Phineas and I hunkered down in our apartment in New York to ride out Hurricane Irene. We were not asked to evacuate (though if we had been, we certainly would have complied). We stocked up on water and food, filled pots, pans, and bowls with water in case our plumbing went out. We stayed away from the windows as we’re up on the 17th floor of our apartment building. Phone and computer fully charged, movies and books at the ready. The girl scout in me was at her preparedness best.
Irene didn’t pack the punch near us that many feared, though Phin is never happy about any amount of rain. I keep telling him we should be grateful it wasn’t worse; he’s not having it. He just toddles off to his bed and flops down with a dramatic “hmph!” (See photo above.)
Pictures on TV from Long Island look awful – downed trees and flooding – though electricity for most seemed to be on. The storm went a bit further Eats which saved us in New York City. I am still glad that the alerts were sent out for all of us. I’d always prefer to hope for the best and be prepared for the worst. With these unpredictable types of storms, you never know what can happen.
Truth be told, I mind the rain and gray weather far less than most. I like the feeling of being insulated. I used the bad weather as a time of introspection and I’ve been able to stay productive. Lots of reading and writing, planning for Compass Yoga, and catching up with people via phone and online. It was a good reminder to me of how important it is to take time out and hunker down once in a while, and it shouldn’t take a hurricane warning to do so.
Christa Avampato 