Hurricane Sandy is expected to kick the stuffing out of Massachusetts (and most of the East Coast) today. I don't treat the subject lightly, because these storms are very dangerous and people do lose their lives. Still, there is some part of many New Englanders that relishes dramatic weather. Certainly it helps with motivation for house-keeping, since it takes a threat of Armageddon to get the air conditioners out of the windows and the lawn furniture put away. This is related to how I clean the inside of my house. If I don't throw the odd party or have a dinner here or there I find it hard to care about the vacuum or a clear path through the clutter.
Luckily I haven't found a job yet, so I don't have to wrestle with my conscience about whether or not to go in and try to convince whomever that I am "essential personnel". The path of the storm is halfway between the boys' colleges, so they should be spared the worst of it, and Himself is on an all-day conference call from home, so unless the power goes out we're tucked in and cozy for the day. The wind has already begun howling, but we have another five hours or so before the storm really starts raging, and then we are in for it for a good nine hours. The temperatures are not frigid, so losing heat won't be a problem, and much of the tempest will occur during daylight hours, so if we do lose power I can amuse myself with the piano or a book. It might even be time for the semi-annual fake log in the fireplace. Usually I only remember to do that on Christmas Eve.
The drama of hurricanes and blizzards always reminds me of how little control we really have in the world, for all our technology. I watch in utter fascination as the sheer power of nature lets us know who's really the boss. And I bow in deference to the Maker of the winds, astonished to know that the birds will survive this and so shall we. Send up a prayer for the emergency responders, the television crews, the power company employees, and all those who will work today to keep us safe and informed. I will. And then I'll sit with my cocoa and stare out the window completely entranced.
Luckily I haven't found a job yet, so I don't have to wrestle with my conscience about whether or not to go in and try to convince whomever that I am "essential personnel". The path of the storm is halfway between the boys' colleges, so they should be spared the worst of it, and Himself is on an all-day conference call from home, so unless the power goes out we're tucked in and cozy for the day. The wind has already begun howling, but we have another five hours or so before the storm really starts raging, and then we are in for it for a good nine hours. The temperatures are not frigid, so losing heat won't be a problem, and much of the tempest will occur during daylight hours, so if we do lose power I can amuse myself with the piano or a book. It might even be time for the semi-annual fake log in the fireplace. Usually I only remember to do that on Christmas Eve.
The drama of hurricanes and blizzards always reminds me of how little control we really have in the world, for all our technology. I watch in utter fascination as the sheer power of nature lets us know who's really the boss. And I bow in deference to the Maker of the winds, astonished to know that the birds will survive this and so shall we. Send up a prayer for the emergency responders, the television crews, the power company employees, and all those who will work today to keep us safe and informed. I will. And then I'll sit with my cocoa and stare out the window completely entranced.
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