<p>I am suppose to visit son in cambridge. Last time I went, there was a surprise snowstorm in April. I just hope my plane takes off.</p>
<p>Fingers crossed DC doesn’t take a direct hit like half of the models say it will. I have to go to work unless we go Code Red (gov’t shuts down), and am not looking forward to driving 95 to and from work. I plan on stocking up on the following this weekend before going out as a bad character from Toddlers and Tiaras :):
-bread
-non-perishable breakfast foods (aka my usual, bagels and muffins)
-peanut butter
-bottled water
-booze
-marshmallows (for smores on the stove)</p>
<p>Basically, the essentials</p>
<p>We’re flying in early for the NYC marathon (or maybe not.) Wondering if any of this will affect the race…</p>
<p>DH’s office (part of NYS Emergency Management) is planning for Armageddon. I’ll be all alone from Saturday, when they activate, to who knows when. But I have big box of wine and a frig/freezer full of food along with full pantry. So I’ll be fine… as long as power doesn’t go out.</p>
<p>Ugh! Really dreading this one. Irene caused my basement to flood and when the power went out, my pump didn’t work either…</p>
<p>I need to regrade the yard (after my neighbor changed his drainage, NOW mine floods!)
And then waterproof/ get a proper pump etc… Of course, getting all that done has been on the list for when I get some money laying around… and it won’t happen before this storm hits. :(</p>
<p>I guess I can at least try and empty out the basement and get in supplies.</p>
<p>nj2011 - I think I’d try and reschedule…</p>
<p>It looks like I’m not the only “storm widow” here. My H has worked for a major utility since we got married. I’m used to riding out these storms alone.</p>
<p>The silver lining, for me as a teacher in an elementary school, would be having school cancelled on halloween. The most dreaded day of the year in my profession.</p>
<p>I’m not an alarmist but I’m concerned.</p>
<p>We’re in coastal South Jersey…only a couple miles from the ocean. If we’re on the north (or east) side of landfall we could be in trouble so we’ll see. </p>
<p>To boot my nephew is getting married in Chicago next weekend. Altogether about 50 of us will be flying mostly out of Philly (some Newark) next Wednesday and Thursday. If the airports are closed Mon and Tuesday how do they handle who gets out when? For example parents of the groom (my brother and SIL) have an early flight Wed morning…what about those grounded in the days before my brother’s flight (I’m not a frequent flyer)? Is everyone bumped back accordingly?</p>
<p>DH is “essential personnel” and has to be at work come hell or high water. We are in the bullseye zone according to many of the current weather models. </p>
<p>Think we may head to Home Depot at 6 am tomorrow for a generator. I am worried about our big old trees. But then again, after getting quotes this week for a bathroom reno, if a tree falls on that part of the house…</p>
<p>Better make sure I have enough doggie tranquilizers.</p>
<p>2331clk - You will be fine. People who get bumped Mon or Tue, they will be put on the next flight with available seats. They will not bump you in order to put those who got bumped on the next flight. Those people that got bumped may not be able to get on another flight until days later.</p>
<p>When I find out my flight maybe cancelled, I always try to book on another flight as soon as possible. I don’t wait until it is cancelled.</p>
<p>The airlines honor tickets for passengers on the flight, the day of departure, anyone with cancelled flights get fit it whenever and wherever possible. My husband worked for a utility as well, we have had a generator for many years and used to “going it alone”. Last year, we had 4 elderly family members with us for several days in September due to Storm Irene and again in October with the snowstorm. All I did was cook, clean and give old people baths. They loved getting waited on, and I felt like a maid. Maybe I should put the “closed” sign on the door.</p>
<p>I have to really watch the weather news closely. I am supposed to drive to Hartford on Sunday for an educational conference scheduled for Monday all day at the Convention Center, then drive to Syracuse for a conference on Tuesday, work on Wednesday and fly out of JFK on Thursday night for a family wedding in Phoenix on Saturday night… planning a vacation in Arizona for several days after that… so worried about being stuck en route to one of those destinations or stuck somewhere and not being able to get back…plus our house if there is a huge power failure and our sump pump goes out or if a tree falls on our house…</p>
<p>EPTR…actually I think the day after Halloween is the worst day of the year in an elementary school!</p>
<p>I’m out in California and concerned because a) my daughter is in NYC and supposed to fly back Monday b) my son is attending school in New Haven and c) another son is scheduled to fly into Ohio on Thursday (from CA) for a med school interview. I’m betting DD will get grounded, but I really hope DS doesn’t have his trip impacted as he is traveling to several cities over a week-long period for interviews.</p>
<p>We lost power for 4 days w last year’s October snow. I will make the go/no go call Monday afternoon. Am cutting out veggies, fruit & red things as of tomorrow. The real issue is the ‘procedure’ location is 8 miles away down an interstate or local roads w mature trees that were impassable after Irene in August and October’s snow. </p>
<p>Quite happy last month we trimmed the damn oak that took out our power lines last October. Also secured the beach house on Sunday by taking in all porch furniture & garbage cans and dropping or installing storm windows.</p>
<p>thanks for the clarification oldfort</p>
<p>Thumper…no…just eat as much crap as the kids on halloween and you’ll be able to keep up with them the next day :)</p>
<p>We have had to fly our S back from Europe to apply for a long term student visa, something that can only be done at the Boston Consulate. (Don’t even ask me why he didn’t get this before he left last June. It is a long story, and it was NOT HIS FAULT!!) He arrived in the US this afternoon, and is spending the next few days at his college, enjoying Homecoming and talking to professors about recommendations and so forth. On Sunday, we are planning to drive to Hanover to pick him up and bring him back here, where we can assemble the copious documentation required for the visa, some of which had to be gotten there, some here. This includes a NOTARIZED statement that we can support him, originals and copies of things like back statements, acceptance letters, receipts from various agencies, multiple passport photos, copies of his driver’s license, multiple forms filled out by hand, and on an on. It is insanely bureaucratic. They refused to bend and let him do this there. They FORCED us to fly him back here, despite the intervention of our Senator’s office. They don’t have a phone number. They see people only for 2 hours per day, and if you miss your appointment you are out of luck. The appointment can only be made by their internet-based reservation system. I made an appointment for him at 10AM Monday morning in the beginning of September. They REFUSE to expedite the process, and DEMAND that you show an airline ticket reservation AT LEAST two weeks AFTER the appointment. Meanwhile, he is missing classes at the university there in order to spend the requisite time here, even though we are fairly sure that they will grant the visa within a day or two and we will probably be able to pick up the passport with visa within the week. But you just can’t take the chance. I have already purchased train tickets for him to get to Boston two hours in advance of his appointment. I didn’t want to take the chance of a traffic jam.</p>
<p>I swear to god, if after all of this those bastards have the temerity to close their office on Monday morning, down there and kill them if they do not accomodate us on this, I really will. [foaming at the mouth]</p>
<p>^^^^Uh, wow. Understand the frustration, but…wow.</p>
<p>Clearly you DO NOT understand the frustration! :D</p>