A Bite of Laney

I hope Maria was not a guest of yours at all and if she was, that it was a very short and uneventful one. Torn screens, lost shrubs, and maybe a roof that needs a little attention. All in all we were very fortunate considering the strength and maliciousness of the storm. We too took all precautions for the outside of our home but when it came to the inside it was a totally different scenario. We had planned several days before the storm was to actual be here to drive up to Macon, GA, meet up with eldest daughter and her husband. The reservations were made, food was purchased and packed. The thought of driving all the way didn’t concern me at all because I would have made a good 18 wheeler long distance truck driver! With just a few hours before we were to leave it was decided to change our plans and go to one of our daughters homes along with another daughter and a granddaughter. The decision was made based on how taxing the actual physical drive would be to our bodies which have punished us enough ALREADY this year and the slim chance of obtaining gasoline both during and returning from the trip. Now with a different scene in mind I started to pack our car. Our daughter called and said, “Mom bring anything you want to have saved that can’t be replaced. Anything and as much as you need.” Thankfully they had recently moved into a spacious home and room was not going to be a problem. Now what to bring? I had already packed both our parents wedding photos; each child’s wedding photos and many miscellaneous loved photographs. They were all a given. What else was the big problem. Should I pack Mom’s breakable glass pieces I had treasured for over 50 years? Personal collections of keepsake items? I felt tortured. Think about it we live in a lovely 50 and older manufactured home. There are almost 2,000 residents depending on what month of the year it is. As beautiful as they can be it is not uncommon to have roofs blown off, screen porches thrown across the street, porch screens torn out etc. This time we really were leaving thinking our home would not be there when we returned. Time was passing very quickly and the danger of the storm was approaching. I went from room to room trying to select things to take with us. I couldn’t do it. Realizing they were all just “Things” didn’t make it any easier. We had them over 52 years and they were a part of us. Then, I made a decision. All I was taken were the photographs throughout the house. They were the only real valuable things in our home. Yes I was worried about my loved white piano; all my art supplies in my craft room, my paintings and all 52 plants were weighing very heavy in my mind. I felt like I was turning my back on so much of the Maia history. Thankfully I realized we were not taking anything but the photographs. The memories would all stay intake-even if our home did not. The second day in our daughter’s home the Civil Service alarm was blowing outside to warn everyone of an oncoming tornado. It was imminent. We quickly pulled all mattresses into the hall without any windows and the 5 adults, one child, one very large dog and one very small dog all hunkered down together until the all clear sound was heard. Fortunately it did not hit the street we were on but a few houses over took a direct hit. In the aftermath as we returned home we found one neighbor’s home split in two, another had a portion of their home in the middle of the street, many porches and roofs were gone. The number of trees taken down was devastating. Thank G-d no one was injured. We personally had only our shed door removed with tools scattered all over, our porch screen door did not look like a door anymore, a lot of our shrubs and trees and plants that we had babied for years didn’t make it. It made me think hard. What in your home is really valuable to you and your family? Think long and hard and make a list. It really won’t be as hard as you think. I am looking ahead to a New Year of good changes. Hope all of yours come true too. Bye for now, Laney.