Another County Heard From
That title is an old cliché, referring to (coincidentally enough) election returns being reported on the night of the ballot-counting. I'm using it to introduce a rather unusual column today.
I don't believe I've ever done something like this before, but I got the following as an email from a regular here at CW.com who has been absent of late. I've been meaning to post it as a comment, but I've been having problems posting comments of late as well (don't even get me started on my computer problems right now...). But I thought it needed passing along, and I didn't have anything profound to write about today, so I thought I'd share this with everyone. I realize it's a few weeks late (which is what made me think of elections), but I asked and received permission to share it from Chris1962, so better late than never. Our thoughts are with her and everyone else dealing with the storm cleanup from Sandy.
-- Chris Weigant
I survived Frankenstorm!
I have property on an island out by the Rockaways, which is where I went to sit out the storm, not expecting to get water in the house. But I ended up getting 16" straight through. (I was one of the lucky ones. I had had this house lifted 7 feet about a decade ago. Most of my neighbors, with houses closer to the ground, got water right up to their ceilings.)
No electricity or heat for a week and a half. (I reread Jane Eyre by flashlight.) Still no phones. Just got my internet access back a few hours ago. Had flood insurance and FEMA adjusters over here today. My bulkhead was destroyed, along with my deck and back-door porch. Just a huge mess out here. I lost my car, along with everyone else on the island; plus, my iPhone fell into the water, which I just got around to replacing yesterday. But, all told, I'm glad I chose to stay out here, because I was able to start mopping the sea water off my wood floors once the tide went out. Still, there's buckling in some places, and both adjusters told me that I'll probably have to have all the floors replaced. Lost all my appliances (refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, washer, and dryer); my couch (I'm now sitting on a cot, in its place, with pillows subbing for cushions); four upholstered chairs; and three antique pieces (armoire, secretary and bureau) got messed up pretty nicely. And that's not to mention my dining room and office furniture. The electrical sockets and walls all have to be torn out throughout the house. If I drink one more bottle of water from the Red Cross, I'll be going on a killing spree. Oh, and a big black bird flew into my house the other day. That's a whole other story.
Anyhow, with no cable TV or internet access, I missed the entire election!!! I hear Obama won, though. {{{gag}}} Congrats to you and my liberal friends. (Michale must wanna shoot himself.)
What the heck is going on with Petraeus? I just heard about it! A three-way love triangle, or something? What the...
I'm gonna be busy with repairs for awhile, needless to say, so if you don't see me on the board, don't think I'm dead, or anything. And give my love to everyone, k?
-- Chris1962
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Chris1962, I feel for you, I've family in Long Beach. They got off lighter than you (likely a bit farther from the beach) but the flooding was bad enough.
The happiest time of my life? Eleven years old, a whole summer in Long Beach, on the boardwalk, playing pinball in the arcade, swimming through the surf. I see pictures from the area, and familiar landmarks from my childhood are rubble, or just gone. They say you can't go back, but now I can't even try.
My best wishes to you and yours. Please keep us posted on the recovery is going - the National Press is losing interest.
all my best, CB - hope you and your house come out of it ok. i went to visit the thursday after sandy hit. my family were all extremely fortunate, and as i read this i'm realizing just how fortunate. my parents in NJ only lost power for a day, my grandmother in coney island only two days. when i went to visit my grandmother every single car on the street was totaled, and i thought THAT was bad. even my girlfriend in manhattan came out essentially unscathed, it's kind-of amazing. hang in there, and update us when you can on your status. until soon.
CW- looks like a comment got caught in the filter...
Holy crap, CB!!
I had wondered where ya been.. I hadn't put 2 and 2 together and never even thought of ya in the midst of Sandy.. What a maroon!
I definitely can feel for ya, though... Our family survived the Great Willamette Flood of 1996..
https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&safe=off&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=890&q=Willammette+Flood+1996&oq=Willammette+Flood+1996&gs_l=img.3...1367.7827.0.8018.22.22.0.0.0.0.87.1740.22.22.0.cpsugrpq2..0.0...1.1.lwUurz55qiY
Ironically enough, we were planning on moving the following week, so every shred of personal stuff and mementos we owned was stacked in boxes in the garage.. When the waters receded, it looked like one big giant sponge. The silver lining is that it was all in one place so it made it easier to throw away. :(
Congrats to you and my liberal friends. (Michale must wanna shoot himself.)
