storm

[ljplicease]

My brother and sister flew in from Australia last weekend for a long anticipated visit. I hope they come back soon. Lena sprained her ankle last week and I took a sick day (I think for the first time since I worked at The Company) to take her to the doctor on Friday and then went to pick up my sibs at BWI. There flight was late, but not too late to go to Fajita Coast, our favourite Friday night eat out in walking distance from our flat restaurant. It was also my birthday, or Chicken Noodle Day as they say. About when we were going to pay it started to get windy outside. I was a little concerned so I walked over to the door and I thought it was going to get worse. Even though the restaurant is within walking distance, I had driven everyone over and then driven the car back to the flat and walked to the restaurant so that Lena didn't have to walk on her crutches too far. So we were at the restaurant and the car was at the flat. The power had just gone out. I turned to my 19 year old brother and said “I am going to run and get the car. You wait here.” He asked me a question, I can't remember what, but I just repeated myself: “I am going to run and get the car. You wait here.” and I was gone. If I had been a cartoon character then only a dust cloud would have been left in my absence. I ran as far as I could. I'm not a spring chicken anymore. At first it was just windy with a little bit of rain, no more than spitting, and some sand in the air. It felt at first a bit like a sandstorm was coming. It is about two blocks back to the flat and after about a block is started pouring. I crossed the street, not waiting for the light to change, but being careful not to get run over. It was raining so hard that it was hard to see. I got to one of the other buildings in the complex, which offered some cover from the storm and tried to catch my breath. I didn't want too long, and started walking to the car for the last little bit. I was sopping wet when I got in the care but I didn't care. I had made it to the car and I'd be able to drive my siblings and Lena home. After pausing a minute to catch my breath again, I drove over to Fajita Coast, driving up a little hill shining the headlights into the restaurant. Tristy and Lara and Lena made a dash for the car and we drove home. On the way we discussed the probable power outage at our flat, which was a problem because we had one fold out bed and one inflatable bed for my visiting siblings, but the inflatable bed required power. I had an idea though. When we got there power was out and the battery backups in the computer room were chirping to let us know they would be out of power soon. I changed out of my clothes which were soaked through and through. I turned off the computer which had the most power left and yanked its battery backup out of the wall so that I could take it to the living room and inflate the second bed. I was quite pleased with myself when it worked.

When we woke up the next morning we were still without power thanks to Pepco. While we drove into the farmers mart in Silver Spring we found out on the radio that three million people were without power in Maryland alone (thanks to Pepco — this could be a good drinking game). We had crapes at the market and picked up some tomatoes and cilantro and fruit from one of the vendors. The plan was to go to the Air and Space Museum out by Dulles to see Discovery, and this seemed like a good idea because it was going to be very very hot and they would have air conditioning — if they were open. I expected lots of stuff to be closed because of the storm. Lena called as we drove out, but she only got the normal recording which gives the normal hours, which we reasoned was a good sign, because they might have changed the recording if they were without power and closed — had they been able to. It worked out because they were open when we got there. Saw all the cool airplanes and space craft and headed home for the evening, and pleasant surprise we had power by the time we got home (I supposed thanks to Pepco, but it doesn't seem right to thank them for anything that goes right). I took Tristan and Lara into the city to see the Lincoln Memorial. Lara asked if I had an SLR she could borrow, so I lent her my Nikon D300s with the 18-270mm super zoom. Lara likes to tinker with aperture and other settings on a camera, Tristan and dad don't really see the point. It's funny how different we all are. I was thinking yesterday how much I miss them. Anyway, we got home late and were ready for sleep when we did so. We lost power again during the night (thanks to Pepco) and the computer room was chirping again, so I got up and turned off the computers as best as I could without any light and being half asleep because Tristan was trying to sleep in that room and it couldn't have been a nice way to try and sleep.

The next morning we were with power again, but half the traffic lights in town were still out (thanks to Pepco). I took Tristan and Lara into DC to see the Newseum (it's a news museum). I had never been before. It was expensive, but well presented. When we got to the door and saw the prices — and the fact that kids 18 and under were free — Tristan said “I guess I will be 18 today” in his flat monotone voice. I strode up to the front desk with my sibs in tow and said ‘One adult and two youths!’ which is technically not lying. I still remember being that age where I could pass for 18 and pass my mum some cash. I think they took more of an interest in the Newseum than they did with the hanger full of airplanes (my preference would have been the other way around, though it was a great museum). After we went back home and jumped into the pool for a cool down. When the life guard whistled for adult swim we all looked at each other, but Lena said just to act normal and so we did. Lara was also 18 for that day I guess. Lena and I were done after 45 minutes but Tristy and Lara were still at it long after. We didn't want to stop them because they were having such a good time. Ordered a BBQ chicken pizza for a late night dinner and went to sleep well satisfied by the day.

Monday I took my sibs to the airport before going into work and the traffic light were still mostly not working and there was no Internet at work (thanks to Pepco). I think they had a good time.