The rope is wet at 4pm on Saturday.

Monday, when my post for Mondays at Maywood is due, I will either have electricity or not.  I will either be dealing with lack of power, fallen trees, and water where it shouldn’t be, or I will be calmly observing that the prior week brought both an earthquake and a hurricane.  So on Saturday I ponder what I should be doing now before the storm hits.

I have already gotten cash from the bank, stocked up on necessaries like wine, seltzer water, and cheese and crackers.  (Hey, you have your necessities and I have mine!)  I have done the laundry.  The bathtubs are full of water for flushing.  Drinking water supply is ready, and we are stocked with ice.  Paper plates and plastic cups are on hand so we don’t clutter the kitchen with unwashable dishes.  Yankee candles are stationed at strategic lighting stations.  Pottery barn wickless candles are in position too.  Flashlight, cell phones, and Nook are charged.  The yard is tidier than it’s been in months.

So much for making things tidy

(Post storm note:  The bathtub in the master bath does not hold water very well.  Half the water was gone by morning.  I didn’t light a single candle except one in my room for atmosphere.  And the yard is now strewn with what somewhat has labeled “yard salad.”)

It occurs to me that Hereford Zonians are probably better equipped to handle potential storm disruptions than the average person.   We never know when a wayward tree branch, car accident, or thunderstorm will cause a power outage.  Living with wells powered by electric pumps, we know full well the ramifications of not having a water supply.  Recent years have dumped snows that trapped us at home for days at a time.  At least with a hurricane/tropical storm we have advance notice to prepare.  And it’s not cold out!

Tree down...but it's nothing compared to snow!

(Sunday morning, we were temporarily trapped by a tree down across our driveway, but dear hubby made quick work of that with a chainsaw.  Alas, the tree is too small for John to mill on his sawmill.  It’s just firewood now.  Small branches strewn everywhere are being stacked in preparation for the next bonfire.)

So I’m ready, just waiting for the trees to fall over, and pondering what I should do now that I won’t be able to do if the power goes out.  For my husband,  now is the time to watch tv.  For me, now is the time for email banter, Facebook updates, and constant weather checks.  What I should really, really be doing is prepping for classes which start this week and getting myself ready for the work week, but all the storm drama is wearing me out and I’m feeling a need for a nap.  Yes!  A nap!  That’s a great idea.  I should rest up because pioneer living next week is going to be strenuous.  And if the storm doesn’t force me into pioneer living, I’ll be at school and that will be strenuous, too.

The forecast for Maywood as of Saturday afternoon?  I’m seeing a blanket of clouds out the window and a blanket on my bed calling my name.

(I didn’t actually  get a nap in on Saturday.  By the time I finished all my storm prep and watched a ridiculous amount of storm coverage on tv, it was time to fix dinner. On Sunday, however, after cleaning up the bathrooms in preparation for my sister and family to maybe come over to shower, I did take a most delightful nap!  Now I’m ready for the next natural disaster to come my way….oh, that would be the return of students.)

What happened to the mailbox?

So what the heck happened to our mailbox?  Was it rattled by the earthquake?  Was it bonked by a tree during the tropical storm?  If only it were that dramatic.  We suspect that county highway workers rammed it when they mowed along the edge of the road this past week.