The real essentials for surviving a blizzard

We’ve all seen those frantic pre-blizzard shoppers at the grocery store. You know the ones I mean. I’m talking about the women fist-fighting over the last loaves of bread. The dude loading his shopping cart with enough gallons of milk to destroy all the lactose-intolerant folks in the country. These shoppers (who will grab a 2-liter of soda out of your hands and run away with it like it’s a bar of pirate gold) are blizzard virgins. The rest of us, those who’ve survived a few blizzards, know what you REALLY need to survive when your doors are covered in ten-foot snowdrifts. But for all you virgins out there, here’s what you’ll need:

1. Chocolate and cookies. Let’s face it: if you’re trapped in your house for an extended period of time, what would you rather have: chocolate and cookies…or a loaf of bread? ‘Nuff said.
2. A comfy chair and a warm blanket. See #3 for more info. 
3. A Netflix subscription. Cue up a few seasons of whatever show you’ve been wanting to get caught up on and settle into your comfy chair for some quality binge-watching. I recommend The Walking Dead. What warms the heart more than zombies in Atlanta?
4. New games for the kids. When kids are trapped in one place for an extended time period with nothing to do, things tend to get a little Lord of the Flies. You’ll thank me later. 
5. A good book. Because after six or seven hours of binge-watching The Walking Dead, you’ll need a little break. (Trust me: after a while, you consider buying a sword and start drawing up plans for additional garage shelving so that you can stockpile water and canned goods. When this happens, pick up a nice romance or cozy mystery, or something.)

​You’re welcome, virgins. 
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What about you other blizzard survivors out there? Did I forget anything? Let me know.  ​