Home to Tropical Storm Debby and the waters

Home,

after a flight on my favorite airline

that felt more like a bumpy horsey that you put a quarter in as a child.

Remember those?

But this one felt like one that had gone very wrong as the turbulence just got rougher

and the flight attendants were told to take their seats and buckle their seat belts!

A week of...

Only for the strangest of the strange to happen on the day I was to fly home on Sunday!

As we were headed out the door I glanced again at the boarding pass on my phone; after talking to DLB and hearing of the horrors of the storm and all that was happening on the home front;

and a little date jumped out and hit me between the eyes....

The date of my flight home

on that boarding pass in the middle of Tropical Storm Debby

stated "JULY 1"

...

Olivia let go of my suitcase with a thud; Joan said "Ohhhh are you kidding me Nana?"

and

I said, "something is just not right here".

...

Yet, in my heart of hearts I knew

that somehow in the hurry of booking this late minute trip my trusty assistant, or spirit had taken over.

Calls were made, we were on hold,

DLB was working on this end.

Flights into Tampa were being cancelled left and right,

and

ultimately I got an extra day with my girls!

Now Spirit works in ways to take care of you, once the shock wears off that never ever have we booked a trip wrong on this end given as much as I travel.

BUT, this time the return home date

was a week off!

And; while in MD enjoying my girls, I had no idea Debby the tropical storm was having a her way with folks on the gulf; flooding streets and homes, and destroying things in the process. Wrecks on the roads, the big ole Skyway Bridge being closed; folks on Siesta Key stranded there with no way back to the mainland (including our warrior here FIRM) who is now probably crafting a boat from palm fronds and swimming to get home! 

And then I spoke to DLB

who let me know

that she had drained the pool 4 times in rain that was so hard here she could not see; had set up buckets to catch rain from the gutters that was pouring over it and dumping it into the pool to keep it away from the house edge.

Then resorting to coolers cos it held more; our grass not visible as it was a swamp land holding waters that fell to the 10 + inches mark.

and when she was able to sit and take a break inside, she found herself wondering and admiring how shiny the hardwood floors were near the fireplace,

only to look closer

AND SEE IT WAS WATER~

Was it coming through the chimney wall? The concrete slab that our home is built on?

Whatever the answer, she and the 4 leggeds were here to deal; and the towels were being used to wick up that water 24 hours with no sleep, to run out and empty the cooler that filled with ease from the remarkable rains, and dump in a poooll that was overflowing, and run out to the pump and then hit the magic valve to empty the pool of inches and inches of water,

to run in and open screen doors and sweep water and its onslaught of waters nearing the glass doors of the home outward of the home.

All the while I had not a clue of

Tropical Storm Debby

and her fierceness in MD

as we looked on the news,

laughed and enjoyed our extra day together, and thought about the strangeness of the flight issue.

We enjoyed each breath, each beautiful moment together.

I got the opportunity to see Olivia at a swim meet; getting up at 6am to be at that pool with more people in purple on one day than you can imagine!

Parents and kids, swimmers

WATER, sun, volume of voices and cheering.

And I had no idea what all was happening here at home

even after talking to DLB

I could not imagine as it sure sounded like a Hurricane to me!

Olivia swimming with the face of a warrior!

...

Once we talked more;

we all came to the conclusion that I was NOT meant to be on a flight to Tampa Sunday; DLB was not meant to be on the dangerous roads on Sunday with winds and rains that did not allow you to see 5 feet in front of you.

We were being protected

and that was a good thing.

...

Poor DLB had to get through the worst of it with the aide of 4 leggeds and they don't pick up coolers and buckets; don't do well with towels or use of dryers.

They bark at thunder, they track itty bitty foot prints into the home but they stick close.

And after a bumpy ride home,

I was ready to kiss the ground of Tampa; knowing I would be home

to help and to do, and to see.

I was amazed when I saw such fierce and angry white caps in Tampa Bay;

water that caused spray coming over the bridges and hitting cars from such a distance.

On little streets that were washed out as we heard about tornado warnings, and a life taken in the storm and houses now gone.

the News reported that Debby is "lingering"

and we looked at the beautiful calm bayou at the end of the street;

as it rose and crossed the street;

at folks who still managed to attempt to drive with water over the wheel wells and the spray that came up and over their SUV's

and 

assessed the damage to those hardwoods, and drained the pool in winds that sound beautiful

while looking at debris in the yards around the neighborhood.

Remembering that this

is a 

TROPICAL STORM DEBBY

in hurricane season 2012.

 Yep, I'm thinking it was a good thing to have that extra day with my girls in MD,

but it is good to be home

and today I see the sun

...

And the winds are HOwling.

This is the end of my street

where the Beautiful Bayou

decided to come on across the street...

 

 Wishing all a day of joy,

of safety,

of holding on to that which make you feel BUOYANT

Walk in Beauty

DRSES

www.sherryeshowalter.com

"it's good to be home"