A Dozen Pre-Hurricane Worries

This photo was taken two years ago, at the end of August, when there was a storm at sea and the ocean became surly. Last year we offered a credit to incoming guests willing to change plans due to the hurricane that fizzled out, Igor. What will happen this year with Irene? An American couple already cancelled their stay and will not come this afternoon for three days, which would have required driving Monday morning to reach their home. A wise decision, in my opinion. Our Seagull Cottage guests, who are leaving Sunday morning, plan to get up at 4 and drive west to escape the wind and rain. We have guests from Europe scheduled to arrive on Sunday and Monday. I have emailed them, requesting that they contact me. If they do not read their email, they may not realize being in a hurricane can be no fun. So, I have become a nervous wreck. Here's what I'm worried about:

• Will the forecast be off so that Irene makes a direct hit on Cape Cod?

• If the current forecast for Irene to hit the mainland at New London, CT turns out to be correct, will the forecast for Cape Cod be correct, too, meaning only 2 to 4 inches of rain?

• Will the power stay on so I can cook breakfast and keep food cold in the fridge?

• If the power goes off, how long will we have to wait for NStar crews to repair the damage on Cape Cod, with other parts of New England suffering, too?

• Will our guests from Germany and England think to check email before journeying out to Cape Cod Sunday and Monday?

• Will these guests realize we may be in emergency-mode here?

• Is there anything in the garden that might fly into a window at high wind?

• Do we have enough food and drinking water for _______ people? (no idea of number at this point)

• Has Sven checked the flashlight batteries?

• If the power is off for days, the water pump will not work, so will we be able to stock enough water in bathtubs to flush toilets for the guests for X number of days?

• If there is high wind, will tree limbs fall on the house, studio, or cottage?

• Should the power be off for days, can we get the new generator working?

Do you share similar worries about Irene? Do you remember Hurricane Bob? Have you lived through a hurricane?