What do you do?

[heidi]

When you look out the window and minutes go by without a car passing, on one of the more perpetually busy city streets in the US?

When they say schools may be closed for two weeks and they may cancel winter break because of it and private school for the rest of the year sounds reasonable as they're opening tomorrow, or perhaps teaming up with five or six other families and getting two tutors for a few hours each day, so they don't forget everything, would work just as well?

When they can't promise that the cellphones will keep working as the generators may run out of juice?

When the port is still closed because there is no electricity and the boats are just sitting offshore, where I can see them, and can't come in to unload?

When on the surface so many things are normal, and so many things are upside down, and underneath, everything, even the seemingly normal things, have been beset by hobgoblins?

Comments

[alexandramuses.livejournal.com]

When there are no cars, go for a walk. Enjoy the clean air.

When the schools are closed, take your children outside, to a park, or to see the shops, even if they're all closed. Talk to them. They won't forget much. Math can be relearned, science can be relearned, even reading and other skills can be regained, but childhood passes so swiftly.

We've lived without cellphones for millenia; is the post office working? Use letters.

I don't know what to do about the boats, or the hobgoblins, unfortunately.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

The parks are all closed; they're full of trees. One set of tennis courts may be open by Monday, though. Libraries? Closed. Post office? Closed. Museums? Closed. Seaquarium? Probably closed for the rest of the year. The zoo is open but it's 30 miles away and I don't want to use that much gas. We'll go for a walk on the boardwalk, but the beach is - you guessed it - closed, because they can't guarantee that the sewage pumping stations will keep working.

[alexandramuses.livejournal.com]

Okay, that sounds like seriously cooped up. :( Board games?

[leiabelle.livejournal.com]

Seriously, have you looked at any of the pictures of the aftermath of hurricanes? Trees downed, streets flooded, debris everywhere? Yeah, that sounds lovely to walk in. Not to mention perfectly safe.

Also, do you really expect the post office to be running properly when there's either no gas or no power to pump gas if there is any? Especially given that many roads are probably undrivable due to aforementioned trees/debris/flooding.

I suppose I don't have the right to be sensitive about this, since the hurricanes this year haven't directly affected my area, However, you seem to be treating the situation in South Florida as a temporary inconvenience, when it is clearly much more permanant and serious. Advice like "use letters" comes across (at least to me) as very flip and dismissive and just plain unsympathetic.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

She's not in the states, so I would assume that she hasn't seen all the images that are coming out from Broward and west dade with the downed plants and the construction and the streetlights. It is, to a large extent, temporary and we all know it - there was so little structural damage to buildings, which is, I think, a reason why we're all so floored about the incredible damage they're saying occured with the electrical infrastructure - we can, yes, see the poles down, but how can it be that it will take a month to fix that, especially when the keys have mostly been re-connected? But it's hard to think, really, how to work around the limitations we have, both from the landscape itself, and from the orders the government has placed on us in terms of gas lines and curfews.

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

They also said it would be 9 months to pump out New Orleans ( and that was before Rita) ... they did it in less than 9 weeks.

They say longer so that when you get them back sooner - everyone is happy.

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

They say longer so that when you get them back sooner - everyone is happy.

Just like Mr. Scott always did in Star Trek *g*

Hang in there Heidi.

[stephandra.livejournal.com]

I think the power situation may have to do with the sheer amount of electrical workers traipsing across the entirity of the Louisiana coast and part of Texas. I know lots of Miami isn't Entergy, but a lot of people from all sorts of places were sent to help in Lake Charles and New Orleans.

I am sure y'all won't be without power that long. The month seems more like cover your ass to me. I hope things normalize for y'all soon.

Hurricanes really suck.

[tealin.livejournal.com]

the incredible damage they're saying occured with the electrical infrastructure

This is the part I have the hardest time understanding. Why is the infrastructure above ground?? Hurricanes aren't exactly new to the area, and the cost of rebuilding the wire system year after year has to be exorbitant. Why hasn't the state/county/city mandated buried lines?

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

We don't have much of a space below ground - we're about 3 feed up from sea level. And electricals need to go deeper than, say, tv cables, because of the danger. But also, here, the substations also went down...

[alexandramuses.livejournal.com]

No, I haven't seen the pictures, and yes, I'm certainly ignorant. All I was trying to do was to give Heidi some kind of encouragement--that even if the power's down, life can still go on. I'm sorry if I seemed flippant, but I wasn't in any way intending to be so.

[simons-flower.livejournal.com]

Are you implying that most people are two hurricanes away from Lor of the Flies?

