October 28, 2012 By: Juanita Jean Herownself Category: Uncategorized
Welcome to The World's Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, Inc.
My name is Susan DuQuesnay Bankston. I live in Richmond, Texas, in the heart of Tom DeLay's old district. It's nuttier than squirrel poop here.
I am honored and privileged to know Miss Juanita Jean Herownself, hairdresser extraordinary and political maven. Since she does not have time to fiddle with this internet stuff, I type her website for her and you can read it if you want to. If you don't, she truly does not give a big bear's butt.
A lot of what I post here has to do with local politics, but you probably have the same folks in your local government.
This ain't a blog. Blogs are way too trendy for me. This is a professional political organization.
My nephew was planning on getting married in New Jersey on Tuesday. Family was coming in from all over the country. They had to move the date up to today–with 24 hours notice–before the storm hit. My mom and brother are driving up from DC for the ceremony, then driving back tonight before the worst of it hits.
1We have just finished our prep. That includes an apple pie
My son, sister and daughter are all affected to0.
So that is Philly, LI, Boston area, to us in NY 20 miles S of the Canadian border near Lake champlain.
And son in Hawaii has a very minor tsunami!
Cook’s Illustrated pie crust is the best. I use cherry flavored vodka and the crust has an almond taste.
So to all in Sandy’s path, stay safe!
2Don’t forget, if power is lost the gas stations can’t pump gas, fill up BEFORE the storm.
3We’re on the eastern shore of Lake Champlain, looking toward Diane in NY. Vermonters are skittish after the devastation caused by Hurricane Irene a little over a year ago. We’re hunkered down, hoping for the best.
4I hope our infrastructure gurus finally agree we should be burying power lines. The argument for beauty never swayed them, but maybe megastorms with significant power outages will do the trick.
VeeGee,
5We used to live in Grand Isle!
Vee Gee, I’m in Williston, just south of Burlington!
6Just got back after doing my NORMAL Sunday grocery shopping but today it was Pablo Sandoval class Pandamonium. Shelves were stripped of bottled water (man behind me in line was arguing by phone about whether or not spring water was an acceptable substitute for distilled water to mix up the baby formula). Milk, bread and eggs were popular (to make the traditional storm breakfast of French Toast?), and the couple in line ahead of me were getting about 50 cans of catfood. And we aren’t expecting anything but wind and rain.
7Wow. I tell all my friends about the World’s Most Dangerous Beauty Salon, but nobody’s ever heard of it beforehand. I’m glad to know there are other VTers addicted like I am. I’m in Charlotte, BTW, but was born in….Dallas, TX.
8If any of you are using generators, please remember to NEVER fire them up in an enclosed space. Wait for the big blow to pass before opening the garage door and firing it up. Remember to lay in about 20 gallons of fuel, just in case, and make sure you know if you have a gasoline or diesel generator before you get fuel. Also, fill your bathtubs so you can bail water to flush your toilet.
You are in our prayers and thoughts.
9We in Pennsylvania are wondering what we did to tick off the weather gods so much that they punish us every Halloween. Last year was a snow/ice storm, this year a hurricane. Then again, from a political perspective, maybe PA needs a good soaking to wash off all the residual slime and grease from Rick Santorum!
10Stay safe!
AI
Things weren’t too bad at the grocery store we went to this morning around 10. Maybe that was too early for those who drowned their sorrows over the loss by Pep$i $tate football team yesterday. I expect a lot of wind and rain, but we’re well above creek level at our house. If the duck pond overflows enough to get our basement damp, then things are a whole lot worse than a couple of cases of bottled water can address. And we can always set a trap for the deer in the back yard.
11We’re watching Sandy closely, and are pleased to announce that she is now heading 50 degrees NE. Hope she keeps going that way!
12VeeGee is where the blueberry wine people are. We were in Burlington for my nephew’s wedding last year (he coached the state champion H.S. baseball team earlier this year) and stopped in the winery while we were in the area.
13So…shortpeople live in the Lemont area. Come out to the Elk Creek Cafe.
14I went to a picnic in Virginia today–yes, I did! It was the Fall picnic for my foodie group. It was getting a little bit chilly to be outdoors and the wind kicked up a bit now and then, but altogether not bad. Except for the drive out of town–today was the Marine Corps Marathon and the posted info regarding route closures turned out to be completely inaccurate. Spent a whole hour crawling down Constitution Avenue, trying to find an open route to Virginia. The food was good (this is a foodie group, after all). Got home and did what I could to secure the stuff on my patio and then set about poaching some salmon for the wake tomorrow. Yes, I will be going to a funeral in a hurricane. Some things just can’t wait for better days. School is cancelled for tomorrow and the Federal Government is closed. We are hoping the DC goverment will close too, so my neighbor can come with me to the funeral. I’m picturing a drunken sob-fest in Mt. Pleasant.
15After Hurricane Irene and a Nor’easter the week before that, the state/county/town spent several months cutting back trees. Guess we’re about to find out if they trimmed back enough. My area (Mid-Hudson ) lost power for 5-6 days, some ares in CT & VT much longer. Got a call from the utility company and they sounded downright scared.
