So long, September, as storm Ian swirled through our southern home.
Wind and water swooped in and picked up all in its path.
Boats and cars flipped through the air to land on highways.
Board and batten, old wooden homes, sprayed and flattened into nothing.
Wet upon wet, four to six feet high.
Soaking floors and walls until they fizzle and disintegrate.
Trees flip and buckle and rip up whole yards.
They miss homes but smash cars that now look like weak tin cans.
Prized possessions turn to dust.
Pictures and papers soak in mud.
“Never been through one this bad,” says a native Floridian
“I’m tough. I’ll rebuild,” says another.
The ‘new’ ones say, “No more, we are done,” and make plans to move back north.
Paradise can only last so long before we are hurled into another storm.
Those who have been through many of these simply scratch our heads and say, “Thank you, God, that so few were killed.”
Thank you, God, that we can clean up and rebuild our tiny abode in Paradise.
Hubby and I are blessed.
Our abode is safe.
We were not there to hear the endless screeching wind that never stopped.
We are safe.
We will return to paradise when streets are clear, when curfew is lifted, when safe water can flow again.
And then we will help those around us as we all . . .
regroup,
rebuild,
re-imagine paradise . . .
until it happens again.
Oh October!
Although there was extensive damage on the West coast after hurricane Ian, help was 'staged' near Miami on the East coast, ready to go west when it was safe. Because billions were spent over several years to enhance the "Power Grid" in Florida, electricity was, and continues to be, restored at record speed. Even the hardest hit areas have some access to power and cell.
