Hurricane (What Else?)

If a blog is written but never gets posted because the power goes out, is it still a blog?

While I started writing yesterday's blog, before the big noise that turned our apartment black, I was nowhere near done. I have restarted several times since then, but the truth is, this hurricane thing has resulted in so many awful things happening to people I know, it's hard for most of my ideas to seem all that important.  But now that I'm in a place where I can actually post, I will share a few of my reflections on these last few days, perhaps in the hope that they will provide a laugh or at least some bit of normalcy for those people who have been reading faithfully every day.

Rain Day--
Monday, as we all sat home--no school, work, or subway--all I could think about was how much weight I would gain in a situation like this (remember, chips were part of my hurricane supply list!)

Night One--
A big noise, then darkness, so no post tonight (hey, even soap operas have been preempted in weather emergencies!)  And what's a little darkness?  We'll just go to sleep (of course, my kids see darkness as an invitation to stay up and talk--so maybe we won't just go to sleep).

Night One Continued--Sirens in the Night--
I was okay with the dark, but when I woke up several hours later to the sound of sirens--not a few sirens, but a constant stream of them, plus a constant hum of ambulances, I was not so okay.  Inside our apartment all day, I could see rain and wind, but somehow, the sirens in the night remind me that this really is an emergency.

Day Two--Cooking With Gas--
I felt almost decadent being able to light our gas stove with a match and cook most of our eggs and all the varieties of stuffed pasta from our freezer.  By mid-afternoon, though, when we've heard we may be without power for days, we have decided to jump ship to relatives in the Bronx who have power.  I feel slightly traitorous as we make our escape (when I'm not feeling nauseous walking down 18 flights of stairs to do it!)

And thus, this blog is posted.  No "wrap it all up with a bow." I guess the hurricane has blown away my focus along with all the trees.  Best wishes for power, safety, and good health to all.