Sunday, August 28, 2011

Irene's Aftermath

Shortly after I shut my laptop down for the night, we lost power for about 10 seconds. Thank goodness. But others have not been so fortunate. I expected to wake up this morning and see mass destruction. But there were only a few small branches that scattered our complex. The courtyards have reatined a lot of water. But all in all, we were extremely lucky.

My parents spent the night battling the water that was coming in their laundry room. The sump pump and shop vac have done their jobs and have helped to protect their belongings. They still have no power and the fight isn't over. There was so much rain and the ground is so water logged, it could be hours before the water stops seeping in. Mom and Dad are very tired. It's things like that that make me thankful that I live in and apartment on the second floor.

Through all of this, the one thing that has totally stressed me out is what is happeneing to my Dad's boat. I'm aure my parents are a lot more stressed about it than I am, but that boat is my Dad's pride and joy. He would be totally devastated if something happened to it. On Friday, Dad and my brother went down to the marina to secure the boat as much as possible. So, we are hoping for the best.

The Jersey shore got hit the worst. The sea has made it all the way to the boardwalk and in some areas, like Long Beach Island, the bay and sea have met and the island is flooded. I am hoping that all of those that have been in Irene's path from the Bahamas to New york have sustained little damage. However, their has been a total death toll of 8 people; some due to their own stupidity (going in the water to surf) or from that natural events of the storm (one boy in VA was killed when a tree flew into the apartment.

Looking back, we were well over prepared for what our complex endured. However, I am happy that we took every precaution that we could and did not have to put emergency plans into place.

Once I can get some pictures, I will post them.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

And So It Begins

After spending the day watching the news and peering out the windows, have started seeing the beginning effects of Hurricane Irene. The rain is coming down heavier and the wind has picked up considerably. The gusts are also starting to come more frequently and becoming stronger. Irene is due to be here in full force in about and hour.

I'll admit, throughout today I was getting a little skeptical about the force of Irene. What we were watching on TV just wasn't matching what we were seeing out the window. I have made several attempts to take pictures of the bending trees and rain and since it's dark, it isn't working well. But I will definitely be getting pictures once the sun comes up and we can begin to assess the damage in the neighborhood. And posting, of course.

We are going to make every attempt to stay up as long as we can. I told my husband that I could sleep through this, but I'm thinking it is going to be a very long night. There is almost a morbid curiosity to see what Irene is all about and the true force of this thing. I have never experienced this type of extreme weather. I have seen reports of hurricanes from the islands and Florida, but never saw it with my own two eyes.

I am pretty certain that I will be losing power. Our lights have begun to flicker. There are many outages already scattered through New Jersey and Irene isn't even here yet, so I am going to put my laptop on charge so it will be fully charged when the power inevitably goes out and will make sure to keep notes and keep writing with the aid of my flashlight and will post as sson as possible.

Everyone keep safe...

Preparing for Hurricane Irene

New Jersey is a place where you usually don't have to worry about things like tornados, earthquakes and hurricanes. However, this week we have experienced an earthquake (small tremors from a larger quake in Virginia) and this weekend we are hunkering down for Hurricane Irene. This will be the largest hurricane to hit New Jersey directly since 1944.

I remember a few hurricanes in my life, but they never hit directly on top of New Jersey. We always experienced the outer bands. Irene, though is headed right for us and is expected to reach us by midnight tonight. As of yesterday, the state has called for mandatory evacutations of all the beaches and low lying areas and travel to the shore has been blocked.

It's scary really. We have been watching the news almost non-stop making sure we have the most up-to-date information available. The images from North Carolina (were the storm is currently) are down right frightening. The force of the winds (up to 80 mph) and the churning of the sea make you realize just how fierce this thing is and how much damage it can really cause.

So, even though we may have over prepared, I feel better that we have taken every precaution to ensure our family and belongings are safe. We have food. We have water. We have batteries. We have entertainment for our son. And we have entertainment for us. The laptops, iPad, LeapPad, and iPhones are set for charging incase we lose power. We have removed furniture from our balcony and taped our windows. And in the event that we have no power for a few says, we are prepared to head to my parents house a few towns over since they have a generator ready to go.

The lenses I ordered for my iPhone are due to be delivered today in the mail and I'm excited to get some great photos to share. My intention is to blog throughout the storm and document the chain of events that we are going to encounter, not only for others to see, but so one day I can show our son what his first hurricane was like. If I am unable to post, I will keep a running blog and upload as soon as possible. So, stay tuned for those and some pictures of what we are seeing.

Currently, the sky is cloudy and we have seen a few raindrops. The air, though, is very heavy and thick and oddly calm for what is coming. As I look out the window, there are people coming home with groceries and provisions.

For those of you that are or will be affected by Irene, please listen to the warnings and get prepared. Stay inside and do everything in your power to ensure the safety of your family, pets and home.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Ready for Fall

By this time of year, I start getting anxious for the fall season. I’m basically done with summer and ready to move on. I know, you summer lovers are probably cursing me left and right, but the summer in Jersey this year has been unusually hot and humid. We also moved to a new apartment and get the afternoon sun, so at times, it feels like our place is on the surface of the sun. The air conditioners are loud and to try and maintain a cooler temperature we keep the blinds closed. I feel like I am locked up in a cave!!!

Don’t get me wrong, there are many things that I will miss about the summer season. I’ll miss hanging at my Dad’s boat for a lazy Saturday afternoon. I’ll miss the taste of Jersey corn (locally grown and oh so fresh). I’ll miss tan lines, BBQs and the smell of the ocean. I’ll miss the feeling of sand under my feet and flip flops.

Fall is one of my favorite seasons. I love to decorate the house in fall colors and with fall décor. I love making soups and stews and chili. I love the sound of football echoing through the house and hearing my husband scream at the TV. I love the crispness of the air and having my windows open. One of my favorite Fall activities is pumpkin picking and walking through the corn maze. I’m hoping this year Brandon will help decorate the pumpkins. The rainbow of fall colors that decorates the trees is so pretty. I love the sound of leaves crunching under my feet. I love that the holiday season is coming and in our family, that is the biggest time of the year. It means really good food and lots of desserts. It’s a time where we hang inside and stay close as a family.

I have recently taken up photography as a hobby and Fall offers many opportunities for amazing pictures. Our cousins just moved back to Vermont and we have already planned a trip there in October. The scenery should be perfect then.

And without so many things to do on the weekends, I may even get a chance to finish that book….