Hurricane Irene

So there was that loveeelllly disaster that hit Alabama back in what, April/May time? I honestly can't remember if it was a Hurricane or a Tornado but it was NOT pretty. Towns, homes, schools were destroyed. People were injured and died. Reminiscent of Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.

Well, there has been talk about "Hurricane Irene." All week I have been thinking Yeah right....this is going to be a total joke! They'll make a big deal and then nothing will happen.

Well, crap I was WRONG. I was in complete la-la land up until yesterday. Until I watched the news while sitting at the GoodYear tire place getting my car looked at. It was then that I got FREAKED out. The news people are of course doing their job and informing everyone to get the necessities and prepare themselves for the storm. And by preparing, tying your furniture down, evacuating if you live on the water, board up windows (which my mother is FREAKING out about because we have a LOT of windows in our kitchen & family toom), etc.

We had CNN on pretty much ALL morning/early afternoon at work. Finally we had to change it because everyone was FREAKING out (aka all the employees). I live on an island....aka LONG ISLAND in New York. NYC has a mandatory evacuation...the first time in the HISTORY of the city. My friend lives there. She is not affected (she was the first person that came to mind). THANK GOD.

However, my sister-in-law Laurie went out to the Dominican Republic with her friends (this trip was planned before Hurricane Irene decided to dump on our lives.) She is now regretting taking the trip because it is killing her to be away from her three babies and her husband. My siblings, mother, and I would NEVER in a million years not check in on them during something like this. I have been updating her via texts because she has asked me to and will check in on them for her.

THIS IS SCARY. Like I think I have been through "mini" ones but not as bad as they are making it out to be (how ironic that I am watching Where the Heart is as I write this and they are having a tornado). I just went onto the Town of Islip's website and it has a light by village/hamlet of all the address that have a mandatory evacuation. Thankfully my house is not one of them although I am right off one of the main high ways so I'm sure this won't be pretty.

The brunt of the storm is suppose to hit between 8am-noon on Sunday. Will it die down after that? I surely hope so! Or maybe it won't be as bad as they think and it'll be SUPER weak when it hits. Will it start tomorrow night while I am at work? I am making a BEE-LINE for my car and getting out of there. I hope it doesnt start til after midnight. Or if it starts while I'm there that they send us home. Usually we have to wait for a call from the regional manager but I'm sure in a situation like this, it would happen.

The more I read about this (and even write), the more freaked out I am getting. So I am going to stop now and pray for the best. I will be charging my iTouch & iPod nanos to play, get some crossword puzzle books, charge my kindle, etc. And plan on sleeping a lot (if I can block out any noise).

I pray we will all be safe. Not just in Long Island but EVERYWHERE.
I pray my SIL can at least enjoy her vacation a little while she worries.
I pray I don't die or anyone close to me dies.
I hope everyone has a fun hurricane party.

And a random thought, just how many babies do y'all think will be created this weekend/upcoming week with no power?! Ha ha!

Hurricane Irene, BRING IT ON. Long Island is ready for ya!