T - 2 days...

There's no scenario where we aren't going to get slammed with Irene, but we are about as ready as it gets.  Most of the hazards are put in the sheds, which will be crushed by the neighbors loose trees no doubt.  A few more things to tie down in the yard Friday evening, but there isn't much else we can do.  Luckily, I didn't even have to go to the store, we are set for food and water, propane, lamp oil and all that stuff, we only had to get fuel for the generator.  Problem is, is cost $60 for fuel that will run it for only about 2 days, so most likely we'll admit defeat on trying to keep freezers going and instead use the generator sparingly for an hour or so each day so everyone here and our next door neighbors can have showers and flush toilets.  We have enough non-perishable food on hand so while losing the freezer contents is sad, it's just a minor inconvenience in the larger picture.  Safety and comfort is more important.  We've been without power for 10 days before, so I don't expect it will be less than that and if it is, then I'll be happy.

Warning: Rant!

I've got 22 years of weathering hurricanes and Nor'easters out here, so at this point I've got the system down, although I believe this time there are going to be a lot of people out there caught off guard.  When did it become "cool" to put people down for preparing and laugh at people stocking up on supplies, roll their eyes when they hear of someone making evacuation plans and make comments like "oh, whatever...it's going to be lame like every other storm"....?  I've overheard stuff like this in stores, random hurricane partiers being interviewed on the news, Facebook, you name it, and it really gets to me.  Did any of these people even live in this country the past year?  Watch any of the horrible weather related events that have taken place?  Were they laughing when watching footage of Katrina or Andrew or any of the other horrible things that have taken place around the world?  Hey, us "preppers" like to party with the best of them, but we just make sure to secure out families first.  So what if we take a few days to tie down our lawn furniture and put away our tomato cages so they won't hit the non-preppers out partying on their deck next door?  So what if we do it for every hurricane, even if it doesn't bring the worst?  It's easy enough to put the yard back together when the threat is gone.  Who do you think the first people are to offer help to others after the storm?  Yep, the ones with propane, chainsaws, the cell phone that is actually charged and ready to go...  and hey - we are the ones with a generator to power that margarita blender!!!

Of course, you all are awesome and never say things like this, but I need to vent!  I'm choosing to vent to you since there's a bit of prepper in each one of you, so you "get it"... no?  - then let go of that canner, LOL!  See?

Look at the amount of tidal water in my area, hence our area's nickname of "Tidewater", VA... if you enlarge it I'm right at about the number "25" to give you an idea...

Another random tip that can only come from having made this mistake before....

...get all that fish and seafood out of your freezer and use it up, losing power certainly won't improve it's quality or make your house smell good LOL...

Completely non-related stuff... dried dill was finally bagged and put away, but I can't really think of anything I use dill seasoning for in winter?  :)

Well, I hope to keep checking in right up until the power goes out, which will be sometime Saturday.  We lose power when you look at the lines sideways, so there isn't a scenario where we will keep it.  The garden is certainly toast, but really does it matter in times like this?  I'll be overjoyed if my car's window aren't broken and my roof is intact and my family is safe.  Right now there have been no evacuation orders so I think we are good to stay, however if things change the officials need to issue the order tomorrow in order to get everyone out.  The roads are a problem here and all the Outer Banks people have to use the same road out that we do, and they definitely have priority, as they will bear the brunt of it.  Wow, this time last year we were in Ocracoke - sure glad we aren't now!

Other tips for new-to-hurricane'ers:  this is learned from my own experiences - get your cash and fuel NOW.  I can't stress this enough.  After the storm, if you can even get out of your street (since power lines and debris will be blocking it), you will find there is no cash left in the ATM's to dispense, fuel tanks at the gas station will be empty (and no trucks coming in to refill them), and there will be no ice to be had (if you are lucky you will get a lottery number for "a" bag once you make it to the one store that has an ice delivery - and it will be melted when you get home).  The worst part is definitely the aftermath of the storm, not the storm itself.  I pulled out what little cash there was in the account, and I will probably bounce the couple of payments that were scheduled to come out on Monday, but hey, desparate times call for desperate measures, right?  You have to secure your family first and foremost, and I can't imagine not being able to have the cash to leave if necessary, the other things can be worked out later.

The Navy here is currently moving all the ships out to sea and flying hundreds of aircraft out to greener pastures, so I imagine hubby's phone will be going off like crazy in the coming days as they enter Hurricane Condition.  There are many military families here that will be left to weather the storm without their spouses due to the deployments and flight schedules, so keep them in your thoughts, but there's nothing like a Navy wife to keep it all together... LOL of course I'm biased, though!

Back to the laundry I go... then to charge up cameras, phones and the Kindle! Hey, I'm a blogger, so you know I need that camera and have a little "stand out in the hurricane like an idiot" in me LOL!