Ike Strike, Part Three

He's almost here, you can feel it in the air. The sunset was gorgeous, all but gone now...only a glimmer of light remains to reflect the dark shadows cast by the racing clouds. I watch as the news reporter based in Galveston gives his update of the conditions there. No power. So dark. Looking outside it's beginning to appear like that here.
Hard to imagine just a few short hours ago we were walking Zoe around the block. It was her second outing of the day, extremely rare because she is such a stodgy old biddy. We took her to the dog park before noon, I remember at 11:10 the wind blew the hat from my head. I noted to Marc that historical tidbit in case I forgot, but I knew I wouldn't. Finding the irony in life is one of my favorite tasks. 7:55 PM and the reporters lament, it didn't veer. HUNKER DOWN. This is the official phrase of the 2008 Ike Devistation Show. I haven't heard that phrase as much in my entire life as I have in the last 3 hours. 7:58 PM and I can't even attempt to go outside with my hat on if I want to ever see it again. We know we are in for the night when we're forced to stow the last 2 patio chairs. We'll do that once they won't stay out of the pool. But for now, I need to experience the true ambiance of impending disaster. I think 'll go sit by the pool.
Part Four in a bit.

Thoughts of Ike, Part Two...still no relation to staging!

I tried to tell my darling daughter Jackie to be careful what she wished for. She was one of the few who was disappointed when Rita grazed Houston, sparing us the devistation those just North and East of us were so unfortunate to bear. Now it appears she's gonna get her wish. I hope she's ready. She's always been fascinated with mother nature's wrath and longs to chase tornadoes and rainbows and such. She is my little Tink. I hope she realizes how she is flirting with disaster. At least she has A/C...for now!
The increased wind speed is giving us some merciful air movement inside the house. I hate to see what happens when the rain hits and the windows will have to close. I wonder if it's safe to spend the storm in the pool. From what I recall, there's usually not alot of lightening and thunder, just massive wind and rain. Looking out from our bedroom with the windows as open as they can get, I see the few light pieces of patio furniture shaking precariously in the wind gusts. In the distance I hear something fall over...hoping it's nothing major and better yet, not in our yard. How terrible.
Part Three to come.

Thoughts of Ike, Part One...totally unrelated to home staging!

I'm bored, trying to pass those unbearable hours waiting for the storm to get on with it. So many interesting thoughts have come and gone over the hours, but finally I decide to capture some of the more illuminating thoughts that flitter through as if on the wings of a hummingbird. This series of rantings will be my chronicle of those thoughts, in symphony with the realities of the wrath of Ike.
This ain't my first rodeo. But it's been a looooong time since I felt that certain adrenalin rush thats associated with the approach of a hurricane. A strange mixture of excitement and fear sprinkled with true anticipation. Memories of the transformation of the day, which started as beautifully sunny, somewhat humid and unseasonably warm at 80 degrees for the early hour of the morning, trapse randomly through my mind. "Get off the seawall", I hear the news anchor repeat while showing unbelievable photos of the surging tide, the storm still hundreds of miles off shore. The brightness of the morning mingled with the cooling breeze, increasing in intensity, mocked the anchor's warning, promising a lovely beginning to what is sure to become an historic day, at least in our local history.
As irony would have it, our central air conditioning decided to freeze up, discovered only minutes after I loaded my freshly removed bedroom ceiling fan into it's new owner's vehicle. Figured the we could easily live without the ceiling fan for a few days since the hurricane would necessitate indoor living, and the AC would just remain on. Despite our best efforts, by the time we realized that no AC service person would magically turn up on our doorstep to fix the dead blower motor we were stuck to "weather it out" without the benefit of being cool. Despite the heat emitting from the brain of my laptop, I continue to type, while clouds begin to overtake the sun's rays in a foreboding manner. Now I wondered who was being mocked.
Part Two to follow.