Was good to hear from all on our earthquake thread. Hope we can use this thread to keep checking in and sharing.
We came from here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1215758/
All of us here want nothing but the best outcomes for all of our neighbors up and down our Eastern seaboard and beyond. Stay safe all.
This message was edited Aug 26, 2011 9:23 AM
Our Northeast forum members are chatting here
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1216223/
wishing everyone the best.. stay safe!
Just wanted to pop in and say GOOD LUCK to all! Stay safe and post when you can to let all your DG buddies know your safe. GODSPEED!
I have so many very large trees real close to the house. We have had large branches break off before (30ft long) ,also a large pine that fell last fall and missed the house by 4 ft. That is what I am concerned about .We have almost everything else tied down or moved out of the wind path. Today I will take down all hanging pots, and decorations that can get blown away.
But I agree , I am wondering if my house is the place to be? ..lol
yeah it is a time like this I am sorry we are surrounded by trees
Have you heard anymore about her direction or how far inland we are to expect the high winds?
Yeah, Marie, even though I have a basement that may take on some water, flooding and storm surge do not present that much of a danger here. But those big trees and SUSTAINED winds concern me much. Local weather says our winds here will be out of the North due to counter clock wise turning of Irene. So basement a better choice for me than upstairs. Will be considering what upstairs stuff I may cover or bag (like computer) in the event that roof is breached by tree.
Have gas for chain saw and two liter soda bottles filled with drinking water freezing in freezer which is mostly filled with fruit which if it defrosts can be made into jam...
Filled last vehicle up early this am and saw many utility comp[any trucks already amassed in the park and ride lots they have used in winter storms...lots of bucket trucks. Podster on the Northeast thread reports that crews from Texas where she lives are on their way to New Jersey. So glad to know that neighbor helping neighbor is alive and well for all of our sakes.
Marie, to the best of my knowledge, this hurricane extends out about 150 miles from the eye for the most dangerous sustained winds. Look at the satelite image. This storm is huge and looks to me like it would "cover" most of NJ.
Which leads me to ask what weather sources will any of us be relying on as the storm moves northward at 12 miles an hour?
I love the weather channel and have relied on "The Capital Weather Gang" during major snow storms...
When the power's out, the weather source is "wet you finger and stick it up in the air"
Tree limbs will be the big ?? This'll clean out some dead limbs from our dozen trees. We've had two good sized tree breaks in our yard in past storms. Good luck to you all, esp marie and onewish..I feel consoled that the most likely tree to split, next to our house, has a "fault line" which favors it falling into the yard, but also the neighbors driveway 8^O
Another scary thought occurred to me some time during the night....
IF power goes out--the Sump Pumps will not work! All the rain predicted--and no sump pumps
is a bit of a concern to me.
I will clear that area and get ready to bail with a small bucket and pour it down the laundry sink close-by.
I too have big trees. They seem Ok--and have withstood many a hard wind. But--they are old.
Just hoping the winds are not THAT horrible...They said this AM on radio that they may be between
30-50mph.
I will also go out later today and put all HB's in the shed and hunker down all the chairs and any other loose stuff.
Our power lines here are all underground. IF there is a power outage--it will come from some other central areas.
My house as such is on pretty high ground. Of course--that storm drain behind my shed is where all the water
flows to--then the back of my back yard is like a shallow river.
I have been off from work all week. They are, severely,cutting hours! Done a lot of cooking...
With all this crappy weather--there just are not that many customers...
Have to go in on Sunday--9AM. That will be interesting....
This picture was just a week ago--from that monsoon rain we had....You can see how wet the back of my property gets.
The puddles in the front is from the gutters overflowing.
Be safe everyone! Gita
Here is what mine looks like in just a simple flooding. There is a pond under that there water...lol The last heavy rain was 10ft farther up the yard...lol
Gita, I heard on the news this morning that there were people camped out in my HD last night waiting for a shipment of generators. I am scheduled to be at work at Home Depot Sunday morn by 8, if the weather is as bad as thay say it will be, I will not be going in.
Everybody stay safe and dry.
we have an old noisy generator to help with pumps if needed and can plug the fridge in.. have to make sure we have enough gas now
TIme and time again- people don't 'need' a generator until the day before the event. It boggles my mind!
Sump pumps are a concern. I'm probably too late to worry about getting some kind of hand 'bilge pump' so its buckets here too. Guess I have to go elevate the basement stuff.
Same here, Sally.
Saying prayers for all of us up and down the East Coast this weekend!
Stay safe everyone!
Sally---
People also wait until some HUGE snow storm in January to come and try to get a Snow-Blower.
