Grateful

My gratitude list is long. Really, I'm blessed. Today? I'm very grateful for my rain boots. Really. In upstate New York they're a necessity. And I don't see that not being the trend for a while, so I'm glad these boots are so comfy.

Today, more cleanup. And squeezing in some hours for writing. Then, salvaging anything I can from the gardens--they're underwater so that makes harvesting a challenge. Hoping to get some sewing done, too.

Oh, yes. The to-do list is massive this Saturday. What about you? What's on your agenda?

Wishing you a peaceful day.

Water Horror

Nerves are frayed here. Tensions run high.

I'm ready to smack someone. Really, my usually peaceful personality is being tested. Not by Mother Nature, although I'm not thrilled by the antics she's enjoying. No, I'm agitated by a comment someone made. The gist of it? "Why let that upset you. It's not your house. Not your relatives. Why do you care?"

Yeah, I'm seeing red. I'm not a door-slammer but I actually did that this morning. I pretty much slammed the door in someone's face. I couldn't deal with one more minute of the self-centered, who-cares-about-anyone-else-I'm-okay crap.

Thanks for letting me get that off my mind. I'm still annoyed but now at least I've told someone. Doesn't it feel better sometimes to share, even if it's just to vent? Thank you for listening!

Dru asked if the tornado hit here. Thankfully, it didn't, although the spot it hit on the Thruway is very close to the farm. I'm really glad that one missed us!

This is the scene here this morning. State of emergency in the county. No travel. Lots of power off. Lots of phones not working. And water everywhere. Bridges, homes, businesses...washed out. Roads crumbled by the water. Colleges and schools closed. Trees down everywhere. And, it's cool. That means homes where water has hit the furnace or load center, there's no heat. For most of us, it's not crucial. But there are lots of elderly residents who are freezing.

I heard of one 84-year-old widow who lost everything. She's got the clothes on her back. No family. Friends? Pretty much in the same boat or gone to their reward already. She's got no one. Nothing. All those years, and this?

My heart is breaking. It's no wonder I slammed a door. How can anyone just not get the magnitude of the loss? And even if it's not yours personally, it's ours. Yes, ours. The human race--we're all in this together, so the stories of loss and suffering belong to all of us. I feel it. And, I know I can't be the only one who does.

The meandering creek.

No longer meandering.

All night long, the crashing as trees, boulders, parts of buildings

and even dead animals washed through. Awful. Really, just awful.

It' s just a matter of time before those barns are gone.

Pieces have already washed away.

One has a beautiful slate roof.

It proudly proclaims the year it was built.

1887

Aren't you grateful this isn't your home? I know I am. But...
The suffering and loss this photo conveys belongs to all of us.
All of us.

I can't distance myself from the heartbreak what's going on around me is causing. I just can't.

No more photos. They're just too sad.

I hope that wherever you are, you're safe and dry.
I wish you a peaceful Thursday.

Them's Soggy Words!

It's raining; it's pouring.
The old man is snoring.
He went to bed and bumped his head,
And he couldn't get up in the morning.

I hate to be a weather reporter here, but it's a big story in Upstate New York. It's raining--hard--which is something this already flooded area definitely does not need.

Yesterday I looked at the creek across the street. It's calmed down some but isn't back into its banks yet. There's still water in yards, garages and even flowing straight through a family's barn. Straight through. As in it's made a river through their building.

Now, more rain. Heavy. And we're already very splishy and splashy here. Sheesh.

You know what I'll be doing today, don't you? That's right. It's all about the book here this week. Yesterday I did manage to can tomatoes and make some applesauce (mostly because I'd filled one sink with tomatoes and apples!) but otherwise I kept my behind in the chair and my fingers on the keyboard. Today, more of the same.

Maria asked if I have a deadline in my head for finishing. I always do. And this book is about two weeks ahead of schedule because I've been so determined to make it work. I've just been single-minded about finishing it. I know I've got to do this, for so many reasons.

Maybe it's the old get back on the horse thing, I don't know. I'm just sure that my getting through what's going on in my life includes my successfully completing this book. Actually, I usually work much more quickly. I've given myself permission to meander a bit on this, recognizing I'm grieving so the added pressure of the "normal" deadline shouldn't apply. This book is longer than any other I've written, too, so I've added a bit for that. Still, I hoped to be done by October 1st but plan to be writing "The End" by this time next week. Fingers crossed!

I hope I'm not boring the heck out of you with all this book talk. I don't mean to. It's front and center in my head now and, thankfully, pushes even the sound of heavy falling rain to the background.

What's new in your world? Whatever you're doing, I hope you're staying dry. Have a peaceful day!