Is Mother Nature angry with us?

Has it been crazy the last couple of weeks!!!!

The Hampton Roads area introduced a new public transportation rail, The Tide, so last Saturday, Daniel and I decided to check it out.  We got on at the last stop on Newtown Road and there was a line of people, but thankfully it moved quickly.  We were packed in there like sardines! 

Our plan was to ride to Downtown Norfolk, walk around, and eat at a random restaurant.  Then the rain started.  

So we rode the rail to the end and stayed on as it looped back to MacArthur Mall and we exited there.  We walked to a mall directory and decided to try:

Daniel accusing me of stealing a shrimp.  I hadn't even done it...yet!

California Pizza Kitchen was pretty good and the waitress was great.  The strawberry lemonade sucked, though.  After lunch, we strolled around the mall and then headed back to the rail and home.

A band was playing near the station.

Random geese at the free Tide parking lot.

A few days later, on a normal day at work, we had an earthquake (5.8)!  Apparently it was felt from GA all the way to Canada.  I’ve been through a few earthquakes before so I was fine, but some of my coworkers had never experienced it before and were a tad freaked out.  Either the day of, or the day after the quake, all the news channels began broadcasting about Hurricane Irene headed to the east coast.  Whoa buddy!  An earthquake and hurricane in the same week!!!!!

The gym I belong to is next to a Wallycity (Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market), so I normally head over after visiting the gym for fruit, an ingredient for din din, or household items.  This is what the aisles looked like the day after Irene was announced.

Bread aisle.

Water aisle.

Friday at work, people were so nervous about the pending storm.  The forecast stated this could be the worst flooding in years.  In order for some of us to get home, we have to drive through bridges and underwater tunnels.  These are usually closed during horrendous storms so I headed home about 30 minutes early to beat the traffic.  I changed clothes, jumped in the car, and headed to the gym.  It was pitch black with taped windows!   I can understand everyone preparing, but I was really disappointed that I couldn’t work out.  Oh well.   The wallycity parking lot was ridiculous!  So many last minute people trying to stock up on supplies.

So how did we fare?  We were so unbelievably blessed!!!  We never even lost power.  We could hear the wind gusting and the rain pelting the windows, but we just went about our weekend as usual.  I was really worried about flooding, but thankfully, our parking lot was fine.  Daniel and I watched movies and TV, he played video games, and I read books.  I texted family and friends and everyone was fine, although most lost power.

  Sunday, we woke to a GORGEOUS morning.  We decided to ride our bikes around the neighborhood to see how everything around us fared.  There were downed trees and power lines, but thankfully no extensive damage to homes or cars that we could see.  I’m so happy--we survived our 1^st hurricane together! 

Shingles ripped from directly below the roof.  One in the grass and some near the stairs on the right.

Daniel in front of downed tree blocking a parking lot exit.

Car riding through Little Creek Road.

It’s been a little over 6 weeks since my kinky twists were put in, and I’m trying to make plans to get cornrows done this upcoming weekend.  Hopefully my next post will have a pic of my newest hairstyle!  I leave you with another photo of the rambunctious Tierra Skye…Have a great week!!!!

Tierra playing in my bottled water container! (There were plenty of huge air holes--she was not harmed in the making of this photo.)