Superstorm Sandy

Honestly, there hasn't been much going on the last two weeks. I spend countless hours on Indeed or Monster futilely applying for jobs (though I did have a phone interview and a follow-up request for in-person next week). And I play with Little Man. Help my mom. Survive my sibling. Spend evenings with my husband. Routine.

Then came Monday, October 29, 2012.

SUPERSTORM SANDY.

She started out as Hurricane Sandy. Headed right to New Jersey.

That never happens. Really. We don't get direct hits from hurricanes this far North too often. I haven't Googled to see when it last happened before now, but I know that this storm was unique and caused the most damage New Jersey (and New York, particularly New York City) has ever seen.

I'm not going to "borrow" pics that countless people have shared, but I'll pass along a link to a site that have lots of photos of the destruction in the area:  NJ.com

WE WERE LUCKY!!!

When Sandy hit near Atlantic City, and the Jersey Shore was decimated, we just had 70 MPH winds and some downed trees. Lights flickered a lot and I was certain that we'd lose power. But remarkably our house is on a strong power grid and we are one of the lucky ones. We never lost power (or cable or phones or internet). But my sister-in-law and her family are in the dark. Four nights and counting. They've been told it could be 2-3 weeks.

Yesterday when we stopped at the supermarket to get a few more things (last week we only sparsely purchased food, in fear power would fail and it would spoil), we noticed a LONG line at the Costco gas station.  And when my SIL's family came up, we had lunch at the Mall and waited in line at the food court. Hundreds of "refugees" from the area were camped out, happy for a warm meal (even if fast) and plugging power strips into every available electrical outlet.  Kids dressed in costume and trick-or-treated in the Mall shops. Trying to have just a bit of normalcy.

Halloween was cancelled yesterday. Postponed by Governor Chris Christie until Monday 11/5.  Though my down also issued a curfew for trick-or-treating, so the kids must be done by 6 pm. I will take Little Man out and about. And now I am very grateful that I took him to the town's "Trunk or Treat" on the 21st. He got to dress up and say "Trick or Treat!" for the first time. I mean, last year we had a freak snowstorm with nearly 2 feet of snow and Halloween was postponed then for similar reasons (no power, downed lines, trees, etc.).

Here is my Junior Space Ranger from the 21st. He'll wear the same costume tomorrow, at his preschool's postponed Halloween parade.

It will be weeks before my area of NJ is back to normal. It will be months for others. And years before the Shore is anywhere near where it once was. Be grateful for your health, for your family, for your homes. Whether you rent or own, it's the basics that matter.

Peace.