Rock you like a HURRICANE!

Yes, Hurricane Sandy has rocked my world these past few days.  She has rocked the world of so many but I must say that I am very lucky and so are the people who I love.  Probably the very worst of this Hurricane (for me) is the fact that I have been delayed in getting home and this has been VERY HARD on my Mom.   She was so disappointed when I first told her that my flight was canceled and replied with "So I won't see you until Wednesday?" and the tone in her voice broke my heart.    Then I really was not looking forward to telling her that we were canceled again, but it had to be done.  When I called her though she had already heard through the grapevine that I wasn't going to get home until Friday and she was so upset, but then happy to hear that I was getting home late Wednesday.

My plans for visitors while I was gone didn't quite pan out the way I had hoped.  She didn't have any visitors Friday-Sunday for various reasons.  But then on Monday she had 3 visitors including her best friend from San Francisco who felt compelled to visit after talking to her on the phone.  My best friend Diane went to visit and brought her mom and then my friend Mary also went by.  Mom seemed to be in much better spirits today after having those visits and the reports I got back from my friends were that Mom misses me terribly.  :(   I keep trying to be her cheerleader over the phone and reminding her of what she needs to go so that she can get back home to her friends at Woodside Terrace and she says she is working hard.   Fear is her biggest foe.   My brother was supposed to go by tonight and as far as I know, he did.   My friend Sara who may have met my mom once or twice offered to go visit her because she works nearby and plans to go by tomorrow.  I had a few other people who don't know my mother at all offer to go by and bring her anything she might need.  Those offers seriously touch me.  I am blessed to have so many good-hearted people in my life.  I am hoping that Linda, my hairdresser will be able to go by tomorrow and give mom a haircut, she was going to go on Friday but woke up sick with a sore throat, so I can't blame her for not going.

The second impact of Hurricane Sandy is the fact that I won't be at the GIANTS VICTORY PARADE tomorrow.  YES, my SF Giants SWEPT the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.  I had so much fun watching games 3 and 4 with my cousin's boys.  They made their own rally rags and cheered for my Giants - even though they are Yankee fans.  It was fun and the games were good.  Game 4 was particularly stressful, winning in extra innings.  WOW.   What a fabulous series and so exciting.  Thank God for Facebook, it allowed me to celebrate virtually with my friends.   I am super bummed that I will miss the parade; however, I plan to get to the airport early enough so that I can be settled in front of my computer at 2pm to watch the parade online.  Let the tears flow- once again tears of happiness for my team, my GIANTS and also tears of sadness that I am not there live at the parade...AGAIN.   So Giants- you just need to THREE-PETE and win the World Series next year so that I can attend the parade!

The positive note to Hurricane Sandy - I have had a great time with family.  It was initially going to be a quick weekend visit.  It's been a great time with my Aunts, Uncles and Cousins.   Cousin Jamie's union with Jacqui was a beautiful ceremony,  no Hurricane until everyone was safely at home- which was great considering the wedding location was waterfront!   The Hurricane has extended our visit, so that has been nice.  We didn't lose power, we didn't lose internet - so I was able to get some work done.   We have slept in everyday, so I am rested and relaxed.  So that is the bright side!

Off to Boston in the morning to return the car, check-in and board our evening flight and be home just after midnight.   Then to file the insurance claim to get money back for our added expenses of a new flight ticket, extra car rental days and charges - so I am one happy camper that I do have Travel Insurance because the extra expenses were well over $1000 to get home tomorrow vs. Friday.

Ultimately, I am feeling very blessed.  Watching all of the devastation on the news for people who have lost so much through this Hurricane and to know that I was so close to the devastation makes me feel very lucky.  Perhaps this Hurricane was meant to slow me down.  Stop to smell the roses a bit, so to speak.  I am thankful that I am, by nature, a very happy go lucky person.  I may stress out about things, but it doesn't take me long to bounce back and put things into perspective.  I am the perfect mix of Personality A and Personality B.