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Every now and then, I get a good idea. Sometimes, a home-related idea worthy of sharing will simply dawn on me; other times, it will be born and take shape from something that I have either read or seen on HGTV.

It doesn't happen every day, but it happens; one of these random, yet, brilliant ideas having been the flashlight; more precisely, flashlights located where they could easily be found whenever they might be needed.

I had come up with the idea that there should be a flashlight readily available in every corner of the house.

Although I no longer recall what may have prompted this brain storm of mine, it did require a shopping trip and my buying a handful of flashlights along with the appropriate batteries.

I then strategically stashed these new flashlights in various locations throughout the house. There was one in the entertainment center, in a drawer in the bathroom, in my nightstand, in a kitchen drawer, on the bookshelf in the hall and in the laundry room.

Of course, unable to predict when they would be needed, I didn't want to risk having the batteries explode within their compartments like batteries are known to do once they've been left unused long enough. So, I placed the batteries into zip-lock baggies which I had taped to each flashlight. This way, not only would the risk of the batteries exploding be nil, they could easily be found and inserted when needed. Then, my great plan took a significant turn in the wrong direction.

A couple of times, I let the children use a flashlight or two during the special occasion of a sleepover or nightmare after which the flashlight was quickly returned to its proper spot.

But over time, the inevitable demise of my grand scheme became apparent once the children started to request the flashlights for playing shadow puppets or hide and seek in the dark. Before I knew it, things were out of control and I had lost track of the coveted flashlights; none of which were where they should be and most of the batteries having died.

Of course, I had intended to replace all of the batteries and round up all of the flashlights; returning them to their designated spots, but I procrastinated and it never happened. The recollection of my good intention (as well as my procrastination) came flooding back to me while I prepared the house in anticipation for Hurricane Bill this past summer.

As I frantically searched the house for supplies (becoming increasingly frustrated at not being able to locate any of them), I recalled how I once had flashlights and batteries put away in every room for just that type of situation.

That day, I promised myself that I would stock the house, once again, with easily accessible flashlights; but as it is with many a good intention, I have yet to actually get it done.