Waiting for Hurricane Sandy near the Chesapeake

Here we are in Annapolis, in late October waiting for a nasty storm of possible biblical proportion. As this is written, the weather folks are predicting getting hit early Mon morning with winds in the 60-80 mph range. And of course heavy rains. So if history is any indicator, we will lose power about the second hour or earlier of the winds picking up, and then we start checking the sump pump to make sure the basement doesn't flood. We fill up all the bathtubs with water, because we have well water and the pump won't work without power. The longest so far we have been without power in the past was 4 days. No showers, food spoils in the freezer, and the water in the tub is strictly for refilling the toilet tank assuming either one of us needs to use the bathroom. Too bad it isn't Lent, we could give up that pesky habit for the duration, or not.

I'm trying to decide if I want to make a hotel reservation before all the rooms are taken. The power grids are set up to accomodate newer developement (like the mall, hotels, etc). But even they tend to have at least a brief interuption of power. I guess I should look up methods to heat soup on the gas grill outside, unless of course it is swept away by the winds. Trees will come down, and all along the highway there are very old trees, we don't have many close to the house but we will probably be losing a lot of branches.

I hate to sound like a whiner, but I don't mind the peanut butter sammies or power bars (yuck) so much, it's not being able to take a shower and wash my hair in warm water, or running water to put a fine point on it. Glitterbag would not have made a good pioneer, nor did she like Girl Scout camp. But we do have batteries and flashlights, candles and matches and even if we and all the rest of the region are hit hard, figure a max of 7 days to live with peevish complaints. Downright spoiled when you consider what our troops in Afganistan have to deal with. Enough whining for right now, I guess I'll buy some more bottled water and those gag inducing trail mixes and other survival provisions.