My last post to Livejournal... [read below]

[wraithfodder]

...tonight, that is, because it's not a matter of if we'll lose power when Hurricane Irene plows through, but when. We always lose power. It never fails.  Heck, we got a light spring rain and some twig fell on a power line and poof, or everybody wakes up and  turns on their big screen tvs and blows the power doohicke on the phone pole. Although it's weakened to a category 1 storm, that's still up to 90 mph gusts. OMG, there goes the driveway. It's gravel. It's gonna turn into Grand Canyon. Drat.

The real beginning of the storm should arrive in about 5 hours, when heavy rains, then REALLY heavy rains around 1 a.m., then heavy rains and wind go throughout the night. But, having been through this hurricane stuff before, we knew what to do.

1) mow the lawn. Yes, god, mow the lawn. Otherwise by the time you get back power it will be a foot high and evil squirrels will be living in it.

2) get water and batteries. I got all that last weekend. I know how people panic. And the panic really hit Thursday where not a single D cell batttery was to be seen. I don't really need those, as I have C cells for the radio, and AA for the tiny flashlights. I also picked up (over the course of the summer) several large solar things-you-stick-in-the-ground-next-to-patio lights, and have them charged up. They last about 8 hours of semi decent light, or enough to highlight the halls, and then recharge during the day. As to water, I filled everything I could with water (we have a bunch of bottled water as well) because if power goes, we have a well, we can't get water. I left the wheelbarrow outside to collect water, plus some big metal pails, which will be so heavy the winds won't knock 'em over. Filling up the tubs in a few hours so we have water for toilets (yes, the joy of not having city water).

3) charged up the laptop, just in case, although if power goes, no internet connection. ARGH! charged up rechargeable AAs for walkman. charged up cellphone. Walkman also has radio in it so if power goes, I can listen to that.

4) got an audiobook from library (C.J. Box) and have several C.J. Box novels to read, plus lots of paperbacks.

5) cleaned house. nothing worse than dirt in house and no way to vacuum.

6) got my new car in the garage! Yes, it takes a hurricane for certain people in the family to move all their crap out and get my car in! Now as long as a tree doesn't fall on the garage...

And here are some of my emergency rations: book to read, Cheetoes (crunchy kind, the ONLY type to eat), Y2K (as in Year 2000 we're all going to die and the power will go out forever candles, and of course, nothing happened, so now I have lots of 120 hour candles for power outages), matches, and fresh baked brownies, which I burned a bit and my brother said oh  yeah, I could smell them burning and I said why didn't you say something and he said I like burned brownies. argh.... And birch beer, which looks better than a bottle of sherry. I mean, if the power stays out for a week, then I WILL be drinking the sherry I got for cooking chicken. I've been eating frozen food all week so all that's really left is chicken and some veggies, all barbecuable if necessary and oh yes, half a dozen Ikea sticky buns. Those are definitely emergency rations. Yum!



And that's about it. Hoping that it's not a horrid hurricane, but the local power company sent a notice out, which the towns distributed on their emergency lists, of the potential of power outages for a week, if not longer. The problem is this is the worst time for a hurricane to come. It's not that there's a good time, but if comes later in the fall, the trees are denuded. Right now, they're full of leaves. Not good.

And oh yes, I have two bitty frogs in the window well, I think they dug in, so I gave them a piece of wood in case water gets in. Don't want the little guys to drown. Meanwhile, we have covered several window wells with metal panels, but do expect some water  in the basement, but not a lot. The wet vac is waiting, and I've saved several old phone books to use as 'water dams' just in case.

Wow, just saw footage of Grand Central Station in NYC. Empty! oooh, ooh, great time to wax the floor!

Anybody else in Hurricane Irene's paths?

Comments

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

*****HUGS****** to you for a safe ride

BTW I see you have all the required nourishment
:P

[piplover.livejournal.com]

The only hurricane I was in I was 3. We were in Hawaii, my dad had to be on ship because they head out to deep water, and it was just my mom and my sister. We built a fort under the table and had flashlights and my mom read us stories.

Ummm, not really relevant, sorry. But it sounds like you're all set, and I hope you get power back soon!

[luveskane.livejournal.com]

Stay safe..

