Irene (the incredible saga, as seen on TV)

There has been incessant media coverage about Hurricane Irene, and every time this happens it seems that is a big ado about nothing. So here is the blow by blow as it happens (or doesn't) as seen from our little perch across the Hudson.

We (sort of) followed instructions to put together a preparedness kit, modified to fit our needs as you can see below:

8:43 am - returned my mother's panicky phone call. I guess the news of impending doom and gloom have made it to South America. Great.

9:01 am - headed to Madame Claude for brunch. Had my usual bucket of cafe au lait. It was busier than usual for such an early hour. I guess they were not expecting that many people. There was a lot of available street parking - looks like quite a few people left (the rest went for early brunch it seems).

11 am - rain is starting. TV seems to be all weather all the time. Guessing they are peeing their pants in happiness.

11:24 am - Channel 4 (NBC affiliate) has officially run out of news to report and are now broadcasting live from someone's wedding in Long Branch, NJ. It seems that since it was supposed to be a beach wedding and now it is an indoor wedding, this merits live coverage. Reporter fumbling to comment on bride's dress, resulting in a report that is equal parts funny and pathetic.

11:29 am - rain subsiding. Some wind would be nice, since it's kinda hot. This is really boring. I'm going to bake some cookies. Back when something interesting happens.

12:12 pm - the rain stopped. It's hot and muggy. Our neighbor in the back seems to be mowing the grass.

1:53 pm - behold! Cookies!

3:24 pm - no rain, a bit cooler than earlier. News now downright silly and naked.

3:54 pm - funniest tweet I read thus far on the storm: "The Weather Channel has upgraded Irene from "unable to lift Gov Chris Christie" to "able to lift Gov Chris Christie." also "NC Gov says "Irene not as bad as originally thought." Meanwhile Guiness record for most people hiding under beds to be set in NYC."

4:44 pm - nope, still no rain.   a bit of rain. News continues to report on nothingness. Image of a man with an inflatable boat and two ores around Wall St. area - presumably waiting for the biblical floods.

7:30 pm - Got a pizza. Rain picking up. Watching Conviction and trying to spot the Ann Arbor (MI) locations. The Hurricane news cycle is now completely ridiculous.

9:39 pm - called my mom to let her know we are still alive. Rain is pretty steady now, and were it not for all the hooptla on the tee-vee I would say this is splendid sleeping weather.

10:20 pm - made some more ice. Would be a travesty to be without power and not be able to serve a chilled drink, no? Warm margaritas are simply not as delicious.

10:54 pm - it's been a long and non eventful day.  I'm going to follow the cat's lead and go to sleep