Riding the storm out

It's been really easy to start getting along without the net at home...Storms took out the power Wednesday night around ten. We are losing the food in the fridge but the rest of the house and grounds are ok.

Around us the trees are down from the roots up and branches lay in the roads. Parts of stuff from one yard are in another. It's all getting sorted out and cleaned up as we go.

Haven't heard from all the kids yet so they must be ok or they would have called. One town over, I was told, parts look like a war zone.

I'm feeling blessed to be here at work where the toliet works and the water runs. We still have the power on. And the car didn't get nailed by the storm.

I have been doing lots of thinking, enjoying the days. I went to the jam last night and got a chance to hear a boy from England sing and play with his sister. We even had a mini play. It was fun to see my friends there and I got to practice on the acoustic, anyway. Can't work on the electric without power and so practicing for the picnic next week has been a little slow.

I hadn't checked on everyone. Some people seem to think that is strange. But to me this is just one of the things we deal with where we live. The kids all have survival skills - some to chop wood and make a fire, some to get a motel room and go to work from there. I know that they are able to take care of them selves.

The neighbors are the same. I've lived here for years and we all just commence sawing and stacking and hauling until the mess is cleaned up. The older ones cook and the younger ones haul and it all gets done somehow.

That all depends on the resources you have available. This wasn't Katrina, the stores are open, there are plenty of supplies of batteries and candles and gas and water here. So I don't see it as that big of a deal.

I lost some groceries, there are no lights, the water isn't running and the sump pump isn't pumping. I will be ok. I have battery and propane lamps, candles, carry in my water and the biggest mess right now is the toilet that we can't flush well. I still flush it with a bucket.

I can still help the family that got hit by lightening and lost everything. I am blessed.