Speechless

Yes, it's full...and then some.

Neil and I tried to lend a hand yesterday.  We went to help some friends pump out the flood waters from their home, and to assist with clean-up.  What would have been a 15 minute trip before Irene ended up taking much, much longer.  Power outages are widespread throughout our area.  You can imagine what that does to traffic when most of the signals are out.  Many roads are closed, but you won't know that until you have almost reached your destination and you are suddenly faced with the dreaded barricades.  I already learned on Monday when I took Neil up north to Chester for therapy, that often times you can go around the road blocks and you'll be just fine.  But that isn't so in every area.  Yesterday we took many detours.  When we finally neared our friends' home, we passed through a police stop and verified that we were there to help friends and that we knew their address.  When we entered the stricken community, I had to choke back sudden tears.  The streets were lined with the sodden belongings of families resigned to a long recovery.  

 AP Photo/Mel EvansPhoto source:  http://www.newstimes.com/news/article/NJ-cleanup-starts-amid-more-flooding-evacuations-2146941.php

Our friends had had their basement flooded before, so they knew to bring things up before the storm.  What they hadn't expected, was the sudden rise of water four feet or more into the first floor.  The flood line was visible on the side of the house above my head.  

Scott snapped this picture on Sunday in another neighborhood where he was helping out.

What impressed me most about my friends, their neighbors, and most of the people we know who've been affected, is their attitude.  Everyone is helping each other.  People are sharing their homes.  Generators and pumps are being passed around.  I've seen a spirit of cooperation and a lot of reaching out to help one another.  How else could anyone maintain hope through such trials and devastation?