Hurricane Aftermath

So we got hit by the Superstorm Sandy and were out of power for a few days. Compared to everyone else, we got off rather easy. Meaning that while we lost power, and thus heat and our refrigerated food, we didn't sustain any house damage. The crazy part was that our family had just spent three days on a family trip to Upstate New York. We left Friday and returned Sunday afternoon... just in time to batten down the hatches in preparation for the worst natural disaster to hit our region in a century.

I kept repeating to myself that whatever stress I was feeling (and there was a lot) that my children were having it 10 times worse - because they don't have power knowledge or perspective.

After the power was out for a few days, we chose to go to my parents house in Maryland because (a) my kids' school was closed, (b) my wife's school was closed, (c) and my wife was slated to go to two conferences in 5 days. We drove down on Wednesday and stayed there until Sunday afternoon. Again, my kids were being whiplashed all around the country and it must have been hard on them (but I tried to make up for it with candy, heh).

The latest wrinkle is that 8:40 last night, I was able to look at my email and found out that the water treatment plant was having a catastrophic failure and a boil water advisory was taking effect at 9:00 pm. That was the cause of a major freakout because I had only a few minutes to fill up a tub and bottles. And I seriously just HATE the idea that water, the substance of life and cleanliness, can just be rendered dirty and poisonous. The town seems blase about it, but it was the last straw for me. The boil water warning is still in effect and I have to say that its insane. I didn't expect this level of incompetence from this state, but I guess the reputation of New Jersey is well deserved.