Surviving Hurricane Sandy om Long Island, part II

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

A downed tree and power line on the north shore of Long Island

It’s Sunday night as I write this blog. Tomorrow will be the seventh day without electricity for my neighborhood. My timing on installing a generator was impeccable, just before Hurricane Irene hit last year. I wish my timing on buying and selling stocks were as good. Last year we were without electricity for three days. Seems like a piece of cake now. There’s a possibility we won’t have electricity for another week. Then there’s no TV (did the NY Giants win or lose?) or Internet, as well as telephones because they’re connected to the Internet. We have been able to get Internet through a Verizon MiFi device and our cell phones are working now.

Another downed tree and power line

Progress seems to be slow, but there were so many trees and power lines down, that it doesn’t surprise me. I really can’t imagine what it’s like in those homes that still have no electricity or heat. It’s been getting colder, so it’s getting more difficult each day. People lost all of the food in their refrigerators and freezers. Barbecuing has been the source of hot food for most people with no power. Restaurants that are open are doing brisk business.

A grateful resident of Oyster Bay, Long Island trumpets her victory

Gas lines are getting longer each day. People are waiting 1-4 hours at stations that have 30-50 cars, or more, on line. There are also big lines of people at gas stations, all with one or more gas cans. I think most of those people are powering portable generators. The problem seems to be two-fold — stations with gas have no electricity so they can’t pump OR stations can’t get gasoline. It’s a big mess that shouldn’t last too much longer, but it’s quite the problem now.

I spoke to one man who just got his power back. He had an ear to ear grin — he was so grateful. Makes you appreciate things that are easy to take for granted, like power. May I suggest to you to go out and buy a generator? I installed mine before I had any idea that we would have consecutive year major hurricanes. For the previous 16 years, we haven’t been without power for over 24 hours, and that was only twice. It doesn’t matter where you live. The weather is getting worse each year as a result of global warming and other natural disasters seem to be coming stronger and more often. You could be next.

The NYC Pier Antiques Show will be held November 17 & 18, 2012

In the meantime, I’m getting ready for the big NYC Pier Antiques Show that’s coming up very soon the weekend of November 17th-18th. It’s unbelievable how much great new merchandise I’ve bought recently and I’m going on another buying trip this week. (So there won’t be a Thursday blog this week.) Make your travel plans now for the show. The power is almost 100% on in Manhattan. The city will be humming by showtime. Visit the city — see the show and have a grand old time in New York!!

Just purchased this incredible 12″ Schneider padded and wheel-carved Medallion vase

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased. I recently listed over 25 new items. French glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this rare, special Tiffany Studios red decorated Favrile vase

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and etchings by Louis Icart. Here’s the link. Philip Chasen Antiques.

Surviving Hurricane Sandy on Long Island, October 29, 2012

My goal is to publish new posts twice a week — Mondays and Thursdays. However, if you don’t see a new post on Thursday, it’s because I was too busy, so please look for a new one the following Monday.

One of the thousands of trees that fell onto power lines

I didn’t know what to expect when Hurricane Sandy hit. In my mind, there would be the usual wind and lots of rain. My main concern was water infiltration into my house, especially into the basement. I was especially concerned about my daughter and her family, who live one block away from Long Island Sound, where the storm surge was estimated to be up to 15 feet. My daughter’s house is 12 feet over sea level, so the danger was real. I had visions of Hurricane Katrina with people being rescued by helicopter from their rooftops.

A truck is partially submerged in Bayville, Long Island

My daughter didn’t think the danger was that serious, so at first she decided to stay in her own house. On Monday, just before the storm hit, occupants of her town were told to evacuate if they lived below 15 feet. So she packed up her family and came to stay with us. We’re more inland and have a backup generator. She also has a backup generator, but it’s brand new, in a crate, in her driveway. The electrician never got around to installing it on time.

At first the storm didn’t seem too bad. There was some rain, but not anywhere near the amounts predicted. However, the wind predictions turned out to be more than accurate. My whole family huddled together while we listened to the wind howling. Once, we heard a big crack as a tree snapped and fell. We were having a party and felt safe in the house. We also didn’t want to scare our 3-year old grandchild. So we went to sleep thinking everything was fine.

Hurricane Sandy felled a huge oak tree onto our front lawn

When we awoke, the storm had pretty much passed, so we were able to go outside and survey the damage. What a scene! Our very large front yard was completely covered by a huge oak tree that had snapped. It came right up to the house and the parked cars in the driveway without scratching a thing. Out back, another huge oak had snapped off into the forest. Next to it, another one was leaning at a dangerous angle as it had been uprooted. Also out back, still another large oak had snapped off. We really dodged a bullet on this storm. Several huge trees down and no damage whatsoever to family and home. Thank goodness!!!

The local strip mall sits empty because of no power

As we got to drive around, the devastation became apparent. A tremendous number of trees had fallen onto power lines and utility poles, snapping them like toothpicks. It’s Wednesday night as I write this blog, and it looks likely that power crews won’t be able to restore power to my neighborhood for another 3-5 days. We’re the only ones in our neighborhood with a generator. I thought more people would have purchased one since Hurricane Irene hit last year. Now I think there’s going to be a run on generators on the entire East Coast. Go out and buy some Generac stock. They’re going to be raking it in for some time.

The line to get gas was long, as many stations had no electricity

So as I write this blog, here’s the latest for our neighborhood — no electricity, no telephone, no Internet, no local restaurants, no banks, no gasoline (because the pumps can’t pump without electricity). The supermarkets are open because most of them have generators. We’ve got electricity because of our generator and Internet because we have a Verizon MiFi hotspot that started working today. As for my daughter, things are looking good too. It took some time to wend our way through the back roads to her house as most roads were partially blocked by downed trees and power lines. Thankfully her house and property were unscathed. Some of the homes and businesses closer to the water didn’t fare as well.

Traffic is diverted along Route 106 in Muttontown, Long Island, as multiple crews cut trees and repair broken utility lines

It really makes you appreciate what you’re missing. It’s easy to take services for granted, until they’re gone. Now it will be sweet just to get back to normal.

Just purchased this incredible 12″ Schneider padded and wheel-carved Medallion vase

Click this link to view some of the new objects I recently purchased. I recently listed over 25 new items. French glass for sale. We always strive to offer the finest objects for sale on our website and at every show.

I just purchased this rare, special Tiffany Studios red decorated Favrile vase

Look around my website. There are many items for sale, sold items with prices and free lessons about glass and lamps. I regularly add Tiffany vases, lamps and desk accessories, as well as French cameo glass by Galle and Daum Nancy and etchings by Louis Icart. Here’s the link. Philip Chasen Antiques.