A Port in the Storm: The Cooper-Lermans Prepare for Sandy
Those of you who remember my detailed and exhaustive preparations for Irene last year--or who've just come to get a sense of my general personality ;-) --know that when I say I like to prepare for a major storm, what I really mean is I like to over-prepare. Well, I lived through Andrew back in '92 and September 11th back in 2001, so I've learned to appreciate what the Boy Scouts have been saying all along.
It was Thursday night when the local news stations first started talking about a Sandy strike as a distinct possibility for the New York area. Under normal circumstances, Friday morning would have found me at the corner grocery store stocking up on enough water, cat food, and canned goods to carry us through at least a week without electricity, if it comes to that. (When you live in a Manhattan apartment building, your water is tied to your electricity--which means that when you lose power, you lose water, too). I'm still stocked up on flashlights, batteries, first-aid equipment, etc. from last year's hurricane, so food and water were the main priorities.
However, as it happened, Friday morning Laurence and I left at 6:00am to fly to Midland, MI, where I was the keynote speaker at the Ties & Tails fundraising gala for the Humane Society of Midland County on Saturday night. So, on Thursday night, I had the bright idea of placing a large order with a service called FreshDirect, which delivers groceries right to your door at a pre-determined time. Our plane home was scheduled to land at noon on Sunday, and the storm wasn't set to strike until Monday, so I scheduled a delivery slot of between 2:00 and 4:00 Sunday afternoon and boarded the plane Friday morning concerned, but not overly so.
Friday evening we met most of the Board of Directors for HSoMC, and Saturday afternoon I spent several happy hours knee-deep in rescue kitties--most of whom were super-friendly and in a great mood. Perhaps because HSoMC has such a phenomenally high adoption rate. While enjoying some cuddle time with a big lovable lug named Montague (who was SUCH a lover!), one of the volunteers came up to us and lamented, "I feel awful for Montague. He's been here a while, and for the life of me I can't figure out why."
"How long has he been here?" I asked sympathetically, prepared to hear a truly awful number.
"At least a month," the volunteer told me.
When a no-kill shelter considers a month to be a long stay for an adult cat, you know they're doing something right. I should add here that Midland County has no Animal Control. HSoMC is the only animal rescue organization in town, and the board and volunteers are incredibly, incredibly dedicated to finding a safe, vetted home for the hundreds of cats and dogs that enter their facility every month. And they're doing an amazing job.
Me with Mist, an ADORABLE five-week-old kitten who I nearly stuffed into my purse and sneaked back to New York!
My speech Saturday night went off without a hitch, and Laurence and I were up at 5:00 Sunday morning to catch our flight back to New York. We landed at noon, as scheduled, and walked in our door at 12:20. So far, everything was going to plan.
Except that once I turned on my computer and checked email, I found a message from FreshDirect saying that all deliveries scheduled for 2:00 and later had been canceled. My reunion with an ecstatic Homer (who always hates it when I'm gone overnight) was cut abruptly short as I slammed back out the door five minutes later, cursing at the top of my lungs, with Laurence in tow.
If there's one thing I HATE, it's fighting for items in a crowded store and then standing in a long, long line. Truly, if there's a hell, for me it will be standing in a looooooooong line that doesn't move. Well, you can imagine what the grocery store was like the day before a hurricane. Laurence and I filled our grocery cart quickly enough, but the lines at the crash registers stretched all the way to the back of the store and wrapped around. Twenty minutes later, we could have sworn that they hadn't budged an inch.
"What's going on up there?" I asked Laurence. I stood on my tiptoes but couldn't see over people's heads to the front of the store.
"It looks like the cashiers are bagging the groceries themselves," Laurence said. "It's taking twice as long. Why don't they make people bag their own groceries?"
There's a fine line between "helpful" and "pushy," and I decided to cross it. "I had a job bagging groceries in college," I said. "Would it be nuts if I went up there and helped?"
Laurence shrugged and made a face in a way that said, It sounds crazy, but why not?
So, handing Laurence my purse, I wove my way through the packed-to-the-rafters-with-people store, went behind the register of the line we were waiting in, and told the cashier, "I worked in a grocery store in college. Will you let me help you bag groceries?" (I should add here that Laurence and I are in this particular store at least three times a week, so just about everybody who works there knows us at least by sight.)
"PLEASE!" Linda, the cashier, replied.
And so I spent the next hour and change bagging groceries at our neighborhood Gristede's. Suddenly our line was moving three times faster than any of the other lines. Most people laughed and thanked me when they got to the register, although one fussy customer wanted everything individually bagged in a very specific way and got a bit cranky with me. Finally I observed, "I don't work here, sir. I'm volunteering. So you wanna step off my jock?" (When dealing with surly New Yorkers, one must speak in the language they understand.)
Things were moving so swiftly and Linda--the poor, overworked cashier (who'd been there since 6:00am without a break!)--was so relieved to have some help, that I stayed awhile after Laurence was checked through and kept bagging. The store graciously allowed Laurence to use the grocery cart to get all our things home--since I wasn't able to help him. Eventually, though, I had to join Laurence at home so we could start pulling everything off of our balcony, get our batteries and other supplies together, and so on.
So we're pretty well hunkered down at this point. My main concern is all the construction scaffolding on the buildings around us, which I'm pretty sure wasn't built to withstand hurricane-strength winds. But Laurence and I are pretty high up. When the storm hits its peak, we'll probably put the cats in our bathrooms (which have no windows and should be the safest rooms in our home in terms of flying debris) and hole up in our bedroom with our mattress against the window. God willing, our little family will wake up Wednesday morning none the worse for wear.
