...And away we go...
Well, he LOOKS intimidating.
He's moving fast (17 mph), a category four with sustained winds of 145 mph. Hurricane winds extend 90 miles from the center, tropical storm winds 230 miles.
The beach has been evacuated...Shitty timing for us to lose our last big weekend of profits in this economy. State of emergency declared...National Guard called up...all that.
I'm sure there's not a loaf of bread to be found in three counties.
I don't know for sure, but I was told that they handed out those "in case we find your bloated corpse" bracelets on Ocracoke. Sick as it sounds, I've always wanted one of those to keep as a souvenir.
Currituck county suspended alcohol sales. Since my whiskey stash is long gone, I can't help but wonder if Pasquotank was equally cruel. If so, I hope locals had the forethought to take "Port Condition Whiskey" seriously. The idea of a bunch of dry hurricane parties makes my heart hurt...That would be worse than a Methodist wedding with an alcohol-free reception.
Nevertheless, it seems that no news or weather service can decide whether we're going to get a bit of drizzle and wind or a giant mass of watery doom. I guess it all depends on those little turns and wobbles they always make right before Hatteras. I've given up on trying to make predictions. At this point I just shrug and say, "Well, it's not like we're going to be in suspense much longer."
***
I did indeed spend my birthday preparing for the storm...probably insuring in the process that we won't get shit out of it.
I didn't do anything major...no boarding up windows or the like. I just cleaned up in case people in trailers and such needed to evacuate here and so that, should we be without power for a few days, the house won't be completely skanky.
Dug out candles/flashlights...filled water jugs...all that good stuff.
Today all I have to do is bring potential projectiles inside, make enough tea and coffee to keep me caffeinated through any power outages and remember to check my mail.
I only slept about three hours. Hurricanes do that to me...I guess I react to the general feeling of anticipation in the air.
It's overcast and there's almost no wind. We've had that pre-thunderstorm feel for a couple days. My nose is stuffy and my ears keep popping from the pressure drop.
I wonder if, before TV and radio, people here paid attention to these things and knew what they meant.
Other than my pained sinuses, it's a good feeling.
Seeing pictures/video from the beach has me wishing I had a working car (more than usual). I'd brave evacuation traffic to see the ocean right now...would love to stand out on one of the piers and feel the spray hit me.
As it is, I drink coffee and look at satellite images. Soon I'll get my ass in gear and do the last little bit of work to be done.
After that...it's just a matter of keeping myself entertained.
Maybe I'll play Monopoly with myself. More probably I'll sit on the porch and feel the pre-storm goodness.
***
Edit 11:33 am: Earl covers about 166,000 square miles, larger than the state of California. That, my friends, fucking rocks!