Watching a hurricane approach is like being stalked by a giant turtle.

Once again Floridians are keeping a watchful eye on the tropics,  checking the National Hurricane Center website for storm track predictions and discussing  the various hurricane "spaghetti models" with friends and family.

Are you ready for a hurricane?

First, where will you ride out the storm? If live in an older mobile home or in a low lying area prone to flooding, you might consider finding shelter with family or friends who live in safer housing or making arrangements to go to a hotel.  Red Cross hurricane shelters will be opened, but these are shelters of last resort. They provide a safe haven, but not a very comfortable one. If you do plan to go to a shelter, make sure to bring your own bedding, snacks and activities to keep children occupied as well as the basic necessities for your family.

If you plan to stay home, do you have hurricane shutters or plywood ready to protect your windows? Do you have a generator? Have you tested the generator recently? Do you have fuel for the generator?

Are you stocked up on nonperishable foods? Do you have food for your pets?

In the Florida heat, you need to stay hydrated. Do you have containers to store water? If you normally drink tap water, you don't really need to buy bottled water; you just need something to store water in.

A battery-powered radio is helpful to listen to storm updates if the power goes out.

If you take prescription medications, make sure you have enough on hand to last several days past the expected landfall of the storm.

As the storm approaches, you can prepare. You can put up the hurricane shutters, bring in lawn furniture,  make sure your "go bag" is packed in case you need to evacuate, and updated family members on your plans.

When the winds are too strong to safely be on the road, it’s time to hunker down.

Floridians know about hunkering down.  

The word “hunker” is found in Scottish texts in 1720. Some linguists say it came from the Old Norse word “huka” which means “to crawl.” It was in used in print in the United States in 1902. In that reference it meant to provide stiff opposition to something, or “to dig in.”

So what to do while hunkering down and have some time at home? Some ideas from those who have lived through multiple hurricanes.

• Catch up the laundry: You might lose power during the storm. If your clothes, sheets and towels are all clean, that’s one less thing to worry about later.
• Bake something: Turn perishable foods (milk, eggs, butter, etc.) into non-perishable foods (cookies, muffins etc.) No matter what happens with the storm, it’s nice to have fresh baked goods on hand. You can also share baked goods with neighbors, first responders and the nice people who restore your power.
• Instead of depressing yourself by watching nonstop coverage of the hurricane, spend some time with the family playing games or watching a movie.
• Catch up on sleep. If your home is damaged by the storm, you’re in for some busy days ahead. If your home is spared, you will return to work refreshed.
• Call family members in other states to catch up and let them know you’re safe.
• Tackle a household job you’ve been putting off, like cleaning out a closet.
• Read a book. If the power goes out, use a flashlight.