Well, that’s it. We have 25+ gallons of potable water, 100lbs of ice, plenty of D batteries. Lots of candles, plenty of food. I have a fresh Scalzi novel and a book of Christopher Hitchens essays on paper, for amusement while the power is out. And lots and lots of beer.
The rain gutters are cleared and the downspouts repaired. The basement is clean and everything is up off the floor.
Now, we wait.
Our house is on high ground, high enough that we don’t have to worry about the area flooding. However, water WILL come into our basement, where I work and one of our elder kids lives. The only question is how much, and whether we’ll be able to keep up with it. If the power holds, the pump will keep it at a manageable level. If the power goes out while the rain is still coming down hard, we’re boned. We’ll be cleaning and drying things out for weeks.
Other than that, the biggest worry is a tree fall. Fortunately only one tree threatens our house, and it’s more likely to damage the garage than the house proper.
While the basement situation sucks, all things considered we are in a better position than a lot of the people in the path of Sandy. My thoughts and best wishes go out to them. Stay safe out there.
Good luck. I know what it’s like to have a basement that floods.