Fires and Earthquakes and Hurricanes, Oh My!

Published on Monday, August 29, 2011 by Katherine

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In the last two weeks, I have experienced:

• Headaches from swamp fire smoke that has come and gone for months.
• Tremor Envy, because gosh darnit, I didn’t feel it!
• My server was hacked. AGAIN.  Sorry, everyone.
• The beginning of school, and the slow breaking of my summer loving heart.
• And of course, Irene.

Hurricane Irene was not quite as bad as some of the regular Nor’Easters we see.  The children and I stayed at my mother’s house, which doesn’t have old pine trees surrounding it like my own house does.

During the hurricane, we experienced typical rain and gusts of wind, all things we’ve seen before.  What I have not seen before that truly frightened me was the onslaught of tornado warnings blaring throughout  Saturday morning.

We just do not get tornadoes.  Not like some of you do.  Hearing warning signals from the television that were completely foreign to me caused sickening shivers to roll down my spine.  “This is a tornado warning.  If you are in the following areas, take cover immediately.”  This is the stuff of my nightmares.

Fortunately, we all made it through safely.

For those who did not experience Hurricane Irene, here is a quick video I made of a typical category one hurricane:

What did I learn from Hurricane Irene?

That a single tree can bring down the power of an entire neighborhood:

That our own local Andy Fox playing Superman can brighten even the scariest of days:

That my camping stove and coffee pot will always make things right:

That there is a bottom to my freezer, and to my refrigerator too.  Indeed, both are now completely empty.  <Note to self: Before the next hurricane, throw away your “already suspicious” food.  Because food that has warmed in a box for two days will ultimately make you wretch.  The older, the wretchier.  Today, I made that word truly happen.):

And that even the smallest of creatures need rescuing after a hurricane.

Did all of you East Coasties make it though OK?  And if you didn’t get to meet Irene, what natural disasters have you experienced in your life?