So...about that storm

It wasn't just a storm, Friday night's excitement, it was something so exotic it was given a foreign name, a derecho, a mustachioed seducer who brought in much-needed rain and then hurt us without mercy. Five million people in the DC area lost power, and it was 100 degrees for much of the weekend.

taken in DC, June 30, 2012, by woodleywonderworks

So we were lucky, our house with its continuous power. Our regular plans evaporated and we made life small. We offered refuge. We made lots of food. We stayed close to home.

We still have many friends without power.

Here's how a six-year-old understands the world. E and I were home together today because her camp has no power. We decided to try to find some ice cream. There are four ice cream shops in our little suburb, and all four were closed. That's how she knew this is serious. And Fourth of July fireworks have been cancelled because the soccer fields where we all usually picnic and enjoy the show are dangerously covered in debris.

Sometimes life can be humbling. We were mostly spared. We offered help in our small way. And we couldn't get ice cream.

So we'll clean up and carry on and figure out a fun substitute for the un-substitutable fireworks. Just send thoughts of cool temperatures our way while this place we call home puts itself back together, if you could.
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