Hurricane preparedness

I’m in a pickle.  From what I hear there is a hurricane expected to slam Florida this weekend.  I just got back from Pittsburgh.  Had I been paying attention or watching the news instead of enjoying my family and friends I might have thought about staying in Pittsburgh…although that’s such a lie..it wouldn’t have crossed my mind at all. Although I knew a hurricane was brewing it was as tangible to me as an earthquake hitting China.  When I got back to work after returning on the 5:30 a.m. flight and everyone asked me what I thought about the hurricane all I could think of was the pile of work waiting for me and how tired I was.  STILL not thinking about it.  But as the day progressed and I got some caffeine in me I thought “hmmmm, better get some gas” which I did.  The water run not so successful and only ended up with 2 gallons of distilled water and a huge jug of Hawaiian punch.  HA!  I thought about emptying the Hawaiian punch and filling it with water. Now I think I’ll just drink the punch.  Yesterday was mostly filled with unpacking from Pittsburgh and separating my laundry piles in anticipation of laundry day (today) – I did call my mom when I went out for gas and said I was thinking of maybe heading up there because of this storm.  When you think about it that’s what my experience has been.  Remember last year when I left my beach house at 6:30 at night in a smaller tropical storm?  Well that was successful so thought I’d plan for that again for this storm too.

Today there was a bit more panic in the air.  Julia texted me early with her decision to stay here and went on a hunt for plywood – she got the last of it wherever she went.  I don’t even think she tried for water.  She probably has enough.  Then all the meetings started at work deciding on when to close campus.  An early morning email came out that said classes are cancelled as of noon tomorrow and students and faculty should go home.  Staff was to stay until 5:00 Friday.  Right?  LOL…but at the end of the day there was another announcement saying we will be totally closed tomorrow at noon and by Saturday nobody is allowed on campus.  Kids are told to go home or ride it out with friends.  No one is allowed to stay on campus.  It must be because it’s a private college cause wouldn’t you think they would make provisions to be an emergency shelter?  Apparently we are not that.

I’m doing laundry, watching the news, texting with friends.  Florida friends that I’ve communicated with still don’t know what to do for sure.  I see a split with people.  Those with homes and pets seem to want to stay.  A couple of people with babies and small children are moving to safer ground.  My friend at work asked what my “gut” was telling me.  My response?  My gut is awfully quiet.  She offered that I will know what to do when the time comes.  Again I was reminded of last year when I had my car packed (to move) and there was a storm brewing and although I had initially planned to wait out the weekend there was something on the news that triggered a response and I hit the road, in the storm at 6:30 at night.  I knew to go. And it was a smart move for the outcome I wanted, to arrive in Virginia ahead of the storm that was supposed to hit there (but didn’t).

Sooooo, I don’t know.  I mean the predictors and my family and friends are telling me to get out.  Jimmy sent me this today:

Pretty funny.

It’s not that I don’t want to leave but I just don’t know when will be the right time to do that.  That storm could still turn and head out to sea. But if it doesn’t turn it has occurred to me that if my windows are all blown out and my things are ruined, shouldn’t I be here to take care of that?  Rescue what I can? or maybe it doesn’t matter at that point as I will have nowhere to live anyway.  I guess at that point I just let the looters take it.

Not that I would mind a visit to my moms, and get my rain boots, but if it heads out to sea and I’m up there I have to turn around and head right back. I mean it’s 14 hours…one way…without sitting in a traffic jam.  Ya know?  And I don’t want to be in the “panic” traffic. I don’t know if the “panic” traffic is happening now – if it will happen tomorrow or Friday?  When does that happen? I’m kinda thinking about leaving tomorrow night although I’ve thought of leaving as late as Saturday incase it turns out to sea on Friday.  I could outrun it Saturday if it hits Miami in the morning but then that could really be panic time with people leaving and that would be the worst…getting stuck in traffic with a hurricane bearing down.

My main motivation to leave is, other than saving my life, is if it hits us or comes close, it could be a week or more without electricity and with the campus closed because of that, why would I want to stick around here when I could be in Virginia making biscuits for my mom.  Ya know?  And I’m out of Wegman’s laundry soap – just tonight ran out – so I could do a Wegman’s run, get the rain boots, see what else is at her house that I forgot about when I moved and wait out the storm, or storms if Jose ends up hitting here too.

In the meantime, look at these pretty pictures I took from the plane yesterday morning.

xoxoxox