I think most of us on the Eastern Seaboard have had the Dexy's Midnight Runners' song "Come On Irene" running through our heads for at least a few days. Endless weather forecasts and then headlines were covered on the news, constantly updated the progress of this massive storm as it approached Eastern Florida and headed north up the coast towards North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and eventually through Massachusetts to us here in New Hampshire. That's not to say that other areas weren't affected and in the path of Irene as she went from a Category 3 Hurricane to a Tropical Storm.. no, indeed many, MANY people were affected in a variety of ways. The most widespread affects were power outages, with many areas not regaining power as of yet and estimates upwards of another 3-4 days before power is restored.
I lost my power for a moment about 11am, as I was comfortably sitting back watching local news forecasts of New York and other states close by that were seeing the storm just as it was about to hit us. It flickered and came back on a moment later, so I was relieved even though I was definitely prepared. I had my computer, cell phone and kindle all powered up, along with a portable DVD player so I could watch a movie in the dark. I wanted to reserved that as a last resort need though, for nighttime when there would be nothing else to do. And that is precisely how it played out.
About 1:13pm, my power went out once and for all. There wasn't any rain to speak of as that had passed earlier in the morning. The wind was picking up but even then I was surprised we lost power as I've endured far worse and maintained service. But you never know with power; it could be a tree, an accident, almost anything. So, I moved from a darker corner of the living room into a chair by the window so I could continue knitting my project in the grayish light of the whirling storm outside.
It was actually a very peaceful day provided I didn't look outside my windows to see the giant trees swaying like small branches. That was a little unsettling; if one were to fall on my roof, I would surely incur a great deal of damage. I did hear the tell-tale "thwap" of branches on my room but the felt and sounded more like branches slapping my roof rather then falling onto it. No idea if that's good or bad, just an observation.
So I calmly knit up the ends of one little sweater project and began a new shawl project, until there was so little light I would begin straining my eyes. I finally set up the little DVD player and watched "A Beautiful Mind" with Russell Crowe - a movie I've seen but could watch with a renewed appreciation since it had been a long time since viewing it. It was great, better then I remember. And it successfully drew my attention away from the uptick in wind speeds outside my window such that as I was getting ready for bed at 9:30 by flashlight, I was sort of amazed that it had calmed down so quickly. In fact, I was sort of shocked to learn that the worst was over. Had I missed it? All I had to show for this supposed Tropical Storm was no light and an early night to bed.
This is where I must speak to the truly humbling nature of a storm of this kind. I am grateful and supremely fortunate that I was not affected any more then I was. I was inconvenienced for one evening, as my power came on the next day. We all started to walk around blasting the meteorologists forecasts of a "Storm of the Century" and how wrong they had been. Well, hold up people. You might have been one of the lucky ones, but over 30 people lost their lives in this storm, and many more are suffering either without power for an extended period or worse yet, the extreme flooding that came after torrential rains overpowered streams and rivers in areas like Vermont, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The images that we are now seeing of these raging rivers is devastating and I am indeed humbled by the power of such a storm. We should consider ourselves very fortunate, whether you were inconvenienced or witness to the devastation in so many parts of the East this past weekend. Irene was mean, and we have to remember that each person experiences life differently. If you just had some wind and rain, be grateful. Be humbled. And be selfless in this time when your neighbors may be in need. I was very lucky, and I know that. I am very lucky.
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