First thing that's quite disturbing is, like the sign's message conveyed, the fact that for some people they have been without power since the storm...and that was 6 days ago! Half of my apartment complex is still without power. Thankfully, not my half.
I lost power about 8:30 pm last Sunday and it was restored early evening or so Tuesday. Two hot, uncomfortable, and very boring days. I'm so addicted to technology, I'm clueless as to what to do without it.
I did drive up to Ric's place Monday since the storm had died down by sunrise and the curfew was lifted at 11:00 am. He was hungry and curious to see the damages around town so I rode with him in his North Carolina tagged car (insurance is much cheaper there, he says, so he's keeping it registered there even though he's back here now).
Lots of branches and tree limbs all over. Even some toppled trees. It looked like business signs, billboards and awnings suffered the brunt of the damage. Some street lights worked, some didn't. There were just two restaurants open in the area near Ric's house where there are well over a dozen. We ate at one of them, a Colombian cuisine joint that was cooking only two menu items, steak or chicken.
Now most things are powered and open but there are dark spots here and there, like the Eastern half of my apartment community. Oh, and, of course, work.
I say "of course" because these cheaply built newer buildings we have here are in a constant state of disrepair or failed functionality, so adding the after effects of the hurricane only add a few more glitches to them. Most the campus has power but some transformer blew or something days after the storm and knocked out the just restored power for some of the neighboring businesses and half of our main building (where I stay).
So I'm writing this on my laptop which is plugged into the working electrical outlets but the room is in darkness since the lights don't work. AC either, but the windows are wide open, fans running and it actually getting that fall cooler weather here during the wee hours of the morning. For the daytime workers though, unfortunately, not so chill...the temps will rise with the morning sun and top out over 90 degrees in the afternoon.