Trouble at Sea

Summer Fundraiser, Day Six

Well, as you can see, we made it through the ravages of Hurricane Irene relatively unscathed. The parapets at Schloss Bodissey were not dilapidated of even a single stone.

The electricity only flickered once, for less than a second, when a particularly strong gust of wind hit. We had just over an inch of rain. The satellite internet connection went out a few times during heavy showers, but never for long.

Of course, we haven’t tried to go out yet, so it’s still possible that a tree is lying across the driveway. But we’ll deal with that when we come to it.

Dymphna is still under the weather, which is why she has been unable to contribute another fundraising post to our week of blegging, and also why she is way behind in her thank-you notes. For those who have yet to receive one: as the flashing signs on Interstate 64 in Hampton said this morning, “Expect Delays”.

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Points further east in the Old Dominion and North Carolina fared much worse than we did. I wouldn’t want to have been one of the hardy souls who declined to heed the evacuation order and stayed in Beaufort, Ocracoke, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, or Sands End.

Parts of Tidewater received up to sixteen inches of rain. Williamsburg and Newport News must have been a single continuous lake by late this afternoon. Hundreds of thousands of people are without power.

Big trouble went back out to sea when Hurricane Irene crossed back into the Atlantic at Kill Devil Hills and then headed across towards the Eastern Shore, just outside the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. The last time I checked the map, it was making its way alongside the Chincoteague end of Assateague Island, not far offshore. I dread to think of how much beach will be left at the National Seashore swimming area after this one.

New Jersey and New York are getting walloped by the rain right now, and the eye of the storm will be upon them before long. Tomorrow morning in Manhattan will be pretty sodden.

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Many thanks to all the brave people who sent their contributions out into the gale today. The following locations were represented:

Stateside: California, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, and Virginia

Near Abroad: Canada

Far Abroad: Australia, Denmark, Sweden, and the UK

Your kindness — and the cheerful notes that accompanied most of your gifts — are greatly appreciated.


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