Finally Online Again

One moment it was very hot and very sunny on Wednesday at 4:40 p.m., then, out of nowhere a storm ripped through our region creating havoc.  One moment the sun was in full shine and the next the sky turned a deep purple and opened itself up with high winds and rain like I haven't seen come from the heavens in many, many years.  Here is a link for The Kingston Weathernetwork where, if interested you can see many more photo's and videos.

scarey clouds 2

Posted by: Brandy // Today

Kingston, Ontario // Shot: June 8, 2011

Trees were uprooted, hydro poles no longer stood at attention but were toppled, and hydro power was lost to hundreds of thousands throughout our entire region.
Fortunately, we just needed water to drink and for flushing, because we blessedly didn't trade our propane cook stove in as we were going to for one that was electric...
To say it was unpleasant is an understatement!  Though many of us have now  learned some valuable preparedness lessons here in the Bay.  First lesson, MAKE sure you have a safe environment to wait the storm our with your children and pets should the weather exceed safe levels; second lesson, GET A GENERATOR if for no other purpose than to run your refrigerator/freezer, and heat food and liquid sustenance, and the Third lesson, make sure you find and keep containers of water for flushing and see your local fire hall for drinking water. These are the important lessons first and foremost, the other smaller issues you will have to adapt to depending on the situation. Check in on all of the shut ins and seniors in your area, make sure they're all right and have everything they might needs until power is once again restored. Check for pets to make certain your loving companions are feeling safe and not being driven crazy from the thunder and lightening.   Many Fire Departments in the Region have Drinking Water in Huge jugs to hand out if you do not have drinking water, you should check in your area to determine what measures your local government, police, ambulance and fire departments have in place should an event occur such as the one we just experienced.   I give our Fire Department HIGH KUDOS for the work they did these past few days in dealing with the situations around our Bay.  Toppled trees and hydro poles were the worst hit, but no loss of life or limb recorded in my Town, thank you Creator.
Me, what was I doing during the aftermath of this event?  I was on what I called the FLUSH patrol.  I was delivering first drinking water and then flushing water to those who couldn't get it for themselves.  We have quite a number of shut ins here who could use a little help now and then.  DO you have such people in your neighborhood, if you do, please check on them to make certain they're all doing well.
Now all I have to do is go back to collect all of the buckets and jugs I left everywhere, and, open the doors to my van and let the carpeting in the van dry out, because the water did a lot of sloshing in the back for every curve or bump I encountered.
My beautiful garden is in shambles, the beautiful snowball bush so full with plump snowballs are stripped bare, all of the petals washed away as well by the winds and the rains.  My peonies began blooming and the winds tore them all apart and what the winds left the rains managed to take care of so the peonies which are so very beautiful have taken a sad beating.  I am on my way out to the gardens now to see if I can't tie them up and give them some additional support.
I REALLY must say this about our storms on Wednesday and it is this!  What we experienced is a minor inconvenience and nothing compared to the devastation and damage storms, hurricanes and tornado's and tsunami's have done to other areas on our globe, and for this, I am extremely grateful.  I have but a fraction of the understanding of how devastated those people's in circumstances are from the aftermath of such severe weather around the globe and my prayers are ten thousand fold for them as is my desire to help others.  I hope I live up to my own expectations.