Hurricane Isaac: A Post-Mortem Analysis

I was going to do a comparison/retrospective pre-storm post cleverly titled "Isaac Meet Gustav.  Gustav, Isaac" --  a flashback-flashforward piece, if you will, involving this post.  However, my detailed prep routine highlighted in that Gustav post prevented that.  

Folks getting their extra 2 inches of parking elevation pre-Isaac

Isaac, as irritating as he was, provided positive experiences I would not have otherwise had.  I learned that I have some very interesting neighbors.  Despite New Orleans' reputation for close-knit communities, I had never gotten to know these folks.  A lot of bonding can happen on a neighbor's front porch on the pitch black, windy, wet second night of a 'cane.  The cool Tulane college students who live next door and I finally had the opportunity to really hang out.  They even came over and made a delicious meal in my candlelit kitchen, complete with enthralling conversation that made me feel like a dope compared to their brilliance.  I, in return, provided some "radio action" during which Margaret Orr wowed them and, consequently, gained a new fan or two.  I experienced the kindness of my neighbor, about 7 or 8 years old, who swept the leaves off of my side of the porch in the heat of the morning without even being asked to.  

 

I learned that if you have older candles you haven't used in a while, you should make sure before the power goes out that the wicks aren't buried in the wax. 

I learned that my cat BoBo gets car sick. 

I learned that given the choice, I would pick air conditioning over cable TV, telephone service, and yes -- even Internet.

The bluish (some see more green, others more purple) glow given off by transformers in the pitch black darkness of a windstorm is eerily cool!

Tree down on Leake Av. - Wed., Aug. 29th, 2012

I learned that my what-to-cook-in-the-order-it-will-spoil-without-electricity strategy needs a great deal more refinement.

I learned that if it involves using the oven in an already sweltering house that I will most likely not cook it.  To hell with it spoiling!