Potential Absence...

[Saturnalia]

Hey guys, if I go missing for a few days, just assume I have no power. I live on the coast of NJ, smack dab where this hurricane business is landing. We've already had the power go off briefly and flicker more recently.

So, here's to hoping the house, us, and cat stay dry, and the horses don't get washed away!

I'll get caught up on things I need to get done once all of this chaos is over...

Thanks!

[Winged]

Hope you're okay! Good luck staying dry xD

[Saturnalia]

Thanks! Time will tell how bad this storm actually gets... I think landfall & high tide are tonight, so fingers crossed that it doesn't get too insane!

[Silvanon]

*crosses fingers for you*  We'll be seeing Sandy somewhat later & tamer than you, here's hoping it turns out just fine for everyone!

[Pinkshadow]

Wow hop you both stay safe and such.
- we never have extreme weather in denmark

[Bunraku]

Stay safe Saturnalia! Over here in MA we're getting so much wind that I hardly believe we still even have the internet and power going. I can't even imagine what its like where you are right now!

[Luv007]

Be safe!  You are all in my thoughts over on the east coast!

[BabyKittenCandy]

Yikes! Stay safe, thoughts and best wishes are with you!

[Wildfilly94]

Ohh no! stay safe! :/

[Luv007]

Oh, and I don't know if you know about this trick for horses, but we always take finger nail polish and paint a phone number on each hoof so if they are found loose later, the hope is someone can contact you from what hasn't rubbed off.  <3  Prayers going up for all of you on the east coast!

[springacres]

Everyone on the east coast - stay safe and don't get washed away!

[Saturnalia]

Thanks, everyone!

My horses are microchipped, at least, so if they'd gotten displaced there's that, at least!

But thankfully, the horses were fine, and so were we. Our leaky roof wasn't even too bad, and our street didn't flood as badly as it had during summer thunderstorms. Lots of trees down in the area, though, and the streets closer to water were blocked off as of yesterday.

Power was out from about 4:15 Monday to 2:30am today.

However, nearby Long Beach Island is apparently under water. I'm headed to my family's summer house, right off the island but on the lagoon, and I don't have high hopes =\

On a sort of lighthearted note, though, I took this photo of neighbors around the corner. Glad they had a sense of humor!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10102045518686039&l=28a8c80be3

[YourLoveOnly]

Glad you and your family and all the animals are safe! <3 And that picture is amusing, it's nice to see people making the best of such situations, because there isn't really much else you can do about it sadly. Mother Nature can be so beautiful, but so cruel.

[Silvanon]

Glad to hear you're all ok!

[Pinkshadow]

Agreed, glad to hear everyone is ok.

[Wildfilly94]

So glad to hear your alright! <3

[Saturnalia]

After providing ID to prove my family owns a house there, I was finally allowed into the 'ground zero' of where my family's shore house is.

I figured it was going to be bad.

It was worse.



Every piece of furniture moved except the big one at the end, ~4ft water lines (visible on the walls), carpeting black with lagoon mud (I am going to have nightmares about that stuff, ug ug ug...)

Soooo, anything I owe or am participating in might be a little delayed, since I'm going to be help trying to clean the place up, and also trying to do NaNoWriMo and work and... ug, too much going on...

[Wildfilly94]

Ohh wow.. I'm sorry to hear, and see that. *hugs* Hopefully you'll have it all clear in no time. <3

[Bunraku]

Oh my god, you and your family must be heartbroken >< I hope the clean up goes fast and that the damage isn't as bad as it looks from that photo. Were a lot of windows broken as well?

[Saturnalia]

No windows broken and the roof seems intact, at least. The water being able to come in the way it did-- I assume from around windows, under doors, etc-- may have saved the walls from blowing out.

A friend of mine literally lost the first floor of her house-- nothing but support beams left. She's finding her horse tack and Christmas ornaments scattered throughout the marsh and trees where she lives.

I'm trying to keep positive, because at least this isn't quite that bad, but ohhh jeez, I just broke down when I walked in today and saw the state of it. There was also a little electrical fire in one of the rooms, right at the outlet and close to curtains-- it could have been so much worse. My mom is coming down tomorrow-- I live close, and am the only one to have seen it so far. The house has been in our family for generations, though, so even though it's little and nothing too special-looking, it means a lot to us.

(However, it is really hard to think positive when you are coated in the most disgusting, sludgy, smelly mud... ug...)

I did just wash a bunch of formerly-gross beach towels and stuff that I took from the house, though, and seeing them clean brings more hopeful thoughts!

[Bunraku]

Oh god, even though the water brought so much disaster, I guess in some small way it was a blessing if it somehow put out the electrical fire before it could get any worse than it was ><  But still, I understand what its like when something that has been in your family for so long suddenly is in such a state, especially when the things in the house have been collected over the years by you and your loved ones. I honestly hope you and your family manage to get everything back to how it was <3

[Saturnalia]

Bun, thanks so much <3 I think the water may have caused the fire to begin with (that or it was caused when they turned power back on) but either way, that socket was problematic, so better that it get totally fixed anyway!

I just got word that my brother is driving up tomorrow, so that will be a huge help.

[Bunraku]

You are very welcome <3 I know you don't know me that well, but I really understand how that kind of situation feels and wish you the best. I hope your brother can help out and provide a bit of solace after that kind of shocking sight.