I actually welcome these events as a reminder of how ‘artificial’ our lives usually are. It takes something like this to remind us of what’s important.
16@Don Shortpeople live on island of township surrounded by borough. I hereby give permission for Ms. D. to forward contact info.
17In DC’s Maryland suburbs served by PEPCO, the question is when will the power go off and for how long– the idea of it not going off for anything even mildly unusual sets off the TILT sign and causes a momentary feeling that one has been transported to another universe. They claim it’s because we don’t want them to cut down thousands more trees, but my mother’s power in suburban Philly almost never goes out and they have plenty of trees.
One of my cat-sitting clients is stuck in CT by Amtrak’s shutdown, so I have to go out in the storm to feed their cat. And feed someone else’s tank of fish.
If anyone hires a petsitter, tip them, okay? Much appreciated, especially when performing above the call of duty.
Years ago we had a mother of an ice storm. I had to chip thick ice off all my car windows, inch my way to a client’s house three miles away (twice a day), crawl up the sloping ice rink of a driveway to feed her nice cats… and she’d left me a note with her emergency contact number “in Honolulu.” Couldn’t just give me the number and maybe a time zone, oh no. I spent the week imagining her lying on the beach watching the gorgeous multiracial studs walk by in their skimpy Speedos, and getting the umbrella from her mai tai embedded in her throat until it had to be surgically removed. Then I imagined her breaking a leg on the remaining ice on her doorstep when she got home. Not that I was bitter, you understand.
She didn’t tip. Actually few people do.
Everyone be careful and look out for each other, and thank the utility workers if you see them.
18It’s a good thing Obama is in office – cause if you had Romney you’d be SOL.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/28/mitt-romney-fema_n_2036198.html
19Drove back from seeing my daughter in Pa today, nice drive…nice visit. Hopefully she made it home from her beloved’s parents house back to Ca before anything big hit…I’ll find out tomorrow, I feel asleep and just woke up at 2am after the drive.
20No noise, no rain, all quiet outside…I’m wrapping back up and sleeping some more!
Hope it’s all well at 2am for you all.
Elise in Upstate NY
Just sent e-mail to family in Maryland, just outside D.C.
Hope they are prepared, and told them to stay safe, and if, and when they could, to keep in touch.
It’s a bad storm. Good thoughts to everybody.
Stay safe.
21No longer in the probable direct path of the eye, I’m about 30 miles NW of Manhattan. Right now just blowing, no rain.
House is buttoned up, we are fine unless we lose natural gas.
22So far, it is just a rainy day here in Fairfax City, VA. Power still on but expecting to lose it sometime after 6PM tonight when the winds really begin to pick up. Would not be surprised to see a water in the basement with the predicted rainfall.
23Filled up the water bottles, took in the porch furniture and a few dozen pots of plants, made a batch of baked apples (good hot or cold), and am hunkered down here in DE, hoping no trees come through the roof.
So far, nothing but rain and gusty wind; the brunt of the storm is predicted to hit us tomorrow through Wednesday, when I expect the electricity and phone lines will go down.
Meanwhile, I’m taking a page from the Crazier-Than-A Mangy-Dog-With-Fleas G.O.P. playbook and claiming that Frankenstorm is proof of God’s anger at lying Republicans. Can I get an “Amen”?
24Granny, that’s my story, too, and I’m sticking to it. Amen!
25Granny, Amen and Hallelujah!!!
Here in the foothills of the Blue Ridge we are experiencing pretty strong winds, considering how far inland we are, and waiting for possible snow. It’s already snowing and sleeting in the mountains about 30 minutes from here. It doesn’t always make it this far.
26Just texting with son and daughter in law in Newport, RI. Wind gusting to 65 mph and light flooding already is some lower streets. They are about 3 feet higher than the evac zone, and the boat is out of the water. All safe in houses and hopefully none of the crew will have to go to the shipyard because of problelm with boat. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
27No damn boat is worth your people. They are in our prayers.
28The rain’s here–last I looked they said we would have the “Lake Effect” Syracuse gets an amazing amount of snow normally, and when I was out earlier I could smell the cold under the rain (if that’s even possible!) This is only my 2nd real winter here, being from Az then Ca, so I’m a bit skittish.
29Got water, candles, batteries, food, blankets and foot warmers, so we’ll see what a snow hurricane looks like.
My best to all of your families. Be safe.
@barbara in bastrop: I’m hoping your kids are okay. I love Newport. It’s remarkably friendly for a New England town. It’s also a wonderful historic site. Where else can you see Ann Hutchison cojoined with Rauchambaud?
30Checking in from New York ..
All is well, very much prepared.
President Obama called all the governors of affected states offering all and any assistance including personal phone line to let him know directly “if the needs are being met”.
Meanwhile Romney strapped family to the car roof and hightailed his whiney self the heck away.
Thank you sweet baby Jesus.
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