A hurricane's a comin'!

So. A hurricane is approaching Washington (and basically everyone in the mid-Atlantic). Perhaps you've heard?

I'm ready, I guess. Water reserves obtained. Assorted flashlights and lanterns and my End Of The World Box* freshly battery-ed up and ready to go. Non-perishables in the pantry.  AC unit removed from the window. Car stowed in a hotel parking garage down the street (and costing me a small fortune, though obviously far less than it would cost to replace a windshield or something). A 900-page book to finish and a stack of unread magazines at the ready.

*The End Of The World Box (not its real name) is this all-in-one contraption that includes a radio, tiny TV, LED lantern, siren, and who knows what else, given to me by my mother SEVEN YEARS ago and not used since except, occasionally, to listen to 'Wait Wait Don't Tell Me' on Saturday morning.

Last night, we sat outside eating frozen yogurt, staring at the sky. It's an odd feeling, just sitting around waiting for something to happen. Since we've been expecting the (HISTORIC! UNPRECEDENTED! HUGE IN DIAMETER!) storm for days, we've all had time to prepare (obviously a good thing), but also time to panic (for those who are prone to such things) or fluctuate between varying degrees of malaise and mild concern (me). My area of town almost NEVER loses power (during snowstorms or whatever), but I'm sure no one will be spared this time. (At least it's not 95 degrees and humid, or mid-January and freezing!)

In the 11 years I've lived in DC, I've experienced both Hurricane Isabel in 2003 and last summer's derecho, so I'm trying to reconcile this with those experiences. But Isabel was during college, when I was young and oblivious and living in the dorms, and the derecho last summer--while extremely destructive--only lasted a few hours. This is going to be different.

So, here I sit, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Let's get this over with. Stay safe, ya'll.