Hurricane Sandy

[GarrAarghHrumph]

Cleaned out fridge and put cups of baking soda in it. Also propped the door, slightly, open. After I cleaned it, it smelled better. It just faintly has that smell like a wet paper bag. Freezer has a tub of ice with milk & yoghurt. Seems to be okay, so far. Can't believe I'm so obsessed with the fridge LOL!

Did you clean the seals of the doors as well? And the pan under the fridge? If not, then those can also retain the smell, so if the smell continues, try cleaning those and see if it helps.

[GarrAarghHrumph]

The gas stations in my town all have gas today, so if you're in N. NJ or etc. and really need gas, drive to Monroe, NY, exit 130 off route 17 in NY State. You'll wait in line, but you'll get gas. Monroe is 35 minutes north of Ramsey, NJ.

[milanessa]

Or he can go in early, help with clean-up, deliver supplies, etc., and then relax at the concert afterwards.

What a great idea!

[Lacey]

I'm not your FSU angel, but drove from Philly to Boston today. (I'm a Philly native and have always had close relatives in Boston, I've been doing it since I was a kid.) I can't believe you'd ever drive 95 in the first place. NJ Tpke > Garden State Parkway > I-287 over the Tappan Zee > I-684 > I-84 > Mass Tpke is always the safer way to go. Going over the GWB and across the Bronx up I-95 is asking for punishment even in good times. Today it was fine, just trafficky through Hartford around 5 PM.

Smart choice not to go Albany. That is crazy out of the way...

left Philly with a full tank of gas and arrived in Boston with plenty to spare.

On the NJ Turnpike there are a clear lanes next to the gas line for cars who just want food/restrooms to blow by those waiting for gas. Not so on the GSP rest stops.

This brilliant child of mine called her dad last time she was on 287 and asked if she was supposed to be going west, ah no, you are basically going east when going to MA, now she has a map and written directions. We always used TZ to get to 95, even though longer than GW route, because one time we had a car break down on GW and there was nowhere to pull over and also because the shot out of it and onto 95 is scary even at best hours, TZ is tame.

I think we always went on 95 through CT because for 50 years, whenever we traveled we were headed for the Cape. To get to Boston proper, I now get it that through Hartford makes sense. In my mind, 95 is more direct than Hartford because of all those years of habit. And even with her best friend's parents living outside of Boston, they are on the southeast side, so again, 95 worked for when we visited them right next to Boston.

Very proud of DD this time, on her own she plugged route into GPS before she left (and I am still arguing with DH who said he couldn't do that?), which kept trying to get her to go to 95 (actually must be more direct?), over and over, she was driving my newish car for the first time, and since we didn't teach her the GPS, she was learning it on the fly, literally at 55-65mph, (I think there might be a way to select alternate route?), then she turned off the car GPS when it bugged her enormously and used her phone GPS, which was fine.

We have only driven this car once on highway since I bought it last January. Being a mini SUV, although I love and adore this car, it seems to be a slight gas guzzler, so we weren't sure it could make it on one full tank. Albany was a great second choice if there were also gas problems in Hartford, as in NJ/CT, we didn't know how far that extended.

Hope the route home still has gas on Sunday because she will leave Boston full but also will fill up around Hartford to make sure.

I am very sorry for the people standing in 2-3 hour lines for gas in NJ, at the shore, and for those, even taxis, having gas problems in NYC. What a mess. And lack of gas or electricity for pumping it is something one has no control over, unlike where one buys a generator to solve power problems. Although I was freaked out about my DD traveling, it makes our potential problems seem small in comparison. And the Govs or whoever would be in charge of getting gas need to step up to the plate.

[Jenny]

They put a photo of this house in the paper -- it is on the right under the "Top Hurricane Sandy Photos" headline. The yellow house with the Union Beach Decimated caption. http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...hores_fam.html

[Garden Kitty]

Very nice gesture by Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade who is donating his salary from the game tonight at the Garden to a relief charity.

[Sparks]

Very nice gesture by Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade who is donating his salary from the game tonight at the Garden to a relief charity.

I quickly read this as: donating his salary from the game tonight to the Garden kitty.

[snoopy]

My insignificant snark is that my parent’s power won’t be restored until Monday night. I am fine with them staying with me but they aren’t……they hate my stairs and don’t know how to operate anything in my house. I wouldn’t think it is torture to camp out at your daughter’s place for a week but they apparently disagree.

