Home at last!

We drove home today through a vista of bright sunshine, beautiful Pennsylvania mountains, rather high-on-their-banks rivers, and loads and loads of beautiful New Jersey traffic. Beautiful because it meant we were getting closer to home!

One of our friends called us last night to let us know that she was actually at our house, walking around the yard, and that nothing had been damaged. No flooding, no trees down, and only minimal small branches and piles of leaves on the ground. We were immensely relieved, of course... but we didn't really really believe it until we pulled in the driveway this afternoon and ran around looking at and touching everything ourselves.

It was all okay... it is all fine... I still can't believe it, and we are so very grateful. We love this house, every tree on the property, every flower, every shrub... we've put our souls into it, and it's part of us. One earthquake and one hurricane in the space of one week, and everything is FINE. Amazing, and wonderful.

When we got home, we let two very disgruntled kitties (one of whom screamed and yowled the ENTIRE FOUR HOURS - both ways) and they trotted out of their carriers like they'd never been away. A few crunchies, a drink of water, and then off to lounge on the stairway. All in a day's work, they seemed to say.

We, on the other hand, set about reconstructing our entire first floor, which had been hastily flood prepped before our departure, and cleaning off our patio and re-assembling our tile-topped table, bird bath, and fire pit.

Now we're just de-stressing, sending out messages to our nearest and dearest to let them know we've returned to roost, and soon we'll nom some leftover chicken and freshly steamed home grown green beans from a friend's garden, and collapse on the couch.

Thank you all for your good wishes, prayers, and thoughtful comments. I appreciate your support and knowing you guys were out there pulling for us.

All is well.