NOT to be found anywhere!!!
By January--it is already "Out-of-Season"--as in a few weeks--The Patio sets will be out.
I wish people would realized that BIG BOX stores operate approx. 3 months ahead of the "REAL Seasons".
Like--Right now-(August) it is the best time for you to go get your couple of tons of Pellets to heat your house.
Your snow-Blowers and Snow Shovels. When the real cold hits--you may not be able to get any.
Pellets are especially "iffy"--as they are made from sawdust--which comes from furniture manufacturers.
No sales in furniture--Not much sawdust....
Last year--I heard--that they were actually cutting down renewable trees to fill the need for Pellets.
We had plenty of shipments--22 tons each! That is 22 pallets of pellets (say that 3 times fast...)
The year before--we had 2 or 3 shipments--and could not get any more. People were frustrated--understandably!
BUT--Customers NEVER learn NOT TO wait until the last minute to get something....
Like--a pile of Tiki Torches and chairs for a late July Crab Feast! Nada!!!!
Same for the Summer Season----
You want the best selection of Patio Sets--chairs, Torches, Solar lights, Umbrellas, etc---you should shop for these
sometime in March or April. These things come in late February--and are out on the floor in a couple weeks after that.
Just think ahead---That is the secret! Call! Ask! Go see! DON'T wait until you "NEED IT"....
Here is another bit of Info---
On ALL BIG Seasonal Holidays--you can bet that Behr paint will be $5 off a Gallon--and $25 off a 5-gal, bucket for a week.
HD Circulars (Ads) kick in on Thursday mornings and end the following Wednesday evening.
In the summer holidays--You can bet that the BIG double pack of 2 bags of Kingsford Charcoal will be ridiculously cheap.
Like--instead of $15--or such--you can pick it up for $7.99. This may change--as the economy changes....
Don't hold me to it!
I also know that once a year--or so--they change all the Kitchen cabinet lines....
Then they have this HUGE Yellow-tag sale outside the front of the store and you can get great cabinets for
a fraction of their price. It is a real "Pig Out"!
If you visit your HD on a regular basis--look for the Yellow Tag Clearance items....Every department has them.
Gita
oooh, kitchen cabinets...... Sorry don't mean to continue digression. But I just want to smack the emotional shoppers for the generators etc. If its essential get it sooner. If you didn't get it, it isn't essential! Oh human nature!
Looks like passing Baltimore around 2 am Sunday. I still have time to buy gas. I hear the food stores were packed this am and bottled water was gone. I filled a number of little plastic tubs with water- they're freezing, and will help hold the freezer and then become water, by magic (wink) Also have three picnic jugs. And a gallon jug. Hand wash water will be from our AC drain which we save anyway (I know, no water from it if elec goes off)
Anybody going to fill the bathtub?
Did find out today from one of our supply houses that the police and OEM goes and buys all the generators just in case then returns them if they weren't needed
This was posted on the Northeast thread just a bit ago
araness
Pearland, TX
(Zone 9a)
August 26, 2011
03:01 PM
Post #8778300
Quote
Sorry if this has been posted above, but I didn't read the entire thread. Up until I moved to the Gulf Coast I wasn't well versed in hurricane preparedness but after Katrina, Rita, Humberto, Gustov and Ike I've learned. Few hints, tips and tricks for you.
Fill all available tubs with water (helps if you can flush)
have at least 1 gallon water per person/pet a day
clean the house (sounds silly but you'll be glad you did)
clean out the fridge & bag items in the freezer in trash bags (if the power is gone for several days this makes clean up MUCH easier)
do wash (same as above)
call your cell phone provider and ask what the code or sequence of numbers they use to have your phone reset to the towers. This will help if you lose cell service and they divert to other towers.
purchase a disposable cell battery for your model phone, not only will this come in handy for calling to check in but keep in mind the calls to the insurance company etc.
turn down your A/C as well as your freezer the night of the storm. This allows it to get as cold as possible and allows you a little extra time after the power goes out.
Take a shower, wash your hair, shave your legs etc..several days without hot water and you'll thank yourself for doing this
pack your freezer with ice, it always comes in handy. You can also freeze gallons of water in empty jugs. keeps the freezer colder as well as gives you something to put in a cooler if needed.
buy tarps and duct tape
go ahead and start a form on the FEMA website, gather any documents you might need and have them handy.
have a very sturdy pair of gloves for clean up
have ONE person as a contact. Family and friends will want to know you are ok..but talking to all of them will not only run down your cell phone battery it will take away time from clean up.
make sure your spare tire if in good working order, After Rita I went through 3 tires due to nails etc on the roads.
pick up piddle pads or newspapers, Fluffy is NOT going to want to go out
If you are in a flood zone, bring the ax inside the house
Good Luck and I hope all ends well.
