Autumn

Today you wouldn't know there had just been a hurricane. Aside from the lack of public transport (I walked to work, it took an hour and 15 minutes, I walked home and almost beat the bus I could've caught). It was a beautiful autumnal day. Bluet and I went to the waterfront and she ran around with great joy. This is good as the playgrounds are still all shut.

Bluet Spies a Squirrel

On my walk downtown I found the army camped out on Lexington Ave

Some flooding near the NYU Medical Centre (not the one I work at)

We went walking

The weather is ok so we walked around the upper east side. No major damage but a lot of trees are down. Unfortunately all the parks are closed, making it harder to entertain Bluet.

Storm watch

We just woke up. We still have electricity. I imagine other areas of New York are a mess but we are far enough inland and high enough up not to have been flooded. Pictures later

We still have electricity

I suppose that there may be a power cut, and so we will have to read the internet by candle light, or something. Anyway, so far it has just been a bit wet and windy. We even went out this afternoon, and found a bar to have a quick beer. Fortunately, Bluet likes being out in the rain. Everywhere that was open on the upper east side was busy as everyone has the day off work, and nothing to do.

Storm Progress Update

In this photo from yesterday you can see a crane which has now collapsed in the wind (the big tall building being built right in the middle of the photo. Don't worry, it is over 20 blocks away from our house. History documented right here!

Live hurricane update

We have just returned from outside and I can report nothing worse than some drizzle and a light breeze. The last open shops are closing early and Bluet helped us carry our emergency tea coffee and batteries. I am not sure how we will entertain her for two days as all the parks are already closed. But we will.

PS

We have provisions so we won't starve, although we might get scurvy

Storm? What Storm?

Approx a year ago, the media cried wolf over Hurricane Irene, which supposedly was going to wash New York out to sea (or something) but in the end did very little. This year we have eschewed stockpiling candles, water, food or guns, so keep your fingers crossed for us. Also, there is a miniscule chance that everything you see in the next few photos will be dramatically altered by the oncoming onslaught. But probably not.

So yesterday we began in the park....

Then we headed downtown to the imagination playground to meet with some friends for brunch.

The place where we went for brunch is apparently 5 feet under sea level, so they were quite justifably concerned that they might get flooded. They also put blue tape on the windows for protection (the cobwebs are unconnected to the hurricane).

Bluet discovered that she had a kindred spirit in the appreciation of straps on prams. This could keep them entertained for hours.

Then because she is all grown up, Bluet had her own seat on the bus home.

So to today; the morning began with a trip to the supermarket at 8:30 AM to beat the panic shoppers. As you can see there were plenty of panic shoppers, although when we walked past later there was a huge queue out the door, so all things considered, this was a successful plan. NB I wasn't panic shopping, I was doing regular shopping. For the record.

We, like several other families, decided we should visit the ancient playground one last time before it was washed away by the big storm. 

It is a shame it is about to be washed away because Bluet is getting good at swinging on the tyre swings, a valuable life skill.

We also spotted something that Bluet will not be getting for Christmas, even if she writes Father Christmas a really really nice letter.

Onwards to the great lawn.

The New York skyline, as it is today.

Bluet found a ball lost once by a dog. That was nice.

And then we went home to await the storm. I think it arrives in about 24 hours.