I hope that all of you reading this in the Northeast have made your preparations (and accounted for your cats and dogs!) and will stay warm, dry, and safe over the next couple of days. I'll post when it's all over to let you know we're okay. :-D
Comments
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
Stay safe! Good for you for lending a hand!
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
Just to wish you well. Keep safe and looking forward to your post on Wednesday - or as near as damn it - to let us know you are fine. xx
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
Good on you for helping out.Prayers for safety.
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
Be safe!
We are in the DC area and it's crazy how the whole area is shutting down everything. I just hope it won't be as bad as they predict. -
Sunday, 28 October 2012
We will pray that everyone stsys safe, Gwen. Give the kits a kiss for us.
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
I live in Virginia Beach and we have gotten over 6 inches of rain. Winds are about 25 mph. I hope all you stay safe and have no damage to your apartment. Loved your book and looking forward to your next book.
Karan -
Sunday, 28 October 2012
I'm sure that Linda appreciated the help far more than she could possibly express! If I didn't shop alone, I would definitely go help bag the next time I'm in a never-ending line. I hope Fanny and Clayton aren't freaked out by their first hurricane. Stay safe with your babies (Laurence too)!
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Sunday, 28 October 2012
Gwen: You do such "good work," for all of God's creatures, great & small, cats, dogs, and their humans! I was in N.Y.C. 1 1/2 weeks ago visiting my son, who is a student at N.Y.U., and actually thought of you while walking about Manhattan. I loved reading your book about Homer and look forward to the next adventure with your precious felines. I'm a cat owner myself and recently adopted a Boston Terrier. Big animal lover!!! Thanks, for all that you do to help cats. I loved being in New York and look forward to my return trip. I'm sending uplifting thoughts to all New Yorkers and those along the NE who are in this storms path. I pray for everyone's safety and those of us in the Midwest will continue to do whatever possible to help those affected by this enormous storm system. Hang in there!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Gwen- You're awesome! Very generous of you and Laurence to help out :-) So glad you are all prepared for the storm. I was busy all day yesterday getting my group of rescue cats out of the local Petsmart where some are housed and into foster care. All are thankfully now safe and sound with volunteers to ride out the storm. Stay safe. Blessings!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
You're story certainly brightened the weather here in NH, Gwen. You and Laurence and the "kids" stay safe.
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Monday, 29 October 2012
LOVE the bagging story! You just made hero status in Linda's eyes for SURE!
Be safe, be well - and give Homer, Fanny & Clayton extra snuggles from us.
Oh and da boyz 'n' Allie send you lots of stay safe purrs too! -
Monday, 29 October 2012
Me and my four fur-kids will be thinking about you! As always, enjoyed the story and we look forward to hearing your storm story, that's hopefully not too adventurous or crazy, when it's all over. Stay safe!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Thoughts,prayers, hugs and kisses to all of you. Since reading your book you have become part of my days. Keep safe and let us know as soon as you can how it went... Homer, a special hug to you from 13 "cousins" down here in Florida...
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Being from NYC I understand all you are going through. Now living in the South I am so impatient with people in the grocery store. Everyone talks and has a nice time. I myself prefer to get the heck out. I always pack my own bags which makes the other store clerks nervous. They always rush to me and ask if they can help. Well I guess their worried about looking bad, but actually no one should have to ask if they were doing their job. You got me started.
You are truely a great person my dear and an official NYer. We lucked out down her, but have family in NJ and LI at the shore. I've been through many hurricans and they are not fun. We lived on the Bay on LI and it was scary.
You sound prepared and that is all one can do.
Keep out of harms way. Will be looking forward to your next post. Hope the power holds out (been there also too many times). I wonder what will happen with the marathon next Sunday if there is no power, OY.
Hugs to all and big head butts,
Verna -
Monday, 29 October 2012
I'm surprised other lines didn't find a couple of volunteers too. Once the line started moving it would have looked like a miracle to me. I do most of my shopping online, or convince someone who enjoys it to do it. Living in a family with several adults has it's advantages. My local high school, also the one I graduated from 32 years ago, is one of the three emergency shelters in our area. I spent 4years walking there in all kinds of weather but never a hurricane. This home has gotten us through Floyd and Irene. I plan to add Sandy to that list. (although I think Sandy is a dumb name for a monster storm. Sandy sounds like a homely, cute dog or a freckle-faced kid!) Good luck to everyone waiting for Sandy to pass, and God's speed to the linemen working for the utility companies. Our local news, NBC10, says they're headed in from as far away as Indiana, so Welcome Hoosier! and Thank You!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Hello from the UK.
Love the bagging story - if only other people used some common sense and helped out like you did.
Stay safe and thinking of you all as Sandy passes. I am due out to NYC for a holiday in two weeks so hoping for more settled weather by then.
Take care and hugs to all your fur babies, (extra big hug to Homer). xx -
Monday, 29 October 2012
Stay safe!!!!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Great article Gwen! So creative of you (and generous!) to help with the bagging! Your poor kitties though -- they're liable to get freaked out when the worst of the storm hits. Best of luck in slogging thru till it's over!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
What a lovely person you are!!!!!! I hope you all stay safe, will be thinking of you!!!
With love from a damp, dark England.
Alison and her 4 furry ones oxox
Great initiative!! God keep you and yours safe.
H xo