On Sunday night, I baked a coconut loaf. You know, to add to the pile of already prepared food available in the event of a multi-day power outage. (Also, to test out the recipe, also from The Sprouted Kitchen cookbook.) It was delicious.
I also gathered a decent amount of water, tea lights (to float in those blue bowls of water), my extra headlamp, and (ahem) the gin.
Here’s what the sky looked like as I walked down the hill from campus on Monday.
I knew Boh could tell that something was going on. He never really goes into the guest room, but yesterday it was where he wanted to be.
We settled in for an afternoon and evening on the couch, alternating between writing a few sentences of the dissertation and reading storm information.
This isn’t Sandy’s fault. A leak developed last week, and the management company patched it on Friday because Sandy was approaching, but this was only supposed to be a temporary fix. It held through most of the night, and began leaking early this morning. Nothing to complain about here, especially when I look at images of NYC and the coast. The Sandy trajectory had the eye of the storm heading north right through here, but everything seems to be slowing down and heading further west. I’m thankful for that, and thinking of all my friends in NYC, DC, CT, and everywhere in between. And while I rarely discuss politics (in this space, anyway), election day is a week away, and I think it is important to consider the different ways that Romney and Obama approach the role of government in situations like Sandy. The New York Times, in a morning editorial on partisan ideas about federal emergency response titled, “A Big Storm Requires Big Government,” had this to say about it: “The agency [FEMA] was put back in working order by President Obama, but ideology still blinds Republicans to its value. Many don’t like the idea of free aid for poor people, or they think people should pay for their bad decisions, which this week includes living on the East Coast.” I am all for responsibility; it’s just that the way I see it, responsibility means accountability and action on the part of the United States to acknowledge the ways in which our actions are influencing the complex systems that govern global climate. It means broadening our sense of caring and community to include those who are most vulnerable — and not only when disaster strikes. Significant resources at the federal level are necessary to deal with significant problems. (You can donate to the American Red Cross here.)
Hope you’re safe, warm, and dry, wherever you are. Stay tuned for more knitting!
barefoot rooster 
Amen to that! What baffles me is how so many of the people who say poor people should not be helped are the same folks who claim to be Christian. I don’t see how those two opposing views can be reconciled. Love Boh, as always!
Sounds like you made it through the storm OK, which is excellent news. I like your priorities — candles, gin, and coconut bread.
I feel we have a responsibility to our fellow citizens, whether it’s contributing to education, cleaning up after disasters, or paying for roads and transit. We’re all in this together.
This election season has been rough. My poor Jeep and ’08 Obama sticker have been defaced twice, and I had a nasty encounter on Lake Shore Drive last month, when a Romney supporter rolled down his window and started screaming at me and haranguing me about Obama. I know he must have his own reasons for such strong feelings, but lowering the level of discourse to that extent is just inexcusable.
I think that the storm was a wake up call for some. It caused people to think about what the actual consequences might be for the American people if they choose a President simply because he promises to save them money. For that, I have to be grateful.
In addition, the storm gave me a whole day of extra knitting time!
Sorry to hear about the leak, but glad it proved to be manageable! We were lucky enough to escape unscathed, and I too did lots of baking just in case.
“It means broadening our sense of caring and community to include those who are most vulnerable — and not only when disaster strikes.” I completely agree, but I’m consistently shocked that the people I encounter at my job, most of whom fall into the above category of “most vulnerable,” are the quickest to blame the most vulnerable for their problems. The bootstraps mythology has so permeated the American consciousness that people will vote against their own best interests with shocking conviction and vitriol.
In other words, good thinking saving the gin!
Well said! I think some people get so caught up in rooting for their own team, or so obsessed with the idea of small government, that they forget there are things that we should want our government to do, like take care of everyone during a natural disaster!
I’m glad to hear you’re safe and warm and your house is doing just fine after the storm. (And it’s nice to be back here! I’ve been away from blogs for too long and have missed my blog-friends, like you!)
Gin always helps! Stay safe and warm. Boh, stay adorable.