And if so, how?

Mr. Gemini got propane for the grill, and gas for the generator, in case we lose power. I'll be doing laundry tonight, to ensure I have clothes for work on Monday, should the power go out.

That's about it.

EDIT: Oh, and I'm considering a book or two on my Kindle; again, in case the power goes out and I can't get online to occupy myself.

I went shopping last night. But I hear it's blowing over ...

"In an unprecedented decision, nearly 300,000 people who live in flood-prone areas of New York City were ordered to evacuate Friday as Hurricane Irene sets its sights on the nation's largest city. New Yorkers, many of them without cars, don't have much time to get out of the way before the city shutters its subways, buses and trains on Saturday...

http://news.yahoo.com/irene-evacuations-transit-shutdown-ordered-nyc-181930305.html

Is anyone here affected by this?

Nothing happening here in Philly. It's a surreal day.

I just put away all the backyard furniture (well, as away as possible, it's still outside), and the kid's outdoor stuff.. but still trying to figure out what to do with the trampoline.. can't dismantle it..

I live in the lower hudson valley, people are buying out shelves in the local supermarket and today my mom was lucky to get a flashlight and some batteries. I bought water and a few items, nothing extreme. Though I'm tempted to fill up the bathtub tomorrow..

Ugh. My phone totally died yesterday. Will have to wait until next week for replacement so hopefully the house phone will not get knocked out. 

Also got damage inspection for my car's comprehensive insurance and when I called my insurance company, was told that no policy changes are being made until Irene is gone, So if a tree falls on it, I am screwed.

Hub's work building turns into a NYC shelter, but even though the city runs the operations, he has to be there 'cause he's the boss. He doesn't want to stay over because he wants to be here for our house (water damage, roof, whatever) so he plans to drive over on Sunday. He has official plates so should be able to travel even with restrictions, but I am afraid of him traveling through this. If they really, really hunker down, and he is forced to go tomorrow night, I'll be here by my lonesome! With a scared little Yorkie and no cell. Yikes. Glad my son is with his Dad, though that's Philly so might be worse.

I'll have to rely on my inner Laura Ingalls 

How flooding caused by Irene could be made worse by the arrival of a new moon

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2030278/Hurricane-Irene-2011-Flooding-worse-arrival-new-moon.html#ixzz1WAHSaUzK

Not sure the validity but this is an astrology board.

I live a few blocks away from the Bay in the Tidewater area of Virginia.   the hurricane is expected to hit our city pretty good.   We're heading about 10 miles inland to my MIL's apt. after we finish preparing our house as best we can

Be safe, Ad Astra.

Just got the phone call my parents and sister are being evacuated from their beachfront homes in south Jersey.  

I am just thinking like I did when I thought earthquake preparedness.  From what I am seeing thus far people have not been taught how to deal with this.  Family and neighbors are looking at me like "where did you learn this stuff"  I am not in a surge area but I am 8 miles from Manhattan.  So we shall see.  

Stay safe everyone! No driving into standing water please!

I hope it doesn't turn out to be like Hurricane Floyd....blech

When is this supposed to hit? I have clicked 10 articles and only found "Saturday" on one of them.  Time?

All I have thus far is south Jersey Sunday morning.  

Why mandatory evacuations in NY when the storm had weakened and is not supposed to pick back up?

They are mostly evac Long Island as the storm is suppose to cross directly over the island.  There is not much for evac routes, the gov keeps quoting Katrina.  I got the impression they are trying to avoid the mistakes that where made during Katrina.  The local news here is focusing on the eldery who live independently or in a facility.  There are only so many ways off of Long Island and lots of people are there now vacationing.  

Edit to add,  also the longer the storm stays over water, the stronger it gets.  Until it hits either land or cold water, at which point then it weakens. 

Here's the Official National Hurricane Center report.  It gives times, etc.  It gets updated, although I don't know the frequency of the updates.  

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/092237.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents

EDIT: One of the problems with Long Island is the storm surge.  Water will blow into the Long Island Sound.  

Stay safe people.  Stay safe.