ROTFL..... I love our governor!!!
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie demanded people "get the hell off the beach" in Asbury Park and said: "You're done. Do not waste any more time working on your tan."
Excellent advice...praying God's protection for all. Guess there's no need to go out and water the plants eh? Gonna be hauling them in - in the a.m. My apologies if a repeat but make sure to hit the ATM/bank in the a.m. just in case power outages are widespread and make sure you have a full tank of gas.
Hugs to all
Speaking of watering the plants, we were going out to dinner tonight and passed a guy watering his JM....HUH???Really? I don't understand some people sometimes
Thanks Chantell, praying for protection and peace of mind
Great advice coleup... done most of it, but a few things will be done on Saturday.
Water was still available at our grocers, but bread was gone! Guess people expect to be eating aslot of sandwiches! I am putting a potroast in the crockpot in the morning!
Hubby is putting a pork butt in the smoker in the morning
I put ALL my plants away yesterday. Draggong my 3 lg. Brugs in my shed was no fun....
They will have to be in there until Monday--as I am supposed to go into work Sunday.
They may just call me at tell me to stay home--which would mean I have zero hrs. this week.
Maybe the only customers we will have is those seeking Sump Pumps--which, by now, are sold out anyway--I would imagine.
The worst is supposed to hit during the night tonight. There goes a good night's sleep!
Listening for any crashes or branches coming down from my trees....Hope NOT!
Gita
We took the canvas top and curtains off the gazebo, brought in the house plants that were happily living out there. Set some of the patio plants up against the side of the house and moved a few flats off the benches and into the garage. Gathered up the lighter weight patio furniture. Looks like it has been down graded to a Class 1.
Gotta go outside and make sure my drain is uncovered in my basement entrance stairwell.
I an going to remove the strainer cover--as that may clog up with leaves in no time--
and then I will have water coming in my club room. Let it just gush down the hole!
NE Gardening Forum has an Irene Thread going also.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1216038/
Just started to get some of the rain bands and the wind is picking up some. Out of the ENE for the most part. Thought it would stay from that direction for the duration so I moved all of my vehicles out of harms way from trees and snapping branches to amedical center parking lot about two blocks away and the end of my road, Didn't want to have them in the same place to maximize the odds of at least one of them being unscathed and usable for delivery of the Sunday newspaper at ten tonight (Yes, that is the height of the storm here!)
Now I've come inside to check latest track, and it seems something has shifted because now the wind changes from all ENE to WNW around midnite. Figure the "eye" is coming closer in to Ocean City than predicted last nite. And, we have just benn put under a tornado watch as well! What is that saying about things coming in threes? As far as I know flooding and storm surge are not a problem where I am, so if the roof and trees hold I should be okay.
Open to all suggestions on my ' risk your life' job requirements...
I figure about half the people around here are prepared and the rest see this as an inconvenience...about the same percent as a major snow storm. We need a few Gov Christy clones to come down here for a while!
Tornado warnings here
come on already
hey Flowajen or Onewish are there trees more prone or less prone to uprooting in storms like these? I really don't know why I ask because almost anything but "fire" is not covered under homeowners insurance yhese days.
When I lived aboard a sail boat we could orient ourselves to the wind directions...pretty hard to tack with a house.
Holly, is your greenhouse still just framed up? Bet this will spur Ric on to more "bracing"
I'm with you Gita, not looking forward to dragging out all of my plants from their shelters. Actuall laid the 12 foot tall Hardy Banana over on its side under a large shrub. That's scary about your cut in hours. What time are you suppesed to report Sun am?
Pines are the WORST in storms like this they have a lot of top roots, and any trees that normally listed as a "garbage" tree Silver Maple being one of them...and of course any tree that is already dying or has dead branches that people haven't taken care of is always a problem
We've had steady rain since about 11:30 this morning. Winds are now in the 30-ish mph. We took our canvas awning down, and tucked all the plants in. We lost power for about an hour from 11:30am-12:30pm... very thankful it came back on! It was WAY too early in the day for THAT!
Thinking of you all...be safe ((((BIG HUGS))))
.26" rain already
my problem trees are the tulips.. very weak .. huge & everywhere
At least 2-3 inches of rain here so far! Winds 35-40mph. Power blinks on occasion, but hanging on so far.
Watching Iron Chef on TV with my girls and waiting on the potroast to finish!
