Mid-morning Friday I worried that my trash can would end up in the street, across the street, or in my next door neighbors’ yards.

My car was in the driveway and I’d planned to move it up against the trash can and garage door, so my garbage wouldn’t blow away.

By noon, the TV wind warnings included being aware that car doors might slam into you.

After opening the front door and looking at the waving trees and dust in the sky, I changed my mind. I knew I’d never be able to lift the big trash container if it fell over, or get up if I fell over.

By that afternoon, I chanced walking onto the porch and got the mail.

Once back inside, I saw on TV all of the damages on the west side of Stillwater near the Walmart where us Ya-Yas used to shop on our Hair Days.

And near to where granddaughter Katy lived while she was at OSU.

Then I saw an interview on TV with a Stillwater man whose family had packed up to leave their home and he said they even had their passports.

My passport expired years ago, but I suddenly felt the need to make a Go Bag.

Even my biggest purse wouldn’t hold all my medicines and a change of clothes.

I finally found a suitcase in the back bedroom and started piling stuff in it.

My nighttime inhaler was in the bathroom and that’s when I noticed my three little jewelry boxes on the counter.

So I grabbed them, too. “Those aren’t exactly the crown jewels,” I heard myself say.

But I decided they are family keepsakes!

I packedupmylate-Momma’s old watch, my sister’s 1940s necklace with blue flowers and one the flower centers is missing and one of the first rings that my husband had ever given me.

It had a pearl on it and there was another ring with a prong, but missing its pearl.

Cash! I needed money, and looked in all my hiding spots, and found $10 in ones from us girls playing left, right, center and $20 in a jacket pocket, but didn’t mess with my bag of pennies.

I wished I had more cash, but didn’t look for my bag of pennies.

Then I made sure I had my driver license, Medicare and insurance cards, checkbook and Visa in my purse. But I didn’t have a Real ID, so I put my electric bill in my purse.

Then I worried I’d forget to take my purse if I had to carry a suitcase, too.

Or even worse, what if I left my cell phone?!

Yep, I was in full-time panic mode...for about 20 minutes.

When the Pioneer TV service went out a couple of hours later, I lost my calm again.

That’s when I texted a couple of SOS’s.

A friend asked if I had electricity - and I did - so he suggested I go online, and get on Channel 9 TV weather.

It worked! Although I’d notified the TV people earlier, I still hadn’t heard from them.

Then I saw on my computer that “Fire Country” was on, so it was after 8 p.m. I waited for a commercial then tried to connect with my TV a couple of times, until it worked!

My world, which has included TV entertainment since the mid-1950s, was back.

My shoulders relaxed as soon as I sat on my buttocks dent in the couch.

Then Tuxedo-My-Girl-Cat jumped up on my lap and we both purred.