Kickin' it in MIA
Since moving to Miami as of last year I have weathered Frances, Ivan, Jeanne, Katrina, Rita..... and now Wilma.
Yes folks, I have made it through another hurricane...this one was the biggest deal so far for Miami since I have lived here. I still don't have electricity at my house and may not for another two weeks. But I am really enjoying the time off. The weather has been gorgeous (65-70), yesterday I took a two hour nap on an air mattress in my back yard. I have also learned how to cook many things on an open fire (last night we dined on rigatoni with homemade sauce).
I am blogging from work, the only place that I know of so far that has electricity. This hurricane was the scariest I've been through. We put up our shutters on Sunday afternoon and the storm came late into the night with force. For those of you who are reading this from outside hurricane stricken areas, hurricane shutters are usually heavy peices of metal that you bolt to your house over your windows and doors to keep flying debris and wind from breaking through the glass. So my house bunkered down for the storm. In total we had 12 people, two dogs, two cats, a mouse, and a chinchilla filling up a three bedroom house and all hoping that our house would not get struck too badly. It was a hurricane party of genuine proportions. The next morning we were all woken up by the sound of feirce winds and ran over to the windows (the parts that weren't totally covered by shutters) and peeked out to see what was going on. It was an amazing sight- trees being bent in half, debris flying through the streets. You could almost feel the house sway with the wind gusts. But everything stayed in place and our house (and houseguests) were all spared. So in honor of Hurricane Wilma I would like to list for you the things that I have learned:
1. Hurricane shutters are a very good idea. Who knew?
2. Too many people locked up in a house with too many pets is NOT a good idea.
3. Charcoal is VERY important when you need to grill all the meat in your fridge, your freezer, and your neighborhood.
4. Lighter fluid is much more fun than lighting a fire the "old fashioned way".
5. Power lines are not play things.
6. Do not go walking outside during a hurricane (some guy really did this and a tree fell on him).
7. Do not grill inside your home (seriously, they announce this warning with every hurricane becuase EVERY time someone does it...carbon monoxide ring a bell?)
8. Do all your laundry before the hurricane (washers and dryers don't work very well without electricity). Even so, locking yourself inside your house with piles of dirty laundry...gross.
9. Learn to enjoy cold showers (unless you are lucky enought to have a gas water heater).
10. It is not essential to sit in a gas line for four hours- just don't drive anywhere. Seriously, I don't know why people freak out so much...nothing is open anyway. It's like this knee-jerk reaction, oh no I don't have gas in my SUV...I should freak out and sit in line forever and while I'm sitting there forget that I am using up all my gas waiting in line for more gas.
11. Always check the tire pressure and oil level for your car. This is just good car care.
12. Do not eat yellow snow. This has nothing to do with a hurricane...but is always good advice.
13. Call you mother. Don't ask me why, but parents like to get a ring from you when you are in the midst of a natural disaster.
14. You do not need electricity to go shopping at the grocery store...just lots of cash.
15. If there is a line...get in it becuase it's probably a line for something important and what else do you have to do but waste time since everything is closed anyway. It's kind of a game and you get a suprise at the end. It could be ice or it could be dog food....you don't know, but somehow you NEED it if there is a line.
16. The following food items should always be consumed in the case of a hurricane: donuts, all remaining ice cream, chips, cookies, and pretty much anything else that you can get your hands on.
17. If you gain weight from the previous suggestion, than here are your excuses: Anxiety, depression, cabin fever, hurricane fever, hunger, boredom, multiple personality disorder....it could go on and on. But clearly it's not your fault.
AND FINALLY...
18. Do not move to Florida or any other "hurricane friendly" state. "Hurricane friendly" is just another way of saying it's only a matter of time before you'll get screwed, but enjoy it while you can.
Yes folks, I have made it through another hurricane...this one was the biggest deal so far for Miami since I have lived here. I still don't have electricity at my house and may not for another two weeks. But I am really enjoying the time off. The weather has been gorgeous (65-70), yesterday I took a two hour nap on an air mattress in my back yard. I have also learned how to cook many things on an open fire (last night we dined on rigatoni with homemade sauce).
