what a week

It's Tuesday - hard to believe that a week ago we had left the northeast to drive daughter two to college in the south. (Does Northern Virginia qualify as "the south"?) As we were driving our cell phones buzzed with texts, most of which said, "Are you alright?". Seems that we were headed into an earthquake zone... Fortunately there was not too much damage to people and property, and daughter was able to move into her dorm the next day. BUT, that night there was a strong aftershock that woke me and many others, and the next day there was a massive electrical storm in Virginia resulting in a power outage at daughter's school. Same daughter then had to spend 36 hours in her dorm as Irene tore up the East Coast. What a way to start freshman year.

And then there is the post-Irene effect around here: so much damage and so many people without power. We have been lucky so far - a few "power less" hours last night and no water damage. Long may it last!