Waiting for hurricane Irene....

Although we have some serious thundershowers coming through LONG before Hurricane Irene is a threat to this area, people are now gearing up to prepare for Sunday when the storm is predicted to visit.  If I watch the weather channel for too long, I get uneasy.  Much better to do the things needed, then engage in activities that have nothing to do with storm updates.  Too much information over and over feels almost cult-like in presentation.  So we will check our properties, batten down the light loose things, make sure we have plenty of water, bread, and easy to fix foods for us and the dogs, then gear our minds to other interests.  Today is only Thursday so it is a little early to don a long yellow raincoat and run around in circles crying "There's a hurricane a'commin'".  Laundry is clean, house is picked up, dogs are exercised, and life goes on.  When Irene finally shows herself on Sunday, we will snuggle in (just like we do for our nor'easters), have the generator gassed and set to use if needed, and just use the storm time to be close as a family, dogs, parakeets and people together.  We cannot control Mother Nature but we can control how we react to her. Being wise and prepared is much healthier than being ill-prepared and frantic.  May you all stay safe wherever you are.  If asked to evacuate, do it.  No materialistic item is worth a life being lost.  Take your pets, too.  Be safe!