After a week of alarming predictions Storm Jonas arrived in my little patch of Prince George, Virginia about thirty minutes ago. I am glad. The anticipation was raising my anxiety and possibly my blood pressure considerably. I didn’t know until last night that this storm had been dubbed, Jonas.
I am not sure when we started naming storms, other than hurricanes, but it adds a personal connection between the machinations of weather and the reactive planning of humans. My memories of Isabel and Irene, both hurricanes, are vivid as we were without power for about a week in both cases. The ice storm of 1998 is just as vivid with loss of power for a week, but we were not naming non-hurricane storms at that time so I don’t have a human’s name to link to my memories of misery. So, if The Weather Channel came up with the idea of naming storms, I am glad of it.
As I write this at 10:30 on Friday morning, I am wondering if Jonas will visit upon us another week of no electricity after the freezing rain and heavy wind arrive during the evening and early morning hours.
While I wait I am cooking, reading, tidying, blogging, and continuing my meager preparations for the storm. Chili is cooking, chicken thighs are about to go in the slow cooker, and later a London Broil (thick flank steak) will get cooked in my large cast iron skillet on top of the stove. With my Coleman stove I can reheat food, make coffee, and wash dishes … so we will not starve. Take that Jonas.
Prince George VA & Environs 