Total Devastation......


The lights went out suddenly. All sounds ceased. "It won't be like this for long", I told my wife. She didn't agree...always the skeptic. We sat there for a while, waiting. Nothing. Gee, maybe she's right. It kills me, because she usually is right. Why does it seem like women are always right?? Well, that's for another blog. She might read this and if she doesn't like it I'll end up with a few cold meals and talking to myself. 

The weatherman had predicted the first snowstorm of the season it wasn't even winter yet!   Halloween was in a few days. Halloween was always reserved for ghouls and goblins, pumpkins, trick or treat. Kids canvassing the neighborhood loading up on sugar. Well, this year things would be different. Fourteen inches of snow rolled in and put a damper on those plans. It snowed hard most of the day. Heavy wet snowflakes. Looking out the window I could see it piling up on the pine trees that surround my house. The branches began sagging from the additional weight. After a few hours...that's when the power went out. 

It was dark now. The only light in the house was from several flashlights. Being the resourceful guy I am, I ran down to the basement and got the trusty generator ready. I rolled it outside plugged it into the house electrical panel and like magic, power! It would keep my water supply, refrigerator, heat and a few outlets for light. The power was going to return in an hours or so....skeptical wife, didn't agree! No worry, she'll be wrong this time and I'll have the last word..

Turned in early. No t.v., not much light. We decided to sleep downstairs form the bedroom. I wanted to monitor the generator's operation and be sure it kept running throughout the night. My wife stayed downstairs also, making sure I didn't do anything like lock myself out of the house, after venturing out during the night to check the generator....she knows me so well.

It was  long sleepless night. Saying the couch I decided to sleep on was uncomfortable, is an understatement. It just occurred to me, maybe that's the reason visitors don't stay overnight. As I lay there listening to quiet soothing hum of the generator, sleep's dark veil began creeping in. CRACK...THUD!.. what was that? We lay there for a few minutes, listening. Again more cracking. Was it thunder? Didn't see any flashes of lightening. There it is again, only closer. Peered out the window but, much too dark and the snow is falling and building up. It was going to be a long night...

At first light I looked out the window. My initial impression was a winter wonderland. Everything blanketed In mounds of white fluffy snow. A photographer's dream. But wait. Why are all the trees laying around the yard? The fence, part of the horse paddock is broken, lying in pieces. The paddock is littered with large broken tree limbs. I hurried outside. It looked like a winter war zone. Destruction everywhere. My 400 foot long driveway was completely blocked off with broken branches and fallen trees. The road in front of my yard was a mass of tree limbs and shattered trees, some taking down power lines along with them.

Later in the day, I drove around town to see what damage had occurred elsewhere. It was complete. It seemed no one escaped Mother Nature's wrath. Cars, houses, property damaged. Driving anywhere was like driving an obstacle course. Swerving from one side of the road to the other to avoid power lines and debris. All businesses were closed including some of the more important ones..like McDonalds and Burger King. A little humor....but, I do miss them!

It's been three days now. Power will not be on for at least several more days. Initially three million people were affected. Slowly, some areas are getting back on line. Others will have to wait a little longer. My family is fortunate to have a generator. Many families have to tough it out the best they can. I feel badly for them. There is no comfort  being cold,and in some instances, hungry. Though it snowed heavily and caused tremendous damage, the weather has been reasonably mild. Temperatures reached the 50's today and the forecast is for more of the same for the next several days.

It's the end of October. In the estimation of most, much too early for this kind of weather. This may be true however, this year, so far, we have experienced an earth quake, hail storm, tornado and a close call with a hurricane. Interestingly enough, the year isn't over. If this is a preview of what's ahead...it's going to be an interesting winter!

Jake T

    
                    




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