Good Night Irene...

The teapot started to whistle on Sunday morning as the power went out in our Norton home.  Irene, thus far, was less than a good windstorm. The mood in my house was a contradicting combination of excitement and disappointment.

This week was supposed to be our family’s vacation week. My family holds tight to this final week of summer, just before the start of school, and we were to head to one of our favorite places – Gram’s beach – AKA Humarock beach in Marshfield.

With the storm brewing, we decided to stay close to home and batten down the hatches. We had not gone overboard and made multiple trips to the store, although my fridge was full. We had a couple of flashlights and batteries ready, the half dozen candles placed throughout the house, the propane on the grill was full, a couple of buckets of water for washing, some bottles (of water!) for drinking and there was ice in the freezer. We were not expecting much from Irene. We are New Englanders—Hurricanes fear us. Right?!

As the storm progressed and the wind picked up -- my adventuresome husband and kiddos took a sheet outside and stood in the open field trying to catch a gust of wind that might carry them up into the air a few inches. I was brought back to the times my father would take us out onto the porch to watch a thunderstorm or into the driveway to fly kites in hurricane force gales.  It was fun then… terrifying now…

My mom would be running around inside preparing for disaster – trouble that never came—but if it did, would have had to face the mother Lion who watched diligently over her own pride with meticulous care. I am sure my Dad took many a verbal reprimand for those antics!

As the trees cracked and groaned with each gust, my anxiety rose and I could relate to how my own Mother behaved during these times. Nature is unpredictable, a force to reckon with... not something to tempt. I would throw on my raincoat and march outside to tell everyone to come in... only to be waved off by my husband who repeatedly would tell me that I worry to much.

Evening approached, the kiddos played card games and board games by flashlight and laughed as we looked on. As the sound of snapping trees increased my husband and the kiddos would run excitedly to the windows yelling, “Did you hear that one?"

I kept envisioning the worse case scenarios. My little home and family crushed by a whole tree, a tornado touching down upon my homestead  or a power line busting into flames above my house while we were sleeping. I kept imagining the unimaginable potential total devastations – of course, thank the good Lord—that never came.

The storm ended and it ended quickly. I found myself overwhelmed by the inability to clean up inside the house –the laundry - the dirty dishes growing arms and legs as they were locked into the dishwasher, how to flush to toilet, the thawing meats in the freezer, the warming milk in the refrigerator…

I took multiple road trips - baseball capped - and determined to find ice and chainsaw blades. So caught up in the not-so-important that I almost missed out on an opportunity to slow down, say hello to friends, to read a book, to play with my kiddos, to talk to neighbors that I barely see…

I stopped and came outside to see my husband’s handsome smile as he joyfully wielded a chainsaw and cleaned up the six trees we lost in the back yard – all hard wood and great for burning in the woodstove that kept us warm throughout the winter season. The kiddos retrieved the lost floats and skimmed the leaves out of the pool (without being asked!) as they simultaneously enjoyed splashing in the gorgeous sun filled weather that followed Irene. Laughter filling the air…

Neighbors offered assistance and camaraderie – we were all in the same boat. I saw kids riding bikes down the street and playing flashlight tag at nightfall – very unusual in this technologically entertaining age.  We got to visit with my parents who offered a place to stay, showers and warm meals….

The power has returned here in Norton.  Everything is back to normal. T.V’s blaring, Blackberries ringing, chores a calling….

So surprisingly sad – I will bid her Adieu.

“Good night Irene, I will see you in my dreams…”