Things to do before everyone freaks out

It's that time of the year again when I start posting images like these:

This is currently *the* hot topic around here...on every news station, weather site, phone call, and friendly grocery store conversation:

Oregon has a fairly temperate climate, so when snow is in the forecast and temps are predicted to dip into the teens, Oregonians get nervous. Our local media takes advantage of this and soon every weather bulletin reads of imminent doom:
Chill is coming: are you winterized?
Coldest Weather in Nearly 5 Years Looms
Arctic Blast Bears Down on Region
9 Counties Now Under Advisories or Severe Weather Warnings

Being a small skeptic (and because our weather forecasters can be so terribly wrong), I tend to live by the "believe it when I see it" model, however, I also believe it's good to be prepared.

Preparation for me comes in the form of my personal priority list of things that need to be done prior to severe weather. An example of these things are:

Wash warm socks. I like warm feet:

Drain barn hose and shut off barn water for the winter:

Move Walter the wonder rabbit:

...from the way-too-cold barn:

...to the (warmer and closer) garage:

Lay down extra pine bedding for warmth in coop:

Get Vaseline ready (to prevent frostbite on chicken combs and wattles) if temps drop suddenly:

Put out extra scratch for chicken energy to keep warm:

Put up ceramic heat lamp in coop, just in case (I'm a nervous chicken mom):

Gather kindling for fireplace. Not nearly as much fun without the donkeys:

Make cookies. With extra dark chocolate chips:

Go outside with Jim after dark and fall over each other trying to turn off the outside water spigots:

And finally, sprain ankle. Yeah. Though, this wasn't on my original list - I added it on. I cleverly fell into one of those ugly potholes (the ones I've been griping to everyone about for a week) while trying to retrieve my garbage can in the dark:

If something is there, I will be the first one to fall into it, over it, or down it. That's just the kind of gal I am.

It's hard to tell from this shot, but it's turning greenish-yellow and I have no ankle. It's more of a cankle (no differentiation between calf and ankle):

Fortunately the swelling has gone down now to where I can pull my boots on and get around the property. Things are just taking a bit longer to get done.

"What can I do to help?" Bippity is always the first to lend a hand:

She ran away when I asked her to carry me.