Hurricane Sandy

[Tiffanny Twisted]

all i can saw is OMG
prayers to all

[eaglesvet]

HI everyone,
I know that Dreamer updated y'all, but I know that I should at least check in. I was stirred on by the 12/12/12 concert last night, which I still have yet to finish watching on DVR. What a emotional night, between the artists' efforts and the videos that were shown of the storm and its after-effects. I had already posted in that thread how surreal it was to live through that storm without power for 10 days, listening to either a battery-powered transistor radio or the car radio about the destruction along the shore, but not ever actually seeing the images on TV that the rest of the country was seeing...until last night. How very sad for those millions of people along the tri-state area coast.

My home is in north-central NJ, so we had to deal mainly with many trees taking power lines down with them as they fell. Some neighborhoods in my area were without power for 2 wks, and there are huge tree trunks still lining the sides of the roads, waiting to be picked up. School was out for 10 days, which was no fun for the kids with no power and nothing open to go to. Thankfully, our house still had hot water and a gas stove, as well as a wood-burning pizza oven that we would sit near every night playing board games around. It would throw off literally 600 degrees of heat, but only far enough to heat the dining room and kitchen. The upstairs bedrooms would get to the low-to-mid-50's without any heat, so we just layered the blankets so it was like a lead weight getting in, and it was bearable. Each one of us got to be experts in lighting a fire and tending it as needed–- based on whether we would be home, or at work (brought kids as needed), or the library where they actually had a generator and acted as a warming/charging station. In terms of food, it was cold enough outside (mid-30's to 50's) that we could keep a few perishables in a cooler on the back steps...once the grocery stores opened back up again. It was just like camping!

We were lucky in that only one 8 ft x 8 ft fence panel blew down. Nothing at all in terms of property damage, compared to others.

The coolest thing was how my 2 sons (13 and 16 yrs old) had to wean off the electronics (unless at the libe). They looked forward to 10 nights of board games! The version of Trivial Pursuit that I have is literally the original first edition––what my older son Ethan wound up calling the "pre-Cold War edition." So many of the questions were about the Nixon presidency and the Beatles (and even about movies from the 40's and 50's that my hubby and I had no clue about), that my sons were both complaining furiously about it all throughout the first night of play. Of course, there are enough standard science and sports questions, that Ethan ended up winning that night...and then asked to play it the next few nights in a row! (And, he kept winning, too!) I finally got so sick of it, we had to dig up some other standards, just to keep from getting into a rut.

Anyway, the I can't imagine what the NJ shore will look like next summer without as much help as possible...so if it it's at all in the cards for any of you to make a donation to the Sandy Relief Fund, please do so!

[Brooke]

Ev, glad to hear you made it through it all ok without too many scars! That's pretty cool about your kids and the techno deprivation! I'm sure it was rough on them for a day or two! Too funny! It's also very cool that your family got together and made the best of it. You will remember playing those games together for many years! And of course everything else. Memories!

[Henley Honey]

I'm so glad you checked in EV. We've been missing you here! Don't be a stranger!!! It sounds like you have two great kids. I'm sure they had their moments -- as we all did -- during the time the electricity was out but you seemed to have made the best of a bad situation. Maybe a few low-tech gifts for Christmas are called for to keep them in the "swing".

How did your practice fare? I'm fostering my sister's two yorkies until she can return hom (go to the Petmania thread) so I may call on you for some long-distance advice. They are N E E D Y little things.

Glad you're OK!!!

[VAisForEagleLovers]

EV, glad to hear from you, glad it wasn't too bad for you!

[Tiffanny Twisted]

ev...
glad you are well.

recomendation, just bought the beatles editon of scrabble at barnes and noble. You can play regscrabbles or follow directions for the beatles editon part. sounded intresting so I bought it.
my son will be home tomorrow so I'll let you know how it is when we open it.
glad all is well as I said.
trivaial persuit is my generation...lol

tt

[eaglesvet]

I'm so glad you checked in EV. We've been missing you here! Don't be a stranger!!! It sounds like you have two great kids. I'm sure they had their moments -- as we all did -- during the time the electricity was out but you seemed to have made the best of a bad situation. Maybe a few low-tech gifts for Christmas are called for to keep them in the "swing".

How did your practice fare? I'm fostering my sister's two yorkies until she can return hom (go to the Petmania thread) so I may call on you for some long-distance advice. They are N E E D Y little things.

Glad you're OK!!!

The town where my practice is, Madison, only lost power for a little over 48 hours. We had so many new clients from other towns coming in with their sick pets, and thanking us endlessly for being open. It was a nice change for me to drive into a town where the businesses had lights on, and where I could use the Internet! One day, I created my own "take your son to work day." My high-schooler said he learned more that day than he ever expected, although I don't think he's become an aspiring veterinarian...

I may check out the Petmania thread another time, but if it's something pressing, PM me.

[TimothyBFan]

So good to hear from you, Eva!! Glad you are all safe. You definitely were on my mind along with our other Border members that we knew were in harm's way. Glad to see something good came out of this, the boys realized there is life without electronics and the old time board games can be fun.

[sodascouts]

Thank you for checking in, Eva. It sounds like your family certainly made the best of a horrible situation. So glad you were spared major damages!

[Ive always been a dreamer]

Good to hear from you, Eva and glad you all survived the storm without much damage. Also, glad your clinic was able to care for pets from other areas during the crisis. I think it's great that your family had the opportunity to play some board games. I'm a bit 'old school' about this and have played board games with all the young ones in my family for years. I am grateful that whenever they come over my house, they actually ask to play these. I think they are a great way to bond with them and also teaches them how to follow rules and accept how to lose graciously.