[simons-flower.livejournal.com]

Oops, I haven't had coffee yet. That should be Lord of the Flies.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

One of our columnists says, not as long as we have hope. I pray he's right. The coolness of the air and lack of humidity are going a long way to making this more easily cope-able than New Orleans but when people stand in line to wait 8 or 10 hours for ice and water that don't arrive despite the state's promises, we sympathize with our friends in NO.

[jlh.livejournal.com]

Yeah--the problem is, you can "live like its the 19th century" in the country, or a relatively rural suburb, especially if you don't also have a gas shortage at the time. But in the city it's pretty impossible. Even being in NYC for a few hours for the black out (before CC and I escaped to Holly's in NJ) was chaos because the infrastructure completely breaks down.

Heidi, I've lived for a week at a time without power (after Bob and Gloria) and my parents were without power for almost two weeks (after that huge ice storm a few years ago) but again, we were in the country. Also, losing power isn't that bad in the winter, ironically.

I don't know how they can actually cancel winter break, though, since so many Christians travel for those holidays. I reckon if the school is going to open after a while a temporary tutor sounds like a really good idea. The cell phone thing makes being in a hotel pretty tough, though.

What will happen is that there will be all this stop gap stuff that will get set up in the meantime. Think of it as a big improv that the whole city is doing.

[wendywoowho.livejournal.com]

You note the abnormality, you talk about it when folks in the fam. want to talk about it, and you stock up on oddness that will carry your stories for a lifetime.

(I like your modified homeschool idea, btw)

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I'm still living in it. Live in New Orleans.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

Yikes. How are things there right now?

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

Well, I have lights/water/and sewage. And a movie theatre is going to be open for GoF.
Still have a job and (for now) can still afford my apt.

I'm good.

We are just trying to figure out what the new "normal" is going to be - because it is not ever going to be the "old normal" again.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

That is a shame--that the "old normal" will never be again. But New Orleans seems like a resilient town, and I hope that the old character and flavor remain. I love that city--the history, the music, the food, the culture--and it's a wonderful place.

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

Most of what people remember (Garden District/French Quarter/etc...) is almost together. Basically - anything that was around prior to... oh, 1940 was already on the highest land around and not prone to flooding (because they pre-date the Army Corp levees).
What got destroyed was the residential areas... the city is fine - but the people are homeless. Heck, I'm 20 miles outside NOLA proper and I couldn't get back home for a month (no power/water/sewage/mandatory lockdown)!!!

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I think if polls were done in September, they would have found that a higher percentage of Miamians sympathized with those in NO than those in many other places in the US. I didn't live through Andrew, although my parents did - and the only reason this is being read as "worse" in some ways is because it actually is more widespread, so the destruction is much more shallow, but more widespread.

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

I don't doubt it. Anytime one hits on high population dense areas - is it bad.

And I didn't mean the comment to be "shut up and quit complaining" - just that .. you just keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep breathing in and out. Then rest will come later.

[snapefantasy.livejournal.com]

Like I keep telling my in-laws. (who live in Daytona Beach) Move north!

[momebie.livejournal.com]

There are so many parts of your life that you can't just pick up and move north. Your job, your family, your education if you're in uni, which she's not, your home. Moving north is also not a viable option because the north can't support us. You saw all the problems that happened when they displaced people from New Orleans, now imagine displacing the state of Florida.

The thing is is that it's not a certainty that you'll get hit, ever. You could go years without getting hit, and then last year in Orlando we got hit with three directly. You take it, like anything else in life, and you go on. But you don't run away from home.

[elseinane.livejournal.com]

Amen.

Besides:
move West - earthquakes/fires
move North - nor'easters/blizzards
mid-west - tornadoes

No matter where you go -- you are going to have to face something.

[stephandra.livejournal.com]

Double Amen. Listening to people say New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt I want to shake them. HELLO...HUGE PORT! Plus, living anywhere in the world is a risk. Sometimes I think people just don't understand that living anywhere in this country is dangerous. I will take living in a hurricane prone area in which I have at least a days notice that one is heading for me in addition to only 6 months to worry to living on the west coast and having an earthquake hit at no notice.

I mean, places like Vermont are completely snow covered for half the year, whereas I get lots of fresh sunshine and outdoor activity. there are ups and downs to every place you can live, and you have to wiegh what you want versus the risks.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

The tutor sounds like a great idea. It'll give the kids something to do, and give you a bit of a break now and then as well. Plus, it's important to keep their minds busy and active.

Um, as for the rest... go to Disney? I hope things get back to normal (whatever that is) for you soon. If you ever want to make an educational trip to Texas ("Look, mom! They're tipping cows!") you're welcome.

