US East coast - how are you?

[Aino]

Just reading about scary Irene coming in.... How are all you members doing??? Drop in and tell us you are doing OK.

My wishes that this will pass quickly.

[esther_a]

I've been watching the map on this site: Hurricane Irene Tracking Map - NYTimes.com
It looks like the strength is dropping but the winds are still at 100mph!

[maureenreynolds]

Waiting.

Finishing up laundry so that isn't an issue. (I've been planning on leaving for Florida on Tuesday.)

[AllynD]

It's 7 a.m. here in the suburbs of NYC, and we spent the past two days bringing all kinds of stuff into the garage from outside-- lawn chairs and table, flower pots, trash cans, bird feeders, hoses, etc. It is amazing how much stuff we let accumulate outdoors! It was sunny yesterday, but late in the afternoon the sunshine had an eerie amber tint here (was I imagining it?)

We rely on a pump in heavy rains, so I tried to find a small generator on Thursday, but they were all sold out on Wednesday. Some people plan ahead! So, we have an inverter for our car and can use that to run the pump if we need to-- the car will be our generator.

It is just starting to rain lightly here, as I have my morning coffee and watch the news. I will call my brother in DC around noon. Storm is scheduled to arrive here late-late tonight.

[DonnaNJ]

I'm in Northern NJ.. sitting out on the patio this morning I was reminded of the saying 'the calm before the storm' heavy cloud cover 100% humidity but not a thing is stirring.. I think that's part of the reason people aren't paying attention.. hard to believe there is a monster storm heading for us.. stores have no bread, water or batteries left.. we'll just wait and see what happens.. most of Northern NJ is in the flood plain and that is the biggest threat especially with a storm as big and slow moving as this.

[DonnaNJ]

Not a big fan of our Governor here in NJ but this clip cracked me up.. it's just sooooooo New Jersey.. evidently he's become a big YouTube hit
"http://youtu.be/zgUZ1hU_YBM" you need to remove the quotes when you copy it

[readstoomuch]

Donna . . . love what Gov. Christie said! The left nothing to the imagination did he??? I've seen that clip on the news at least four times since last night.

[dugarner]

My dad (in Annapolis, where Maureen is!) said it's cloudy but nothing. Radar shows the outer northwest rain band right over him . . . he was laughing at how much the media overreacts over this weather stuff. The VA earthquake shut down the Capitol . . . now this "rain" that they'll get. It's no laughing matter for the Outer Banks and outlying areas on the East Coast, of course. But by the time it gets up the coast, it will most likely be nothing but heavy rain. And maybe a little wind, but nothing to be terrified about. Years in Florida and in the Coast Guard up in the North Atlantic have mellowed him out when it comes to Weathergeddon.

[katie pertiet]

we've started to get pounded with heavy rains in northern maryland... it's hours away from coming...

[AllynD]

Quite honestly, I am getting fed up with the news coverage and had to turn it all off. There is nothing but hurricane coverage on all the stations in NY. There are other things happening in the world! I put on BBC World News just to make sure-- Tripoli is without electricity or water, there was a horrible casino shooting and arson fire in Mexico, and on and on. All this non-stop hurricane coverage makes us all look very self-absorbed and small-minded.

[tylertooo]

Hoping all is well for everyone on east coast. I have 2 sister living in Conn. near long island sound, so it may hit them pretty hard, but they are not right on the coast, but still they are expecting major winds and 8 or more inches of rain an hour. Even on the west coast, that is all the news coverage as well, which is why I am on the computer now - TV is now off.

[dugarner]

Originally Posted by AllynD

Quite honestly, I am getting fed up with the news coverage and had to turn it all off. There is nothing but hurricane coverage on all the stations in NY. There are other things happening in the world! I put on BBC World News just to make sure-- Tripoli is without electricity or water, there was a horrible casino shooting and arson fire in Mexico, and on and on. All this non-stop hurricane coverage makes us all look very self-absorbed and small-minded.

Lynn, I think it was John Piper who after 9/11 was vocal about this perspective. While the terrorist attacks were a terrible, horrible thing---grievous for the families involved and for the psyche of our nation as a whole---horrible things on the scale of 9/11 are happening every day all around the world. And we pay no attention. Or we think about it for a day or two, then get back to our activities. Does the typical American give a second glance to the atrocities in the Sudan, for instance? You're right. When all the news media can cover is hurricanes, an earthquake, and the government's debt problems, we realize that we truly have First-World problems and it stops to make me think. And be grateful for everything I have.

