Tuesday, March 18, 2003

Triple Sealing
It doesn't get more surreal than this. Organizing the security room, we can clearly hear the neighbors on the floors above and below organizing theirs too. This building has sixteen floors. This must be going on all the way up. At one point the neighbors from the floor above come down to visit us and tell us that in 1991 the neighbors all chatted and passed verbal messages between the floors.

The security room is all ready with chairs, cushions, food, water, radio, games, first-aid kit... Gas masks and evacuation bags are all ready in a big bag by our apartment door. Our neighbor says she'll bring a TV. She's gone to take her elderly mother her gas mask.

Eldest is starting to be nervous. She says it's getting too real, what with preparing the security room, and picking out games to put there. I explain to her that it's mainly a matter of taking precautions. I do believe it's unlikely that we will need to use the room, or that anything will happen to us even if missiles are launched towards Israel, but it's better to know we are ready. I am more nervous that the war will not go as smoothly as the US hopes, than about Israel being involved. The Frog feels differently. Well, it doesn't really matter what we imagine will happen, as long as we are ready. We'll know soon enough.

Everyone is hoping the rain that started this afternoon will keep up. Rain is good for dispersing gas, should it arrive.

Update (11pm): Eldest just came looking for her inhaler. She hasn't needed it for months and months, even though we have had this cold rainy winter. Lucky I'd already packed an inhaler in her evacuation bag and there's one in the first-aid kit. It's also fortunate that she still has the kid's mask with the pump, which is easier to breathe with.