We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming...

...for some weather talk.

I know, I know, I was doing so well with getting my Chicago recaps up on time, and I was looking forward to posting the last installment today. But I can't, because I didn't finish going through the last batch of pictures last night, because I was busy frantically doing laundry and packing for my weekend trip to Cleveland, which got bumped up by a day thanks to Hurricane Irene.

I was supposed to fly out for a fun weekend with my grandpa and best friend Megan on Saturday morning, with a layover in Baltimore. But, as of yesterday, NYC/NJ is all in a tizzy about Hurricane Irene, who is predicted to hit our area on Saturday evening. I figured my morning flight would still be able to leave, but with my layover in Baltimore, who knew if I could get into Baltimore...and even if I did get in, could I get back out? I had visions of being stranded in BWI until Monday and that did NOT sound like a good time. So, I changed my flight and now am leaving at 5:30 tonight. Here's hoping tonight's series of flights gets out on time without any trouble.

Why do I have such luck with travel? It seems like I am forever bumping up flights because some major weather catastrophe is about to take place. For example, there was my trip to Florida in January. And my trip down to Florida last February before I went cruising with my sister (that one was especially fun, because even though my departure and return flights were two weeks apart, both were screwed up, thanks to two different snowstorms!). And of course, the most memorable: that delightful hurricane that rolled over our beloved Cayman Islands the day after our wedding, delaying our honeymoon by a week (and yes, we know we were lucky to be able to go at all!). Basically, if there's some major weather hoopla headed towards the U.S., chances are good I have a flight booked in or out of the affected cities. I just have awesome timing.

But yeah, there's a hurricane coming. As of now some predictions have the eye passing right over our lovely little Hoboken on Saturday night. Of course, I am a Florida girl and this is not my first hurricane rodeo, so I know that it is still early and Irene could do all kinds of crazy things to either spare us or slam us. But I think it's safe to say that we'll get at least some rain and wind. My boys will be riding out the storm in our 7th floor apartment in our waterfront building, so I wish them luck with that. Hoboken is preparing for some hardcore flooding, it seems, so I hope the dog doesn't have to go for a swim every time he wants to go outside:

Hoboken has been spreading this map of predicted flooding. I know you don't know where we live on this map, but I'll just tell you, it's red.

Hoboken residents have been encouraged to get the heck out and head inland, or at the very least stock up on supplies and move cars off the street and into garages. As of last night, all municipal garages in Hoboken were already full and the Shoprite was reportedly already out of bottled water, so it seems people are paying attention.

NYC is also in panic mode a little bit. Some lower-lying areas are already being evacuated, and there is talk of shutting the entire subway system down as of tomorrow afternoon. Eric had planned to golf tomorrow before the weather turns bad, but now he probably won't for fear that if he takes too long he won't be able to get back home. It just all sound like a big old giant mess, doesn't it?

And on top of all this, we felt an earthquake this week! That 5.9 earthquake in Virginia sent our skyscrapers a-swaying a bit on Tuesday - not enough to cause panic, but enough to be all, "whoa, weird." So yeah, an earthquake and a hurricane in one week. Where do I live again?

Stay safe this weekend, friends!

Update: As of Friday afternoon, Mayor Bloomberg announced they WILL be shutting down the transit system (including subways and buses) tomorrow at noon. I think it's safe to say that no matter what Irene does now, this weekend will be a hot mess in New York.