Goodbye to Sandra Dee

As anyone with a beating heart knows, Hurricane Sandy has just wreaked havoc on the East Coast.  It has been a long, stressful week. We all listened to the predictions and endless requests from the media and government to be prepared. Speaking on behalf of many, we were unsure as to whether this was an opportunity to boost ratings or a plea for our safety. I choose to believe the latter.

The storm was due to hit on Monday late in the evening but the forecast called for rain late Sunday and into Monday.  On Sunday, I went to Shenandoah National Park for the day in Virginia. I wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy the leaves in all their glory before the chance passed me by.

When we entered the park, we were told that at mile 17, it would get foggy and asked if we still wanted to proceed up the mountain.  We had just driven for over 3 hours to do just that so naturally the answer was yes.  It was cloudy but the views as we drove up the mountain were nothing short of amazing.

At mile 21, the fog rolled in.  It looked like we were in Heaven. However, since we didn't want to actually end up in Heaven, and the road was quickly  disappearing before our eyes, we decided to turn around.  We knew the storm was coming and wanted to make it home while we knew we had enough time. One the way home, we stopped at Luray Caverns. I am not a fan of being " underground" but it was worth it to see  the incredible formations created by nature..

On our way home, we stopped at a gas station ( and of course a Waffle House). A lady in the gas station mentioned that the electric company called and told her to be prepared to be out of power for 7-10 days. It was at this point, that I was glad to have taken the proper precautions (with the help of others).   Getting closer to home on the PA turnpike, we saw a caravan of emergency rescue ambulances.  There was about 10-12 of them with their lights flashing.   I looked at the license plates to see where they were coming from , knowing that they were coming to help us with the approaching hurricane. While I couldn't see a few of the plates, because it had started to rain and was dark, I did see several of them. Each one was from a different state. No two plates were the same. How they ended up in a caravan is beyond me but it was touching to see.

 Sandy came in much faster than anticipated. The night sky lit up  in colors of orange and green as transformers blew from every angle. The wind howled like a pack of thousands of wolves in search of a full moon. It was frightening and fascinating.  Luckily, my house was unscathed. I lost my shed and a few roof shingles, which in light of others misfortune is nothing.  Most of the area was (and still is) without power and most businesses are still closed.  Driving around I have seen trees ripped at the roots resting on homes or in the streets.


The Jersey Shore (as well as New York) that many of us call a second home has been destroyed. The pictures are devastating and my heart goes out to each and every one who has been affected by this.  There are thousands of Emergency Personnel and Military out there assisting in the recovery.  For this, we are beyond grateful.  Hug your loved ones. When all is said and done, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Don't take it for granted.