Hurricane Ike: Lessons Learned, and other stuff

1. Living with one's parents for any extended period of time past the age of 22 can be damaging to one's mental health.

2. Cable television is worth every penny.

3. So are generators.

4. Except when they die.

5. (The generators I mean, not parents.)

6. Hot, running water is one of the most underappreciated modern luxuries.

7. Replacing a fridge's worth of condiments can be shockingly expensive.

8. Bonnie Hunt has her own TV show (WTF???)

9. Even if you claim to dislike the town you live in, having a Mayberry Moment and striking up a conversation with strangers you have to share a table with at the only open restaurant in town is kind of cool.

10. It is also cool when the owner of said restaurant gives away free dessert, for morale purposes and to celebrate their best ever day of business.

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The Texas New Mexico (electric co.) utility trucks have finally made their way to our neighborhood. They started their work Friday evening, and worked all day yesterday. Several downed poles and extensive line damage due to large trees, not to mention the fact that our neighborhood is fairly small and "out in the sticks", means power restoration to our area has been low priority. Every time my cell phone rings, my heart beats a little faster in hopes that it is J or a neighbor proclaiming WE FINALLY HAVE POWER!!!!!! I don't think I've been this breathless with anticipation since, um, maybe my wedding day (and even that was like, Let's get this show on the road so we can get the party started).

I go back to work tomorrow, and am looking forward to a (somewhat) return to normalcy, and each day having a sense of purpose, but mostly I can't wait for the Starbucks. I haven't had REAL coffee since Thursday, September 11 (I do NOT count that instant shit J made for me). Note to self: add Frappuccinos to list of Emergency Stockpile Items