While cataloging the posts that didn’t make it on to the blog in 2011, I recognize that I was notably quiet about our experience with Tropical Storm Irene. I was unnerved by life without electricity and even more upset watching my in-laws and their neighbors deal with aftereffects, less than half a mile away. We hosted those a few who could no longer inhabit their homes and lived by the grace of a generator. It was not convenient, but it was nothing to complain about.
I started this post back in September, but never found the energy to finish it until now. Five months later, my in-laws are very close to returning home.
September 8, 2011
How quickly life goes back to normal. I’m still momentarily surprised by hot water from the tap, flipping the switch and being delivered from darkness. Last week, I learned to appreciate all those little things so easily taken for granted.
Hurricane Irene roared up the Eastern Seaboard, but in the end it was the storm surge that ended up being even more devastating. Here in Morningside we lost power for 5 days, but I know there are those who lost much more. It was a rough week all around, but we are counting ourselves lucky that our friends and family are safe.
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In Morningside, a tremendous wind violently ripped the leaves into a soggy green carpet
The angry Long Island Sound, high above from the Morningside seawall
So much for the hurricane shutter… and the window.
The storm surge flooded the neighborhood and set all kinds of personal effects adrift in the street.
Not every golf cart ride is fun
One block in, now on the waterfront
This little water voyage made me smile
One day later: golden tranquility returns to the shoreline.
On the fourth, our first stop was Fort Trumbull beach. We looked for my cousin Kim and her family, but the beach was quiet. I think everyone was busy getting ready for the festivities later in the day.
Brent’s used the the beautiful Pacific Ocean. Here he gets his first taste of the Long Island Sound and the sandbars at low tide.
Then he’s off to try the paddleboard. He’s a natural, but being from Hawaii, he’s also been on a surfboard before… Maybe that helped him get adjusted so quickly.
Next stop, our neighborhood’s big 4th of July picnic. Brent declared it was like being in a movie. I guess it would be a movie about small town America. Milford can be pretty charming in the summer.
Later that afternoon we saw David and Danny & the boys having fun off near the raft in Morningside.
We spent a lot of time on the golf cart, because really who wants to walk? 
Now we’re speeding along Morningside Drive in the golf cart!
Day 2 at the beach and we headed for Bayview. It was very still the morning after the 
Our new beachcomber Brent managed to pick out a dozen oysters as the tide went out. I’ve never seen oysters in Bayview before! We made sure to leave them so they could get bigger.
These photos have an odd tint since they were shot through the lens of D’s Persols.
On Monday afternoon we logged some quiet time in the hammock. Earlier in the day, I managed to slice my big toe on an oyster shell while we were at Bayview. This incident factored into my decision to buy the hands-down, ugliest footwear I have ever seen… a pair of Vibram FiveFingers KSOs. They arrive tomorrow and I hope they work well with the paddleboard!
I grabbed a quick video of Brent on the move in Fort Trumbull.