Big storm Open Thread
I’m so sorry about the long silence today. In the morning, I took care of family matters. In the middle of the day, I went and heard Stephen Moore speak in San Francisco.
Since returning from that lunch talk, I’ve been prepping for the big storm: I shifted stuff in our back yard that could blow hither and yon, damaging the house; made a last-minute shopping run to make sure we will be comfortable should it be a couple of days before I can get food again; and cooked, cooked, and cooked. My goal was to have a whole bunch of stuff that wouldn’t require refrigeration or heating. I’ve made pies and breads and chicken soup (which does require some refrigeration, but which can easily be reheated on our outdoor grill if the power goes out). I have cans of soup, crackers, bags of gorp, boxes of cereal, jars of peanut butter, loaves of bread, etc. Given the gargantuan appetites of some of those living in my house, this bounty should last us up to 5 days.
The whole North Bay is ready and then some. All schools (public and private) in Marin County have been cancelled, and I’ve heard that the same is true in San Francisco. Businesses are also shutting down. The local police and the California Highway Patrol are sending out increasingly impassioned requests to people asking them to stay off the road and, if they have to be on the road, to drive carefully.
Sadly, tomorrow is the day I was supposed to take my Mom to see a spinal specialist to see if she qualifies for an epidural. She’s been desperate for this appointment, because an attack of sciatica a couple of months ago really laid her low. She was bedridden for two weeks, and continues to be in a great deal of pain — or at least to complain constantly about pain. If flooding prevents her appointment from going forward, I think she really might have a nervous collapse.
Near my home, for the past 24 hours, the city has been bringing sand and people have been showing up in dribs, drabs, and a few droves to fill sand bags. They’re wise to do so too. While I live in the hills, those who live in the flat land, right by the Bay, know from bitter experience that when the water rises their houses flood. The last time we had a big winter flood in my neighborhood was, I think, in 2002. That flood coincided with an unusually high tide, and the water was knee-deep on many streets.
I find wet storms exhilarating, but that’s contingent on my being in my house, warm and dry. I hope, though, that I never forget to say a pray for those who are forced to be out and about, as well as for those who find themselves in a dangerous or damaging situation when the storm rolls through.
If I have power tomorrow, I’ll keep you posted. And if you don’t hear from me, there’s a reasonable possibility that we’re sitting at home without electricity.
