Yard

[Twoapenny]

Lighter, I'm so sorry you've got all of this horror and devastation around you to deal with.  Awful combination of practical here and now problems along with loss, worry and long term rebuilding/regrouping issues.  Terrible things for people to deal with, and people will experience things differently.  I'm glad you're avoiding solving other people's situations when there are others that can deal with it.  I hope in amongst it all you're able to get some clear head space to help your own internal system settle a bit and I hope some sort of 'normal' appears now, at least until people have clearer long term plans in place xx

[sKePTiKal]

Dissociation is correct Lighter; and shock. The storm terror is usually not the worst. It's the recognition and attempt to accept the aftermath, when the worst reactions set in.

One thing I'm now aware of, is the conflicting information that's coming out - and the spinning of that into narratives. SIGH. Now is NOT the time. Helps no one. But the good news is that there IS a large amount of help in the area now and it IS getting better. I hope that brings some comfort. It's simply a matter of time before the basics of "normal" return - roads, bridges, power & water. Yeah, a lot of people will be "camping" till then.

Walmart send over 40 truckloads of supplies into the area. Corps of engineers are already getting to work on the bridges. Locals are handling tree clearing, cleaning the mud off the roads, filling in the washes. It's "all hands on deck" to keep people clean & fed... and keep looking for survivors who may not be able to keep going much longer. (Some will be able to keep on.) The cavalry's there, Lighter. It's just time & work now.

You get some rest, some pug time. That will help.

[Hopalong]

Oh, Lighter.
You are flooded yourself, with terror images and disasters and other people leaning on you.

This is self-care time. Whatever you sense would help yourself right now, do that. There's no way you won't be making a difference to others and in your community going forward, but the oxygen mask has to go on you first. I'm glad you have water back. With water, and wood for heating, you are safe.

Amber, one of the more informative things I've seen is this from a river guide and rescue (now recovery) worker who knows what is happening locally, and what has happened. I think I'll remember this scene forever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag-hb45J6MQ

Words don't work well in the face of what's happening, but hearts are sending.

hugs,
Hops

[Hopalong]

Amber, you're probably already all over this author's books, but I think you'll feel understood by her views on Appalachian culture. Since yours are the same. Good short read here:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/oct/06/barbara-kingsolver-demon-copperhead-jd-vance-holding-the-line

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

It's the images of people and animals fighting for their lives in the raging waters.  It's the image of them losing the fight in mudslides....and I can't tell what's going to trigger it. 

I hav to stop asking people how the hurricane effected them, in areas where they're relatively unaffected, bc listening to 3 minutes about a tree rocking itself out of wet soil, that hit nothing, is definitely a self inflicted  trigger I can stop pulling.

DD22 and I ran to nearby (nearby, bc tummy troubles,)Asian market and bookstore we've loved since she was small.
It was a lovely respite from reality.

Another Hurricane bearing down on Florida.  Lord have mercy.

[Twoapenny]

((((((Lighter))))))))))

I think time's the only thing that makes a situation like this ease off a little.  A new kind of normal settles in, meaning routines start to become a thing again, and we can get out of the constant thinking and problem solving that's needed to get through the practical problems.  Until then, I think it's very hard to get enough head space to be able to get in front of terrible, unwanted images, and feeling other people's pain and suffering.  I think the lack of time to adjust is such a big problem in these situations.  A terrible thing happens, but there's no time to process that because everyone has to deal with no power, no water, food shortages, no place to stay, and all those other bare essentials that are absent.  And when it's so many people as well - one person suffering a disaster can lean on others, but when everyone's in the same boat - it's so very hard.

I think definitely avoiding the 'oh the tree fell down' people is a good step, though, it's always odd to me that people don't just say, "we were fine" in situations like this.

I hope as things settle around you the images will come less frequently, and that will make it possible to manage them until they're not there any more.  Horrible. horrible situation.  I'm hoping the Florida situation isn't as bad xx

[sKePTiKal]

Well Lighter, I can offer a close to first hand replacement for some of those images. I'm on a board with some smart social media refugees (as in - we avoid the oversharing, exaggerate everything crap). Last night, one of our friends alerted us that he and a local friend are taking an 18 wheeler & pickup & trailer load of donations to WNC on the weekend of the 21st. Their church is collecting a lot of the usual stuff.

