All Alone In Frankenstorm!

The storm, whether you call it 'Sandy' or 'Frankenstorm' has resulted in many people being isolated and away from the rest of the family and friends. Isolation. Not a good thing. For anyone. Especially in a weather emergency.

And then I remembered. Upstairs at my house, all alone, there is... (Well the good news is, it is NOT my mother! She's a smart woman, she's not where the storm can reach her.) It's my daughter's wedding gown. And the wedding gown, like many people in this storm hangs alone. The dress is the lone occupant of the upstairs of our house.

 My daughter, husband and I all decided our best option was to sleep downstairs--but I woke up at 3AM and realized we had left my youngest daughter's wedding gown upstairs. Upstairs where if we get a roof leak it will get damaged.

It was the last thing I thought about as I was getting my house 'storm ready.' No one on the news reminded me to move wedding gowns to a safer location. Frankly I forgot it was up there. Why didn't she keep it at her apartment? Now I have one more thing to worry about.

If I evacuate I can see it now, my husband, my oldest daughter, my guinea pig and 'the dress.' Come on, stop laughing, how could I leave it? But somehow I doubt the people at the shelter will be thrilled. They won't be thrilled with my pet, let alone "the dress." There I'll be, the old lady with the cane, the guinea pig cage in tow and a wedding gown thrown over her shoulder--please pray my roof doesn't leak and we don't have to evacuate!

I wouldn't be so worried if our roof was in better shape. It survives normal storms but this one, I have some serious doubts. So if you see a woman at the shelter where you are, wedding dress and guinea pig in tow, well, you'll know it's me. Come over, say hi, and offer to hold the dress for me, just for a minute. Do you know how heavy those things are?

Thankfully her wedding isn't this weekend. I feel so sorry for brides who were supposed to get married this weekend. Usually this is the perfect time of year to get married--not this year. Not if you live anywhere on the east coast of the United States.

I'm thinking, wedding insurance might not be a bad idea. Her wedding is in February. Yes, it is time to buy some wedding insurance. Just in case we get a big snow storm and she can't have her wedding that day.

So, if the dress survives, Tuesday or Wednesday I'll be on the phone getting quotes for insurance. One more wedding expense... If it doesn't survive, I'll have to break the news to my daughter... not so good. Brides don't take kindly to ruined wedding gowns.

Yes, it's been moved now. (I dragged it down the steps in the middle of the night so it could 'sleep' with the rest of the family.) So it wouldn't be isolated and alone if we got leaks. I'm not sure it will save the dress if we get leaks downstairs but I've done my best... one more time.

Fighting Frankenstorm!

As most of you know our area is in the path of Sandy, a tropical storm/hurricane depending on which weather forecast you are listening to. All of us are scrambling around trying to secure items that are outside and get ready for a possible three days of power outages and nasty rain and wind. Here are a few of the things you might want to think about doing (it's never too late to start unless you're at the shore and under mandatory evacuation.

• Matches or something similar to light candles. The last storm (yes, I'll admit to it, we didn't have any matches. Which of course was my fault, I made my husband quit smoking. While in theory it was a great idea, it meant we didn't have matches! Yikes!)
• Batteries for a battery powered radio, clock, or flashlights. (with backups!)
• Food that doesn't need refrigeration. Peanut butter? Beef Jerky? Or something you can keep heated up with Sterno.
• Bottled water.
• A list of emergency phone numbers programmed into your cell phones. Police, ambulance, contractors, tree surgeons, electricians and plumbers, heating contractors and your insurance company. Your phone numbers for family members.
• Rake up leaves that might block sewers once it starts raining. This is critical.
• Have a first aid kit and be ready to use it.
• Have you ice maker keep making ice. Just keep emptying it into zip lock bags. The fuller your freezer the longer your food will last. Have a cooler? Some of those cold blocks you freeze in the summertime? Be sure to have those on hand too.
• Have a basement that floods?(I know mine will if my sump pump isn't working) which happens whenever our electricity goes in the middle of a storm. Either get a pump with a battery back up, or better yet a generator(which will likely cost a fortune.) Also be sure to get a supply of buckets and mops for cleaning up water.
• Bring in or tie down: trash cans, grills, patio furniture or anything else that's loose outside.
• Park your car in your garage or away from large, older homes without a garage park your car as far from trees as possible. This storm may knock down some of the older trees.
• Pack an emergency kit in case of evacuation. All medications, toothbrushes/paste, whatever you think you might need. A first aid kit would be a good idea. Take emergency documents with you. (See www.readypa.org)

This is by no means a comprehensive. Be safe. Be dry.