Friday, September 5, 2008

I DO NOT LIKE IKE

As I sit here at my desk today, it’s hard to get motivated. It’s Friday and I work from home on Fridays. A perk that makes my job much more bearable on days that make me question my career choice. My home office window looks out to my pool (which needs to be cleaned) and beyond that to my backyard (which needs to be mowed but is partially under water) and my citrus grove. (three cute little trees which need to be fertilized) What? Three trees do not make a grove? Hmm?

I’m usually a pretty cheap date, easily entertained and enjoy these simple pleasures in life. Having a window near my desk is important to me. But today the view is not so serene. Besides the reminder of chores listed that the view brings, it’s dark. It’s dreary. It’s raining. Not a lot but still raining. I was born and raised in the Midwest and as strange as it seems, this sort of day is usually a comfort to me. It’s my version of a snow day. The kind that makes you want to curl up with a great book, a cup of tea , get cozy and snuggle in. But not today. The television, radio and internet are all making it their business to inform me that there is storm out in the Atlantic and by most accounts is coming right for ME! OK, well not me personally. But that is how it feels. We’ve weathered these storms before. It’s not so bad. In fact, I have fond memories of coming out after a bad storm to meet my neighbors and making the decision to have a breakfast party, complete with eggs, bacon, toast, grits, cranberry juice and VODKA. No power, no problem. I cook with gas. Flushing a toilet, washing hands and taking a shower however, that’s a different story. We live in a rural area and our well pump is electric. But once the generator is up and going, no worries.

We are very fortunate and for that I am very grateful. We’ve never lost anything more than some roof shingles and our pool enclosure. The problem for me is not the storm itself, but the anxiety I feel before the storm about the possibilities of devastation. I feel guilty knowing that so many have lost so much during storms in the past and here I am feeling sorry for myself. I can’t help it. Logic plays no part in anxiety. The fear gets me in its clutches and won’t release me. I normally stay in denial until that is no longer a possibility. Shutters go up. Supplies must be purchased. Decisions to evacuate or stay put must be made. And the list goes on. This is the time when a margarita sounds really good but do I really want to be trashed when I might need to have my wits about me in a possible crisis. I’ll have to think about that one a bit……

I’m not alone. The anxiety affects all ages. I remember when we were preparing to evacuate for Francis a few years ago, D2 was insisting that she be able to take ALL her STUFF with her. We repeated numerous times that was NOT a possibility and so she refused to leave. Both MHS and BrainBuckets had to carry her to my car when it came time to leave. She sat beside me in the front seat with tears in her eyes, looked at me and said, “I hope you took a good look around because there’s going to be nothing left.” Once a drama queen, always a drama queen. Of course, that is not what happened and our home weathered that storm and many others since with minimal damage. But that fear still gets me every time.

I do NOT like IKE!

14 comments:

danielle schaaf said...

I don't like Ike, either. We just dodged the bullet with Gustav but Ike could decide to jog around and hit the gulf. I'm praying for an early cold front!

Smart Mouth Broad said...

The latest update has IKE dipping South and coming back up in the gulf. Let's all hope and pray that he just goes North and stays in the Atlantic and spins himself silly.

Got Xanax?

Lori said...

My daughter lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and so they are preparing for the worst right now. I hope you and your loved ones remain safe...I will be praying for you all.

Anonymous said...

Fear in the face of mother nature is a survival instinct IMO...nothing makes me (as a human being) feel smaller and more powerless than a heavy storm (and i have never been in one of the magnitude you southerners face multiple times each season)...and i think that fear is a result of realizing mother nature is one of those things we still can't control...

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Smiles-Thank you for your prayers and I will do the same for your daughter. We are a little North of Ft. Lauderdale in Palm Beach County.

Thistle-Thanks for stopping by and you are right, it does make you feel small and powerless.

Anonymous said...

Maybe you should come for a visit to California?!

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Twenty-four - Sounds good to me. Our local meteorologist just said we are most likely out of the woods now. Have to worry about our friends on the gulf side now.

Anonymous said...

I know you hadn't blown away two hours ago since you Twittered me (does that sound nasty?) but now I'm wondering "Where is Smart Mouth?" I love stormy days and I've lived in tornado alley all my life and even survived a tornado that wiped out half our town and I still love stormy weather but I think the flooding would be enough to send me packing. I have a friend who had a home in Pensacola and I use to go visit but the last big hurricane that hit that area leveled it. They finally moved to the mountains in Alabama because it was the second time they'd been hit hard. I'm glad you aren't affected like some.

Bear Naked said...

Hoping everyone in the area can stay safe and that the damage is kept to a minimum.

Bear((( )))

Stepping said...

I am amazed at the resilience of the people in hurricane prone areas. Every year you live in fear of these beasts yet you stay and you board up and you rebuild. My hats off to you!

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Midlife-Nope, I'm still here. I did spin myself out of control this morning (see today's post) but it looks like we've dodged the bullet this time. Now it's going into the gulf and we have to worry about (it looks like) Louisiana. Still too far out to tell for sure. My prayer is that it will just fall apart.

Bear - You are the sweetest!

Stepping thru - If the housing market wasn't so terrible and my kitchen was finished, I would be outtahere!

Anonymous said...

I was in Florida for Frances (and Charlie and Ivan and Jeanne). But Frances was my first direct hit. Even though we were far inland, in Ocala, we got quite the sampling of property damange, flooding, and power outages that lasted a week in places. So I get what you're saying, though the anticipation of hurricane is kind of fun . . .

KJ
http://nanadiaries.wordpress.com

Anonymous said...

Hugs for you. Hope all is well and safe.

Smart Mouth Broad said...

Nana - I was in the Ocala area for Frances too. That is where we evacated to.... not such a great idea as it turned out.

Fancy - Thank you. We ae in the clear and worried about Texas now.