Epic storms come infrequently, often no more than once in a lifetime. We've experienced such a storm these past few days here in the United States. Superstorm Sandy, which began as a tropical depression that dumped rain in the islands south of Florida, has left its mark on the landscape, destroyed homes, stolen lives, and forever altered the thinking that a storm of that proportion could never happen.
My husband Bob and I were in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, from last Friday through Sunday, October 26 -28, for Bob to compete with his chorus in the Carolinas District Barbershop Contest. We stayed at the house of some friends and had a 25-minute drive to the hotel where the contest was being held. When we drove from Durham to Myrtle Beach on Friday, hazy sunshine allowed the temperatures to climb near 80 degrees, but on our trip home from the contest late Friday evening, very light rain began to fall. Saturday brought breezy conditions and rain, but nothing that was exceptional. As we returned to the final session of the contest, the rain abated, but the breezy conditions remained.
We had thought that we'd have to drive home in heavy rain, but the storm held off the coast of North Carolina and kept the rain on its shores, pounding and tearing at the beaches and Outer Banks. Expected rain at our house did not materialize. As we watched the news and weather at home, the storm grew in intensity and crawled up the East coast, rearranging dunes and pushing water where it didn't belong. Monday evening the storm, which had hurricane status, made landfall in New Jersey. The damage done by wind and water won't be fully documented for months. New York City and Connecticut also received heavy damage, especially from the storm surge.
As the storm pounded the country, I wondered how my brother in West Virginia was faring. Sonny and Steph had moved to Harper's Ferry last summer from Alaska. We'd planned a family gathering of sorts for this coming weekend, and it was in jeopardy if they were to lose power. During the past few days, I spoke with them several times, and God spared them the storm's brutality. They didn't even lose power, so our visit to their home this weekend is still on the calendar. My sister in Florida is joining us. Her long drive tomorrow will result in an overnight stay with us before she continues to Harper's Ferry on Thursday. We will travel there on Friday and return on Monday. My sister is retired and can stay longer than we can. I have only 1047 days until retirement, but who's counting!
So our trip hasn't been cancelled due to the storm. We are praying for all those affected by this superstorm, as it is being called, for those who have lost loved ones, and for those who've lost their homes. Events like this remind us of our own blessings and make us even more grateful for a roof over our heads and food on the table. Everyone who is so fortunate should do the same.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Overdue!
Okay, I know I've not posted for about 2 weeks and I'm way overdue to catch up on things. That seems to be the norm nowadays - trying to catch up! It seems as if I'm one step behind everything that needs to be done. It's frustrating!
Not this past weekend but the weekend before, we had two of our grandsons, Niland (5) and Benny (3) stay overnight Saturday night. It was so much fun to have the 2 boys; they are bundles of energy that are difficult to contain! There was a glitch in their stay when Benny's arm started hurting while he was in the tub, and Niland said, "He's had his sore arm before, Nana." Well, that little boy wouldn't move that arm for anything, not even to eat a snack! He cried some, but not a lot, and went to sleep with his arm under his pajama top, held tight against his tummy. So I called my son, his dad, and discovered that Benny's elbow had come out of the socket. This has happened about 2 dozen times before. Now it was up to me to get it back in the socket.
After getting instructions from my son, I went in to a sleeping Benny, lifted his shirt, straightened his arm (at which point he started to whimper), turned his palm up, and bent his arm as if he were doing a bicep curl. I felt the elbow pop back in; maybe I heard it too, but there was no question that it had gone back in the socket. Benny stopped his soft cries and continued sleeping. I called my son and told him all was well, and in the morning, Benny triumphantly held his arm straight up in the air. I was so relieved.
