18 September 2008

Ike in Ohio

On Sunday afternoon, B and I took Mister M kite-flying. It was nice and windy. "Perfect conditions" I recall commenting.

Little did anyone know just how the rest of the day would unfold. Columbus experienced a mini-dose of Hurricane Ike's wrath, and it was enough to render many folks powerless for days-with a clean up on their hands that qualifies as 'catastrophic' by insurance standards.

Our neighborhood is heavily wooded. I stand corrected: WAS heavily wooded:


I was fascinated by all of it: the color of the sky, the power of the wind, the lack of rain. The sound was thunderous when the enormous limb pierced our sunroom roof (from a tree located on the other side of our home). The +80ft tree that toppled onto our neighbors 2nd floor master bathroom shook our home. The dogs and Mister M were troopers through it all, remarkably.
What did amaze me is how available every service personnel was: firemen, policemen, the plumber, the gas company, the structural engineer guy... arrived in incredibly reasonable time and attentive to everyone's needs. Thank you to all!

Our always gracious and culinary-gifted neighbors, Steve and Sarah, prepared a candlelit feast, as to not waste fresh meat and wine. It was a great culmination to the events of the day/night. And a means to reflect that homes can be fixed, people cannot. Not one neighbor, child, or pet was harmed.
À votre santé!


Had my iPod been charged this would have been the evening's soundtrack:

It's all Gonna Break
Broken Social Scene  (iTunes)
(Again... featuring another BSS tune?!?) But, that is in fact what I kept thinking again and again: Our house is going to break; the gas line is going to break; these trees are going to break; these windows are going to break. We have a lot of large glass windows and the fear of them all shattering had me beyond unnerved. This song captures the pace in which I was thinking these thoughts.

In Front of the House
Human Television   (iTunes)
The willow trees in the front of our home took a beating. Their limbs are twisted, splintered, but they are still standing. Whew- I love those trees.

Through the Backyards
Au Reviore Simone  (iTunes)
A splendid, haunting little ditty. Because we were sans electricity, this tune captures that primitive and adventurous feeling of sneaking about in your neighborhood in the dark.

Jump Around
House of Pain  (iTunes)
Ironically enough, the beloved trampoline (and hammock) remained unscathed. Go figure! Just love this thumpin', thug-lovin' tune. You should too.

Spill the Wine
War   (iTunes)
This gem is chosen because I did just that: I spilled the wine. Oliver, our Golden, was cowering behind me while I was standing in Steve/Sarah's yard reviewing their damage and I tripped backwards over him. But have no fear, not much was spilled. Sign of a champ, eh? ;)


: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Then the moon swept down to greet us
It was warm and made of flowers
Into vines that barely reached us
Climbing higher than forever

Baby help me please
In knowing this
'Cause showing never tells
Was it just a breeze
Was it a kiss
Breathless, exquisite chills

- through the backyards
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :