[OldPilot]

Good to hear you're fine FTT.  You at Mickey D's?  That is an interesting mental picture to have in my head! 

Yea well at least they have free internet and are a free wifi connection when you need one.

[Mitzpah]

Glad to see all the posts and to know that y'all are fine! Still looking for news on Wondering, though...
FTT, good to know the dogs got through it too, were they scared?
Here in Brazil, we are relatively free from these 'natural' disasters, we have flooding sometimes after heavy rain but that is about as bad as it gets.
I hope electricity is restored soon!

[Thundarr]

Glad to hear everyone checking in.  Hopefully things will be beck to normal for you before long.  And FTT, McD's steak and cheese bagel is very good. 

[forthetrees]

T,
Can´t eat the bagel or the cheese:(
Just met another neighbor, so the storm is not all bad.
But... ins. does not cover my massive tree damage. Sigh, there goes a vacation or two or three. And I was planning to whoop it up over xmas break. Oh well, still have a house and the precious pupsters.

[LettingGo]

I took my daughter out yesterday searching for firelogs..... you know, we just moved into a new house and I forgot about the fireplace, LOL!!! I don't want to burn wood in it because it's a small, builder's grade one and my past experience tells me "put one of those candle gardens in there" but the neighbor reminded me we could use it for more than decorative purposes, LOL!! Lo and behold, there were areas with power, and I found plenty of logs, lighters and potato chips no problem!!!

Made a mental note as to the gas stations with power and fuel... swung by my thrift store to find that it was open.... well, when things get tough, the tough go shopping in America!!! Managed to piddle around WalMart hoping their tv display would have the news on, but no luck with that.... thankfully, I have satellite radio in my truck so as long as we were in it, I could listen to cnn and I dug around and found a car charger for my cell phone that works intermittently... basically, you wave the plugged in phone around until the blue light on the charger comes on, and if your arm is way up in the air, or practically under the seat, then that's how you drive!

We went home late in the afternoon and I suggested to my son that we all go out for Mexican food... telling  my kids it was possible we could get power later on... might as well have a hot meal! Got to the restaurant and slid right in to a booth in the bar area... no waiting!! Bar is better because we were in tv withdrawals... all sports though, no news!!! Anyway.... when we left at 7pm, the place was PACKED and the wait looked to be about an hour or more for a table... same with the other restaurant across the street.. decided to stop at WalMart and get book lights for something to do in the dark and then went home to read under comfy covers..... after passing neighborhood after neighborhood with no power, we started to count the houses that had lights on..... "There's one!!!" and rounded the corner to our little enclave to.... LIGHTS!!! My kids cheered! YAY!! CNN!!!

Heat was on, new fridge kept everything cold for over 24 hours..... we are really, really blessed, and as we heard the reports on CNN while driving around all day, I kept saying to my kids "We are SOOOOO lucky, fortunate and blessed....." I'm not sure they really "get it" because we just really didn't suffer any hardship at all... My Mom is in lower Manhattan.... no power expected for several days, but she has an illegal gas bathroom heater and stove, so the neighbors were over at her place cooking yesterday.... her husband lives in Philly and didn't lose power at all, and I imagine he will go get her as soon as the bridges are open...

I put my AWOL husband on NC status as soon as he bolted for ow's on Saturday in response to her threats and emotional blackmail.... he's been desperately trying to contact for days... yesterday he offered to get us hotel rooms if we wanted.... I finally answered and just told him we were fine... he allegedly broke up with ow AGAIN..... at least in his mind, LOL!!

FTT, you're welcome to come stay with me, but my yard isn't fenced yet, so I can't accomodate the dogs!!! I guess you will be just fine with your wood stove... I've seen how resilient you are, and there's always Mickey D's for tv and internet, right?

The bank I work for NEVER CLOSES!!! EVER, EVER, EVER!!! We're like the post office..... but no power means no bank and they are going on three days now being closed!!! I was already scheduled to be off today and yesterday... kids out of school, so it's turned into a mini vacay.... we're just wondering about Halloween and trick or treating.... going out later to get more candy...." just in case".

So happy to have my internet back, but it is very slow and unreliable at this point..... so many people without power and flooded homes to deal with if they can even get out.... I am truly counting my blessings, and I'm grateful that while I was driving around with my cell phone up in the air to get power, MammaBear kept me company!!!

[LoveMeMyself]

LettingGo,

    My post has absolutely nothing to do with the weather/storm but after reading about your fireplace I just had to respond.  I have a prefab fireplace which has NEVER been used before.  I have kept a "hearth candelabra" in it and only lit the candles a few times.  I've just placed an order for one of those electric fake log burning fireplace inserts!  I'm just so excited about it.......can't believe something like this makes me giddy!  It is also remote controlled!  It plugs right up into a regular outlet.  I have one on each side of the fireplace so that makes it handy.  I read all the "specs" on it and can use it with or without heat..........the "fire" display can be used without heating.  I understand from the specs that it also "crackles".  I'm just busting at the seams about it.........can't wait to see how the kitty cats react to it.  So, yep, you can do more with the fireplace.  Just thought I'd share.

    I also want to say I'm so glad you and your family survived the storm.  My thoughts and prayers are with all the others as well.

    ((((HUGS))))

[calamity]

See Learning's thread for reports on Learning & on Wondering.

[forthetrees]

Thanks for the offer LG - my neighbor up the road (and miles and miles via tree detours) has offered showering privileges and tomorrow, I´m taking her up on it. Moved to the more chi chi (sp?) cafe at the grocery store- quieter and complimentary coffee today. I did hours of branch cleanup today. Cooked on the grill and have the wood stove going. Tomorrow... I´m going to use one of my flushes (got 4 toilets so I am rationing the flushes). Yeah, excitement takes on a new meaning in the post-Sandy era.

Here´s my hurricane ditty: http://soundcloud.com/raquelita-rhinestone/hurricane-blues-ii

Be safe- trees can still topple.

[LettingGo]

FTT..... there's nothing better than a hot shower!!! NOTHING!!! While your property is so beautiful and exceptional, I don't envy you your tree cleanup... my MLCer had already taken a chainsaw to the forest in our backyard, so the brushpile was already there, and not much more came down!! However, we've moved into one of those neighborhoods where everyone gets the rakes out the minute a leaf falls, so our yard is not exactly up to snuff, LOL!! I'm just not that ambitious!! I like to wait until they ALL fall, and THEN clean them up!!

Mr. LG came home yesterday WEARING HIS WEDDING RING!!!!! What sorcery is this!? I went out to run some errands, and when I got home (with a twin mattress from the old house in the back of my truck) he was out talking to the neighbors about Halloween activities..... he asked our son what the mattress was for and he said "It's for YOU" right in front of everyone, but I don't think they were paying attention.... anyway... we had a nice evening.... watched "The Dictator" (which I give 3 thumbs down) and then I went upstairs to my wonderful, comfortable King sized bed and left him in his comfy mancave bed.... new rules. I like seeing the ring, though..... as long as we're moving forward, it's a good thing.

Off to work after being home for three days....one kid has school, and the other one doesn't.... husband home to take care of her, so all is good.

[Alwaysthere]

To all members in NJ an NYC area,

   I was on the thruway upstate today.  Saw many guardsmen heading south. Plus lots of tree removal vehicles.  It is good to see help going to where it is so sorely needed.

Hugs

AT