Human Condition: Memories of hurricanes and corned beef | Entertainment/Life

In 2004, the state of Florida was hit by four hurricanes.

I remember feeling sorry for them. One hurricane per season is enough, but four is unthinkable.

I also remember listening to a radio interview with Florida Governor Jeb Bush. In the background, I heard someone yell, “Jeb, we need food.” I was thinking, “What?” It was the day after the hurricane. I’ve always heard that you should have enough food and water to last three days.

This would never have happened at my mother’s house. She took hurricane preparedness seriously. I think it was because she went through so many hurricanes.

Every time we emptied a milk jug, she rinsed it, filled it with water, and stored it in the garage. We easily had 20 gallons of water in the garage, plenty for drinking and flushing. She also made sure there were batteries for the flashlights and that our kerosene lamp was full of oil. We had candles too. Also every year she bought cans of corned beef, Vienna sausage and beans and pork, as well as boxes of savory biscuits. Storms might come, but we would have water and Vienna sausages to enjoy by candlelight.

Mom continued with full storm preparation after my two sisters and I moved out and had families of our own. Then, at the end of the season, she would hand out leftover food to us when we visited.

My father liked Vienna sausages and biscuits, but there was no way he could eat everything she bought. So we went home with corned beef, Vienna sausage, pork and beans, and biscuits. Sometimes I would take a steak sandwich to work for lunch. It’s actually not bad if you don’t read the ingredients label on the side of the can. And Vienna sausages are good for a snack while watching TV. And you can always use crackers.

We were never as diligent as my mother was in preparation. We would make sure we had batteries and candles. We would have non-perishable food, but things more to our liking. And now that we have a backup generator, we feel a little more comfortable having plenty of food. I still respect the power of hurricanes and prepare as best I can.

My mother has been gone for several years. She will never face the threat of hurricanes again, but I’m grateful she taught us about storm preparedness. And every year around June 1st, I think about Mom’s “hurricane food” and develop a strange craving for a corned beef sandwich.

— Goodroe lives in Greenwell Springs.

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