[milanessa]

My insignificant snark is that my parent’s power won’t be restored until Monday night. I am fine with them staying with me but they aren’t……they hate my stairs and don’t know how to operate anything in my house. I wouldn’t think it is torture to camp out at your daughter’s place for a week but they apparently disagree.

Did you steal my mother and her husband?

[Nan]

I wouldn’t think it is torture to camp out at your daughter’s place for a week but they apparently disagree.

They need to just smile and say, "Thank you." There are a lot of people who don't have family to go to.

[cruisin]

Rogue, I can't see my son doing that. Plus he has so much studying to do. I also worry about his safety getting back and forth.

I don't blame you. When we were out power in DC last summer for 5 days, the fridge smelled so horrible we had to clean in shifts or we'd get lightheaded. (One housemate had just made a trip to some Asian market and packed the freezer full of pork belly before leaving...)

times a hundred!

My insignificant snark is that my parent’s power won’t be restored until Monday night. I am fine with them staying with me but they aren’t……they hate my stairs and don’t know how to operate anything in my house. I wouldn’t think it is torture to camp out at your daughter’s place for a week but they apparently disagree.

I think your parents are truly lucky to have you. So, I am sending appreciative hugs on their behalf . My parents would have been like yours. Just know you are being a great daughter!

[allezfred]

Jenny, I understand your point, but they need hotels and food services for those who had to leave their homes and for rescue/repair workers. They can put the marathon off a week or two, that shouldn't dash anyone's hopes for normal .

There are lots of competitors who travel from overseas. 500 runners have travelled from Ireland alone, so I can imagine that from other countries the numbers will be even greater. When the Mayor has said it's going ahead, it would be wrong to go and cancel it now.

[missing]

WNBC is reporting that the Marathon won't be held this Sunday.

[UMBS Go Blue]

There are lots of competitors who travel from overseas. 500 runners have travelled from Ireland alone, so I can imagine that from other countries the numbers will be even greater. When the Mayor has said it's going ahead, it would be wrong to go and cancel it now.

Why, yes, let's divert resources at a critical time to pampering largely well-off visitors and foreigners while desperate, working class locals have to fend and forage for themselves. Brilliant idea.
http://on.wsj.com/QbQb0f

WNBC is reporting that the Marathon won't be held this Sunday.

Finally. Makes you wonder where officials' priorities were all along.

[Sparks]

New York Times ~ no marathon.
They should've cancelled it 2 days ago.

[cruisin]

I don't blame you. When we were out power in DC last summer for 5 days, the fridge smelled so horrible we had to clean in shifts or we'd gbet lightheaded. (One housemate had just made a trip to some Asian market and packed the freezer full of pork belly before leaving...)

My insignificant snark is that my parent’s power won’t be restored until Monday night. I am fine with them staying with me but they aren’t……they hate my stairs and don’t know how to operate anything in my house. I wouldn’t think it is torture to camp out at your daughter’s place for a week but they apparently disagree.

Why, yes, let's divert resources at a critical time to pampering largely well-off visitors and foreigners while desperate, working class locals have to fend and forage for themselves. Brilliant idea.
http://on.wsj.com/QbQb0f

Well said. Diverting police and security for a race would be ridiculous.

[judiz]

Concerning generators. We have a natural gas generator at one house and a gasoline powered the other. I confess I am rather ignorant about them but can tell you I prefer the natural gas. It was installed by the gas company and comes on automatically when the power goes. It powers more appliances than the gasoline and is not noisy. The gasoline was professionally wired in by a licensed electrician. Neither my husband nor I are very handy so we depend on others for that type of stuff.

Those generators need oil to run , the oil has to be refilled after 100 hours of usage and then checked every eight hours. Last night our generator didn't like the oil change and stopped, thankfully we were able to get it started again.

[judiz]

Public schools closed until Wednesday, another storm forecasted for Tuesday night, people posting on facebook which gas stations have gas and which are expecting shipments, by the time it's posted there are 100 cars on line. A gas station on Route 208 in Fair Lawn must had gotten a shipment, there were people running up the exit ramp with gas containers.

[judiz]

The lights went out in the child care center where I teach, every child started crying thinking the hurricane was coming back.

[Lorac]

New York Times ~ no marathon.
They should've cancelled it 2 days ago.

I agree - I was astonished that it wasn't cancelled on Tuesday after it became clear the amount of devestation that some areas had experienced - especially Staten Island.