It’s 7:38 a.m. and I just got back from voting. Thank God for living in a small community as we just parked, walked into the VFW Hall and voted without any lines. We had to pass by the gas station with a small line of about 12 cars with even license plates waiting for gas. I hope my vote counts. I’m nervous. But, I did my part and I can’t change the outcome.

I’m also a little bit nervous about this new storm due to hit tomorrow. We don’t need any more wind, thank you! I really don’t want to lose power again. Please,  no!

It’s interesting that they are letting people who have been displaced (by Sandy) vote by fax or email. I love what Christie said in his press conference the other day about it, something to the effect that this doesn’t mean if you’re a low life and have been kicked out of your home because you didn’t pay your rent, it means if you’ve lost your home during Sandy.

I also found it interesting that in Bergen County they lifted the blue laws on places like Home Depot and Lowes or any other store that is participating somehow in the relief effort.

Our Shop Rite had about ten generators for sale in the front of the store yesterday. The fish counter had some fish but nothing like what they usually have. They are still limping along in getting shipments.

I talked to so many people without electricity. One person said she’s been told it will be Thanksgiving before she gets power back. When I stopped in the liquor store to pick up a few bottles of wine I got to talking to the owner (who also does not have power at home)  he told me that one of the biggest wine distributing centers is under water and won’t be able to restock for a month. No wine? Now that’s scary!!

On Sunday we were getting a little bit of cabin fever so we took Mia for a ride up to our favorite place for weekend lunch, the cafe at the Warwick Valley Winery. They had a very limited menu due to their fridge failing and not getting any new shipments in. We wanted pizza anyway, so we were happy with the selection. We passed so many crews working on power lines and saw lots of transformers, trees and power lines down. They are working hard, no doubt about it.

Another interesting thing I noticed a couple of days before Sandy arrived and that was the birds at our feeder. They were feeding like crazy and we had birds that we don’t normally have. A whole flock of cute little pine siskins flew in and a little red-breasted nuthatch. We normally have the white-breasted nuthatches but not the little red ones. We saw more purple finches too than normal. It seems that the siskins have moved on now but the little nuthatch is still here. This morning the birds are really hitting the feeder crazily again, so I hope that’s not a sign regarding our next storm.

Well, for sure this blog post ended up to be a lot of rambling! But one thing is certain and that is it’s going to be a while before things are “normal” again.

Photo: Door at the Warwick Valley Winery on Sunday.

So glad to see this Jersey girl is OK!  You were without power 2 days longer than I.  I just hope we don’t have a replay tomorrow or Thursday.  Just read through your Sandy Diary…the photos are wonderful!  I am on the same page with you re. Christie.  The gas odd/even thing is so much better but stations around me are still running out.  We are getting a lot of New Yorkers on Rt. 9 & 18.  I ended up getting gas when I went to see family in PA on Sunday…and paid through the nose for it!  Yikes!  Keep the faith and hope for the best this week!

The birds here really stocked up on food too before Sandy.  Haven’t been filling the feeder every day, but will put some more out now.  I’m sure they know something is headed this way and can probably feel the change in the barometric pressure or something.  Just voted too.  We’ll hope for the best on both counts!

Helene, likewise! I’m glad you didn’t have any damage. Glad you enjoyed the Sandy diary.

C, yes they seem to somehow know.

I hope you’ve come through the storm OK. (It’s probably hit by now, right? I need to look at the news.) I don’t even know what a pine siskin looks like—must do Internet research.

I respect Chris Christie, even though I disagree with him on many things. He seems more reasonable than many of his Republican counterparts elsewhere in the nation.

Steve, no problems, just SNOW.

Pine siskins are little finches that can be confused with gold finches if you don’t pay attention. They are heavily striped little birds with touches of yellow on their wings, seen mostly when they are flapping them about which they seem to do a lot of!