I volunteered a bit of unusual "relief" info I'd picked up, that those solar charged batteries - go by brands like Jackery, Bluetti, Ecoflow, etc - provide a good backup power source for people who need oxygen generators, cpaps, and to even in some cases power electric appliances. He asked if I was volunteering to donate. LOL. So money where mouth is, as soon as we can sort out the transfer tech. These CAN run inside and are very quiet.

Also, pics of the studio in the not too distant future. My cabinets are coming this weekend. I can FINALLY put stuff away!! Hol contributed a punched tin swag lamp for the bar... it's a chef's kiss & even dimmable. She kept it after it didn't work in her dining area.

Calling for frost tonite; both Hol & I have to get the last of the things into the ground or lose them.

[lighter]

I walked out of the house early ....earlier than I usually walk the pug.  I saw the neighbor, sans his calm, physically unstable elderly wolf dog.....walking towards me....from the wrong direction, and I knew ....his dog had crossed the rainbow bridge. 
He was crying before he got to me and I unhooked the pug and sent her to comfort him with her little chubby little rolls.

Then we cried and I won't recount details.....just that a hawk landed over us, young squirrel in fist, fighting and crying like mad.  It took our attention.

The pug barked and startled the hawk into releasing the squirrel.  It was wounded ...front left paw, it stayed at eye level, crying, trying to figure out how to escape the hawk and navigate the world in pain....on 3 paws.

As I write this, chainsaws run all around me....trees dropping.  Competing, it seems.  The crew cutting down 3 huge trees leaning over my house has l started back up after a quick meal......the boss walked up as wolf dad and I were looking at the squirrel.....before I saw the poor paw.  He doesn't know the squirrel is wounded.

It's weird.....flying by the seat of my pants,weighing work to be done, gaging risk, and jumping..... deciding between all the tree guys working nearby, giving quotes on the fly, usually coming in waaaay to high, but not today.  This guy hit me just right, licenced and insured. 

I have DD22 and her friend traveling to the lake with me.....after tree work finishes.  We'll take the pug and Chinese food.....
Oh oh!  Today, after starting back on the Heart Saver Plus, I 've been myself again.  No dizzies AT ALL.  This is twice that product seemed to make all the difference in the world.  Not swearing ...just stating facts.

The tree guys have one huge tree to go.  It's just 2:10..... they're fast and work with laughter ....smiles. Competent and quick.  I stopped worrying they'd hurt themselves in the first 30 minutes. 

Will get the roof and gutters checked out next.  Got DD's car serviced today ....we sat in the breezy sunshine and chatted....caught each other up.  I want to stop trauma dumping on them.  I do try.  They know this and love me despite our routine.....
another huge tree part landed behind us.  They didn't need to know about the wolf or the squirrel.  Not really.

The leaves are for next week.  I worked in the yard a couple hours, but today's been scattered.  Have the let it go for now.

Not editing this post ...have to run.  Lots of energy.  Following my list.  Feeling ok.

Lighter

[Twoapenny]

Oh no, the dog has passed away?  I saw the other post before this one, that's so sad.  Poor chap.  Poor squirrel as well.

I think 'immediate problem solving' is as much as anyone can do.  Deal with this problem, deal with the next one, avert the next one because there was a tiny bit of breathing space and it meant being able to get half a step ahead.  So so so difficult.  Glad the tree guy quote was a good one.  Heart Saver Plus, is it a supplement?  Whatever it is, I'm glad it's doing some good xx

[sKePTiKal]

Absolutely any damaged trees need to come down Lighter. I don't like doing it either; love my trees. But we lost all our ash trees (blight) and now the oaks are having issues. So taking out the damaged ones allows new seedlings to have the sun to make it like it used to be.

Last spring it was so dry here, we had wildfires around us. B and I have already decided how much room we want to cut back for a fire break. It's a necessary thing. Hol wants a pump & firehose for her place - I have a pond too - but both those ponds lose a good bit of water when it's that dry.

It's been windier here lately. Enough so we haven't been able to burn cardboard. Depending on what winter brings us, a strong wind can break damaged trees or throw branches in your buildings. Maybe today. Not much of a breeze and a strong chance of rain later. I need the space in the garage!

