Wednesday, October 7, 2015

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.

********

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.



7 comments:

Bob Braxton said...

on top of everything, thank you.

Jamie said...

My dad headed down to check the damage at our place. Water was up to about a foot below the boat on the boat lift and dock boards were also sticking up out of the water trying to breathe. I also feel at times like I'm needing to stick my head up out of the flood waters to breathe lately. Life is busy.

Bob Braxton said...

Gwynn's Island "mayor" Cricket tells us (email) large "stuff" washed up (on "lawn"), too big for her (in her 70's, too) to move. We got the weekly and saw photograph of Sea Breeze. God willing, we are headed down today (to Mad Calf Lane) for long weekend - pick up and clean up. May be looking for "winterize" (new) plumber, with recent death of Del (Sr.).

Annie said...

Whew, makes me feel tired thinking about it,
and remembering how it was when the kids were still at home...
thankfully it gets better!

Well, the storms may rage around still now and then,
but eventually the kids need less attention
and hopefully you need to work less.

Enjoying minding a grandchild in my retirement..
I've just reminded myself of how tired I am at least three days a week!
But he will eventually go to school, only a year to go!

;-)

Anonymous said...

I see that some of the boards have floated away in search of a Florida shoreline, unaware that there be hurricanes down in those parts. Were I a wealthy,dowager, I would be sending Maria a new laptop for her birthday, and hiring a cute limo driver for your 400 mi. daily commute. However !! So good to know that your property did not flood up to the house in the storms...May this weekend bring you rest, at some point...and stress-free fun.
LLC

mmm said...

So, the dock was built in the 70's and you were born in the 60's; seems to me that you should retire before the dock - no?

Meg McCormick said...

So let the blog slide for a while. Don't let this be a source of stress when there is so much else going on in your life! Senior year is such a busy time, isn't it? Same is going on in my house, and some days the weight of it is oppressive. Deep cleansing breaths.. we'll get through this.