The new normal in NJ

Gradually getting news of friends who are okay but without power and internet connection. This is such a relief.  And I got a work order number from the HOA indicating that my chimney is on the fixit list, a three digit number, though, however, not a huge repair. I can wait till the people without roofs are taken care of.

Meanwhile, at the ATM, I could deposit a check, sorely needed in my account, but could not withdraw cash. The branches are all physically closed, probably their employees can't get there anyway.  So, hurried consultation with other customers in the lobby, and one knowledgeable person told us where there was another branch where she had got cash, but could not make a deposit.  So some people went off there.

Across to the street to the Asian foodstore to see if they had eggs, a scarce commodity right now, to find it locked but with the lights on and the manager on the phone.  Evidently the food inspectors had to check before allowing them to open, and they were not through.  I'll try later.  And the same group as in the bank lobby, now at the Asian foodstore, conferred further about where to get gas at all (literally miles of lines waiting for it), and the need for cash, since the gas station electronics are down and they can't process cards.

I emailed my regional paper to ask them if they would kindly give a shoutout to the carriers who have never failed to bring the newspaper, on time, on the right front path, and without whom it would be a waste of time to do all this great coverage in the paper!  let's see if they listen.  Today we got today's paper plus the Tuesday one which was all set to go when the power failed and I guess they were determined not to waste it!

Very thankful I voted by mail weeks ago!  many of our polling stations are either without power or have been demolished or are under water.  This will be tricky. Military trucks have been commandeered to be at where the polling station was, set up with machines, etc., so people can vote if they can get there.  There are many races aside from the Presidential one (NJ always goes Democrat in Presidential elections, it took a major hurricane for us to get a President here on other than a fundraising trip), and some of them might be close.

And, wait for it, a nor'easter is forecast for Tuesday. Another storm.  This time with snow.

However in my immediate area, we are all endlessly telling each other how lucky we have been.

And I have to give a shout to those wonderful convoys of utilities trucks and crews from as far as Texas and Minnesota, trundling in and getting to work.  And the phone company which restored landlines to this area yesterday, despite being underwater with a lot of their connections.  And everyone I meet, who is resolutely cheerful and doing what's needed and taking care of each other.  Many visitors in this development, taking showers and powering up computers and phones for work, at friends' houses.

But I need to ask people who plan on trying to send helpful items please not to.  The delivery services of all kinds are totally stressed out already, trying to sort and deliver on impassable routes.  Better to donate online to the Red Cross (our local one is very much on the ball), the Salvation Army, Homefront, (NJ org. to help the homeless and unemployed and employed but still homeless), and anyone else you know of who makes good use of donations.  And donating blood wherever you are is helpful, since those donations do travel where they're needed.  And the pictures of the entire east coast of this state is very reminiscent of Aceh after the tsunami.

Handsome Son and I have decided not to look at any more pictures, too traumatic.  Time to start recovering now. So I'm sparing you pix in this post.

On to more cheerful things:

I  have a new toy, Handsome Son's old Ipod Touch, an early version, but quite modern enough for me. He's moved on up to something much newer that I don't understand at all, but I love my Ipod. It took my mind right off the weather while I played with the Doodle app, which I claimed was all about art planning,but was in fact nothing of the sort.  And I set up access to everything on there in pocket form, to carry with me where there's a wifi hotspot.  And discovered that if I accidentally delete an email on the tiny screen, it's also gone on the netbook, ohhhhhh. Oops.

And, back in the studio, I carved a linoleum cut which was not very successful, largely because my lino piece was too old and dried to carve.  Repeated the attempt on a softcut block,and that went better, so I will perhaps get more of that.  Easier to carve than big erasers, which are quite good, though, if a bit small.  I made a carving of that bird I stitched in black on white lawn.  This is part of the pairs series I'm working on.  But I should be banging on about that in my art blog.  In fact I think I will.  Wait a bit till I write and pic it, then take a look at http://beautifulmetaphor.blogspot.com