Thursday, October 11, 2018

Aftermath


Woke up this morning and poured a cup of strong coffee that Mr. Moon had made and said, "Well, let's go look around," and so we did.
First thing we saw was a big huge branch down over by the garage but it didn't hit the garage so that was a sort of miracle. Then we let the chickens out because that was on the way to the big tree and the roosters had been crowing for us to come and free them since the sun came up.
And then we saw what we saw and it's impossible to tell from the pictures and quite frankly, even while looking at it, exactly what you're seeing. The tree is so enormous that you can't really grasp the scale of it all. But the picture above is the part of the tree lying on the play set. It literally stretches from almost-to-the-railroad track to my camellia bed and yes, I know that you don't know my yard but it's a good distance.



I am not entirely sure that the part of the tree which is closest to the tracks isn't very damaged as well. It seems to be leaning over the tracks a lot more than it was. I need to get out and walk the tracks to see what I can see from that side. I imagine that the railroad company will deal with the tree as they did when another ancient oak on their property lost a part of itself a few years ago. And thank goodness because they have the cranes and the knowhow and the giant chainsaws and so forth that the job will require. I am thinking they may just take the whole tree at this point and I am sorrowful for that. I remember the first year we lived here and we were experiencing terrible drought and after months of no rain I actually took the hose out to that tree and watered it which was about as helpful as peeing on it. I knew at the time it was a ridiculous and pointless gesture but I just had to do something. Anything. It was too precious to lose. 
And now we probably have. 

But even in saying that I feel so guilty. People have lost lives and beloved homes and towns have lost buildings and counties have lost roads. All we lost was a tree which was destined to die soon anyway. And it wasn't even really on my property but the railroad no more owned that tree than I own the birds that come to my feeder. I didn't own it either, but I loved it and respected it and quite possibly worshipped it and appreciated it every day I've lived here. 

And hey- this is momentous- our power just came on. Like that. Like magic. We've been going along fine without it and honestly, the hot water heater hasn't even had time to lose all of its hot water so we have not suffered. For awhile yesterday, Mr. Moon had figured out how to get the TV working with generator power both to it and the router but then we lost our phone line and that was the end of TV and internet but it was fun while it lasted. And now we have our phone line back AND the electricity and I honestly can't even really believe it. 

But I didn't come here to talk about any of this, really. Well, I did of course but something happened today that restored my faith in humanity and the universe or...something.
After we'd walked around the yard and saw not only the huge tree down and the big branches down but the thousands and thousands of smaller branches and twigs that carpeted the yard I just wanted go get back in bed and pull the covers over my head because not only had I lost one of the few things I actually worship, but those smaller branches are usually my job to deal with and I was looking at days of work. 
If not weeks. 
I couldn't even fathom where to start. 
Here's what the sidewalk in front of the house looked like just to give you an idea of how littered the ground was. 


Like that, although there's a damn big branch in that pile. 
So. I was sort of wandering around the yard trying to find a place with cell reception to see if my kids had tried to text me when a very cheerful man wearing a Super Man shirt drove into the yard on a bike. We'd seen him down the road a few houses, helping Ms. Carol clean up and part of me thought, well, here's the answer to your prayers, and part of me thought, Mr. Moon will never hire him because we can do it ourselves. 
Anyway, he introduced himself and I introduced myself and he said he was looking for work and did we need some help? He'd do ANYTHING! 
I went and got Mr. Moon and he talked to the guy and said, "Come on. Let's go."
And I want to tell you that those two men have my front yard and part of the back yard and one of the side yards looking better than they did before the storm. They worked like mad dogs. I brought them water and did a little bit of gathering of branches right behind the house and then I made some sandwiches and we all stopped and sat down at the table outside and ate our lunch and talked. 
He'd told me his last name was "Clinton" so I asked him if he was related to George Clinton, the musician. 


George is from around here and is famous and infamous and possibly the coolest man on earth. Our Mr. Clinton said he was, like sixth cousin or something and yes, he does live on Clinton Street. 
Lloyd is a strange and wonderful place in some ways. 
Younger Mr. Clinton is an artist too, but of the visual type and has just gone through a divorce and is trying to come back, financially. He has a seventeen-year old son which seemed impossible to me as he appeared to be about seventeen himself but he assured us he was actually 38. I had a seventeen year old child at the age of 38 too, come to think about it. 
After lunch the men got back to work and I actually swept and tidied the porches and when they'd done all the work that Mr. Moon decided they needed to get done, we all sat down again for a few minutes and talked some more. I felt like we could have sat around and talked all day. He was funny and interesting and smart and we all seemed to get along very well. 
"I like this guy!" young Mr. Clinton kept saying about Mr. Moon and when he left with some money in his pocket, we all hugged. 
And I felt as if that man were the most direct god-given answer to a prayer I didn't pray I'd ever received and he was indeed Super Man. 
And so is Mr. Moon who worked like a demon right beside him. 

