Waiting for Earl ...

The ocean at Cahoon Hollow was deceptively calm yesterday evening. No sign whatsoever of what's to come. We’re about to have a hurricane. Anyone who remembers Hurricane Bob knows that hurricanes are not to be taken lightly. Evacuation of Cape Cod, the Friday of Labor Day? Not going to happen. In the early nineties, with Bob, we had no power for days. I contacted three of the four couples coming to Chez Sven this weekend and offered a refund, or a rain check. As we batten down the hatches, a bit of levity helps face what may be on the way. First, my friend Claudine, on Long Island, cleaned up her yard, thanks to Earl: "I was able to convince my children to pick up all their toys in the yard lest Earl blow them away. It worked. Why didn't I think of this sooner???"

Second, check out these comments from the Cape Cod Facebook page:

Steve: “Come on, Earl, slam the Cape and give us some work. We need it!”

Ernie: “Go home, Earl. We don’t want you to visit us.”

Nathan: “That’s sad when you ask for a storm to give you what is a God-given right, the right to work so you can live.”

S. Michael: “Hurricanes and Yankees don’t mix well.”

Carolyn: “Get lost, Earl!”

Leo: “I’ve been through these Cape Cod ‘brushes with death’ in the past. More sensationalism than destruction.”

Trisha: “Dear Earl, please throw a tree on my car. I need a new one.”

Kip: “As a kid, I remember one hurricane in particular, and it left fishing trawlers in the middle of Ocean Street in Hyannis, and a lot of beach front cottages motels went away down by my grandfather’s …”

Philip: “Blah, blah, blah. It’ll be about as windy as last Tuesday.”

Patricia: “Hey, I’m coming up tomorrow. Go the Hell the other way!”

Chris: “P-lease. Hurricanes never make it up the coast. The water is too cold.”

Michael: “Uh, Chris. Ever hear of Hurricane Bob?”

Mimi: “Hurricane Bob?! I was there renting a house with my cousins, and we didn't have electricity the whole week and there were all these angry, displaced bees on the beach.”

Marianne: “My Gram lost all the trees in her yard with Bob.”

Paula: “Will be on Cape in 3 weeks. Never been in a hurricane. Will miss all this.”

Philip: "I leave for Orleans Friday morning, so I’ll be chasing Earl the whole way up.”

Trisha: “Water temp is 77, warmer than usual FYI.”

William: “Nauset Beach in Orleans is already closed from now til Saturday.”

Patricia: “No! I’m supposed to be flying in Friday. Stay away, Earl!”

Zeek: “Everybody, do the Hurricane Dance immediately, and Earl will veer out to sea!”

Mark: “I hope my windows are shut!”

Lisa: "Keep in mind lawn ornaments can become missiles so bring them in. Think ahead, have cash on hand. Credit/debit will not work without power. Neither will gas pumps, fill your vehicle..."
At the Beachcomber, no one even noticed Earl did not arrive. Folks were too busy drinking bear, happy to have the place to themselves. Check out the fog at Cahoon Hollow this afternoon.

Oh, this hurricane was a non-event. What I liked about Earl? It gave me a day or two off. For once, I got to sleep late!