Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Hurricane Isaac: Anticipation

I knew the fraggin' storm was coming when I woke up this morning.
This isn't my first rodeo but it was different for some reason.
It was nothing I could put my finger on and it lingered just below the surface of consciousness. 

I brushed off the weird feeling and rolled out of bed, drank some coffee and took a shower. It wasn't until halfway through my shower when CajunGuy came into the bathroom to tell me that he wanted to buy a generator that I started to get concerned. 

Growing up we may have evacuated for a hurricane twice, including Katrina.
Given the choice, my Mom would ride out the Apocalypse. Seriously.
For me, hurricanes aren't a time to panic. You just prepare and let God handle the rest. 

Yet a wave of panic rolled in my brain when CajunGuy wanted to buy a generator. Suddenly I was new to this hurricane crap and all sensibility drained from my head. I fought him a little (OK, a lot) about the generator and even he asked me why I was digging my heels in.

And let me tell you: this was no everyday purchase. Sure, I love to save a buck but that just isn't possible when, during a hurricane, demand goes up and supply goes down. You pay what they ask and just deal with it. (I hate that part!)

So off to Lowe's we went to buy a generator. As soon as we got to the checkout I started calculating all the other things we could have bought with the money I was about to spend. I was a mess on the inside but couldn't figure out why.

After the most gut-wrenching debit card swipe of my life, I drove to the bank to get cash in case we had to evacuate. As I wrote out the check in the bank lobby it was as if that feeling I'd had all day jumped out from around a corner in my brain. 

Buying that generator meant that now I was riding out a storm, away from the protection that I have known my whole life. I was making the decision to stay or go. I was in charge of making sure my family was taken care of. I had to provide.

I was moved up the responsibility line. And it terrified me.

Until I realized that I was handling it well. Because of our diligence in saving money, CajunGuy and I were in a position that we could provide for each other. We were able to get what we need to keep us going and still be OK in the long run. 

I think that newly discovered confidence was worth the price of the generator -- and all of the anxiety.

Note: for those of you who are new to the hurricane experience, I suggest looking at this handy guide if for nothing else but a few laughs. 

Monday, August 27, 2012

Hurricane Isaac: Preparations


                                    We Hurricaners know how to do it right!                                    (Photo courtesy of www.weather.com)



 Last night I had the honor (NOT!) of going to the grocery store to buy supplies. I am usually ahead of the game during Hurricane season, but this year I was way off. We had 10 bottles of water and 6 cans of vegetables left in our house. I was desperate. And so was the rest of the small town I live in.

There were more people in that store last night than there are in a month's time. And I bought more canned food than should be allowed by law. I am now the proud owner of approximately 12 cans of beans (bleh!), 12 cans of peas, 15 cans of corn, 5 cans of pineapples (which half of may or may not have already been eaten), 10 cans of tuna, 8 cans of corn and 4 boxes of off-brand mac and cheese, which can only be described as disgusting.

I doubt seriously that the storm will do more than send a few inches of rain my way and knock the power out for a couple of hours. If I'm right, Hallejuah! If I'm wrong, I'll be eating that mac and cheese until things get back to normal. 

If any family or friends are reading this and need a place to evacuate, please come here. I could use some help eating all the canned goods I bought! ;-)

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Memory Lane

As children my brother and I had some of the coolest toys ever created. We nearly broke our ankles on Moonshoes, almost snapped Stretch Armstrong in half and had many fights about whether or not Barbie should be decapitated. And thinking of all the fun things we had to play with makes me realize two things:
1. We were very fortunate children!
2. This generation will never know what it's like to have your sibling cheat you out of winning a board game. They will also never know the satisfaction of having your Mom punish your brother for doing so. Sorry, bro!

My life has changed so much since that time, but I still get nostalgic when I see stuff like this:
Tyco R/C Car - Sorry, don't have a link for this one!
(Hey bro: remember chasing me around the living room with that car?!?)


I miss those days. My brother and I spent hours and hours playing with those toys.
And my Mom spent hours and hours enjoying the time when she didn't have to entertain us.

Hey Mom: I finally understand. It was money well spent, wasn't it? ;-)




Wednesday, August 1, 2012

The Man of My Dreams

Dear CajunGuy,

You're the man of my dreams.
I have prayed to meet someone as kind, honest and smart as you.
And, as usual, God exceeded my expectations.
Not only are you everything I prayed for, you're wrapped up in a pretty handsome package!

You have become my best friend, the person I want to share good news with.
You have become my rock, the person I depend on when life gets hard.

I love that you share my love of sushi and Sonic Happy Hour.
I love that you dance with me in the kitchen for no reason at all.
I love that you and I laugh at the same silly things.
I love that you can make me smile even when I don't feel like it.
I love that you asked me to marry you.
I love that you married me 10 months ago.
I love that I get to spend my life with you.

Most of all, I love you.

I hope your day is as great as you have made my life since we met.

All my love,
Liz

PS - Join me for a Route 44 Coke Zero later? ;-)