With lights back on, time to restock

The prepared foods section at Whole Foods Market in Paramus fed thousands of nearby residents who lost their power in Hurricane Sandy.

The lights came on again Saturday night -- five days after Hurricane Sandy walloped North Jersey, cutting down trees and power lines, and diminishing our sense of security.

This morning, I continued the job of throwing away food from the freezer, including vegetable burgers, falafel, fish sticks, crab substitute and organic mixed vegetables.

I drank fresh-brewed coffee, but without milk, and had nothing for breakfast except Fuji apples, Manchego cheese and fig marmalade.

So, I had an apple and cheese with tea and orange juice from a sealed container.

Then I dashed out to Costco Wholesale in Hackensack for organic milk, carrot juice, salad mix and eggs; non-fat Greek yogurt with fruit, bananas, liquid egg whites and beefsteak tomatoes.

My salad at Whole Foods Market cost less than $5. The store asked customers not to charge mobile devices, because it was operating on a generator "with limited power."

 
On Saturday night, I had a quick dinner at Legal Sea Foods in Paramus: beautifully fried oysters and seaweed salad ($10.95) and a bowl of mussels with a garlicky broth ($10.95), washed down with a flight of red wine ($9.95).

I was rushing to make a movie, "Cloud Atlas," which proved so incomprehensible and trite I left early.

The crowd at the AMC Theaters was manageable, in contrast to past Saturday nights, and the same was true at Costco today.

I guess the lines for gasoline are a blessing in disguise.

Earlier Saturday, I drove over to Whole Foods Market in Paramus for a big, delicious salad and a great cup of coffee.

The seating area was full of shoppers who had lost power, and they related their experiences to one another.

I asked a priest at the next table for divine intervention, and that night my power was restored.