Oh, the drama here! All the preparations, extra supplies, shutting down of computers, and storing of outdoor furniture was for naught.
We didn’t even lose power.
There are less leaves on the trees outside, but hey, it’s November. One broken branch in the yard. No flooding. No contaminated water supply. It’s all good.
When Hurricane Juan hit here four years ago, there was loss of sleep over howling winds and shattered windows. We really didn’t prepare because nobody here had much experience of such weather. Heck, the Groundhog Day hurricane in the 70’s found me outside, grabbing at fabulous photo ops.
I did not realize how profoundly Juan had changed our collective psyche until now. Sure, I look at the trees and will them to shed their leaves in October like they are supposed to, but that’s because I am a good citizen who does not want them to be such a target during high winds. I had no clue how much deeper the damage went.
Juan made landfall where I live. That winter, we had a blizzard the media labelled “White Juan”. It actually crippled the city more. So Juan was a big deal.
I missed a week of school due to power outages. Picture a geezer, studying by candlelight. It was pretty strange, because I was taking IT courses, but, by cracky, I had the theory DOWN.
My 95 year old Grammie called me when Juan struck. She was alarmed that I had not gone to an evacuation shelter. In my ignorance of all things hurricanical (I really love to make up words) I told her that I couldn’t go to one because it was raining outside. I love to shock and scare my Grammie, but that would be a whole other post.
Last night, I called Grammie because the storm centre was closer to her than it was to me. How I love that woman! She doesn’t remember so well anymore, and she was mildly disturbed because she could not find matches to light her kerosene lamp. When I expressed concern about the fumes of a kerosene lamp, she quickly put it all in perspective.
“I’ve been using this very lamp since I was a child, and I’m 95″. Good point, Grammie. Did I mention how much I love her? She’s a pissah, is my Grammie.
So the storm? I worked hard all day, cooking meat that would spoil when it thawed from the whole no electricity thing, cooking potatoes and veg and rice ahead of time, so that we could have cold, but well balanced meals. Made extra pots of coffee because when I need my caffeine, I can drink it cold if I have to.
Now? I feel a bit silly, but I did do what I was supposed to. Cold coffee, anyone?
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