Thanks for the reminder to look around and think about and pray for those outside of our borders.

[Aino]

I am happy it has been degraded.... hoping this will pass with less damage than first expected.

Lynn, I agree with your point of you. That is a good reminder.

Good luck everyone - I am off to bed soon. Hopefully the next eight hours will pass quietly albeit wet over where you are....

[jcaruth910]

Stay safe East Coast! Thinking of all of you that are in Irene's path.

[AllynD]

And thanks, Aino, for thinking of us!

[GoingtotheSun]

Just on and off rain here in Northern NJ so far. We aren't expected to get the heavy stuff until tonight/tomorrow. Everything is as secure as it's going to be inside and outside our house, so at this point, we're just waiting. I am dreading losing power, but I went to the library today and checked out the motherlode, so at least I'll have something to read until we get through this. Katie and those of you already getting hit with the weather ? I'll be thinking of you!

[beehive50]

Stay safe, East Coasters!

[katie pertiet]

so... correction... we *are* still under the tropical storm warning here in the upper chesapeake area... things are heating up, pouring rain, wind and the power is flickering...

[maureenreynolds]

Our power is on tho ds said some of harborside downtown Annapolis was without power when they left the USNA after grandson's waterpolo matches. That was around 3pm. So far good rain but we've had worse. I do love looking at our bamboo swaying in the winds. We also have a gas cooktop so cooking can always go on. That's good cause he wants to eat...again!

eta: DH used the microwave and the power flickered! I wonder if they've done any kind of a brown out.

[Britgirl]

wishing you all well ladies. thinking of you!

[Applechick]

"Not a big fan of our Governor here in NJ but this clip cracked me up.. it's just sooooooo New Jersey.. evidently he's become a big YouTube hit
"http://youtu.be/zgUZ1hU_YBM" you need to remove the quotes when you copy it"

I LOVE a straight talker - WTG that guy! LOL!!

...and thinking of all East coasters in the eye of evil Irene - stay safe!

Fiona

[esther_a]

Wow Katie! I see it has passed right over the Chesapeake area! I hope all is OK! (I found that google earth is showing its path too!)

[carollee]

Stay safe everyone.

[katie pertiet]

Power, cable and Internet have been out all night here... Thankful for a 3G iPad and a generator. It's still rainy and very windy here but now I hope everyone on long island and Paula and others in the Boston area are ok

[maureenreynolds]

Better down here than in the upper bay where Katie is. Power had a big hiccup during the night...around 10 something...we were both asleep but the flashing clock woke himself up, and he woke me up. Our microwave and oven didn't even get affected by it. Phone and cable just fine. (movies today???) A slight amount of water in the cellar but that can happen in any heavy rain with the dirt floor. We, apparently, got 5" of rain.

A friend who lives about one block from the USNA texted "leaves, just a lot of leaves". I still imagine City Dock could be flooded but for the stores sake I hope not. Irene was not Isabelle for us here.

[jdudleynet4]

So glad to see the last of Irene! Power was out here for about 7 hours, but VERY happy and grateful that it is back. 73% of the metro area has no power. Going out to take a few photos and check on a friend. Prob. not going to chuch - to get there, would have to go down a street with many old trees that have come down. :-(

How's everyone else in the path of mean ol' Irene?

-Jane

[DonnaNJ]

We're under a voluntary evacuation order here... have been advised by the nice young firemen that came to the door that we cannot leave in our personal vehicles... if we want to leave they will send a truck :-( The problems here will continue for at least a day and a half after the storm pulls out (the eye just passed us) the rivers are already several feet above flood level and will continue to rise thru tomorrow.. luckily our house is built up but many of our neighbors are not so lucky. Stay safe everyone

[Aino]

Oh my, that is scary.

Stay safe everyone.

[katie pertiet]

Still no power, tv or Internet here... It's amazing how big a part of our lives those 3 things are for us because going a bit crazy not being able to check email etc (not hooked up to my iPad because I get too much mail)... Hopefully it will come back soon!

[PaulaSG]

We have power (for now) -- it was out briefly. Lots of tree limbs down but apart from that we seem to be faring ok here in MA. Stay safe everyone.