Storm

Last week we endured a nor'easter on top of a nor'easter just before the remnants of a hurricane rolled in.

Queens Creek tried to contain herself, but those sustained northeast winds wore her down after a while, especially at high tide.

The water came in the yard but thankfully not in the house.
Unless you want to count the standing water in my garage due to a clogged drain, and I don't.
Thank you very much.

The dock and boathouse, built by my father in the 1970s, worried me.  The creek was over the top of the dock and well up the side of the boathouse for at least five days straight.  Whenever I went out to check on things, especially at high tide, I shook my head as I watched the weakened dock boards go up and down like piano keys with every wave that hit.

There are four dock boards here poking their heads above water.
They're supposed to be attached to the dock, not coming up for air.

(Let's not talk about the paint job the boathouse needs. Thank you.)

This was the first time I ever wondered if the boathouse would finally just surrender and say, "Ya know what?  I've been here a long time.  I'm old.  I'm tired.  I've put up with a lot of stuff, I've done my job.  I deserve to be retired, sipping a margarita poolside in Florida.  Why, exactly, am I still here on Queens Creek putting up with heavy, sustained northeasterly winds and water up to my waist?"

I didn't have an answer.  I couldn't muster a reason at all.  As a matter of fact, why wasn't *I* sipping a margarita poolside in Florida?  Why was *I* still here putting up with the same stuff day after day? Storm after storm?


Miraculously, we both stayed put.

Although the boathouse and I survived with nothing more than an attitude, the dock clearly showed signs of a potential move to Florida surrender.

Luckily, this was the worst of it for us.

Mathews schools let out early on Friday and were closed Monday and Tuesday.

Wednesday there was an hour delay to allow the tide to come in and out.

And the sun came back out again.

The storm always passes.  

And life goes on.

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p.s. I'm not blogging as much for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is Daughter is using my laptop for homework since hers kicked the bucket of late.  Other reasons include driving 400 miles a week to work, work itself, other people asking me to take on more work, very little spare time, nor'easters, surviving as a single parent, surviving another senior year of high school and college applications, remembering to order senior pictures, enduring a nagging toothache that is causing a nagging headache 24 hours a day and my refusal to go to a dentist, Daughter's car needing work, Son needing money, a dog that needs a bath, a cat that needs flea medicine, the stink bug population, ants on my counter, a leaking kitchen sink, a dripping kitchen faucet, and a case of severe exhaustion.  Oh, and I'm training for a half marathon.