Feeling powerless...

Despite the desire of IRENE to play havoc with our plans, we survived and actually thrived on our vacation.  The storm swung well west of us (sorry Vermont) and pounded the interior of New England much more so than the coastal region.  We certainly did experience the storm and in a very scientific way - feeling each "band" as it swung around the large circular range of activity.  In between each band (dark skies, gusting winds) there were short periods of soft breezes and sunshine.  It was a very manic-depressive type of event.

Power was lost early on...and I'm using Power in the broadest sense.  Our first power lost was feeling powerless when we arrived and found the property manager who was supposed to be the caretaker of the rental home, was in fact, stuck in North Carolina.  His wife kindly handed us the key and informed us she had no concept of how the property should be prepared for the storm, how the hurricane shutters worked, if the outdoor furniture would be dismantled and stored (or should be), and how to work the home generator system.

Hmmm.

After some discussions by phone and email with the property owner, she asked us to please "TEXT" the property manager.  Here is our text series:

Me:  "We are renting the Txxxx house.  We were told you would handle house prep for storm but you are not here!"
Me:  "Your wife said we are on our own.  Have you made plans for furniture, grill, shutters, etc.?"

Him: "Yes"

[see smoke coming from my ears]

Me: "Ok.  Can you share what they are?"

Him: "Why.  If something needs to get done it will."

[see major flames now spouting from my mouth and sparks flying from my eyes]

Me: "That answer is not satisfactory."

....this exchange continued until he finally assured me he had a crew on standby and all would be handled....

Then, no one showed up.  So we packed up the outdoor furniture, overturned the picnic table, figured out how to use (although we didn't deploy them) the hurricane shutters, and inspected the paperwork in the closet on the generator.  We got out our games and lanterns and determined to enjoy our stormy seclusion.

Needless to say, when we became ACTUALLY powerless about one hour into the storm, and the generator kicked on with an unhealthy weaze that slowly and surely became the sound of a battery of machine guns locked inside a metal tank (at about 3AM), I was less than pleased with the property manager. 

When the cops showed up with a noise complaint, we happily provided the property manager's name.  And with the cops came a greater responsiveness.  If we had known that, we would have reported ourselves much earlier.

Our powerless situation continued on our arrival home when we found a pool full of leaves and debris, and a circuit breaker that had blown leaving our kitchen (of all rooms) without power for a week.  That's one way to clean out the fridge!

But, all complaints aside, I would still consider the vacation a rousing success.  The weather was spectacular as soon as IRENE cleared the area, the power was eventually returned, the food was great, the company was even better, and I actually turned off the blackberry by mid-week.

Only 11 months and 3 weeks until we can go back.
Check out hubby's spectacular Cape images here