Rosemary Augustine

Berwyn, PA – August 29, 2011

On Thursday August 25, 2011, I learned that Hurricane Irene was headed to the New Jersey shore, Philadelphia and its western suburbs.  I was in Vineland, NJ that day helping mom with some doctor appointments, shopping and other errands.  While at the bank, I learned they issued a mandatory evacuation of Cape May, NJ – the southernmost tip of NJ – starting today.  I thought it odd, since it was 3 pm on Thursday afternoon and the hurricane wasn’t due to hit the NJ coastline until 3 am Sunday Morning. 

So I proceeded with my errands and headed to the super market for mom’s weekly shopping list.  She had quite a list, since she was stocking up for the upcoming holiday weekend as well.  Shop Rite on Landis Avenue in Vineland was packed… and no gallon jugs of water were left.  It was 3:30 pm on Thursday afternoon…. Obviously, the hurricane panic has already started.  I got mom set up with a case of water (her favorite is the Poland Spring 16 oz bottles – not necessarily eco-friendly, but hey, Mom is 97), food, prescriptions and fresh batteries for her flashlight.  She was set to ride the storm as long as she stayed inside… and of course, she will.

As I left Vineland that evening, the traffic was unbelievable.  Long lines of cars along Rt. 55 North.  Stopping for a tank of gas and extra cash was another long wait at the WaWa in Glassboro.  It’s only Thursday, people have 2 more days to get things in order.  And the lines at the toll booth at the Commodore Barry Bridge into PA was like a mass exodus.  Another 12 hours and the tolls would be free…. but not on the bridges going into PA. Only the Garden State Parkway and Atlantic City Expressway would have free tolls.

Friday morning was like any other Friday.  I spent the day working in King of Prussia and stopped at Trader Joe’s on my way in (thinking that it would be a mad house at 5pm).  I breezed in for cat food and sunflowers to brighten up my apartment during a hurricane.  By 4pm I was headed home to clear off my patio and start doing some laundry to pass the time.  As I passed by the Trader Joe’s parking lot on my way home, there wasn’t a parking space to be had.  More panic spreading to the masses.

Saturday at 8 am I took a walk around my complex.  It was a beautiful morning, although grey gloomy clouds lurked, it was a nice cool and muggy morning for a walk.  I did a few more loads of laundry and kept the air condition on to keep the humidity out and the inside cool.  By 9:30 it started to get breezy with the breeze turning to a 10 mph wind.  Nothing to write home about.

It started to rain in Berwyn about 12 noon (it had started in Cape May at 6 am).  And by 12:30 pm there was already a tornado warning in Lewes, DE.  I took a nap in the afternoon, and even read a little bit.  I could feel the anxiety building.  Between 5pm and 9pm I spent my time on the phone, texting and watching the storm coverage on TV.  I even made a delicious eggplant parmesean meal in preparation for no power on Sunday.  Watching the storm coverage really got me wound up and excited – nervous excited, so periodically I had to turn it off.   The anticipation created even more intense feelings and I found it was a cycle that just kept spinning – just like the hurricane that was headed my way.  Part of my nervousness was the 20’ wall of windows in my apartment, leading out to my patio and overlooking 3 trees and a greenbelt.  I had all kinds of images going through my head throughout the day.

Around 9:15 pm I headed to my neighbor’s apartment.  His dog has been declining and my neighbor was working volunteer rescue for the Tredyffrin Township Police.  He asked if I would check on his dog, Shadow.  Shadow was so happy to see me, and we sat on the couch and watched more storm coverage.  By now the rain was relentless and the wind was quite fierce.  At 10 pm the newscaster announced a tornado touched down in Lewes, DE.  Fifteen minutes later, he announced the tornado warnings for the entire viewing area – “take cover now” were his words, as he announced Brywn Mawr, Radnor, King of Prussia, Berwyn and Paoli.  Holy Moley… Berwyn?  I headed to the bathroom for cover.   My neighbor had already filled the bathtub with water, so I was concerned that Shadow would come in with me and want to jump in the tub (which she has done in the past)…. But she remained sleepily on the couch waiting for me to return.

By 11:30 I was so on edge, I had to leave and go back to my apartment to be with my kitties.  I showered – just in case there was no power or water in the morning (do you think we were a little over-prepared?) and I cuddled up with Ziggy and Zack in bed to finish watching storm coverage (there is nothing else on!) til I fell asleep.  Rather than bite my nails, I whipped up avocado and homemade chips for a late night snack (thinking the crunch of the chips would help with the stress).  I am so nervous,  since by now the winds were howling and the rain was just coming down in sheets.  This was by far the scariest storm I have ever been in.

At 1:00 am the storm intensity of the wind and rain is beyond anything I have ever experienced.  And, the storm hasn’t even hit the south Jersey shoreline (Cape May or other beach towns in southern NJ) – it’s still coming!  Exhausted, I turn off the light and quickly drop into a deep sleep.  Both kitties sleeping on me like sandbags.

Morning came quietly.  At 6 am I awakened with an utter calm about me felt deep into my bones.  Although it was still raining lightly, it was quiet.  And, although I am tired from lack of proper sleep, the tense feelings are gone.  I learned landfall was around 2:30 am in Little Egg Inlet, just off Brigantine Island (north of Atlantic City).  I went back to sleep and later, for the rest of the day, was catching up with family and friends, and their grateful comments of survival.  It was the worst storm I ever experienced, on par with Hurricane Hazel in 1953 which I remember (I was 3 years old) huddled in the kitchen by candlelight, the rain and wind whipping trees and power lines.  Well Irene spared my electricity, but my nerves were surely rattled.

So this morning, as I journaled, I pondered gratitude and all the things I am grateful for after Hurricane Irene:

My life – always grateful to be alive;

Ability to take a deep breath to calm me;

Sunshine, green grass and blue sky the day after a hurricane;

Ziggy and Zack  – their love, companionship and understanding of our life together;

My friends and family who shared my life during the storm, who calmed and comforted me as well;

Electricity, clean water and a gas stove for cooking;

NO damage!

I also, realized the storm coverage caused much of my nervousness, anxiety, and stress.  Yet when I turned it off, and went about my day, within an hour I was back getting an update.  It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop…  that took days to hit the floor.

Regardless of whether you were touched by Hurricane Irene, what are you grateful for today… and really, everyday?  Something to ponder about as you journal next time.

In the Spirit of Love and Light…

Rosemary Augustine