[BobS]

"Ash in the upper atmosphere makes a nice sunshade." It stays there for a long time. It's very light. Sort of like trying to pick up a white ash from a brushfire firestorm. It crumbles to nothing. When the sun appears to be a little bit more dim and red, pull on your boots. And dry-clean your parka. And hoard all the food you can. And beer, which is actually antiseptic canned water. And arm yourself. It will get very cold.

[patriciaruth]

Or a few drops of unscented liquid bleach in a gallon of water will decontaminate it. My stomach won’t tolerate alcohol....more’s the pity, as holing up and drinking seems a reasonable way to go.

Just remember that alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water and if your alcoholic beverage is left in the ice, the alcohol can freeze your esophagus on the way down if you drink it without warming it up, and that will kill you.