Blogfinger

By Paul Goldfinger

Reporting from Wegmans. Coffee and a bagel. We got here at 6:45 a.m. to get an electrical outlet. Many people were there already.  See the press pass.  I am a reporter for Halloween.  Eileen Goldfinger photo

Wednesday, October 31.

I am rushing at Wegmans because they are only allowing me 45 minutes to use a wall plug in the upstairs café because others are waiting.  But thank goodness for Wegmans and their two large generators.  I wish I had a large generator.

It is hazardous to ride around town because there are downed wires all over. The police have shut down the first two beach blocks along with other streets where they are clearing trees.  By some miracle, most of our antique vulnerable houses have escaped with little or no damage.

During the last blizzard, I noticed that people were anxious to get outside as soon as possible. I think it’s the need to get air, to see that the town is still alive and to avoid loneliness that comes over us if we are stuck inside. This storm is sort of like the blizzard, except for no snow.

Yesterday at Wegmans  (they are the only store open except for Home Depot and they have Wi-Fi), there was a huge line stretching from the pizza area back to the cash registers.   Guess what for??   Yup, COFFEE. It was free, but it wasn’t the money; it was the morning addiction.  Wow.  Did you know that there is an entire coffee-table size book devoted to caffeine addiction. I own that book, but I never read it.

Eileen accompanied me this morning in order to assist with all my needs   (Some say I am “high maintenance”) She plugged me in, got coffee, took my picture and smiled at the manager who is guarding the wall plugs.

When we drove here this morning, we took Sunset, but the police would not allow us to cross over 35.  We headed north, but every U turn was closed  for safety reasons since all the signals were off.  We finally made a U by Monmouth Mall.

People are on the roads; I guess they are going to work, although hardly anyone in the entire region has power.   Last night a bunch of neighbors came over for a hurricane dinner  (by now our freezers have warmed ) and brought whatever they could defrost and cook on their gas stovetops. We lit candles, had a great meal, and enjoyed each other’s company.  We all were grateful that there were no fires, destroyed houses or injured people  (at least, we haven’t heard of any—communications are bad;  even cell calls and texts are unreliable.)   I took my last shower for awhile; the water was just luke warm.

At night here, it is, of course, pitch black.  But also it is dramatically quiet. You realize, in retrospect, that our world is full of white noise generated by electricity. The dark is like a blanket over everything, and we are sleeping very well.

Yvette Blackman told me that she decided to move her car because a nearby tree was swaying a bit too much. So she moved her car and told a neighbor to move his.  One hour later the tree fell down.  Do you have any storm stories?   Please send them to Blogfinger@verizon.net.

It’s amazing, but despite the fact that Grovers have no power, there were about 15,000 visits to this site on Monday and more than 25,000 on Tuesday.  Many of those visitors are Grovers who have fled, people who own second houses in the Grove or people with friends or relatives here. A few people told me that they learned about our content by phone from folks who could get access across the country.

It will be difficult to keep you informed, but we will try.  Charles has camped out in Philadelphia where there is power.  We expect him back soon.

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Posted in OCTOBER STORM | Tagged We're OK in the Grove | 16 Comments

16 Responses

1. on November 3, 2012 at 7:47 am Blogfinger

   Hi Janel, Wonderful to hear from you. We are still w/o power.
   No idea when it will be back. Wegmans, our great food store has been open. The Methodist church in town is sponsoring a big clean up/ help a neighbor day today.
   Thank you for your concern & offer of help. Just knowing people care is a comfort. Hope u & your family are well. Eileen & Paul

   
   
2. on November 3, 2012 at 6:34 am Janel Minoui Monahan

   I am so glad you guys are ok!!!! Let us know if you hear of what is needed that we could send from FLA!!!! XO

   
   
3. on October 31, 2012 at 2:13 pm Denise Cashman

   Mr. Goldfinger,
   Thanks for the news and photos of OG. It means a lot to those of us who love the town to know it is still standing.
   I’m glad to see you and Mrs. Goldfinger are ok, and that you made it to Wegmans!
   We’d like to know if there’s anything we can do to help so please post such info as it becomes available.
   Denise & Daniel

   
   
4. on October 31, 2012 at 2:07 pm Harriet Milks and family

   Thank you, blogfingers, for being our lifeline! And blessed are the businesses who share of their energy — by the cup and by the outlet! When we get on site, we’re hoping to salvage from our basement photos we have of the 1956 and 1992 hurricanes. One photo shows a rowboat tethered to the fire hydrant on “our” corner of Abbott and Beach — it’s a placid scene, compared to what must’ve been a rushing torrent on Monday. Perspective’s everything, eh? Thanks again, friends and neighbors, for all you do and continue to do for this wonderful community.
   Harriet, Bill, Sarah, and Reece
   15 Abbott and Juneau.

   
   
5. on October 31, 2012 at 1:15 pm JCo

   Thank you so very much for keeping us updated, we are second OG home owners and have a bottomless thirst for OG news. If anyone’s taking up a collection to buy Blogfinger a generator, I’m in.

   
   
6. on October 31, 2012 at 11:23 am BLOG TOE

   Hey Blog Finger,
   Great job covering this storm and keeping the community informed. Amazing how your blog is being utilized by people all over the country to communicate and keep informed.

   The photos and stories are top notch and really compete with the local papers. Wear that press pass with pride– Robert Capa who?? Oh but please take a shower

   
   
7. on October 31, 2012 at 9:56 am Vacmom

   Can we get into OG from NY if we drive down this morning?

   
   
8. on October 31, 2012 at 9:52 am James Calder

   Keep up the awesome work. My sister and brother in law live in Neptune, My aunts live in the Grove, and my parents have a second home in Ocean Grove. This is the best site for information that I have found.

   
   
9. on October 31, 2012 at 9:43 am Bythesea

   I came back into town yesterday late afternoon and walked around. The most iconic image that stuck in my mind was a house in the first beach block of Broadway with a dead big fish (about 15 inches) lying right by the front door.

   Once you get to the second beach block, things look pretty good. A few trees down here and there but overall the town was once again very lucky.

   
   
10. on October 31, 2012 at 9:41 am Marjorie

    THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATES! It is the only way any of us can know what is happening in our beloved town after reluctantly evacuating.

    
    
11. on October 31, 2012 at 9:37 am Jeneba

    Sending Blessings from Brooklyn! May your coffee be plentiful!

    
    
12. on October 31, 2012 at 9:11 am Andrea

    Thanks so much for your updates! I’m a former resident, and daughter of a current resident (from whom we’ve had no contact since Monday). Although it sounds like it was quite a trek, I’m comforted to hear that there is access in and out of town. Looking forward to your next caffeine-induced post!

    
    
13. on October 31, 2012 at 9:07 am Jane & Bob

    you and Eileen are great…..real troopers….I knew you would make it to Wegmans…..most of Westchester county has no power, however I am one of the fortunate ones with power….all be safe and God did look out for Ocean Grove.

    
    
14. on October 31, 2012 at 8:56 am Nancy Kelly

    What would we Grovers do without you? Thank you for driving all the way to the Mall to get to Wegmans – you should be earning hazardous duty pay! We are blessed to have this link to our beloved town. Our neighbors tell us the 5th block of Abbott is untouched – so we are doubly blessed.

    
    
15. on October 31, 2012 at 8:52 am Fat Al

    And, great picture!

    
    
16. on October 31, 2012 at 8:44 am Fat Al

    Thanks for the excellent, detailed post. Good to hear you are all doing as well as possible under these tough circumstances.

    Are the first two beach blocks shut down because of damage, or because the authorities are staging/working there?

    
    

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