Hurrication

So dad asked for an update about the storm.

As a little background, after my celebratory and Badger-filled convocation (thanks so much to everyone for coming! Esp. those who had to sneak in) we then loaded up Sandeep and Christine's car with my stuff (it did not fill the whole thing, so then I was mad I didn't leave more things out of storage to use the available space) and drove down to New Haven on Sunday. At the border we had to get out of the car and go sit in a little room for an hour and a half, no mobile devices allowed, so Sandeep almost went insane from boredom. The customs guys were quite nice though, although I was surprised to find that we had to pay a @$%#%# $6 fee to get the I-94 card (not mentioned anywhere). Nobody had American currency (whoops) so I had to borrow Sandeep's credit card. We then spent an additional hour figuring out how to get our hands on some currency on a Sunday afternoon - double whoops. I had travellers cheques but totally forgot nowhere would be open on the weekend. For future reference - PC Financial cards work at Bank of America bank machines!

The drive down was long and tiring. We checked in, had sushi and pretty much collapsed. The next day I had a place to look at at 10am. It seemed fine, great location, bit expensive, kind of small and old but recently renovated. Sandeep of course asked if the price was negotiable and the guy said maybe. The next place to look at wasn't until that evening at 6pm. We were killing time in between (i.e. rushing around between my work and their friend who was working down here) when the landlord texted offering the place for $50 cheaper and throwing in heat. Sandeep told me that perhaps I should make a satisficing rather than optimizing decision and just take the place. We did a quick cost-benefit analysis (I love nerdy friends) and decided that having a place to put the stuff from the car before they had to leave was more important than seeing other places in worse locations (although cheaper and some furnished). So I called the landlords and sorted out the paperwork that day (luckily for me they were willing to accept travellers cheques!)

The next day the Mishras took me to IKEA and we got a mattress and a bowl and a few bits and pieces (and I got a housewarming lamp from them!) The rest of the story is that they then headed up to meet a friend in another Connecticut town, left later than they meant to, got almost to the border and then Christine realized that her purse with passports had been left at the restaurant. So they had to backtrack, stay over in CT, THEN drive back up, pack up their house and drive to Regina. Except the TransCanada was flooded, meaning they had to go through the States, meaning that they had to drive to the vet's at 7am to pick up their cat's records to get back across the border... oh yes, I am not the only one who is constantly in the throes of infinitely complicated travel arrangements.

Anyway, fast forward to the hurricane. The short story is that I did not get flooded and never lost power  - it flickered but never went out - but I was lucky. My supervisor is still without water, power or heat, with two small kids! Here is a before-and-after photo of the green (I just happened to take a photo on Sunday of the exact spot where a giant oak fell on Monday!)

Before:

After: 

(you can see the same colourful tree - the big one behind it in the first pic has toppled)

This is scientists examining its roots! 

Thought this was hilarious. Way to cash in, Walgreens.

And finally, here is my house during the worst of the storm. I am on the ground floor, but quite high up as there must be a basement, and we didn't get flooding (just lots of leaves and branches). I have a lot more pics of downed trees but I am sure you get the picture...

So I basically got two days off work with pay (although did do a bit of work from home) and was spared the worst of the damage. Hope everyone else's power comes back on soon!