He's turned off the generator now and taken up all of the extension cords which have been snaking through the house and unplugged all the things that were plugged into them and plugged them back where they belong. 

Oh! More good news!


Look who made an appearance! Ms. Dearie! She's alive and well. 

And tomorrow will be twenty-one days that Darla's been sitting on the nest which is about the amount of time it takes to hatch eggs. I don't know why but I just have a feeling we're going to get at least one little puff of peep. Golly, I hope so. 

So. That's what today has been like and it's supposed to get down in the upper fifties tonight. They're clearing roads and trying to get power restored in Tallahassee. I don't think any of my kids have their electricity back yet. At least it isn't too hot. And they can always come stay at Mama's if things get dire. 

I am lucky, lucky, lucky. 

And now I'm going to go make some supper. And guess what? We still have some bread and cookies. 

Again- thanks for all of the sweet and good wishes and comments. 

I love you all so much...Ms. Moon





21 comments:

  1. That is indeed a good news story and I’m so glad it worked out like this for you. That house knows how to shelter its loves.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad for the update. I wish I could come over and help pick up branches, that seems like something I could do to help. Well, know that I am thinking of you and glad that you are safe and that the overwhelming picking-up-of-branches has been in part taken care of by a very nice guy, that you helped too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mr Clinton was indeed a man sent from the universe to lift your spirits....... it makes me smile. I am sorry about the tree...... it must be huge, because Mr Moon is no small man and I can see the scale of the tree. I can only hope that part of it will survive and live on. So glad to hear all is well ......... I am breathing a sigh of relief.
    Susan M

    ReplyDelete
  4. You know what are my favorite stories? The ones where you hire someone and the next thing you know you're fixing lunch and giving him a spot in the shade to drink his tea! I hired a guy to work in my Dad's yard and he was thrilled to get chicken salad sandwiches with veggies and ranch dip! Money may be what makes the world go 'round, but it's being neighborly that makes it worth the ride.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I didn’t know George Clinton was from your neck of the woods! How very cool! Yes, having power back quickly is indeed a blessing and miracle! Glad y’all were spared major damage.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
  6. Phewww! So relieved that you've all come through unharmed...well, except for the much beloved tree. Mr. young Clinton sounds like a 'keeper' to me. X

    ReplyDelete
  7. Glad you survived relatively intact.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a fabulous universe you live in! You are indeed a lucky woman.
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm so thankful that you all are fine, except the tree. Even the chickens are fine which I worried about as well:)

    Take care.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can not tell you how happy I was to see your post today. The death of the tree is just heart breaking. And Dearie! Dearie came home.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mary, I have given all the trees in my yard names. Wynken. Blynken. Nod. Luna. Brianna. Blue. Snow Queen. Hikari. Moses. To name a few. I love my trees and understand your sadness. They are not just trees. They represent Life. Life with a capital L.

    We all need a Superman sometimes.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You are lucky...How's the lot and house Mr. Moon is building elsewhere? Our newspaper featured an article saying that the intense heat here helped keep this hurricane from striking our area. If this is so, I'll never complain about the heat again. We had rain and some wind. Nothing much new in that. I'm sorry about your tree and I hope you get a few chicks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. So very happy to see your post today. Sad about the tree though.
    I will plant an oak tree for you here in northern England. My husband and myself have lots of saplings which grow from the acorns that squirrels bury in our veg plot.we dig them up, grow them on and plant them in woodland not far from our house. I shall plant one for you. Xx

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm so glad you came through the storm so well. (And Dearie too!) It's sad to lose the tree, but it could have been much worse, as you know. I hope the railroad helps to remove it. Getting rid of that thing will be a major undertaking.

    ReplyDelete

  15. What a very lovely update. Thank god for Superman/men/people/chickens.
    And I love the line how a tree "lost a part of itself."
    So glad you are safe.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So relieved you’re all ok. But. I’m just in pain seeing the damage to that tree. I know it’s a tree in your heart, which is how I feel about trees too. I hope some parts of it can be left to decay in place to nourish the soil and rest of the earth.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sweet! Love me some Funkadelic and I may like this even more. So glad everything turned out ok. Thanks for the update!

    ReplyDelete
  18. ood to read that you are all ok. Thanks for letting us know.

    A tree is not a piece of furniture, it's life, every tree is part of our survival on this planet and so yes, this hurts.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Wonderful to hear from you Ms. Moon. And, that you and yours did fairly well for such a huge storm Before storms I would make so many loves of bread that I would have to freeze some after the storm was over. But you never know.....we might have been out of food for weeks and weeks.....except for my bread! Better to always be prepared, said my mom!

    ReplyDelete
  20. wow, a gift from the universe for sure. a little reward for all the love you throw out there.

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.