You have NO idea!!! :^D If I didn't love this country so much, I was ready to pack up the wife and move to somewhere more pleasant...
Like Iran!!! :^/ hehehehehe
Anywho, stay safe and definitely keep us updated!
Michale
096
Chris1962-
Holy ... sorry to hear! Had been wondering where you'd been. Missing the election could be considered a blessing though. I know I certainly don't miss all of the negative campaign ads.
Anyways, thoughts are with you. Hope everything starts getting back to normal soon and you're back online!
-David
That sucks about all the damage and mess. But it sounds from your post that you have responded to it very positively and holding out for the best - that is a great attitude and I hope you are able to recover from this quickly.
PS. Tell the red cross to provide some red wine ;)
Chris,
Hope you get back to normal soon! Sorry to hear about all your (and your neighbors') damage. Sending good thoughts your way. Here's hoping one of your bottles of water was switched with a high quality vodka to make the cot/couch more comfortable. :-)
Once again, when the chips are down, Weigantians prove that politics don't mean shit...
It's an honor and a privilege to know all of ya.. :D
Michale
0110
The honor and a privilege is all mine. Thanks for all your kind words and thoughts, my wonderful fellow Weigantians. (And thank you, Chris, for sharing my adventures. Hey, I inadvertently ended up writing a blog for the board! Hahahaha!)
This is hard to believe, I know, but we STILL HAVE NO LANDLINE PHONES OUT HERE!!! Where Verizon gets the nerve to call itself a telephone company, I have no idea. (I'm just waiting for them to have the nerve to send me a bill this month. Oh, is the wrath of CB ever gonna descend upon them.) I just got an email that said they anticipate getting service back to the area by December 14th!!! Thank the good Lord for cell phones.
Cable TV and internet service is still very sketchy. It's on, it's off, it's on, it's off... Only about three days ago did it seem to be operating for at least most of the day and/or night. Except now my TV just went off again, about five minutes ago. Sigh (as Chris W. would say).But there's good news to report: In the aftermath of this disaster, I'm reminded of why I purchased property out here in the first place. The townsfolk are amazing. It restored my wavering faith in humankind to see everyone pull together (since FEMA and the Red Cross were nowhere to be found for the first solid week), sharing food, water, batteries, clothes and bathrooms, and creating sleeping accommodations for those whose houses were totally destroyed.
And while FEMA and the Red Cross were getting their acts together, who shows up at my door two days after the flood but five young men (the oldest couldn't have been more than 19) from the Church of the Latter Day Saints — Romney's people! — asking if they could help in getting my appliances out of the house and onto the curb. They carried everything out, including my beloved soggy couch (a new one has since been delivered, but I hate it because it's not broken in, like my fabulous old one, though it beats the hell out of the cot), and they wouldn't accept a dime for their work.
Then, about two weeks later, an international Buddhist organization came to town and gave every family $600.
And last night, I attended a concert that was hosted by a Catholic Church, in an auditorium in Brooklyn, for the relief of the beach and bay towns. The bands that played were all locals from Breezy Point, Broad Channel, Long Beach, and the Rockaways. It was a terrific event, and it pulled in tons of money. And the best part was at the end, when one of the town's Emerald Societies marched through the place wearing kilts and playing the bagpipes. LOL! Too much fun.
I'll be tied up with repairs, and screaming at Verizon, for the next couple of weeks. But I'll be back to give my liberal friends hell, and dump on Obama, just as soon as I can.
xxxooo
Chris1962 -
See? Now wasn't "writing a column for CW.com" on your top ten list of things you never thought you'd do?
Heh.
Seriously, hang in there. Your story was worth sharing, as I always love first-person reports from the scene, personally. I also love the interdenominational stories from your experience. This is where faith groups can really shine, no matter what the faith.
And keep us posted on your progress, whenever you get internet access!
:-)
-CW