The Wrath of Sandy & What You've Been Waiting For

via Bates Mercantile Co.

The Aftermath 

We were lucky. Really lucky. We got through Sandy, the mega Super Storm, relatively unscathed. We're having a little issue with the well pump (again) and we have some minor limbs down, but that's it. So many people have been affected in the worst possible ways. 

I was hoping and praying that all our family and friends in the NY and NJ areas were O.K.  Luckily they were.  Some of their homes were not as lucky.

I don't know if you saw the devastation to Breezy Point, NY - a little neighborhood in Queens, but it really broke my heart. You see, my college roommate's Uncle had a cottage in Breezy that we used to go to for some holidays and on weekends when we could get away from school.  Garrett and I have very fond memories of Breezy Point and I sat and cried yesterday morning as I viewed the pictures on TV and in this slideshow. It simply broke my heart to see a place that holds such wonderful, happy memories to be the picture of utter devastation. Fire took out close to 100 homes on Breezy Point. It's dessimated. It's unfathomable. I found out yesterday that the Fire Chief in Breezy is the Uncle of another college friend. I can only imagine how unbelievably helpless he and his force felt watching the destruction and not being able to save these homes because of the storm conditions.

I finally heard from other college friends I was concerned about at the end of the day yesterday....they were OK.  They live on the peninsula next to Breezy Point and lived through hell. My college pal Noreen could only say 'no words. there are no words. we are ok, but the house is devastated'  Her sister said, 'my car floated to the beach and the house is devastated'. I think they were both in shock, but that didn't stop them both from relying on their senses of humor and strength. 

It is them and others like them that inspired me today, to create a new typography illustration. I'm sure the quote was with regard to 'personal storms', but Sandy's aftermath is a personal type of storm in addition to a physical storm. She left more than just flotsam and jetsum in her wake. She left lives that will forever be changed.

via Bates Mercantile Co.

I hope and pray for all those affected to have the strength they need to adjust sails, and find a kinder and gentler wind to cath their sails and move them forward toward recovery.

Keep them all in your thoughts.

Good News

We could all certainly use some good news after the witnessing the horribly images and hearing the heartwrenching stories of Sandy.  So here's my contribution to making one lucky person's day.

The October Giveaway ended and a winner has been chosen by Rafflecopter.

If you are Ashley Sackett from Boise, Idaho, it's your lucky day!  Thanks for following on Google Friend Connect and hanging at Mercantile Muse.  I'll be contacting you for your mailing info, which I will pass onto my sponsors. Lots of wonderful things will soon be coming your way. Congratulations! (on a side note, your facebook timeline cover gave me my laugh for the day...love those animals).

Hey, did you now my parents used to live in Boise? They lived in lots of places before I was born.  They drove all over these here United States and lived in just about every corner.  Of course, that doesn't really have to do with anything other than the fact that Boise also has some gal named Ashley doing the snoopy dance today.

Peace out,