Irma Part Two

In the words of Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."

We've been waiting for Hurricane Irma for like forever and finally here she comes.

Our house looks like a hoarder's house, there is outside stuff everywhere. From pool furniture, to big umbrellas to chimes to plants.  There's even a cricket in one of the plants who is now indoors chirping happily.

We've gone through our check list.

Ice, check. Water, check. Lanterns, check. Batteries, check. Every check you can think of. I drove around earlier and it's a ghost town. Everything is closed including 7-11 and I'll be honest, I've never seen them not open.

We filled up trash bags with dirt to make our own sand bags to help with possible flooding and under the sliding doors they went. Imagine this scene: me and my wife in our yard, in the spitting rain, me with a shovel, her holding the Glad Bags. Not a pretty sight. Not a neighborly sight.

The rain began as a drizzle at first then got heavier and heavier. And let's not forget the gusts of wind. As the day wore on they got harder and louder.

Evening turned to night and it began to sound like a freight train was outside and overhead. As the dad you're supposed to be this Rock of Gibraltar for your kids. So there was this very concerned father acting like he was not concerned at all.

I found myself up on a ladder making a small hole in the family room ceiling to allow overflow water from the roof to drip in a bucket. Yes, I did. Thinking the whole time that I'm too old to be on a ladder making a hole in the ceiling.

But you do what you gotta do.

Also, have you ever tried to let your dog out to tinkle in a hurricane? It's much harder than you think. Her looking up at you like, "But it's rainy and windy out there." You imagine her thinking, "I'll hold it thank you."

Cut ahead to five ayem.

Woke to the sound of the A/C kicking on. That meant we had power. What I didn't hear was the sound of heavy rain falling. Don't get me wrong the wind was still gusting but it seems Irma, the worst part of Irma, was gone. With a song in my heart I went back to bed planning to deal with the rest of it when the sun came up.

And Lola The Dog finally went out.

If you're playing at home, score it: McEwens 1 Irma 0.



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