[rasmizar.livejournal.com]

I admire your pragmatism (and your brownies, even slightly burned they look yummy).
Good luck! :)

[negolith2.livejournal.com]

Be safe!

And, if you can, channel some of that moisture this way to help put out the two forest fires that are making the air here chewable....

[thefifthchevron.livejournal.com]

hooray for emergency preparedness - safe wishes and good luck!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Good luck! Enjoy the brownies! And the book. And the Cheetos (now I want some Cheetos).

I always find it odd how sometimes it takes the power company days to get power back on, and other times it only takes hours. When we had our tornado scare last year, I thought for sure it would be days before we saw power again (A blizzard had knocked out power in one area of Wichita for weeks), but it was only a couple of hours later when it came back on.

[cynatnite.livejournal.com]

Brownies and cheetos. I say you are well prepared.

Stay safe!

[cimmerdeux.livejournal.com]

That is a picture of the important things,good luck to you and be safe.

[d_odyssey.livejournal.com]

Looks and sounds like you have a good plan. Good luck and be safe as you ride out the storm.

[winter-elf.livejournal.com]

huh... for some reason I thought you were in the Mid part of the country...

Sounds like you have all the bases covered! Wish you could send the water this way. We're having a heat wave - though not as bad as Texas.

[nialla]

Chocolate is an emergency ration.

Stay safe! Not like some of the idjits I saw on a local digital sub-channel that's now piping an affiliate in the area. People were out walking in water that was mid-calf high and moving. If it has enough force, it can knock you over and possibly sweep you away.

[timespirt.livejournal.com]

Yeah, our power already tried to go out once. I suspect it will get worse before it gets better. I'm across the pond from you on Long Island. Will probably be shutting down soon but have the puter on battery backup just in case the power keeps snapping out.

[colls]

I'm in Baltimore, MD - we have heavy rains right now, and the wind has picked up.

I'd LOVE to trade you a few brownies for a few of my chocolate chip cookies. :D

[gigerisgod.livejournal.com]

i am! my husband is making hurricanes to drink when it hits.

[jedi40.livejournal.com]

Been hearing over the radio all the state of emergencies that popping up even though the storm has yet to hit. And my town is one of them.

[jeyla4ever.livejournal.com]

Damn, I wish I was in your house! LOL

Yes, I'm in CT and we are expecting it, hard here too.

The boys got their generator to play the playstation so as long as they have that, I won't go nuts! ;)

But be safe and God be with all of us.

[drufan.livejournal.com]

Good luck, she skirted us but I rode out the 3 that went through central florida in 2004. YOu sound ready.

Unbelievable!

[miscbills.livejournal.com]

I am in Oregon, west Coast,and I am watching the news. I really
can't believe Mother Nature is really mad!

Glad you're prepared.

[chayiana.livejournal.com]

My thoughts are with you and everyone affected. Stay safe!

[leesa_perrie]

You're well prepared - and with the essentials too (chocolate, buns, Cheetos)! Love your humour - that bit about waxing Grand Central station cracked my hubby and me up!!! :D

Now, stay safe - and yes, that's an order! Specially sent to you from Sheppard and co! *hugs*

[flingslass.livejournal.com]

Wow, I thought Category 1 was all wussy but this sounds huge! I saw the size of the thing on the news (after the footy report of course :)) and it was HUGE!

[pavaneofstars.livejournal.com]

Looks like you're all prepared - be safe!

[archersangel.livejournal.com]

Cheetoes (crunchy kind, the ONLY type to eat)

i agree.

the brownies look good, even if they are a bit burnt.

the ikea sticky buns sound interesting.

[i-cant-talk-now.livejournal.com]

oops, i think she has gone into radio silence.

I live in Northern VA, just outside DC. Irene wasnt much here, just a storm. Sunday, everyone went shopping. it was a bit like Black Friday, except it was beautiful blue sky and warm. Lovely day.
I also have (yumm, had truth be known) the IKEA chocolate bars. good price, and i like the hazelnut ones. I go to the one In Woodbridge Va. You go to the one in Elizabeth town?

Also the earthquake here was fun. Almost like Alaska, but without the impending death and tsunami warnings.