Here's the storm surge probabilities linked from the same site:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/psurgegraphics_at4.shtml?gm

Philadelphia just had it's wettest month on record. This can't be good with the ground already completely saturated.

I've been feeling the wave of apprehension for days now.  Stay safe everyone!

They're down grading it, last I heard on the news. At least, it's not supposed to hit CT as hard as they said it would before. :P

Live Topsail Island Web Cam

http://www.surfchex.com/topsail-island-web-cam.php

I'm not likely to be affected in Toronto, but you never know...there was infamous Hurricane Hazel which defied the odds and landed on Toronto (and Southern Ontario) in 1954 killing 81 people and causing millions of dollars of damage.  It originally hit North Carolina and sped up the eastern coast and somehow intensified and landed in Southern Ontario - which is pretty far from the coast.

Yanno, I'm not worried about Irene but who knows what could happen?

Since I live outside of Raleigh I can say for certain that the outer bands of  Irene have passed through 30 min. ago...

With that said, we are waiting for the shoe to drop.  I lived through Hurricane Fran in '96 (and others) and Irene is at the same station as Fran.  Everyone (including the computer models at that time) expected the hurricane to go East - it didn't.  It was a crisis...

I grew up in Iowa and know tornadoes - they last minutes.  Hurricane winds last long hours, and they spawn tornadoes....

Ah well, that's what happens when you choose to live on the coast.

Be safe my East Coast Peeps....

be safe AriesSun! Watch out for the trees

Thanks Tam!  We are good for now..I appreciate the thought!

Have you and your property and your loved ones all in my prayers.

Stay safe and let us know how you're doing okay?

Thanks a lot Peppermint!!!  That means a lot to me...

I will let you know how things turn out - my feeling is that all will be well!

Good Luck Everyone & Keep Safe. Can I bank on the fact that when we are prepared, it's not usually as bad as we think it'll be?

Jeez, I hope so. Thinking about you all!!!

We just picked our peaches and tomorrow the tomatos and filling buckets of water for toilet flushing in case power goes out. that is about it, besides closing the windows.

Last I heard, where I live won't be too bad (central Massachusetts)

Good thing, too distracted anyway, that is about all I can handle. Just two hours ago brought my dog home from the vets (to either live or die, to be determined...) and so far anyway, it has been quite stressful and not very good. Gah, I had this fantasy he would be so happy to be home, he would recover. Not so, not yet anyway. Seems to be on his way out, oh well at least he is at home. He may surprise me yet though who knows. I hope if he is going to have a crisis it waits until after the hurricane. Bought enough rice and meat to hand feed him for a few days. But holding him up outside to pee in a hurricane? not looking forward to it. :(

We're all Rain Dogs now ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlPko2kDDYo&feature=youtube_gdata_player

(((Vajra))) I hope your dog is doing much better by morning

Im in New York, out on Long Island - a lot of super coastal towns have been evacuated.

Just got back from the one gas station not out of gas in my town, waited on a 20 minute line! 

Prepare if you live in the projected East Coast path. Definitely a flashlight, transistor radio, bottled water, outdoor furniture tied down, and a water vac if you can afford it. Don't go out while the wind is blowing stuff around. Get to where you plan to be ahead of time. Then make the best of it.

@AriesSun: 

@vajra: so sorry about your poor dog, sending good thoughts for you both during this trying time.

@Everyone:  Stay safe!  Thinking about you all!

I'm 2 hours west of NYC and the supermarket was almost out of bread and eggs today, close to a river that flooded some friends' homes majorly in 2004 I think that was - and again in 2006? Tomorrow I think I'm going to run out early for water and candles. I like Luci's idea about propane... maybe I'll tell the Taurus to get another tank of it on his way home.

(((Everyone)))

Well, I am out to mow the lawn as tomorrow we are expecting rain and high winds.  I'll probably go buy some gas in case I need the generator.  Hope everyone on the coast is keeping safe!

News this morning says CT will be hit with Irene @ 2pm Sunday, and then it will be sunshine again by 6pm. They don't predict she'll be very strong, just barely Cat 1.

Keeps getting better and better.