calm before the storm? so long!
am i the only diarist on your buddy list updating on the hurricane? probably not. here on the east coast and in the gulf states, atlantic hurricane season is taken *very* seriously. right now, i'm still pretending to be calm.
but folks, it's a certainty--the hurricane's a comin' and i can feel it in my bones. no joke. isabel is expected to come ashore on north carolina's outer banks (near the state line). then it's projected come up through my state and possibly pass directly over my city, the eye and all. even though i'm three hours inland from the coast. oh goody. today was the "calm before the storm". a gorgeous, sunny day if not already a bit windy. by tomorrow, i'll most certainly be getting pelted by isabel's wrath. fucking bitch. go away.
now, i used to be amused at how people around here panic at the first hint of bad weather, mostly snowstorms. everything gets paralyzed. schools close when there's a dusting of snow. today i wasn't so detachedly amused, because for some reason, everyone (myself included) is taking this monster seriously. maybe it's a sixth sense thing. so anyway, i went to the grocery store to stock up on some extra gallon water jugs and D-batteries. and, well, the shelves were literally cleaned off. nothing. zip. ditto for all the stores i went to.
the biggest threat around here from hurricanes are torrential rain and flooding, tornadoes, and power outages from high winds. the latter is what i'm especially worried about because the city where i live tends to lose power easily and it is predicted that there will be "widespread power outages lasting several days."
i already have some candles and flashlights and water, but i wanted extras when i heard it was possible i'd be in the dark for a few days. i guess i'm ready. my kitchen is stocked up with non-perishables i.e. crackers & bottled water. (i also have chips and beer if anyone wants to come over for a storm party at my place to ride out the hurricane)! aw, you know you want to.
truthfully i'm not calm. i feel really panicky. ah well, maybe it's comforting to know that richmond and dc will still have it worse because of the rivers. well so long! i'm off to bed. seriously, pray that i don't get blown away by the wind or swept away by high waters. if i do, then so long emeraldtiger!
