After the Storm

It started out a typical Saturday morning.  I was all set to run to the store for a few items. I’d worked out, showered and downed my banana breakfast shake laced with protein powder, peanut butter and spinach.

All of a sudden, stuff started falling out of the sky. Tree branches. Twigs. Logs. Boom! a neighborhood transformer went off. Our power stayed on. I looked out the window. Trees danced, swaying back and forth in an alarmingly limber fashion.

I dashed to the store. When I returned, the power had gone out. This put the kibosh on our other activities. The wind blew on. I want to mention here that my phone, usually a chatty sort of electronic device, gave *no* notice of any high winds. Not even a flood watch darkened my screen. Zip.

We moved our cars to front door access. Less trees lurked overhead there. Ruby and I did some Mad Libs. I made her my famous cocoa. Rex snuggled in my lap. We sat in front of the wood stove and the wind blew on. I figured we could hunker down, with our wood heat, leftovers, board games and light-a-match gas range stove for quite some time.

Then the lights came back on. Boom! And another nearby transformer bit the dust.

Then, this.

This is one end of the small access road connecting 3 houses, including ours, to the main road. The trees landed right in front of our neighbors’ home at the far end, blocking them from leaving their driveway. So far, the storm had been a mere inconvenience. Now, it was serious.

Jonathon and our next door neighbor talked to the road crew clearing the main road. Trees blocked it at the top as well. They worked away with chainsaws, a backhoe and a dump truck with a chipper.

“I know this road is a priority, but our road is blocked. Do you think you could clear it?” Jonathon and our near neighbor asked.

The guys said main roads all over town were closed. They took priority over residential streets.

“Okay. But the house on the end can’t even leave their driveway.”

That gave them pause.

Soon, the whine of chainsaws seemed louder and closer. They got to it.

Now, most people living in Shelton own a chainsaw, and/or a gun. It’s just that kind of “handle your own problems” type of place. But sometimes, you get a little help. Our former pastors offered to help us clear the misplaced logs with their chainsaw and strong backs.  Thanks to the crew who took care of a potentially dangerous situation, and to those kind folks who offered to help. Thanks for showing what a real community looks like.