Irene Stops By to Say Hello

Sometimes you don't have to be nomading to find high adventure. Sometimes the high adventure comes to you. New Jersey has been wild lately, first with an earthquake, then with hurricane Irene. The earthquake was almost laughable by West Coast standards but it was still pretty wild for New Jersey. The media frenzy over the little rattle had just about subsided when we heard Irene was a-bearing down on the Garden State. Don't know if I believe in global warming, but I sure do believe in Global Weirding. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K, my friends.

Well, the New York media went absolutely and breathlessly bonkers

over Irene, so the nomads built a hurricane preparedness center. Then,

I got to work making a big pot of chili con carne. After the disaster

unfolded, we lost power for 72 hours. So we wound up having many meals

of cold chili by candelight. Tres Romantique...

As if the earthquake and hurricane weren't enough, we also had a

mini-meteor shower right in our own dining room. Weird, right?

The cornbread was decimated.

Over night, the winds howled and the rain poured. Next morning

the water started to rise. This is in the early stages when you could

still see part of the tennis court net. The water was rising at about a 

foot an hour at this point.

Net's all gone and the water, she's still a-risin'

At this point we're asking ourselves: Should we move our cars or 

have another glass of wine? The wine prevailed.

Down at the end of scenic Busky Lane, it was almost game over.

I think this was about the high-water mark.

The water stopped rising and we saw this great rainbow.

Hope abounds.

We've always dreamed of riverfront property.

Otis finally came out and said "WTF?"

These new trees survived. Overnight they were bent over sideways.

The Raritan Driving Range was turned into one huge water hazard.

The only light that night was the powered by the

generator at the back of the supermarket.

The next day when we got up, our river was gone but we still had

no power so we took a stroll in search of coffee. This is one of the

country roads near where we live that was still flooded.

Astral Wendy finds beauty everywhere.

The bridge near where we live was covered with

snails. Where's the butter and garlic when you need it?

Irene definitely tired out this mantis. The guy looks bushed.

Day Two without power and this guy paid us a visit.

Eye of Hurricane or Eye of Astral Gerry? You be the judge.

Beauty is everywhere.