Hurricane Sandy

Well..

We have weathered the storm literally. This storm was much worse than we all excepted. In the New Jersey/New York area we are used to a lot of false alarms so we often have a false sense of security when it comes to these things. Many people have lost their lives, cars, homes, children, and pets during this storm and although I have endured hardship as a result, i am grateful to be alive.

We were without power for almost six days and it was really tough taking care of basic needs. However, we made it work and were still thankful to at least had heat, which many did/do not at this time. We did think that our house would catch fire. We had a blown transformer and a downed wire right by our house. We lost our refrigerated food which was a lot and as an FYI to anyone who needs to apply for any assistance from FEMA just know that they take into account your income which I think is wrong because all of our ATMs are down and we cannot get any money out of the bank (although we didn't have any in the bank at the time anyway). We are just barely staying afloat as it is and this did create a huge financial hardship on us but the gov did not care. Despite the President saying that the red tape would be cut, my story was different. We were immediately told after applying that we were not eligible for help.

Some of this is purely speculation since I have no one to call and talk to about it or ask for help (the helpline keeps saying to call back due to call volume). Thank goodness we have a few cans of veggies/beans and rice left that may last us another two days. Our Governor has rationed the gas and we are required to go on specific days for gas according to our license plates. It doesn't matter much to us anyway because our tank is empty and the gas stations a few blocks away have been closed since the storm. We even called AAA but they cannot help because of the gas shortage. We have a few bucks left (literally a few) and hopefully that will give my husband enough gas to get to work on Monday (IF we can find a gas station here in town to get our tank filled). Luckily we have a family member that may be able to get him there if he is not able to get to a station (and wait in line  2.5 to 4 hours to get gas).

This is the first time that we have been through something like this and I wish I could say that I feel secure. However, we received nothing to help. There were two shelters or so here in town but getting to them is another story. Also, we figured that we were fine since we had heat the whole time and that space is better  left serving families who were cold at night.

Hopefully we never have to go through anything like this again (or any other families especially those who were hardest-hit along the coast). If we do, we will prepare ten times as hard since obviously help is not an option for those who actually work but do not own a home (eligibility is likely based upon income and property damage such as a home).

I hope this post finds everyone well and safe. If you are in a disaster area, please remember to steer clear of downed lines, puddles (could have a downed line touching it) and visibly-weakened trees.

Jersey Shore

So..

I went to the beach on Sunday down in Belmar (Spring Lakes Beach).We wanted to get away from the city area so we took a drive down. I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness of the beach (for the most part..I did find a spot or two with dog poo). The water was really clean and was not full of garbage. The bathrooms were actually clean. Also, there weren't many people there which was shocking. It could be because the summer hasn't fully set in yet. We met some really nice retirees and everything.

New Jersey has finally done something to impress me. See..it's not always so horrible. I like to point out the good things as well. Oh..the coolest thing about the beach is the fact that it was free. We didn't even have to pay for parking (maybe because it was Sunday). Well..that's all for now. If you do end up here for whatever reason..head on over to Spring Lakes, it's worth it!

Atlantic City in New jersey

Hey,

I have not been to A.C. in a while. Thinking of taking a drive down. I may wait until the weather breaks more though. That is one of the few advantages of living in New Jersey is being able to go to the casinos and enjoy the boardwalk. I would say the shores themselves but honestly our water is not very clean here sorry.

Ever been to Atlantic City? What is your favorite casino? I like the Tropicana. To me the odds are better and the vibe is hip and young. The last time I went to Atlantic City, the boardwalk food had gone waaaay down quality-wise. Even the funnel cakes were disgusting and the standards had gone way down. This is why we decided to stay away from any boardwalk food because we did not want to get food poisoning. It was never the cleanest I guess but now it is pretty filthy and the food is tasteless and stale.

One of my fav. places to eat down there is P.F. Changs. If you have not tried it yet..feel free. you will absolutely love it! If you are on a tight budget, here's a hint: go to the Days Inn next door. At the bottom of the hotel, there is a Country Kitchen..great food for great prices! It is next door to the Tropicana (if you are on the boardwalk facing the Trop., it will be on the left, but you have to be on the boardwalk to see it).

Also, like any casino..don't sleep on the comps. Go on special days where they have special bonuses like 3x play value added to your comp card (of course you have to sign up for the free card). Make sure that you have your card in the machines every time you play (even table games). I have earned many free nights with my card and I do not even play with a lot of money or that often (I have even gotten Saturdays and Sundays when they were running a special promotion).

Well, that's in enjoy and let me know how it went. Maybe i will see you there!