This week Ailsa, at wheresmybackpack, offered up a “bright” challenge. As I am always and forever the procrastinator, bloggers left and right were posting some fabulous takes on the theme and in doing so, took a few of my ideas. Well, they didn’t exactly take anything. They more like beat me to the punch. These ideas were formulating in my head (and sitting on my hard drive) but, as always, good ol’ me – a day late and a dollar short – or several dollars to allow for inflation. Alas (does anyone use that word, really?) I am forced to stray a little from what Ailsa probably had in mind, but here it goes.
Many, if not all of you by now, must have heard about the devastation that bore down on the east coast last week. Her name was Sandy, and she was wicked. The losses are too numerous to mention. Monetary calculations reach into the millions. Lives were turned inside out and memories were wiped away with the force of the horrific rain and wind that blasted it’s way into so many lives.
Jeff and I were one of the more fortunate.
We drove to our place in Brigantine when we were finally allowed to cross over the bridge. There isn’t much I can say. The pictures speak for themselves.
The north end of the beach was pounded by waves that rushed over the seawall to the right. Everyone was working together to clean up and help out.
This is where there use to be a house.
All some people could do was stack the mud and dirt, along with their possessions, out to the curb.
When we pulled up to our place, this is some of what we saw.
Siding ripped from the house, pieces of fence torn from their frames, a broken screen, what use to be our mailbox (someone said a unmanned boat floated down our street and crashed into it. OK?) a refrigerator flipped on its side, and a cracked driveway.
We spent the day putting the contents of our garage out to the curb: the flipped frig, a few beach chairs, our grill, our bikes :-(, tons of tools, and a bunch of other stuff.
We were lucky.
Channel 6 news (ABC) partnered with the American Red Cross to raise over 17 million dollars to help the people devastated by Hurricane Sandy. If you haven’t given, 10 bucks will do the trick. Ten bucks times all of you. Wow!
Click here to donate to the American Red Cross and help those people in need. I did. It just takes a minute. It will put a “bright”, beautiful smile on your face and give you a feeling of extreme satisfaction :-).
There’s always a positive side – a “bright” side, if you will.
We finally cleaned out our garage!
Please pass the link to my blog to your friends. There are so many people that can use your help. And thanks, Ailsa, for the opportunity to make a difference.
Dear Bliary 