When we woke up yesterday it was to TV, internet and phone all working once again. We were finally able to see the destruction for ourselves. Strange to think that last week this time we were still in prep mode for her arrival. I don’t think enough people took the warnings seriously, like our neighbor down the road who left his jumpy trampoline out which ended up speared on his fence. Thank goodness the fence stopped it or it would have made a dangerous projectile!

We count ourselves very lucky. Yes, we will have to pay quite a lot out of pocket for tree removal but we didn’t have any other damage. In places in the back of the house the siding was pulled away from the house some but we were able to pop the pieces back in. It blew down the lattice work that hid the pool pump from view. It took one of our BBQ covers (which was very sheltered up next to the house) and deposited it on the other side of the yard next to the pool deck. We lost a row of shingles on the top of the roof in back.

It deposited hundreds of tree branches and limbs all over the back and front yards. She nicely blew all our leaves into a thick clump both in front and back. A clump so thick that Johnny would not be able to make his way through it so we ended up raking them into huge piles and carting them away on a tarp and with the wheelbarrow over the past few days, because (have you heard?) we have another storm (not a hurricane) bearing down on us in the next few days?

Gas is still an issue but since we filled all three vehicles up with gas before Sandy came ashore (with the thought of siphoning gas out of them if we had to, which of course is impossible as we later found out) and we really haven’t used very much because we haven’t gone anywhere, we are okay on that front. We are now on odd/even rationing days and it feels very much like the 70’s gas shortage.

I have to say how impressed I am with Governor Christie. We watched him in a news conference yesterday and he was brilliant. He also seems to be able to make things happen: now. I am pretty much a Democrat since I align myself on the left on so many issues, but for him I could make an exception. Too bad he isn’t running for President!

The days following Sandy the sky was full of bruised and battered looking clouds, much like the way the people and land in her wake were feeling. It was very strange. Yesterday was the first day in about ten days that we have seen even a little bit of blue sky. Or the sun out in an kind of real display. And even then it didn’t last but for a few hours. The clouds settled in again but this time they looked more like bandages trying to patch things up. It’s going to take time but c’mon New Jersey/NYC, you can do this!

Photos: Monksville Reservoir before Sandy; the sky late yesterday afternoon.

Really beautiful photos. I love the way you said the clouds were like “bandages trying to patch things up.” So true and eloquently put.

Thank you Bigsis!

I love those reservoir pictures with the dead trees.

Chris Christie isn’t too terrible. I don’t agree with him on some social issues, and Dave dislikes him because he’s been terrible to teachers and the educational establishment, but at least he’s not an ignoramus like some of these Republicans.

Why is siphoning gas impossible?

Steve, thank you. The dead tree sea (as I call it) is always a good source of photography no matter the season. It’s eerie to drift among them in the canoe.

I don’t agree with everyone he stand for either, but he has been very impressive lately, and especially the way he is handling the aftermath of Sandy.

Siphoning is impossible because cars since the late 90’s or so have a check valve in them which closes if a car rolls over and it helps with emissions and also prevent siphoning! Go figure.