Thursday night Jud and I were all set to party down with a friend who graduated from college at the delicious Brazenhead Irish Pub. They make such delicious pesto mayo. I could slather that stuff on everything. I’d ordered some extra for the side of my waffle fries, when a voicemail arrived from my neighbor. Our tree had split and she wondered if we were okay.
We were okay. But the babysitter (first time watching our munchkins, but a pro in her own right) and the kids? I didn’t know. I wasn’t sure. I called the neighbor first to thank her and ask her to step in if things looked crazy. Then I called the sitter and she was as cool as a cucumber. All was well. They hadn’t even heard the tree splitting apart.
Rain was pouring as we ran to the car. Our meals, not yet delivered, forgotten and left (without paying! Hey friends! Sorry we ordered and dashed on you! I don’t know what happened after we left, but I am sorry!). Wheels pointing home, moving swiftly over the rain soaked asphalt, through the mini pools of run off, we drove.
The closer we got, the more debris was hanging around. Apparently the winds were worse here. Isn’t it odd how that happens? On one block there is giant, shredding hail or some such thing and the next there is only rain or what not? In Hawaii, as a young child, we would walk across the street to escape the afternoon brief shower and move back into our own yard while the tiny little rain cloud made it’s way down the street. It was the stuff of the Truman show except it was REAL.
As we turned the corner, we saw a different neighbor out in our front yards, surveying the damage. She lost a major branch, but we had the worst of it. The part of our tree that had always had a slightly odd bend to it was down. The bend had become a split and the split had become a massive tear in a matter of seconds. The outer limbs were clawing at the house and garage while rain fell in heavy drops all around.
Our homecoming barely even registered with the kids. They had snacks, a movie and a babysitter. Their night was going just fine, thank you very much. They were pretty much annoyed that our dripping wet selves had interrupted their partying. Won’t be the last time.
When our neighbor across the street came out to take a peek at it all and the rain had stopped for a bit, Jud went out to chat. And then suddenly he was outside with three of our neighbor dudes – with gloves and a chainsaw, rakes, brooms, a ladder and muscles. They all chipped in and had everything cleared out in a relatively short period of time. I doubt they felt it, but I got nothing but warm gooey feelings seeing them all working together to help us. They don’t make better neighbors. We’re so grateful.
