Weather, damage, setbacks, and small blessings

O, NEK. I hope there's some hope in sight. A stretch of dry weather and a lot of muscle would do a world of good. There's so much damage, it's unfathomable. One of our favorite high school teachers lost his home of 50 years-- the flood just knocked it off the foundation. Gone. He and his wife were evacuated with just what they had on their backs, from what I've been told. It's heartbreaking. People with fragile medical conditions are stranded without a means of getting their meds. Entire areas are flooded, caved in, and I don't see how they can be repaired before winter. It's awful. The devastation is a blow that may knock the NEK to its knees. I'm glad to have spent a good lot of my young adult life there, but I'm also really glad I don't live there now. I hope they get some real help, manifested by grit and some financial assistance.

We could use a few prayers too; G's foot surgery is scheduled for Monday, but there's been a hiccup in the process (not to mention, it'd be darned nice if the hospital is still standing). We'll see how today's round of phone calls go. And we are still waiting for short term disability to get off their duffs and send his "pay." It's a joke, how this system is so lackadaisical. Lucky for us, I tend to be pretty frugal, so we're managing. That all said, if we have to move the surgery date, then it just prolongs this whole situation, and G is getting awfully impatient with it --I can't blame him, he's been home since June 4. And this new wrinkle is a minor (I hope) cause for concern; a "right heart bundle block" means that he may have to see a cardiologist to get checked out before they can proceed. He has no symptomology of heart issues (amen), but it's still a thing to be concerned about, and worked around, before he can get to the actual main event. Like I said, we could use prayers. I go back to work in less than three weeks. It would be nice to have things settled here. 

Lucky for us, Meg is able to navigate the health care world with aplomb. She is home today (she can't really get to work safely due to the aforementioned damage), so she can help us figure this mess out. She is truly a blessing. I'm pretty sure I've said that before, but she is our saving grace, time and again. 

Speaking of blessings, our garden is producing lots of green beans and cherry tomatoes (guess what's on the menu). The squashes are starting to do something other than bloom and stretch out across the yard. And the weather has been relatively reasonable in our little square foot of the world. I hope it stays so. Last evening, after dinner, we had an impromptu pool party with Holly-- omygoodness! Swimming after dinner? It was a nice break from the stresses of the day. In the meantime, G set up the rollaway cot in the den, complete with the Snoopy camping sheets I bought for it yesterday. It's for his recovery (our bedroom is up 1890s stairs), but Holly immediately climbed in after her bath. Too funny. I think she'll want to "camp out" here often when she is a little older. I'd have her stay anytime, but I don't want to leave her downstairs by herself, and I don't want her trying to navigate those stairs just yet to go up to the bedrooms. But it was cute; that's what matters. 

So this morning, I think I may make blueberry pancakes. There's not a lot I can do to impact anything much. To be honest, this whole health care mess makes me feel incredibly inadequate. At least I can cook.

Have a good day, and stay dry--

C