We Survived The 2009 Ice Storm, And All I Got Was This Lousy Hotel Bill

Hello, folks,

The Pugh family weathered the Ice Storm of 2009 (as they are calling it) with only minor bumps and bruises.

What, you didn't know? I guess this event made me aware that bad weather news is only newsworthy if it's in your backyard. I mean, landslides in California? Two feet of snow in Buffalo? Minus 40 in Portland, Maine? Nobody here cares about that. So, three inches of ice in Metropolis? If it didn't stop the Superbowl, then who cares? Not that I mind. Everybody does that, and everybody should. You should care for what happens right here, right now. That's enough to put on anyone's plate. It is hard to actually understand what living through a tough event is like, and empathy is good, but doesn't quite cut actually being there. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but listening and watching through the night as trees groaned and snapped, with ice raining down like shrapnel and limbs amputated by the jagged burden of weight to fall dead on the spines of houses, giftwraps the knowledge that you are transitory and subject to the whim of Nature, and delivers this gift right to your front door. Even high flying prosody like that crap I just wrote hardly captures the shadow of the experience.

Actually, lots of people called, checked in, and generally offered support, for which we are thankful. Later, when I have the time, I will post some pictures of the damage!

Roger