now, I get it and I’m willing to do it.

Not being able to blog or use social media felt really strange. I love blogging so much, being able to share ideas, discuss current events and interact with others. Even though I was MIA, numerous readers went out of their way to email or leave comments. A huge thanks to everyone for being so kind and caring. Marianne, especially, has been a true blessing, sending me daily eCards. Instead of my entire audience drying up when I couldn’t work, which I feared, the opposite happened, with incredible support and compassion sent my way.

So that’s what I’ve been up to. At this point, my hand still hurts, but I’m splint-free and I can type in short spurts. Expect to see regular posts going forward, provided I continue to improve. My enthusiasm is high, my functioning is low, but this blog will keep on going, no matter what!