Snug as a bug in a rug....

Well with hurricane Irene gone but not forgotten we have a lot to be thankful for around the Tripp house.  I am most grateful for having a wonderfully cozy house in which to ride out the storm!  I could not imagine having the storm when we were in the throws of the renovation and not having electricity and boxes and furniture everywhere!  It would be unbearable in there.  But now, it's becoming absolute perfection.  On Friday we collected up most of what was in the yard that we thought might fly around in a big wind.  Not knowing what the storm would be like and all the hype it was getting we may have gone a bit far but what is the price for peace of mind?

While I was busy finding all the flower pots to put in the basement the turkeys were having a grand time on the bulk head giving them a good vantage point from which to watch me scurry around like a complete fool.

Moose and Stuffing getting comfortable

Steady now your moving the door

Whoa- you think they were trying to tell me something?

Settled back down to enjoy my work!

The night of the storm there was lots of rain and lots of wind.  But everyone was safely where they needed to be.  The chickens were snug in their coop, the turkey's were in the dog crate in the barn, and pip was tucked into bed with me and the other dogs put to bed.  However, Dave for some reason was in the barn watching the lightening show!  I was myself a little scared and tried to call him in the barn on the 3rd phone extension but that didn't seem to work.  I pondered for a split second about going out to collect him but from the looks of the weather I just went back to bed!

Sunday we awoke, like the rest of Connecticut to no electricity.  I'm not sure how many days will go by until it's back.  Luckily Yale didn't lose power so I am able to spend the day at work- oh joy!  So- back to Sunday.  When we were up and around we went outside to assess the damage.  Well I am happy to report that the work of Gulick and Spradlin is good and sturdy.  Nothing out of place.  The only damage was to a lilac tree.

Devastating damage at the house- ha ha!

When we thought it was safe enough to venture out in the car, which meant that a zillion other people have driven by the house, we thought it was time to visit the boat.  Dave decided that it was best to keep her in the water to ride out the storm.  It's always a crap shoot decision to know what the best thing to do in these situations but the marina is pretty isolated from the river and we hoped for the best.  Dave said he did throw up from worry but that's pretty typical for him.  He's kind of a puker.  We headed to the marina but within a few feet of the turn off we saw a tree across the road and had to take the long and round a bout way.  I thought he would die while I drove really slowly to avoid branches and power lines.  We finally made it to the marina were he jumped out of the car before I had actually stopped it!

A happy boy with his favorite old girl.  Hum, named the Mervin F Roberts.  Perhaps not a girl???/

Later in the day we collected our friends for an Irene dinner.  We were able to use the top of the Lacanche lighting it with a match.  Hooray for propane!!!!  Dave made the most amazing haddock chowder.  Paul brought stuffed scallops that he heated at home since he has a generator!, Priscilla and Terry brought luscious tomatoes and couscous, and Diane and Walter brought hummus and garlic bagel chips that were the crowning glory to the chowder.  We had a grand time eating my candle light and drinking way too much.  But it was a fine time for all involved.  I feel badly for the people reporting to have eaten canned tuna fish!  I should have taken some pictures with our friends actually at the house and not after they left but I was conserving my cell phone battery!  Sorry for the dim light graininess.

We hung the chandelier last weekend- just in time!

Picture pretty

The aftermath!

Who is gonna clean this mess?!?!?!

So all in all a bit of an adventure taking place.  It's hard to know when life around the Tripp house will be absolutely back to normal but I for one am hoping sometime today!  Not that it isn't fun to read by candle light but the cold shower was a bit of a hardship and having the shop closed is not my idea of a financially good time!  I'll let you know how it turns out!