I am blogging from work, the only place that I know of so far that has electricity. This hurricane was the scariest I've been through. We put up our shutters on Sunday afternoon and the storm came late into the night with force. For those of you who are reading this from outside hurricane stricken areas, hurricane shutters are usually heavy peices of metal that you bolt to your house over your windows and doors to keep flying debris and wind from breaking through the glass. So my house bunkered down for the storm. In total we had 12 people, two dogs, two cats, a mouse, and a chinchilla filling up a three bedroom house and all hoping that our house would not get struck too badly. It was a hurricane party of genuine proportions. The next morning we were all woken up by the sound of feirce winds and ran over to the windows (the parts that weren't totally covered by shutters) and peeked out to see what was going on. It was an amazing sight- trees being bent in half, debris flying through the streets. You could almost feel the house sway with the wind gusts. But everything stayed in place and our house (and houseguests) were all spared. So in honor of Hurricane Wilma I would like to list for you the things that I have learned:
1. Hurricane shutters are a very good idea. Who knew?
2. Too many people locked up in a house with too many pets is NOT a good idea.
3. Charcoal is VERY important when you need to grill all the meat in your fridge, your freezer, and your neighborhood.
4. Lighter fluid is much more fun than lighting a fire the "old fashioned way".
5. Power lines are not play things.
6. Do not go walking outside during a hurricane (some guy really did this and a tree fell on him).
7. Do not grill inside your home (seriously, they announce this warning with every hurricane becuase EVERY time someone does it...carbon monoxide ring a bell?)
8. Do all your laundry before the hurricane (washers and dryers don't work very well without electricity). Even so, locking yourself inside your house with piles of dirty laundry...gross.
9. Learn to enjoy cold showers (unless you are lucky enought to have a gas water heater).
10. It is not essential to sit in a gas line for four hours- just don't drive anywhere. Seriously, I don't know why people freak out so much...nothing is open anyway. It's like this knee-jerk reaction, oh no I don't have gas in my SUV...I should freak out and sit in line forever and while I'm sitting there forget that I am using up all my gas waiting in line for more gas.
11. Always check the tire pressure and oil level for your car. This is just good car care.
12. Do not eat yellow snow. This has nothing to do with a hurricane...but is always good advice.
13. Call you mother. Don't ask me why, but parents like to get a ring from you when you are in the midst of a natural disaster.
14. You do not need electricity to go shopping at the grocery store...just lots of cash.
15. If there is a line...get in it becuase it's probably a line for something important and what else do you have to do but waste time since everything is closed anyway. It's kind of a game and you get a suprise at the end. It could be ice or it could be dog food....you don't know, but somehow you NEED it if there is a line.
16. The following food items should always be consumed in the case of a hurricane: donuts, all remaining ice cream, chips, cookies, and pretty much anything else that you can get your hands on.
17. If you gain weight from the previous suggestion, than here are your excuses: Anxiety, depression, cabin fever, hurricane fever, hunger, boredom, multiple personality disorder....it could go on and on. But clearly it's not your fault.
AND FINALLY...
18. Do not move to Florida or any other "hurricane friendly" state. "Hurricane friendly" is just another way of saying it's only a matter of time before you'll get screwed, but enjoy it while you can.
posted by Juliet at
3:53 PM
5 Comments:
I am so glad to hear that you made it through yet another hurricane! You can always move back to Mid-West . . . it's safer here : ) But seriously, it is so good to hear from you and that you are safe! Let us know if you come up with any new grilling recipes during your power outage dining. Maybe you could put together a hurricane cookbook : )
By
Jarretts, at 11:48 AM
i second the hurricaine cook-book idea. i also totally agree with your observation about people freaking out over gas. makes no sense. but large mases of people very rarely ever do. good to hear that you made it through safely. i am insanely jealous of your beautiful weather though.
By
Sabrina, at 4:21 PM
I like how someone just used my blog to advertise...how strange!
By
Juliet, at 6:34 PM
Glad to hear you made it through the storm!
Another excuse to weight gain during hurricane-you have the same name as the hurricane and the constant teasing sent you to the cookie jar.
Love and miss you!
EM
By
Ryan, at 11:38 PM
I was definately entertained for the last few minutes reading your blog. Glad you survived...I almost called you to see if you wanted to hang out in Gainesville but then we got a call from Mioche & Rosie Rock, New Mission System's Haitian Missionaries. They (and their two kids)came up from Ft. Meyers to weather the storm.
By
Jen, at 9:48 PM
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