Like a Hurricane

I'm spending the day securing outdoor furniture, filling the cars with gas, stockpiling non-perishables, and emptying the bookshelves in my finished basement--all in preparation for a category 3 hurricane that's supposed to be heading straight up the Jersey coast. Our governor has declared a state of emergency, and comparisons are already being drawn between Hurricane Irene and the great storms of 1938 and 1944, which devastated much of the northeast seaboard, including the Jersey shore.

The Neil Young song of the title has been running through my head all morning, and like the weather, I'm feeling strangely calm before the storm. My neighborhood is sunny and quiet; people are walking their dogs and kids are bicycling past. But behind it all is an undercurrent that's driving people to the grocery store and gas stations; we're calling family and friends along the coast and encouraging them to come and stay.

In the meantime, I'm planning to do what I always do when I need comfort--read and cook. There's a stack of books next to my bed and the makings for sauce Bolognese in my refrigerator. And if things get really bad, I can always grab the rum and mix up some cocktails--maybe a nice batch of hurricanes?

♥ ♥ ♥