Sooo, we had a bit of weather here... The center of Florence passed right over us. It's been a challenging time; and both mom's and my homes are well above any flood area. My report with typos→[More:]

Last week Monday thru Wednesday were spent prepping my place, mom's place and helping neighbor and good boss with preparations. By Wed afternoon most stores were closed. Thursday was wait day as we hunkered down at mom's. All day Thursday was spent anxiously making ice and packing the freezer with it, then the coolers.

Candles,flashlights and portable radios were readied. Finally, go to bed and fitfully listen to the winds and weather outside.

Get up early and turn on tv for a check on weather but get a few sound bites and power goes out: 5AM Friday.

Typical hurricane stuff happens such as more wind, rain,crashes of falling trees and limbs; then the eye.

Mom lives in a culdesac in a little duplex community, so those of us who stayed ventured out. Trees on the ground everywhere with one blocking the exit from the culdesac. A couple of folks chop off the top tree limbs in an attempt to make a passage for any needed emergency vehicles. The eye atypically lasts forever.

Other side of storm comes in. Consume the most perishable of foodstuffs in our ice chests.

It's dark and the storm is still going. Mom doesn't like that it's dark and keeps turning on every flashlight. She has dementia and alteration in her environment aren't good.

I'm the adult so I ration use of batteries and cooler items. I finally tape the refrigerator shut since I catch her repeatedly starting to open it by habit.

We sit up until late and just listen to it outside. I wake up to every sound. Rather than lie-in listening to the storm in the dark, I get up early when I hear her rattling about. She's up at 5 because she's always up at 5.

I warm our pre-made coffee. It rains. The winds blow. There's nothing to do but wait.

And she's stressed. So she opens a bottle of wine and has a glass at 10 in the morning. Not a good sign. Saturday is a long day. She wants to know when the power will be back on. I tell her the storm is still out there. It's not safe for folks to be out.

Sunday is off to a rainy start. It finally lets up and we venture out. Everyone in the neighborhood is checking in. I keep watch on her so she doesn't trip over the debris.

I walk to the end of the culdesac and see more trees across the main road. It's gonna be a while before anyone makes it in or out.

Later in the day we all start the outside cleanup and a pickup and trailer with bobcat show up. We're the lucky ones. Some guys from Houston have sawed their way in and ask the pres of the HOA if we'd like them to remove trees and make the road passable. We're the first area they get to by random chance. They get to work.

It's dark soon and they've not made much headway so they head out. Mom wants to know when power will be back and when the paper will be delivered. My explanation isn't accepted.

We play the ice chest/food/whine and wine game. She wants to leave candles on overnight "So her kitty can see".

Monday starts with the coffee and whine routine; 3 year olds want their way and don't have rational logic. We eventually go outside and start raking the debris off driveways and yards while the Houston boys make considerable progress even while rain comes and goes. The rain is a good way for them to cool off and good reason for us to go inside.

One of the neighbors offers the Houston boys use of his cold shower at quitting time. They are delighted. At least there is municipal water. They take a few breaks whenever we warn them of potential tornado sitings.

The evening game is a repeat of the one before except there's creeping tiredness from stress, lack of sleep and yardwork. It's getting warm inside but still better than outside.

Tuesday starts off hot. With humidity. And frayed nerves. We spend as much time as is possible outside raking and looking for shady places to take breaks. The Houston boys are finishing up.

The public utility announcement that water will be shut off is cancelled when they locate a source of fuel to run the generators. We have water in every conceivable container. Mom wants to know why.

There's still only one way out of the larger neighborhood; the one our Houston boys cut in. I catch mom opening the freezer. She wanted an ice cube. It's still frozen in there but for how long.

It's mom's 88th birtday today and it's sultry but not in a good way. More raking as the residents clear yards of those who evacuated. It's hot. Mom tells me so every hour.

I hear news that my house is ok and has power. She refuses to leave. I decide that were leaving before dark if the power isn't restored.

Angry displaced wasps and copperhead are becoming a problem. I'm starting to feel akin to one of those wasps.

5 PM. Power comes on! JOY! Mom wants to know when the debris will be picked up. We open her freezer and begin the clean out and tossing as needed. We cook steaks that had thawed - on the grill - in the heat. But finish the day with a glorious shower.

Wednesday morning is cleanup inside. 5AM again because there's no sleeping in with her. I'm planning on heading home but first must get things in order for mom. She's out of sodas and mentions that she'll just go up to the corner grocery for some; and why isn't there a paper? I explain again how bad the storm is and ongoing flooding.

I venture to the grocery. It's apocalyptic with only emergency lighting and every single shelf of anything perishable totally empty. Thankfully, there's a 12 pack of a soda she likes. I pay out and go to her house, have her come out and we drive around the neighborhood so she can get an idea. She finally says that it will be a while before all of the debris is removed.

After we have lunch
I pack my car with some essentials. She's tired and will be sleeping in front of the TV before I make it out of the neighborhood. I remind her that I will be vack Thursday and she wants to know when the paper will be delivered...