This last Friday my 2 children and all of theirs came over after work, and we celebrated my oldest grandson Luke's 14th birthday. Already standing at almost 5'11", Luke looks a lot older than he is. He's a great cousin to my son's boys, who are 9+ years younger than him. On October 18 my mother-in-law turned 90 years old, and we gathered again on Saturday at the assisted living place where she lives to celebrate that milestone. I realized that if I live to be 90, Luke will be 41, my daughter will be 70, and my son will be 67. My mother-in-law is doing well both physically and mentally, although she no longer drives or lives by herself. We're grateful for the many years God has granted her.
This coming weekend my husband and I will be heading to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, so he can participate in District Competition with his Barbershop Harmony Society group from Raleigh. I just heard the weather forecast, and the possibility of a tropical system touching the coast by Saturday is a possibility. Not a good thing. And the following weekend we will be heading north to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, for a visit with my brother and his wife who have moved there from Alaska. It's so nice to have them so close now and in the same time zone!
So life is forever busy! Book ideas are spinning in my head, but I don't have enough time to outline any or to sit and write at this point in my life. However, I am counting the days until I can retire - 1054 days (give or take a day or two)! Some people may not look forward to retirement, but I certainly am! I'll have plenty to keep me busy. I just pray that God grants me enough years to enjoy it, to spend time with my children and grandchildren, and to write a sequel to "Amanda's Hope." Seems like there's a story to tell about Delilah.
Not this past weekend but the weekend before, we had two of our grandsons, Niland (5) and Benny (3) stay overnight Saturday night. It was so much fun to have the 2 boys; they are bundles of energy that are difficult to contain! There was a glitch in their stay when Benny's arm started hurting while he was in the tub, and Niland said, "He's had his sore arm before, Nana." Well, that little boy wouldn't move that arm for anything, not even to eat a snack! He cried some, but not a lot, and went to sleep with his arm under his pajama top, held tight against his tummy. So I called my son, his dad, and discovered that Benny's elbow had come out of the socket. This has happened about 2 dozen times before. Now it was up to me to get it back in the socket.
After getting instructions from my son, I went in to a sleeping Benny, lifted his shirt, straightened his arm (at which point he started to whimper), turned his palm up, and bent his arm as if he were doing a bicep curl. I felt the elbow pop back in; maybe I heard it too, but there was no question that it had gone back in the socket. Benny stopped his soft cries and continued sleeping. I called my son and told him all was well, and in the morning, Benny triumphantly held his arm straight up in the air. I was so relieved.
This last Friday my 2 children and all of theirs came over after work, and we celebrated my oldest grandson Luke's 14th birthday. Already standing at almost 5'11", Luke looks a lot older than he is. He's a great cousin to my son's boys, who are 9+ years younger than him. On October 18 my mother-in-law turned 90 years old, and we gathered again on Saturday at the assisted living place where she lives to celebrate that milestone. I realized that if I live to be 90, Luke will be 41, my daughter will be 70, and my son will be 67. My mother-in-law is doing well both physically and mentally, although she no longer drives or lives by herself. We're grateful for the many years God has granted her.
This coming weekend my husband and I will be heading to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, so he can participate in District Competition with his Barbershop Harmony Society group from Raleigh. I just heard the weather forecast, and the possibility of a tropical system touching the coast by Saturday is a possibility. Not a good thing. And the following weekend we will be heading north to Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, for a visit with my brother and his wife who have moved there from Alaska. It's so nice to have them so close now and in the same time zone!
So life is forever busy! Book ideas are spinning in my head, but I don't have enough time to outline any or to sit and write at this point in my life. However, I am counting the days until I can retire - 1054 days (give or take a day or two)! Some people may not look forward to retirement, but I certainly am! I'll have plenty to keep me busy. I just pray that God grants me enough years to enjoy it, to spend time with my children and grandchildren, and to write a sequel to "Amanda's Hope." Seems like there's a story to tell about Delilah.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Success at Last
Our rainy Saturday sent us home from our campsite, where we napped, rested, and hung around our dry house until evening. Then we went to a movie, which we don't often do because there's never much worth paying money to see. After the movie, we got Chinese and then went to bed in our dry beds. If the campsite had been a great distance from our home, we would have toughed out the rainy day and been fine, but since we were so close to home, we opted to go home for the day.
