Hurricane Help

 

We had an absolutely gorgeous day for our drive across the state, but the sight wasn't quite so pretty when we arrived at our destination. It had been a few days since the combination of Hurricane Helene's storm surge with high tides and road construction caused our friend's house to be flooded. For over 30 years they've lived a block away from the Manatee River and never had a problem with flooding. Not so this year. And now Hurricane Milton is headed their direction. We'll have to wait and see what happens.

These are not just ordinary friends, but our son-in-law's grandparents. And although we didn't feel like we did a lot - the water had mostly been taken care of by the time we arrived - it was nice to do something.

First order of business is trying to dry out photo albums and pulling up rugs. The water-logged sofa beds and couches get a trip to the curb, where they are then picked up by "The Claw."

This bottom drawer had a couple of blankets in it, which dumped water all over the floor when we removed them. Fortunately, the wet-dry vac was still close by. We were able to help box up framed photos and travel knick-knacks and take them to a storage unit, to keep them safe while repairs are done on the home. You can accumulate a lot of treasures over decades of life!

While the circumstances were not the best, it was great being able to spend some time with Theo and Wilbur's other grandpa, and his dad and stepmom. And we were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise as well; remember to appreciate the calm after the storm.