Who knew? Hurricanes in Ohio! Well, it wasn’t technically a hurricane went it passed through, but did it leave a big mess! We had hurricane force gusts of wind for about 6 hours last Sunday. When it was over, we had no power, no cable TV or internet and no phone. Almost everyone in Southwest Ohio lost their power. Some still don’t have electricity. Fortunately, our cell phones worked throughout. Our water service was not interrupted. We lost a couple of trees, which fell over our fence and broke it and had some minimal roof damage. We were very lucky. The trees could have landed on our house, but didn’t. We got phone service on Wednesday and power on Thursday. The cable for TV and internet is still out and no idea when we’ll have that back. Our food in the freezer was a total loss, as were the contents of the refrigerator. The kids missed three days of school. The gas stations that had power ran out of ice and gasoline. Stores couldn’t open because they had no power. Finding food and gas and other necessities became a daily challenge. With no TV and no internet, we lost track of news outside the local area. I have always had empathy for those who experience hurricanes and the extended period of interrupted life which often follows. I had never personally experienced anything like it until now. I am very grateful that my family is safe, my house is more or less whole and soon we can expect a return to our normal lives. The inconveniences of last week will soon be a memory. I cannot imagine experiencing the loss of a home, or in some cases, a whole community. The changes can be substantial and everlasting. I pray that those in Texas and other states affected by Ike find the strength to rebuild and go on with the help of neighbors and friends.
