Tuesday
December 16, 2008
Hi,
Not sure how many of you have seen the news on the storm that hit us last Thursday. The destruction has been mind boggling, to say the least. My hometown was hit the hardest and has been declared a disaster area by the state government. Surrounding towns didn't fare much better. It looks like a war zone everywhere you turn.
The ice storm started early Thursday evening. Denny and I were in Maine at the time. We lost power there around 3AM (Friday morning, actually). I understand power started going out around 10PM here on Thursday. Last count there were still 160,000 people without power.
I got service back around 4:30 yesterday afternoon. Prior to that, I was in Maine (until Sat afternoon). We had no power or water there for 2 days, but at least we had heat from the wood stove. When I got home, my friend Linda invited me and Bella to her house until I got power back. They have a large generator, so Kevin was able to hook up the furnace, hot water heater, refrigerator and large freezer. The downstairs had one room (den) with a lamp and t.v. Upstairs was without power, but not that cold due to the heat from the bottom floor. They also have a gas stove, which allowed for some cooking. I was very grateful to be able to stay there with Bella for 2 days. The temp in my apartment was under 40 degrees when I got home from Maine.
It's hard to describe the damage, but it is massive. They are talking about SPRING before all of the cleanup is done. I have friends, family and co-workers still without power. Some have been told 2-3 weeks. The beauty of the sun shining through the ice was breathtaking at the same time as being heartbreaking to see. It will be years before the landscape recovers from this storm.
Utility workers from many states, as well as about 500 National Guardsmen have been working 24/7 to get people up and running again. Central MA and several cities in New Hampshire got the worst of the storm. Local schools are closed until after the first of the year.
Here are two newspapers you can go to if you want to see photos, articles and videos of the storm.
Another icy storm for tonight into tomorrow morning. Denny is flying out of Boston at 6:30 am tomorrow. I'm very concerned about his flight. I hope they will cancel if it is too dangerous to fly. Iced up plane parts are scary! Another storm (snow) is predicted for Friday.
After work last night, Linda and I drove here so I could get some boots. As I turned onto my street, I saw 3 utility trucks and a handful of workers on the road. I slowed down and looked at the houses I was passing, noticing lights on in several. I nearly screamed in the car and had the urge to stop, jump out and kiss every worker out there! As I passed the last truck, I saw the porch light on at my house. I could have cried.
I went in and turned the thermostat up to 65 (it was still freezing in there), then Linda and I went out to dinner. After, we drove to her house and I went up to my room to pack. You can't imagine the stuff I took with me! :) Anyway, I finally got it all packed up and back in my car, then got Bella and came home.
I spent 3 hours unpacking and getting laundry together, then cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer. I'm sure I tossed about $200 worth of food. Steaks, hotdogs, chicken, turkey burgers that I'd made, ground beef, ground turkey, turkey bacon, boxes and bags of frozen veggies, ice cream and several individual portions of chili, minestrone and pasta that I'd put up for taking to work for lunch. The freezer was bare. Then I hit the fridge. Mayo, salad dressings, eggs, leftovers, yogurts, cheeses...on and on it went. I put 2 full trash bags into the barrel before I was done. It broke my heart (and my wallet), but I was so lucky to have someplace warm to go. Many people I know haven't been as lucky and are still home, in the dark, without heat.
I went to the market after work and had to wait for a parking space! The shelves are minimally stocked, but I got some frozen veggies, chicken, ground turkey, yogurt, salad stuff, eggs, mayo, salad dressing, etc. The good part is that it is all fresh and I'm going to use it up before I buy any more. It's not that my fridge didn't need a good purge, but I would have like to have saved the good stuff!
I logged in to over 350 emails yesterday. I don't know when (or even if I will try) to read through all of it. All in good time, I guess.
Peace,
Kay
PS...if you don't have a landline phone in your house, get one! It could save your life.
PPS...I had a very nice early Christmas with my family!
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