Author: Derek

Due to the storm moving to come up right into Hillsborough, I relocated to my brother’s place, which is further inland.

1. I feel better not facing the storm alone. A near miss I can deal with
   and have dealt with. This storm is something else.

2. The cats did not like the trip over. Bucky, my big cat, rarely speaks. He cried out the entire twenty minute trip. Between that and not having eaten, I was emotionally wrecked.

3. It’s odd leaving your home of almost fifteen years and wondering if it will be there on Monday.

4. Best guess is we’ll lose power sometime tomorrow evening. Yay for Chem lights, flashlights, portable chargers, and lots of batteries.

1. The storm shutters have been located from where my ex-roommate hid them. Unfortunately, there’s a bunch of heavy stuff on top and they’re up in a high place. Fortunately, my adopted brother is going to come over and help me out.

2. We cleaned all the various knickknacks and plants and things from the outside of my mom’s place. I was thinking very bad thoughts about my sister-in-law, since most of the stuff was from her nesting.

3. Last minute food items were acquired. This included copious amounts of Coke Zero and a bag of Kit Kats. Those will be useful for Sunday night, because I really don’t expect to sleep.

4. My brother’s belief that in my house you are never more than 18 inches from a knife was reinforced. Really, it was just a little pen knife that I keep in the entertainment center for package opening.

5. My battery powered fan didn’t come in, which is annoying, but understandable. Fortunately, the big seven gallon jerrycans did show up late last night. Those will help reinforce my brothers’ supplies.

6. It’s the unknown that’s really causing me issues. I just have to remember that by Monday night/Tuesday morning, I’ll have my known problems and can deal with them.

My preps are decent. As good as budget allowed.

Worried about the wind because I don’t have any real storm shutters.

There’s this little tiny part of my mind – I get it from my grandmother- that is screaming in terror about this monster bearing down on the state. I’m trying not to pay attention to it because: a) it’s not helping me prepare, b) there are people who are looking to me for guidance (as if that ain’t scary all on its own), and c) being frightened is just draining.

This is more confessional than anything else. Hopefully, I’ll look back on this post in a week or a year and think “It wasn’t as bad as I feared.”

Now to gird up the loins, and go put on the brave face.

This storm has me more worried than I have about a tropical in quite a while. Of course, it’s been a bit insane around the homefront. Stores running out of supplies, gas stations out of gas, and people are going insane. I’ve been letting my prepper side run a bit wild.

For her birthday, my niece asked her uncles if they would take her and her friends to a trampoline park. This was accomplished, and the day generated some observations:

1. Trampoline parks are great for burning off the seemingly boundless energy of children.
2. It’s amazing how much I can write in a noisy place with constant interruptions of one or more children coming back to the table to rest.
3. It is adorable to listen to three ten-year-old girls discuss the chicken dance. Particularly if you should clap or peck at the end because “pecking is more realistic.”
4. The black hole that is my nephew’s stomach drives him to rather insane lengths in order to satisfy it. I’m almost tempted to get him a bandolier of snack bars to get him through the day. All in all, a great time was had by all.
5. It is still weird when I run into colleagues from work in non-work settings.