The r(E)volution survives Irene

Thank you all for your kind emails, Facebook messages, etc. I am sorry we have not responded sooner. We are still very much handicapped, so to speak, with no electricity, no ‘net access, and limited cell coverage. We have spent well over our budget on fuel for the generator and have also lost a good amount of food due to 1/2 negligence and 1/2 “that is just how it is.” All is well though and we have MUCH to think about now regarding disaster response, preparedness, construction, etc.

Here is a rundown of what we endured though:

• 65+ mph gusts
• Driving sheets of rain for nearly 35 hours
• 2 downed trees
• A smashed pig pen
• A broken pig waterer
• A small leak in the storage closet
• Loss of late season cuke plants, a grape shrub, and the rest of our tomatoes
• A turned down fence
• More debris than I care to think about

Here is what Irene brought us:

• A great round of Checkers
• A couple of games of ‘Apples to Apples’
• Dinner by candlelight
• Scrambled Eggs on the grill
• Coffee filtered without a machine
• Aloud reading of Little House on the Prairie
• An excuse to tinkle outdoors

So, we are fine. Thank you. Crystal has been a trooper and even little Tilly Madison has made the best of it. Life without air conditioning is only bad because of its very title; CONDITIONING. We have conditioned ourselves to exist with false temperatures. It is amazing how quickly the body can adapt to warmer temps. Thankfully we have had water this whole time and a cool (read: COLD) shower before bed really adjust the body temp for a good night’s rest.

As we move forward in our construction we are now thinking a lot more about hurricane straps, tie-downs, natural land and wind blocks, proximity of trees, backup power, etc. We aren’t worried that we have been short-sighted. In fact, we aren’t worried at all. We are just doing what we do best: weighing the options before we spend a single penny!

I hope each of you faired as well as we did. Blessings to all…..