Wow! Where do I begin? It's been a very long 2 1/2 weeks! Hurricane Sandy really got us good! But we are 1 of the lucky ones! A lot of people very near us have absolutely nothing! Just the clothes on their backs! It's so sad! On Monday October 29th we woke up to very high winds and the eye of the storm was still 16 hours away! I have never in my 40 years of life seen anything like it! Complete darkness everywhere, the skies lit up green and blue from transformers blowing, police and fire sirens heard non-stop for days! It was like a war zone! We lost power at around 2 pm that day and it didn't return until the following Monday around the same time. We lost parts of our fence, lots of soffits on the house, a dented gutter from a falling tree, our gazebo was a little damaged but we are lucky! We still have our home and our lives! I thank the Good Lord above every minute of the day!
We are only 10 minutes away from Seaside Heights where there was just devastation. The Governor says it will take at least 7 years to rebuild it back to normal. This photo of the roller coaster now sitting in the Atlantic Ocean just gives me chills. It was sitting on top of a large pier that housed a lot of rides on it and it just disappeared into the ocean. The beach was pushed in 20 blocks and just covered streets and houses. It was insane!
There used to be a boardwalk there!
Point Pleasant Beach is just 15-20 minutes away and this is what the Boardwalk there now looks like! Not to mention the scores of homes severely damaged or destroyed!
So like I said, we are 1 of the lucky ones!
Then to make matters worse! We were then hit with a Snow Storm! So there went the power again! Just 2 days after we got our power re-stored! We then had it re-restored this Saturday 4 days later!
Hubby was lucky enough to have found a large generator towards the end of all of this, so a few of the days we had lights, hot water and heat. But it was still not fun! Especially having the 2 kids and trying to entertain them. But I think this made our family even closer! We played lots of games and just acted silly trying to make the best of it.
Antonio making a Snowman on our deck.
We are 1 of the lucky ones!!
A BIG Thank You to Alabama Power for helping us out here in Jersey!
Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers!
We are only 10 minutes away from Seaside Heights where there was just devastation. The Governor says it will take at least 7 years to rebuild it back to normal. This photo of the roller coaster now sitting in the Atlantic Ocean just gives me chills. It was sitting on top of a large pier that housed a lot of rides on it and it just disappeared into the ocean. The beach was pushed in 20 blocks and just covered streets and houses. It was insane!
There used to be a boardwalk there!
Point Pleasant Beach is just 15-20 minutes away and this is what the Boardwalk there now looks like! Not to mention the scores of homes severely damaged or destroyed!
So like I said, we are 1 of the lucky ones!
Then to make matters worse! We were then hit with a Snow Storm! So there went the power again! Just 2 days after we got our power re-stored! We then had it re-restored this Saturday 4 days later!
Hubby was lucky enough to have found a large generator towards the end of all of this, so a few of the days we had lights, hot water and heat. But it was still not fun! Especially having the 2 kids and trying to entertain them. But I think this made our family even closer! We played lots of games and just acted silly trying to make the best of it.
Antonio making a Snowman on our deck.
We are 1 of the lucky ones!!
A BIG Thank You to Alabama Power for helping us out here in Jersey!
Thank you so much for all of your thoughts and prayers!
I am so glad you are ok. What an awful time you have been through. Yes, it does bring families closer. When I was a kid we had periods of electricity outage and Mum used to read to us by torchlight,
ReplyDeleteLucy x
Welcome Back Melissa, you have had a hard time with so many others. So glad you are safe.. I have been horrified by all the pictures and news about this terrible disaster, can not begin to imagine how it must feel to live through it..
ReplyDeleteBig hugs to you and your family.
xx
Wow! Thank you for sharing. Thankful that you guys are safe and sound!
ReplyDeleteGlad all is well for you, I feel so sorry or others. xxxx
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you have survived through such devastation
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see you are up and running. Who knew we are near each other...what a storm huh? Hope to never see that again in Jersey. Something our family will never forget.
ReplyDeleteOlivia
God bless you and your family, thank goodness you were one of the lucky ones. My thoughts go out to the people who lost their homes and loved ones. Maria
ReplyDeleteso glad you are well, take care.
ReplyDeleteThis is astounding! I am so thankful that you are safe and that you're family is safe to! Praying for those who are still needing so much!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you were spared severe damage. We are in SE Pennsylvania and were also lucky to be spared.
ReplyDeleteI love how you keep stressing that you and your family were some of the lucky ones! What a blessing that all that was lost was power! I live in Staten Island, so we've had some major devastation here as well. Thankfully, my husband and I along with our families and their houses are absolutely fine. We are just so thankful that our only loss was power and the food that we then had to throw away. Happy to have you back!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that you are ok. It sure has been quiet here in blog world with so many of the bloggers that I follow in the path of the devestation. My prayers are with you all. May God bless. Hugs, Velma
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear your are ok! So scary! Thanks for sharing the pictures. Prayers to you and your communities as you start to rebuild. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear that you and yours are fine. My heart goes out to those who lost so much, Mother Nature can be cruel.
ReplyDeleteR/
Thank goodness your damage was minimal, so many others are not so lucky. My heart and thoughts go out to them, hugz
ReplyDeleteMy aunt is from Boston and some of her family's homes are destroyed but they are alright, so I know how tough it's been. Good luck with the recovery.
ReplyDeleteOh thank God you & yours are okay! You have been in my prayers and we are so happy to have you back! Take your time and regroup ... I'm sure it's going to take you awhile just to gather your wits about you after all you've been through! HUGS from OHIO!
ReplyDeleteSo happy you guys are safe...living in Florida, we know exactly what storms can do and how much we have to respect EACH one.
ReplyDeleteCreative wishes,
Claire S
www.scrapmyway.blogspot.com
I'm so glad you and your family are okay. Know that you were missed. Welcome back!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back and your family safe and well. Every photo I see of the devastation makes me more grateful for my little house and prayers to those who have lost so much...
ReplyDeletePraise God that you were spared. praying for all that were affected by Sandy.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I've been out of town for a week and hadn't had a chance to read your blog. I'm so very glad your family is okay. You had lots of prayers coming your way during that difficult time. Hope everything will be back to normal for you soon.
ReplyDeleteMy Gosh Melissa, I have been horrified by all the news about this terrible disaster. Happy to hear you and yours and your home are okay. I continue to pray for those who have lost so much and those who still have no power.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Bernie
Hi Melissa,
ReplyDeleteIt must be heartbreaking to see so much devastation and loss around you and at the same time so much relief that you and your family are okay. I can understand how it has made you and your family stronger and closer.
We've all missed you and are so happy you are back and safe and sound!
Sandy
Hey Melissa - you were lucky. I have been through two direct hits of major hurricanes when I lived in Florida and the first one we went with out power for almost two weeks. Not cold but pretty darn hot and humid. I am so glad everything for you is getting better. My heart goes out to the people that lost everything. In time all will be normal - you are a talented artist and your work gives you so much pleasure. That in itself is a blessing.
ReplyDeletesandy