New Jersey was hard-hit from Hurricane Irene and although I had a foot of water in my basement and was without power until late yesterday, I am doing much better than others are.
Watching the news last night I saw towns completely washed away by the hurricane. Getting back to "normal" is going to take time.
For my family it means cleaning up our home from the flood waters and hoping that our washer and dryer still work. Small things compared to what others are dealing with.
As many as 40 lives were lost due to this storm and "stuff" can be replaced but life cannot.
I rode out the storm with 4 of my kids and after it was over I was grateful that my family members were all safe.
Losing power was difficult but my neighbor put it all into perspective for me. He is from Bosnia and he told me that growing up he was happy to have food to eat. As we discussed when the power company would restore our electric, he seemed fine with waiting it out.
I thought about the boxes of cereal and jars of peanut butter I had bought in anticipation of the storm. Sure, we would get tired of eating this but hey, we should be grateful to at least have it. So many have nothing at all.
As Americans we are spoiled- no doubt. A storm like Hurricane Irene can remind us all just how fortunate we are.
It's my life and it's now or never. I just want to live while I'm alive and while I'm living I'm sharing it here - totally raw and all Jersey!
Showing posts with label hurricane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hurricane. Show all posts
Life Goes On
A few days ago it was an earthquake. Now here in NJ we are awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Irene.
Although the news is bombarding us with warnings, I really am trying my best to distract myself for their foreboding of doom.
Aside from preparing my basement and making sure that my family has everything they need, there is not much else that I can do.
I expect that there may be flooding, I live in a home that has a pump and hopefully it can keep up with the 10 to 15" I heard we might get. I have a huge oak tree in my front yard and with winds over 80 mph, well, I have no clue what could happen. I would rather not worry about what if's. It just seems like a waste of energy to "borrow trouble".
I will be here with most of my family and that is all that matters to me.
No matter what, all I can do is just weather the storm. Mother nature is going to do whatever she pleases.
Although the news is bombarding us with warnings, I really am trying my best to distract myself for their foreboding of doom.
Aside from preparing my basement and making sure that my family has everything they need, there is not much else that I can do.
I expect that there may be flooding, I live in a home that has a pump and hopefully it can keep up with the 10 to 15" I heard we might get. I have a huge oak tree in my front yard and with winds over 80 mph, well, I have no clue what could happen. I would rather not worry about what if's. It just seems like a waste of energy to "borrow trouble".
I will be here with most of my family and that is all that matters to me.
No matter what, all I can do is just weather the storm. Mother nature is going to do whatever she pleases.
Hurricane Earl
As of 5 p.m. today, a hurricane watch went out for Cape Hatteras up to the North Carolina/ Virginia border. Living on the east coast where I do, we are far enough inland that we don't usually worry about hurricanes.
But, this being Labor Day weekend coming up, my kids and their dad are grabbing the opportunity to take a mini-vacation down the shore. Wildwood is almost a tradition for my kids and this year they managed to get it in before the official end of summer. Now it looks like they may be spending part of their vacation dealing with rain and winds.
It's not like we haven't been through this before. I remember one year we planned a week in Wildwood only to have a hurricane threaten a direct hit and then turn at the last moment. It was cold, rainy but we still managed to have fun.
Hurricane season for many means being prepared and having a hurricane kit ready. A hurricane kit should include water, food that doesn't need to be heated (in case you lose power), candles, matches, flashlights, batteries, prescription medication, cash (yes- cash- what if you cannot get to an ATM) and anything else your family cannot live without. Having stuff ready to entertain your kids like maybe board games that you can play together as a family.
Even if you do not live on the coast you should still be prepared for the heavy rains and winds that accompany a hurricane. If you have a basement, take a look around and make sure you are not storing anything on the floor that might get wet if you sometimes get flooding in your basement. Take a look around your patio also. Secure garbage cans and anything that could easily be taken away by the wind.
Remember that it is a holiday weekend and banks will be closed on Monday. The storm (if it is to hit where projected) will probably affect the NJ/NY area sometime Friday night into Saturday. Depending on where you live, you could experience rain, wind, a combination of both or maybe nothing at all. Hurricanes are unpredicatable but being prepared is not hard to do. It can save you money and aggravation.
But, this being Labor Day weekend coming up, my kids and their dad are grabbing the opportunity to take a mini-vacation down the shore. Wildwood is almost a tradition for my kids and this year they managed to get it in before the official end of summer. Now it looks like they may be spending part of their vacation dealing with rain and winds.
It's not like we haven't been through this before. I remember one year we planned a week in Wildwood only to have a hurricane threaten a direct hit and then turn at the last moment. It was cold, rainy but we still managed to have fun.
Hurricane season for many means being prepared and having a hurricane kit ready. A hurricane kit should include water, food that doesn't need to be heated (in case you lose power), candles, matches, flashlights, batteries, prescription medication, cash (yes- cash- what if you cannot get to an ATM) and anything else your family cannot live without. Having stuff ready to entertain your kids like maybe board games that you can play together as a family.
Even if you do not live on the coast you should still be prepared for the heavy rains and winds that accompany a hurricane. If you have a basement, take a look around and make sure you are not storing anything on the floor that might get wet if you sometimes get flooding in your basement. Take a look around your patio also. Secure garbage cans and anything that could easily be taken away by the wind.
Remember that it is a holiday weekend and banks will be closed on Monday. The storm (if it is to hit where projected) will probably affect the NJ/NY area sometime Friday night into Saturday. Depending on where you live, you could experience rain, wind, a combination of both or maybe nothing at all. Hurricanes are unpredicatable but being prepared is not hard to do. It can save you money and aggravation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)