While there can be no comparison to the devastation and destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina, The Sack has been no stranger to Nature's fury over the last few years.
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In 2003, Hurricane Juan blew ashore and gave the old town a proper spanking. Things that belong in the ocean ended up on land. And things that prefer to be on land were deposited in the sea. Lots of old majestic trees were knocked over, as if some hulking giant had taken a careless stroll.
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The Sack was very fortunate, for it sits higher above sea level than most areas around town. Siding, shingles and deck railings suffered the most.
The hurricane struck with full force at about 1 a.m. Power was lost almost immediately. Flashlight beams were visible in many homes in The Sack, as residents struggled to see what the weather had in store for us.
For over an hour, it was a terrifying experience. One could see window frames and patio doors actually bowing as the force of the wind increased. In the blackness of the night, the clatter of debris blowing about the street left everyone pondering the extent of the damage.
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The storm gradually disappeared and a miraculous calm settled in. Tentatively, Sack residents began to emerge from their homes. As they entered the street, many had slightly dazed looks on their faces.
It did not take long for a carnival atmosphere to develop. Wags and wits abound in The Sack, especially when grown-ups get to cavort in the street at 2:30 a.m. on a Monday. Part of this can be attributed to the sense of relief that no one was hurt. The other part was probably related to the realization that no one would have to go to work that day.
It did not take long for a carnival atmosphere to develop. Wags and wits abound in The Sack, especially when grown-ups get to cavort in the street at 2:30 a.m. on a Monday. Part of this can be attributed to the sense of relief that no one was hurt. The other part was probably related to the realization that no one would have to go to work that day.
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In the darkness of the street, it was very difficult to see what kind of damage had been caused to property. As people became used to the dimness, small groups, flashlights in hand, began to inspect the houses. As we did so, we noticed the contrasting calmness in comparison to the brutal power of the storm. It did not occur to anyone that we were simply in the eye of Hurricane Juan.
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This changed very quickly. The wind began to blow again, softly at first, then stronger. Then a sudden gust arose. A twisted piece of siding suddenly became airborne and narrowly missed Computer Doug. Big Doug thought this was very funny, until a small tree branch hit him in the groin.
It was time to go back inside our houses.
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By morning, the storm was gone. So was Oscar's chimney. For several days, he walked around telling people he'd lost his "chimbley." When he tired of this phrase, he started to use the word "liberry" a lot, as in, "I need to take some books back to the liberry".
Oscar occasionally goes through phases where he will mispronounce words on purpose. I prefer this phase to the 'fireworks phase' he went through earlier this summer. More about that another time.
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Amazingly, power was restored to The Sack by 10 a.m. Much of the town was without power for almost five days. In some places, it took two weeks.
Residents of The Sack felt guilty about this. But the feeling passed quickly.
Residents of The Sack felt guilty about this. But the feeling passed quickly.
Many people did, however, take in friends and extended family until their power was restored.
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There are still several people in The Sack who haven't repaired the damage to their homes from Hurricane Juan. One resident in particular has completed all kinds of projects and improvements to his home, but strangely, has not replaced the roof flashing that blew away during the storm.
Oscar did get a new "chimbley." He went to the "liberry" to learn how to make sure it would stay more securely on his roof.
Little Doug lost the railings on his deck. Oscar suggested that he leave the deck without railings and convert it to a helipad. Little Doug gave this consideration, but didn't think he'd be able to afford a helicopter in the near future.
Oscar admitted that his helipad idea was borne of self-interest. He claims to know someone who owns a helicopter.
Big Doug did not get a new groin. Apparently, his existing one has been repaired.
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1 comment:
in a world full of katrina, i also await ophelia.
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