To Stay or To Go – Sandy’s Effect on New Jersey Homes, People and Pets

Hurricane Sandy has left many of us who live in Midtown Direct towns in New Jersey in a difficult situation. With cold weather and another nor’easter on the way, the ability to stay warm in our New Jersey homes is a critical issue. Blankets and jackets can only do so much. And while some New Jersey homes have power, many do not. For those without power, like me in my Chatham NJ home, the options are limited. We can burn wood or fuel, but those items exhaust themselves quickly. Possibly restaurants and movie theaters have heat, but those cost money and have limited hours, so are not a complete solution, either.
After a little over a week of coping without electricity and other amenities, I’ve decided to take a friend’s offer and get out of town for a little while. Others are doing the same on a day-trip basis and three charter buses are transporting residents tomorrow, leaving the Madison Municipal Lot #3 at 7 a.m., for a trip into NYC for a round-trip charge of $20. Find out more at the Chatham website here.
Pets are not allowed on the bus for obvious reasons, which brings up another point. Now, I realize my next topic may not be the most important issue when it comes to priorities but for pet people who have been made homeless, our pets have become a big issue! We’re between a rock and a hard place. We board them if we’re lucky enough to be able to afford the incredible prices of boarding at $100 dollars a day or we stay in our freezing homes and pray for power! The truth is, none of our friends (as much as they love us) are going to take us in with our beloved pets.
When leaving,  I had to find lodging for Bailey so I could spend a few days away because quite honestly I just am not sure I’m up for another storm quite yet. Luckily Morristown Inn in Morristown NJ had space available.  We are expecting this next storm on Wednesday and with the ground as wet as it is and the trees being as precarious as they are, it could be more troublesome than a typical nor’easter. People need to be prepared once again, physically and emotionally. We’ll all be praying for each other. If you have online access, click here for important numbers and information on how to get help.