Hurricane Hoedown

Wasn't that a fun weekend?

The hurricane stole my weekend.  I've had no downtime after last week's stress and am now a very tired, very grumpy camper.

Highlights include:

• Tornado warning that listed where the tornado was and at what times it would hit certain towns.  Mine was on the list.  Cue shoving 4 very grumpy cats (got hissed at and bitten) into carriers, ferrying them to the basement, shoving them under tables, and having Vinnie go absolutely apeshit while I desperately tried to read the crawl at the bottom of the TV detailing the location of the tornado.  Luckily we have the old Tivo in the basement, so I was able to rewind it again and again and again.  By the time I was able to concentrate enough to read the whole thing through, the warning was over... and another one started.  It was north of us so we just opened the carrier doors and dealt with...
• Water leaking into the basement.  From the back of the house water started to seep in, and so we commenced with getting towels and a wet/dry vac.  After asking why the large wet/dry vac was not being used since the other one was not doing a good job, I was informed that it was full of dirt.  That led to...
• Going out in a hurricane to dump out the contents of the large wet/dry vac.  At least getting that one in service made it possible to...
• Contain the water seeping into the basement.  The sump pump was working away nicely the whole time, it was the French Drain that couldn't keep up.  But, at least that water was licked, and then...
• The power went out at about 3 in the morning.  Grab the power backup!  Which didn't work.  Well, time to bail, bail, bail, bail.
• At 8am Rick woke me up for my shift with the sump pump.  I found a large (something like 5 cup) container that had a handle.  I used that to move water from the sump pump pit nestled behind the wall of litter land under the stairs into a large bucket that I had to keep emptying in the laundy room sink... which I broke.  At least at that point it had stopped raining and there was only massive wind, so when I was able to get the water down an inch and have it stay there I was able to trudge back to bed.  When I woke up I got to...
• Mope to anyone who would listen until the power went back on at about 1pm.  Many whiny texts were sent, and plans were being made to go to my mother's for dinner and a shower (mmm... hot water) even though she lives an hour away.

The horses were fine.  We had put their halters on with their ID tags Sat morn, and all that happened is that they got very wet.

I blew so much money preparing.  All the cats got new collars and new id tags, which, when you include the fact that I COULDN'T GET RICK'S CELL # RIGHT meant that I had to buy 7 tags for 4 cats, ended up costing a pretty penny.  At least we have them now.

Worst of all, the tornado warning came during the climax of Doctor Who's mid-season premiere.  I think only Funder watches it of those who read, and I know she would have seen it by now, so spoilers ahoy.  The Doc is "dead," River is approaching, and boom, tornado!  After the alerts went away there is the Doc happily piloting the TARDIS.  RRRGH.