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Monday, September 5, 2016

Not my first rodeo....


I am no stranger to hurricanes.  I have ridden out many a storm in this very house, an 111-year old Victorian on a small island.  As a child, my fears were allayed by the fact that the diamond pane windows in the house were explicitly made to withstand gale force winds.  I was too naive to realize the large pieces of glass below the diamond panes were not protected.  Thus, when my brother, Vance, suggested I play dolls beneath the 8 foot square picture window during Hurricane Carol, I complied.
Currently, Hurricane Hermine which had headed out to sea decided to change course and thrash us.  We have just lost power.  Nothing makes me edgier than a loss of electricity.  Last night I couldn't sleep for all the noise: windows juddering against their weakened frames, doors trying to break loose.  The wind seems to be coming from all directions at the same time.

The power came back within three hours, which is a downright miracle.  Many was the hurricane that left us without electricity or water (electric pump) for a week.  We had to go to the fire station to retrieve buckets of water.
We are silly enough to think that the endless hours and dollars we spend to keep the house upright will be enough to see her through.  I hope to God it does.