Hurricane Irene coming

It's been a couple years since a hurricane really threatened our area.  Wow I dread it !  Gas is so expensive and the dang generator uses 5 gallons every 12 hours - ugh.  We do have the shutters that we just have to slide into place and screw down with their handy dandy spiffy screw down things ( not sure of their name!) We were lucky to get most of the shutters from the trash! yes people throw them out when they upgrade to roll down shutters -  But mom's house is all windows and despite buying plywood numerous times for her windows (one of my brothers) always finds a use for the plywood after the storm - Seems like storing it away numbered would be the best thing to do - but no one listens to me there.
Then there is food - and batteries - ice -gas for the grill - deck of cards - put flashlights in handy spots - candles and matches in bathroom.  When we put the sliding shutters on our front windows we wisely purchased 2 clear shutters so we get a little sunshine in and we can see out so someone (me) doesn't open the door to see what's happening out there.  I do get claustrophobic so the clear panel will help with that.  The oddest thing is almost all of the hurricanes that have forced us indoors - have "hit" during the night- so we can't see all the scary stuff - just hear it. Just praying the wind pushes it off our coast a little more so we only get some rain.