Invasion

In the past few weeks, the East Coast has experienced some pretty freaky weather and other natural disturbances.  We shook and swayed through the earthquake that was centered in Virginia.  We've endured inches beyond inches of rain, either from storms or hurricanes.

My little neck of the woods was largely spared by Hurricane Irene.  Since I live on the river with a tidal marsh directly behind my house, we expected to have lots of flooding.  Fortunately, we didn't during the storm.  Our flooding came after the storm was done.  After all the little rivers, creeks and marshes had drained their excess waters into my river, which then flooded our little marsh. 

We didn't suffer any damages from this flooding but we were invaded.  Now, I've reported before all the creaures we have around here, the crabs, the fish, the bugs, the baby eels.

Just get on with it, what were you invaded by!

Mud Crabs by the HUNDREDS!  We hear them before we saw them.  They were skitttering along the curb and all over the road.  We think they came out of the marsh because the tides were so high.  They came up with the water, then got "stuck" on dry land or in the road.  They knew which way to run to get back to the water.  That's what the skittering sounds were, them running for the marsh.

By the time ESM got out there with her camera, we had chased most of them back into the marsh.  They came visiting at the high tides for three days.  Then the tides started staying at the normal levels and we haven't seen them in the road since.  Pretty freaky of Mother Nature.  Here's some pictures:

There are three in this picture
Some of them had one big claw while others had 2 smaller claws
The big claw could be on the left ot the right.



My what a big claw you have!



Skitter on back to where you came from

Jakes spent lots of time outside just after high tide for several days checking on the crabs.  And to be honest, I hope they stay far, far away!

How Many People Can I Confuse?

Its not random though Tuesday yet but I have lots of little things to share.  Remember its just Monday!

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We came home last night around 9 pm.  The power finally came back on and I wanted MY bed.  Jakes wasn't happy about leaving the hotel but he packed up and came home with me.  Dad, ESM and Kathy stayed the night at the hotel.

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The Compound survived nicely.  There was minimal flooding, mainly in the storm cellar.  The Fire Department came over and pumped it out because without power, the sump pump wouldn't work.  They were pretty busy yesterday with de-watering assignments around the township.

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I thought my anchor buoy had gotten taken away in the storm but it turned up at the top of the steps last night. YAY!  I worked very hard to steal that one and wasn't looking forward to having to steal another one.

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Jakes is going tomorrow for his 24-hour EEG.  We've postponed it twice this summer and since school starts next week, we have to get it done this time.

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My friend from AZ flew out right before the hurricane and when he flew into Phoenix, there was a dust storm.  He has all the luck!  While we didn't spend as much time together as I would have wanted, he had lots of friends that he hasn't seen in over a year to catch up with.  He and I talk every day (usually) and I was just out there in May.  Next time he comes East, he'll be able to stay longer and we'll spend more time together.

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JF and I actually had a civil conversation, via Text message this weekend.  He was worried about us having to evacuate.  He wasn't mean or demanding, just wanted to make sure we got out and where we would be.  And this is not the first civil communication we've had recently.  I've even said please and thank you to him about schedule changes.  I'm a little scared!!!!

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The new cat, Shadow and Saylors stayed at the house while we were gone.  I thought they would bond and become better friends.  WRONG!  Saylors is still growling at Shadow.  Shadow on the other hand just wants to be friends. 

Remember to check out the other random-ness out in bloggy world!

The Aftermath

I am sitting safe and dry in my hotel room on Sunday after Irene blew through the area.  She has flooded many areas of my county.  They have only just removed the order for everyone to stay off the roads.  OEM still doesn't want you to be on the roads but if you must, you can be.

We left the house yesterday at 3 pm.  Jakes, Jaxon, Kathy and her dogs, Dad and EMS and myself all gathered our important stuff and headed for higher ground.  Our newest neighbors, Melanie and John stayed behind.  Not 20 minutes after we left than Mel messaged me that the electric was out.  We had good timing for leaving!  The electric was off and on all night long, more off than on.  Its off right now.

At the hotel, we all got settled and then gathered in Dad and ESM's room for dinner.  I had cooked a chicken, ESM brought hot dogs and mac N cheese.  Kathy brought chocolate stuff for desert.  Our three dogs actually got along very well, which doesn't happen at home.  We had a great time listening to Dad's fire police radio at the chaos happening in the county.  And the storm wasn't even really here by then!

After dinner, Jakes, Jaxon and I went back to our room to relax for the evening.  By 10:30 the storm was raging outside and the bathroom was leaking.  YIKES!  The front desk brought rags and buckets to catch the water.  There are no open rooms to switch us to because everyone evacuated.  We met our neighbors here at breakfast!

I was checking the weather channel and facebook to see what was left.  Irene hit for the second time in Little Egg Inlet, NJ.  This is a little town 90 miles almost directly EAST of my town.  We were SO close to the center of the storm!  That's a bit scary and I'm glad I didn't know it before it happened.  I think if I realized how close the eye of the storm was going to be, I would have paniced.

I imagine we were fortunate that the storm had decreased in strength so much more than when it hit NC earlier.  We are waiting for the next high tide, which will be even higher after the storm, with all the run-off.  We are waiting for power to come back on so that we have drinking water at home.  I have to go back and get clothes for work on Monday.

All in all, I know I made the right decision to leave.  I was torn on whether to leave or not.  Part of me was scared to be there during the storm and part of me wanted to be there to see the excitement.  But I had to think of my child and animals.  I did the smart thing.