[lighter]

Tupp:  Heart Saver Plus is mostly L-Arginine+ citrulline nitric oxide booster... that's what the label boasts. Cardio health formula featuring methyl folate, it goes on to say. Lots of vitamins....g/s/d free, thank goodness.

And yes....the wolf dog, Tucker, passed away in his owner's arms.....we cried as owner told the story.  I haven't seen that neighbor recently......sort of sticking to my own self.  Pretty sure the squirrel with the broken paw got picked off pretty quick.  Yesterday I watched a hawk chase a squirrel up a tree, flying impossibly tight spirals just on the squirrels tail.  I looked away as they went still on opposite sides of the tree....about 2 feet apart....hawk waiting.  Squirrel waiting. 

Amber, we still hear big trees drop in the forest on windy days. BEEEG trees.  And the saws and stump grinders are still busy. Always.  The guy who cut my trees is busy giving expensive quotes to my friends and neighbors.....feels icky.

We're required to apply for one burning permits here.....have been on a burn ban.  I'm glad I had those trees cut down.....had to be done.  You're right.

Good luck getting your fire break right.  It's scary when the fires are so close  you can't see through the smoke.  Once we got in the car to see if the fire was close.....very scary.

Lighter

[lighter]

 So, I'm sitting here at the dizzy clinic, in the waiting room......with a neighbor (who used to walk through my yard daily, but was cut off like everyone else.)

It's awkward. 

[lighter]

Saturday we were preparing food for company and I noticed G in her a grandma's back yard, which is sort of my back yard too.

I waved and my sister motioned her over, to pet the pug, but G stood frozen.  My sister and pug walked to G....G said "I can't go to your house, bc my father doesn't trust you."

I haven't met the man, but I've heard him parent the children at the swingset. No sense of humor and without patience.  Spankers trying to adopt G's 2 little brothers, same as they adopted her.  Who names a child Damien?  Who has a 9 yo doing large swaths of parenting young siblings 4yo and 3yo. ..like that? Damien 4yo is off the chain ...and a runner I think Dad's right not to trust me.  I don't trust him.

Anyways, G asked her mum if she could come see us.  My sister invited the mum too. G came over all questions and requests to meet my girls, busy playing computer games together. They didn't come out for an agonizing while....G was very eager.

In the meantime,needy guy's DD and her bf swung by.....bf showed G piano keys and his abilitie, very impressive.  DD22 came down and G attached herself. DD22 went through extensive art supplies and music instruments with G.....selecting a hand painted by DD ukulele for G, freshly tuned, which she explained.

The mom came over and we exchanged numbers.... grandma's also.G came down later than my would have liked, and they went grocery shopping and home to make dinner.  I guess Grandma was caring for the little brothers on her own.  Seems G has Damien outside all the time while the adults have the calmer 3yo inside.... I've never even seen him, but the grandma wondered out loud how the parents would pay for the children if the second and third adoptions went through and foster money ends.  Yikes.

G asked my sister about Karate forms and looked stricken when my sister said she wasn't me ...bc we're twins and unexpected switch caught G off guard....this was earlier, in the yard.

It's messy and seems likely to end in tears.  I don't want to hear the mum's story.  I didn't want to hear the grandma's entire story.  They know I don't hit children and they know I  know.....they do.

G chatters like a monkey about everything, open and childlike.  She'll be chattering about art projects, martial arts and music  lessons when talking about us and I can't handle Damien's energy.  I don't want to, frankly. His care takes up all the air in the moment and G is practiced and patient with him.  She easily sweeps me into her cadence of pretend rhino and entertaining Damien when she catches pug and me in a walk. They adore the pug.

I think G is wise and old beyond her 9 years.  She's certainly starving for attention and time for herself.  Who tells a 9yo there's no Santa, while younger siblings have Santa? Who tells a 9yo "it's time to grow up"?  Esp a 9yo doing so much of the adult's parenting?

I need more sleep.

[lighter]

Tree guy leaves for lake at 4am Tues morning with his crew.  He said they intend to plant all 60 trees in 1 day, which seems optimistic to me.

Sister and I plan to have beds ready for many muddy exhausted men, should the need to stay over and skip the almost 2 hour drive home and 2 hour drive back.

Will feed them, as well.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

If they're planting seedlings (1-2 ft) they will likely use a special planting tool that's easier than a spade and allows them to move right along. Depending on how many guys/gals on the crew they could be done in a few hours.