Well Hello Irene

Sunday we were hit pretty hard by hurricane Irene.  I can most definitely say I was surprised.  We're pretty far inland in upstate NY and somehow she still managed to wreak havoc.  The wind and rain started pretty early in the morning and continued right through until we went to bed.  This made for an interesting day to say the least: 

Rain, when coming down inches at a time, can fill an entire basement with 8-10inches of water in less than an hour.  Note that said basement was already equipped with a sump pump capable of 3150 gallons per hour.  Needless to say we had to purchase a second sump pump just to keep up.

Generators, for whatever reason, are hard to come by when you need them.  We had to travel forty minutes in the storm to purchase a generator to keep our sump pump running when the power went out.

Flash floods are a freak of nature.  They can make a previously tame road a raging river in a matter of minutes.  Our post office learned how to stand its ground in one such flash flood.

And lastly, dachshunds do not like rain even when donning a stylish red raincoat.

I find it so bizarre that yesterday could be so God awful and yet today it's absolutely beautiful out (aside from the residual water puddles and rushing rivers/streams, of course). I was able to successfully make it into work today, however my husband could not.  Travel going east and southbound in NYS was near impossible with many road closures due to flooding and downed trees and power lines.  Word on the street is the main routes he'd need to take may still be closed through 6pm tomorrow!  I guess I'll just have to leave him a nice long honey-do list to keep him busy.  He's already mopped the floors for me today... I could really get used to this.

Anwho, how did you fare through Irene?  I hope you all manage to stay safe and dry!

Furry Friday: Superstition

They say dogs bite grass for one of three reasons:

1. They have an upset stomach from the heat or illness.  Totally believable.
2. It's going to rain.  Pure superstition.
3. They want more fiber in their diet.  I don't know, apparently they are connoisseurs now.

Riley has bitten grass on occasion and generally because he needed to throw up.  He has also bitten grass for a fourth reason the scientists haven't yet listed: Spitefulness.  If I am not paying attention to him or if he doesn't really want to be outside he decides to start biting grass like it's his J-O-B.  Not biting it to swallow it, just being all out destructive.  Similar to when he decides to shred tissue or toilet paper.  And to think he's just a fur-child.  I can only imagine what's in store for me when I decide to have real children.  JOY.

Ka-chink

Since misery loves company, I figured I would share my latest sob story.  My Ford Edge had a bearing replaced last week and ever since then it has had a "ka-chink, ka-chink" sound when going over any bumps or divets.  Nice, right?  Only 29k miles on the car, still under new factory warranty and already I am experiencing the headaches of owning a Ford.  This is my first, and probably last, Ford.  I've owned a Hyundai and a Pontiac and honestly the Hyundai was probably the vehicle I had the least amount of problems with.

♫ Raindrops keep falling on my head ♪

♫ ♪ But that doesn't mean my eyes will soon be turnin' red, 

Cryin's not for me, 

'Cause I'm never gonna stop the rain by complainin' ♫ ♪

So it's pouring out, hence the the little sing-song I've subjected you to.   I also have a hair appointment this evening.  These two things seem to coincide quite regularly - bad weather and hair appointments.  Good thing my hairdresser Kimber is flexible with me because in the winter time, for those of you familiar with upstate NY, sometimes bad weather means I'm calling her up to reschedule.  Of course, I'm not rescheduling for rain but just figured I'd put it out there that it's a tradition of Kimber's and mine to schedule hair appointments and bad weather.  I'll be sure to update you as to the next scheduled appointment because it will no doubt precipitate in some fashion and you'll at least be forewarned. 

The ladies at work and I were just joking around about wearing plastic bag helmets to get out to our cars and it got us on the topic of those old lady rain hats.  You know, the kind the little old lady in church with the curlers wears, even on sunny days.  Does anyone know if Wal-Mart carries these?  I'm thinking of starting a WTF Stocking Stuffer tradition this year.  Not a bad idea, eh?

photo courtesy of cachebeauty.com

Air Conditioning & Fandango

Let's talk turkey, shall we?  I have found that there is no happy medium for air conditioning in large industrial buildings.  Once the summer weather hits and that switch is flipped, it's 48 degrees Fahrenheit all the time.  It doesn't matter if today is only 62 out and rainy, that air conditioning unit is still going to town as if it were Africa hot out. Seriously, my fingernails have a blueish tint to them.  I know I shouldn't complain about being in air conditioning, but at least at home when I turn the a/c on there is a thermostat which adjusts for when it's cold and crappy out.