The Blessings!

 

The Blessings List

1. We lived, the trees did not harm the house or kill us

2. The storm brought behind it, a cool front, temps went from high 90's to mid 80's, humidity dropped, woke up each morning to 68-70 degrees and NOT ONE drop of Rain has come since Milton left us at 4 am on Thursday the 10th. today as I type is the 20th. We put the windows up and were only hot for the hours 2-6 pm

3. I had pens, paper, pencils to doodle on during the hours of nothing to do, the iPad was wonderful, for drawing, but when it needed charging, I changed to the old-time things of my youth.

4. Day 3, we saw semis full of food, water and supplies, parked nose to trailer, from 51st street to 59th street. The most amazing sight I have seen in a long time. 8 BLOCKS long, parked in Bray Park where we take Beau to walk. There were tents, giving out water and tarps and food and aid.

5. I spoke to 2 of my neighbors after the 1 pm power loss forced me outside the night Milton Came. I asked them to   promise when the storm was over, to go out and look at my house and if there was a tree down on the house to come make sure I was dead and not trapped under a tree alive. Willie came at 5 am and knocked on the door, Wayne looked out and sent text, are you ok?   God bless them for checking.

6. the first 2 days I had ice that i had made and stored in the freezer, the 3rd none. Willie brought me a bag and told me about an icehouse that had plenty of ice, it was 2 miles away, and I got lost finding it, but I got 4 bags of ice for 8 dollars, and the next day, Willie told me the A1A convenience store on our street, just 1 mile from us was selling ice for 3 per bag. each day for 4 days we put Beau in the car at 7 am and bought 2 bags and it lasted until 7 the next day. It cost of 6 per day instead of 4 per day but the convenience of it was our choice

7.  I walked Beau on day 3, and on the way home, a neighbor we do not know was in his yard with 3 downed trees, he and his girlfriend working on the trees with a chain saw. I said to him as I passed, no time to talk, I left my 88 year old husband trying to clear our yard and he needs my help. I put Beau inside and went out to help Bob and around the corner came the man and his girl, with chainsaw and he said what can I do to help you. the two of them attacked the tree down in the front yard and in 20 minutes it was cut and stacked. He said is there anything else? I said could you make us a path to get out the back door? we can't see out the windows and the dog refuses to go out to potty. just clear us a path.  30 minutes later, the two of them and the two of us had cleared the entire side yard. He could not take down the tree on the fence, it was still attached to part of the standing tree. that leads too number 6 blessing.

6. I came inside for water and fruit to keep us hydrated and heard the sound of a BIG chain saw attacking the big tree down at a neighbor 2 doors over. I walked over and asked the woman if they could come help with our tree after they finished the tree they were working on. She said come on, show us the tree limb. The two of them, a black man that looked like a football linebacker and a tiny 90 lb woman of 64 years of age, and she, the boss said, go get the chain saw. 10 minutes later the tree was down and off the fence and piled at the curb. The STOPPED what they were doing and did it. she said pay me what it is worth to you. I said is 100 enough? she said done.

God bless all the neighbors that helped us and the ones we see on TV and the Power People, The tree people, the first responder.... so many are helping. It has been Two weeks, Two days and the work will take months to complete, they said one of our beaches will not be operative until the end of January.

a few more to report that happened during the tree take down. Pray for the people just a few streets from us that have now been without power for 2 weeks and 2 days... 

On the bright side, ha ha, while sitting on the throne, i looked down at one of my 7 bruises on my arms and saw the shape was exactly like LCP, Landing Craft that took our soldiers into the hell of Normandy Beach when i was a baby...  compared to that, we lucked out with a CAT 3 hurrcane in our lap..