Stay away from my family, IRENE!

This morning I am obsessing over my family and friends that are laying in the direct path of Hurricane Irene this morning.  Looks like she's coming ashore right where my entire family lives - in between Cape Lookout and Ocracoke Island.  Carteret County has managed to miss a lot of direct hits over the years, but it looks like this time their luck has run out.

I talked to my Momma last night and it sounds like pretty much everyone is staying in my aunt's brick house, except for my cousin (more like sister) who's riding it out at home with her husband and 2 kids.  They're all taking it in stride, knowing there's nothing they can do about it anyway.  Everything has been battened down and they've made their run to the store for batteries, candles, and the staples of munchies.  My cousin has a generator, so they'll be able to keep their fridge going and they're hooking the computer up, so she can give everyone updates via Facebook after they inevitably lose power.  There's priorities right there, peeps.  LOL!  My daughter, who is 45 minutes inland, is going further inland to Thomasville which is up by Greensboro.  That makes me feel a whole lot better that I don't have to worry so much about her.  I just pray for a safe trip for her, as she travels.

It sounds like ole Irene has been downgraded to a CAT 2, which is somewhat of a relief.  However, before we moved out here, we dealt with Isabelle, which was also a CAT 2 and did quite an impressive amount of damage.  The hubs was busy for weeks taking care of storm damage, banks were closed, we couldn't get gas because there was no electricity, and forget about getting any kind of food.

I just hope that all my family and friends back home stay safe and that just maybe they'll avoid a disaster once again.  But looking at the projected storm track, it doesn't look like that miracle is going to happen.  If any damage is going to occur, I just hope its minimal.  Something tells me that I'm going to be up half the night making phone calls to check in with those I love.  Its like my cousin said, "Our time is up.  We're well passed due a hit and now here she comes."  Of course this was said a little gleefully, as my cousin loves the excitement of a good hurricane.  Only this time, I'm afraid she's going to get her wish.  I just hope they're spared the misery of no electricity for weeks, no gas to be had, and no way to get food.  I've told my Momma that if it was really bad, I'd drive in with gas, food, and water.  And being the grandmother she is, "Not without the children you won't."  Oh yeah, because I'd bring my children with me into that!  But you won't be able to keep me away if its bad enough.

So, as I sit here thinking about my kin, I thought I'd share a video from our vacation on the Crystal Coast this summer.  We spent a glorious month enjoying her beauty and the love of family and friends.  I'm glad I got to see her one more time before the inevitable changes a storm of this kind will make in her landscape.  The beauty of the coast is why so many people choose to live there, even when threatened with massive storms such as Irene.  And its why all of us who have ever lived in the glow of that coastal paradise, somehow always find our way back.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Atlantic Beach, NC

2011