Hurricane Irene Update
Sunday August 28, 2011 - 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
Good morning DS Friends! While I have posted a few comments the last 24 hours, I felt to just write a brief Journal entry would be the best way to let you all know that Smallville did NOT get washed away or blown away as Hurricane Irene bore down on the Chesapeake Bay area overnight.
Our power went out around 1:00 a.m. this morning. Jake the Cat woke me up to let me know that Tom had gone out to the garage to start up the generator. By the time I got downstairs, the lights were back on and Tom was in the kitchen rustling around. I checked the BGE website, and at that moment, more than 1.2 million customers in Maryland were out of power. Crap! I didn't know there were that many people in Maryland!
Got up a little after 7:00 a.m. and I see a lot of branches out here on the patio and on the ground behind the hot tub. I always thank my lucky stars when none of these HUGE trees around my house come down in a storm -- they are all over 50' tall -- and while I always complain about what it costs to have them trimmed, it's worth it. "The wind has to be able to MOVE THROUGH the branches" is what the tree trimmer guys say, so I just pay it and consider it good insurance.
I haven't been outside yet to inspect for further damage. Rio spent the night in the barn and I haven't yet seen her peeking around the corner of the barn for breakfast, but I am headed down there shortly. I am wondering how many (if any) trees may have come down across my lane...but I'll worry about that when the time comes. Neither of us have to be anywhere until Monday, and we're not going to kill ourselves over it first thing this morning!
The rain has mostly stopped, but now the backwinds are starting up. Forecast is for VERY WINDY this morning and into the afternoon. We're got a stockpile of food, booze, movies and books to keep us entertained. Jake & Woody INSISTED on going out already, but my guess is, they won't venture too far off the patio with the wind blowing like it is. Taterbug & Rosa are afraid of the sound of the generator, so my guess is, they will inspect the storm damage from inside -- Rosa is perched in one of the sunroom windows as I write this.
For the rest of you who live in the path of this storm, BE SAFE! Thanks for all your messages and hugs expressing concern for us here in Maryland. Even though "Smallville" is 160 miles WEST of the Atlantic Coast, the winds and rain from this storm were very far reaching.
Good morning DS Friends! While I have posted a few comments the last 24 hours, I felt to just write a brief Journal entry would be the best way to let you all know that Smallville did NOT get washed away or blown away as Hurricane Irene bore down on the Chesapeake Bay area overnight.
Our power went out around 1:00 a.m. this morning. Jake the Cat woke me up to let me know that Tom had gone out to the garage to start up the generator. By the time I got downstairs, the lights were back on and Tom was in the kitchen rustling around. I checked the BGE website, and at that moment, more than 1.2 million customers in Maryland were out of power. Crap! I didn't know there were that many people in Maryland!
Got up a little after 7:00 a.m. and I see a lot of branches out here on the patio and on the ground behind the hot tub. I always thank my lucky stars when none of these HUGE trees around my house come down in a storm -- they are all over 50' tall -- and while I always complain about what it costs to have them trimmed, it's worth it. "The wind has to be able to MOVE THROUGH the branches" is what the tree trimmer guys say, so I just pay it and consider it good insurance.
I haven't been outside yet to inspect for further damage. Rio spent the night in the barn and I haven't yet seen her peeking around the corner of the barn for breakfast, but I am headed down there shortly. I am wondering how many (if any) trees may have come down across my lane...but I'll worry about that when the time comes. Neither of us have to be anywhere until Monday, and we're not going to kill ourselves over it first thing this morning!
The rain has mostly stopped, but now the backwinds are starting up. Forecast is for VERY WINDY this morning and into the afternoon. We're got a stockpile of food, booze, movies and books to keep us entertained. Jake & Woody INSISTED on going out already, but my guess is, they won't venture too far off the patio with the wind blowing like it is. Taterbug & Rosa are afraid of the sound of the generator, so my guess is, they will inspect the storm damage from inside -- Rosa is perched in one of the sunroom windows as I write this.
For the rest of you who live in the path of this storm, BE SAFE! Thanks for all your messages and hugs expressing concern for us here in Maryland. Even though "Smallville" is 160 miles WEST of the Atlantic Coast, the winds and rain from this storm were very far reaching.
Replies
Glad to know you and Tom are alright. I hope his foot continues to get better and that he gets back on the bike or in the air sometime really soon.
I knew that you were rather inland and did not even think about you and Irene going out to shoot the breeze! LOL! It is good that it did not come in that far. I have a friend in Brooklyn and she is wigging out right now. However, last I heard, she was well stocked and had things already prepared to eat should anything bad happen. It is strange to be half way around the world and to even think about the states from here. I have kept up with the rest of the world when I was there. Now, I am not all that interested in what happens in the US. Of course, natural disasters and the human suffering they ential will always be important to me, no matter where they are in the world. Hugs. Neesie
POST SCRIPT to my Journal entry:
Hey folks...there are a total of 1.2 million BGE customers in Maryland...only a mere 952,000 are out of power. Duh...Sorry about that. Hadn\'t had my second cup of coffee when I wrote that.
I\'m glad to hear you are doing well even without regular power. There are probably going to be a lot of people not working until power is restored.
So glad that u r ok
08/28/2011 10:25am
I\'m glad you are safe. Also hoping their isn\'t too much damage around you.
\'Irene\' has come through NJ also, and everything seems ok, except for the flooding and water in my basement.
I totally agree about the tree trimming. That\'s good news no severe damage was done. (((HUGS)))
I\'m happy to hear that you didn\'t have any severe damage. I hope both my kids in New York will be able to say the same thing. It\'s certainly been a \"weird weather week!\" First the earthquake, now the hurricane. I hope this is the last of Mother Nature\'s surprises for a while.
Zouga - Hurricanes are weather; Earthquakes are something else -- but nevertheless, it kind of makes ME wonder \"what\'s next?\" The backwinds are kicking up now and we have had a brief period of sunshine. Unfortunately, I\'m not quite motivated YET to go out and start picking up sticks and debris. Did a little of that this morning after feeding Rio, but it\'s pretty overwhelming and Tom is going to be limited as far as how much he can help. So I will deal with it a little bit at a time. Thanks, everyone, for your replies here.
:) L~
Kathy i\'m so glad to hear you are both safe and sound. Please don\'t over do it lifting heavy branches and trees ok. I swear you cowgirls are some tough cookies. I could never be a cowgirl it would mess up my mickey nails hahaha. Sending you lots of prayers and hugs.
I have been busy starting school,so I\'ve been away from the site. I didn\'t even think about my dear friends who might be in harms way. We had some wind, but that was all--blustery, but brief. I\'m glad all of you are safe.
Generators are great. Enjoy the time you have together this weekend and glad everything is still in one piece.
Just glad to hear you all are OK.
Tamara
Kathi
Glad to hear you and Tom weathered this one without too much hardship and damage. (Sorry could not resist the pun! :-) )