Hurricane Irene came and went with her Category 1 force winds and dumped a whole slew of rain on the tri-state area. She was a bit weaker than expected due to the fact that North Carolina & Virginia took on the brunt of her wrath. To many, this was little more than the Nor'easters we are accustomed to with rain instead of snow. But to us in the northeast, who are not accustomed to hurricanes, even a Category 1 is a big deal.
We were fortunate, our home, nor that of our friends and family, sustained any damage due to this storm. What Irene did do was cause several hours of lost sleep due to worrying about tornadoes that were developing and the rattling of the window panes due to the wind force. Many around us were not as lucky. Some lost power, many homes and businesses were flooded.... proof that even a "small" storm can cause extensive damage.
What amazed me afterwards were the gorgeous blue skies that welcomed a new day after the storm. Not a cloud in sight! After this visit by Irene, I can safely say I give it to all the folks who live in the southern states, who deal with hurricanes, most more forceful than the one that visited us, all the time. It takes a lot of work to prepare for what may come when you are in the path of a storm. Hopefully, we don't have to deal with one again for a very long time, if at all!
