Thursday, August 05, 2004

A toast to showers..and electricity,and surrealness.

It has been 48 hours since the Hurricane, but in some ways it feels like a very long time. Tonight I sit looking out the window at a peaceful street as I sip a glass of red wine and just wonder about the whole event.

So much damage..so many stories to tell about. Folks without cars, furniture..businesses without insurance..heat and mud. But there are other stories too...taking the infamous birthday cakes to the Salvation Army's headquarters down the street and share Philip's birthday with the community (not the party I had imagined!!) It was a poignant moment, though, as all the volunteers sang Happy Birthday to him. They were a welcome sight..they still are with hot dogs and pure bologa on white bread, nothing ever tasted so wonderful.

We spent yesterday helping folks by hauling out carpets, scrubbing floors with bleach, rinsing furniture..bikes...turning over dryers.

A mandatory evacuation began late last night..all the tourists are gone. It is quite interesting to bike through town with just the "locals." Some tourists drove off in their cars...others (over 500) left on school buses that had been brought in a their cars are flooded and ruined. They waited for the busses just like kids on the first day of school with their bikes and wet laundry and much disappointment.

It is time now for serious clean up..to get things scrubbed and repaired and ready for the tourists of next week. I am fascinated with the love of the community...I am so happy to be a part of it..to be needed. There is no TV or radio news for us..the news comes in the lines at the Salvation Army or as postings on the community store. Throuh it all...stories live.

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...