Hurricane From A High Rise
Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 2:21PM When I moved away from the suburbs I left the white picket fences, the nosy neighbors and the sterile looking subdivisions behind, but it looks like there is one thing that has decided to follow me from my pre-NYC life: a hurricane. Hurricane Earl, if we have taken to being proper.
Before NYC I lived in Orlando. And while we may not have had the traditional four seasons there, we certainly had a season all our own: hurricane season. I've been through the tropical weather trifecta - storms, depressions and the grand daddy of them all, hurricanes. I was hunkered down for what felt like a month in 2004 when Hurricane Charley and then Frances and then Ivan, all decided to blow through Central Florida. I've been without power for weeks, ate at Cracker Barrel for days, dealt with gas stations lacking their big drawl, gas, for weeks and plotted out routes to get to the grocery store through streets layered in trees. Hurricane season? Bring it! Except, I thought I left that battle behind when I moved about a thousand miles up the East Coast into much cooler waters.
But it looks like Earl might shower me {yes, pun intended} with a new experience - a hurricane from a high rise {well sort of a high rise, my building is eight stories}. This will be a first for me. I'm not terribly concerned that my building is going to blow over, as the projected path is not showing a direct hit. Currently, it looks like 50 mile per hour winds are the max of our worries, although these things have been known to get wily. If anything, I am sort of looking forward to the grey skies and army of raindrops marching into town across the Hudson. Batteries, water and generators? I'm thinking a cup of warm tea, a book and a stash of candles.
If this is Mother Nature going into cahoots with the powers of the Universe to try and drop me back in the 'burbs Wizard-of-Oz style, I'll have you know, these ruby red slippers aren't going anywhere. We're content here. In an Oz of our own.
Reader Comments (6)
I grew up on Long Island and can confirm that while it's not anywhere near as common as in FL, an errant hurricane will definitely pay a visit from time to time. I was in 4th grade in the fall of '85 when Gloria hit. I was out of school and we were without power for a couple of days. My Grandmother lost power for over a week and made her afternoon tea by boiling water on a hibachi grill on her back patio (funny the details one remembers). I'm sure you'll be fine. My mother is supposed to fly out of LaGuardia Friday afternoon to come visit me - I'm just keeping my fingers crossed she makes it.
This is me not knowing anything about a hurricane until reading it off of a mommy blog. (My favorite one at that.)
Kat - Hope your mom makes it into town today! :)
Anthony - Glad I could serve as your resident meteorologist, although, I don't believe this hurricane is anything to batter up the hatches about!
Had no idea you lived in Otown! I myself remember those hurricanes...1 after the other...many lessons learned...during those storms I remember longing to be back in NYC....le sigh.
FrenchGirlRN - Yes! I lived there for six years. I went from Winter Springs to Altamonte Springs to Orlando (near UCF). Do you, or did you, live there as well? I still visit often. Some of my very best friends still live there. In fact, I'm heading down in October for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival!
Yes I do!! Just behind Disney....fireworks every night...LOVE Food and Wine...let me know when you are here!!