Sunday morning dawned with the sun breaking through the clouds. By the time breakfast was over, the skies were blue with hardly a cloud in sight. We headed back to the campsite and found our tent surrounded on one end with water. A few very small puddles had formed inside the tent. We turned on a space heater and fan inside the tent to start the drying out process. Now that the rain had actually ended, things would be able to dry before we had to pack them away. Bob and I left the campsite and headed toward the lake and took a short hike close to the water. We spotted a great blue heron, which landed on a dead tree limb close to the water's edge, and were able to get some good photos. Wild mushrooms abounded, some looking like sponges in the ocean. Mosses carpeted the forest floor. Rays of sun filtered through the trees, shafts of light illuminating the leaves, twigs and pine needles on the ground. Waterfalls trickled over rocks, tumbling to join the waters of the lake. The hike was a feast for our senses.
After sitting on the water's edge for a time, we returned to the campsite and prepared lunch. Our son and his family soon arrived, and the two little boys were so excited. We did some fishing, but only as much as 3-year-old Benny could handle. He just didn't understand that you don't reel in your line as soon as you throw it out!
Returning to the campsite, we made pie iron pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches, and we toasted marshmallows. The smoke in our eyes didn't even bother us. We were camping! And it wasn't raining!
When it came time to break camp, the boys pitched in and helped by pulling out stakes and putting them in bags and assisted us with taking down the fiberglass tent poles. They carried things to the truck. They were so excited to help Nana and Papa Bob take down their tent, but now they really, really want to go camping overnight! God redeemed our rainy Saturday with His gorgeous Sunday!
Our next camping trip will not be preplanned but will be a spur-of-the-moment, let's-go-camping-now decision. If that doesn't happen this year, we'll do it next spring. In the meantime, the firepit on the backyard will have to suffice for toasting marshmallows and getting smoke in our eyes.
Sunday morning dawned with the sun breaking through the clouds. By the time breakfast was over, the skies were blue with hardly a cloud in sight. We headed back to the campsite and found our tent surrounded on one end with water. A few very small puddles had formed inside the tent. We turned on a space heater and fan inside the tent to start the drying out process. Now that the rain had actually ended, things would be able to dry before we had to pack them away. Bob and I left the campsite and headed toward the lake and took a short hike close to the water. We spotted a great blue heron, which landed on a dead tree limb close to the water's edge, and were able to get some good photos. Wild mushrooms abounded, some looking like sponges in the ocean. Mosses carpeted the forest floor. Rays of sun filtered through the trees, shafts of light illuminating the leaves, twigs and pine needles on the ground. Waterfalls trickled over rocks, tumbling to join the waters of the lake. The hike was a feast for our senses.
After sitting on the water's edge for a time, we returned to the campsite and prepared lunch. Our son and his family soon arrived, and the two little boys were so excited. We did some fishing, but only as much as 3-year-old Benny could handle. He just didn't understand that you don't reel in your line as soon as you throw it out!
Returning to the campsite, we made pie iron pizzas and grilled cheese sandwiches, and we toasted marshmallows. The smoke in our eyes didn't even bother us. We were camping! And it wasn't raining!
When it came time to break camp, the boys pitched in and helped by pulling out stakes and putting them in bags and assisted us with taking down the fiberglass tent poles. They carried things to the truck. They were so excited to help Nana and Papa Bob take down their tent, but now they really, really want to go camping overnight! God redeemed our rainy Saturday with His gorgeous Sunday!
Our next camping trip will not be preplanned but will be a spur-of-the-moment, let's-go-camping-now decision. If that doesn't happen this year, we'll do it next spring. In the meantime, the firepit on the backyard will have to suffice for toasting marshmallows and getting smoke in our eyes.
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