How Things Change

When Frankenstorm was set to hit New Jersey, I didn’t know what to expect.  I figured my family’d be okay.  We were during Irene.  Hell, last year, we didn’t even lose power.  It flickered once, but that’s it.

Frankenstorm, (I refuse to call it Sandy,) had us without power for five and a half days, and we had numerous, (and sometimes BIG,) tree branches down in our yard.  Plus, a section of fence came down.  I wrote and read by flashlight for days until we finally had power.  I walked to places instead of going off the fumes of gas I was left with.  And I filled up gas canisters to put into my car.

The devastation didn’t reach me by any means.  Not really.  Not when I know people who either lost their houses, or can’t live in their houses till repairs are done.

I gotta admit, I feel pretty much useless in terms of being able to help the people I care about during all this.  When I had cell service (and battery power) back on my phone, I texted different people, asking if they were okay, how’d they come through it, I was all right, could I do anything for them?  One of the people was Melanie, and she asked if I’d mind watching Emily.

Of course not.  I didn’t end up watching her that day, like we’d originally planned, but I’ve watched her three times since, and will take care of her tomorrow for a few hours.

Honestly, it feels like such a small thing, babysitting for a few hours, but at least it’s something.  And Melanie and the rest of them keep thanking me for doing it, but honestly, it’s no problem.  I love taking care of Emmie, and at least while she’s with me, she’s really well-behaved.  Like, if we’re in a store, and she goes to grab something, all I have to do is say, "No touch, Emmie," and she pulls her hand back and goes onto the next thing she wants to look at.

And for some odd reason, she seems fascinated with bicycles . . .

Anyway.  It’s just an honor to me that I’m trusted enough to look out for Emily.  Lol, when I told that to Melanie, she said, "She likes you.  She won’t go to many people."  So I guess I got chosen by both of them, really, but it’s still something I’m complimented by.

I happened to see a YouTube video taken during the storm, apparently before high tide came.  Someone in a reinforced concrete house was filming the waves coming up in Union Beach.  There’s a path with a wooden fence kinda thing going the length of the waterfront pretty much.  On the other side of the fence thing, the water usually doesn’t come more than two or three feet up it, even at high tide, and that’s still about three feet or so down from the path one can walk on.  In this video, the water level was equal to the top of the fence thing, and the splashes from the waves were hitting the second story window where the guy was taping from.

Here we go.  I found the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ady9mc7fdTU

Those three horizontal metal bars?  That’s the top of the fence thing.  And from where that guy filmed, I’d say the fence thing was at least three feet tall underneath the metal bars.  I’ve never, ever seen the water come close to that.

My heart goes out to everyone, especially friends of mine, who lost anything or everything in this storm.