So Hurricane Sandy hit Manhattan. It has been quite an interesting, and harrowing, three days here on the island. I almost wish had kept a journal of my experiences, but alas I did not. However, if I had, this is pretty much how it would go:
Sunday, October 28th
7:00pm: Are they seriously shutting down all of our transportation systems? I mean, no one actually believes this hurricane is going to be a big deal... But on the other hand, this means that we all get a mandatory day off from work for no good reason! Win. Win.
Monday, October 29th
9:00am: Woke up only to realize I can sleep as long as I want because I have the day off! And it's not even raining! I might as well check my emails from my bed. And I might as well eat in bed. Hell, maybe I'll spend the whole day in bed. What is stopping me?
11:00am: naptime.
4:00pm: Seriously, I wonder if the media is hiding its head in shame right now. There is still no wind or rain. I sort of feel like I'm getting away with murder. As I lie here in bed.
5:00pm: Went outside for the first time today! I walked all the way down to the river to see if maybe it felt like a hurricane three blocks away. And I was actually quite surprised to find the river gushing up over the bulwark and onto the path. I took a lot of pictures which I will definitely and totally upload at some point.
7:00pm: My mom hurridly cooks all the food in the refrigerator while she still can. I make fun of her from across the room because come on. We all know this "hurricane" is not going to be a big deal.
8:30pm: Con-ed warned us hours earlier that we might lose power... But no one really believed them. We made it almost to high tide at 9pm (the height of the storm surge) when, suddenly, the lights flicker and dim to 50%. Everyone in our house holds their breath. The lights return fully! Everyone breathes an audible sigh of relief. Then the lights go out for good.
8:35pm: I laugh like a fool because life is an adventure and our current adventure is life without electricity. Let the games begin! This will be fun. For the next few hours or so, which is about as long as I can see this lasting.
9:00pm: I am convinced by my boyfriend and my dad to walk down to the river to see high tide. This is the highest it will be in our lifetime! They say. I am thoroughly intrigued, but thoroughly nervous. We bring flashlights and our small dog, James. Within half a block James (who is 15lbs) is blown so hard by the wind that he falls into an upturned trashcan. I get the sense that the danger is more imminent than I've been led to believe. I make everyone walk very, very quickly.
We get down to the water's edge and it is incredible. The water has come up past the river park, over the highway, and has come a quarter-block further inland from there. I have never seen anything like this before and likely never will again. I take lots of pictures but it is dark, and my iPhone is near useless in the dark.
After I witness the majesty of nature, I am fully ready to return home as quickly as possible. The wind is not too terrible.. until it gusts and it shakes everything around us and I know that if a tree fell... we could be seriously injured at best.
On the way home, I see five fallen tree branches. BIG tree branches. When we are all safely back inside, I feel incredibly relieved.
That was quite enough adventure for one night.
Stay tuned for Part 2: We Sill Don't Have Electricity, Even Right Now!
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