[likebunnies.livejournal.com]

Oh, Heidi. *hugs* I don't know what to tell you but I understand your frustration. Last year, I ended up enrolling Damien in school over here earlier than expected just because the schools in Palm Beach Co. couldn't reopen after Frances and Jeanne. Then Ivan came this way and the schools closed here again after finally getting it together after Charley. Everything was a mess. School was a mess. Scouts was a mess. I didn't have any of my stuff here in this house (including a bed) because of hurricanes and a lack of gas or the lack of electricity.

But you will get through it. I know that doesn't help much now but we will all get through this.

Then we can all considering moving to a landlocked state! *more hugs*

[batmanmsd.livejournal.com]

Hang in there, Heidi. I hope the world turns right side up for you soon! :)

[brandifer.livejournal.com]

{{{Huge hugs to you and the family too}}}

We were without power twice in the last six weeks, once for three and a half days and once for two. Though those were relatively short lengths of time, they tested our very sanity, and not just because it was 95F/90% at the time. Like you, we are highly 'wired' people- including our 12 y/o daughter. Drew was able to spend a lot of that time at work network-securing and that left the kiddo and me at home in the dark for most of it. The two things that brought us through without going completely bugnuts were books (three cheers for book lights!) and games- both the kind you get in a box and the kind you make up yourself.

I envy you the ability to get together with other families at a time like this; pool the kids and take turns watching to give parents a few minutes down time even if it's just long enough to have a quiet cup of coffee. Give the kids small tasks to keep up with, make them feel like they're important to the storm recovery. Play music and let them dance. Have the big kids read to the littler ones- or even better, just make up stories of their own- or teach the them something they didn't know (like how to stand on your head or tie your shoes or make your fingers do the Vulcan greeting thing).

I can't answer anything about your infrastructure recovery, but I can say that I was also given an estimate of a month for power and it was nowhere near that either time. The crews that are coming to help have had a LOT of practice at this lately, I'm betting (and praying) it won't be nearly that long for you either.

Whatever you end up with, you're a fantastic mom and you're going to get through this.

Sincere prayers and gigantic positive vibes are coming your way and to everyone affected and afflicted in this hellacious storm season.

[momebie.livejournal.com]

I'd say it's time to get a raft and paddle out to thos damn boats. But the tutor thing isn't a bad idea either.

[dragongirlg.livejournal.com]

HUGS to you and your family, and to all those affected. I'd say review stuff with your kids, maybe homeschool temporarily/get a tutor (though I have a big grudge against tutors). Try to...make it an adventure for the kids? Pretend like you're in a story? I really don't know what else to say. But my prayers are with you, and I know you are going to get through this.

[sandy-phoenix.livejournal.com]

I wish there was something to say that didn't sound trite and/or condescending.

It is horrible and no mistake. I'm so sorry. Quite separate of the immediate problems of electricity and water and so on, which are huge in and of themselves, it is so hard on families to be uprooted and tossed around this way. Hard for the kids, hard for you, hard for all of you to see one another unhappy in any way.

*hugs and prayers for your well-being*

[cat-mom.livejournal.com]

My brother and sister-in-law have been visiting their daughters in Austin and haven't been able to get back home because the West Palm Beach airport has been closed, but they did finally get cleared for a flight at 6 a.m. tomorrow. My dad lives with them (in Jupiter) and he is okay, but they have no power either. The phones have been out, but finally came back on this morning so I was able to call him directly.

I have family in Beaumont and one of my nieces goes to college there and they will be attending classes throughout the normal holiday periods, only getting off for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day to make up for all the time lost when the school was closed (they just resumed classes last week).

[anna-in-the-sky.livejournal.com]

The things we see on TV are terrible- so much destruction lately. It seems as if 2005 was a particularly bad year.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear you're healthy Heidi, and that your house is fine and I hope you'll be back to some kind of normal soon. My heart goes out to everyone concerned by hurricanes this year. ::wishes you the best::

[exit-chrysalis.livejournal.com]

I don't know what to tell you except to hang in there. I'm from DeLand, which is about halfway between Orlando and Daytona Beach. We got slammed with three last year--the eye of Charley went straight over my house. I wound up missing over three weeks of school all together, which is a lot when you're in your senior year of high school and it's college apps time! (I did wind up getting into my first choice, but I almost didn't get the paperwork together in time.) They didn't cancel winter break for us, but they cancelled all the teacher work-days and made us come back early from break and extended the school day by fifteen minutes. (If your school board is still in the deciding process, maybe you should try to contact them and share your thoughts.)

So, I'm not trying to obtain any sympathy here. I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone, and that even if y'all weren't devastated like NO, you still have every right to be angry and upset and worried. But, I hope you're not any of those things! I'm keeping you in my thoughts. :D

*relurks*