hurricane

Hurricane Sandy has officially passed over Wilmington now.  School was closed for the last 3 days due to lack of power, but we did not have much damage at all.  We were much luckier than surrounding areas, particularly southern DE, which has been pretty devastated by the storm.  Although we had quite a few hurricanes while I was living in Texas, I always escaped major damage, so I feel very fortunate for that.  A few weeks after I moved to Texas, we had to evacuate due to major flooding, but we were able to stay with friends who lived nearby.  12 of us were staying in two rooms and watching Napoleon Dynamite on repeat (not sure why we made that particular life choice, but anyway).  At the outset of my fourth year of teaching, we were having a hurricane during the opening assembly for teachers.  Many of us arrived a bit early for the program, and waited in the auditorium for about an hour before they told us it was canceled due to the storm.  When we went outside, the water was up to my knees!  It had been raining when we went in, but for the water to rise that much, and so quickly, was incredible.  Regardless, everyone made it home safely and most of the town was ok.

My organization shares a floor with the Red Cross of DE headquarters, and they have been working around the clock to organize services for those affected by this storm.  Please send your good thoughts to them and to the people whose homes have been destroyed.