Been There

I know I have said this before: I grew up on Long Island. I still have family there. My sister lives on the south shore a few miles from where we grew up, an older brother lives a little further out and not so close to the shore. Three of his four children, their spouses, and their children live near him.

Two weeks ago my sister was posting Facebook pictures of her about-to-be-remodeled kitchen. It was down to the studs and the subfloor. We teased her a lot. 

I don’t know which is worse, sweating out a storm that is heading your way or sweating out a storm that is heading toward your loved ones. In the last two months, I have done both. I am happy to report that my family members made it through Sandy okay. They are without power and gasoline is getting short, but no one is hurt, and everyone’s house is intact.

However, my sister has a sister-in-law, her husband’s sister. K and her husband W live right on the water. The day before the storm, as water was rising around her house, their cat decided to seek refuge under it. My BIL finally had to cut a hole in the living room floor and lower a board so that the cat could climb out. Then his sister, husband, and two cats headed to my sister’s house for the duration. Before it was all over, K and W had five feet of water in their house, and the hole in the floor was the least of their worries.

So now my sister has four adults, two cats and maybe a dog living in her house, and no kitchen. They do have a grill in the back. I imagine if they are at all like me when we remodeled, they also have a microwave and refrigerator in their living room, but with no power, that’s a moot point. 

My cousin D, also somewhere on LI, has just posted that barges are arriving in NY Harbor with gas, and that power should be restored to most of Manhattan by the 3rd and to LI by the 10th or 11th. As soon as D can get gas for her car, she plans to go volunteer somewhere. She siphoned what she had out to run her generator, so she can cook for family and friends without power.

I’m trying to think of something I can send my sister to help her out. Specialty foods are no help. She probably has food in danger of spoiling. A gas card is no help unless gas is available. I’m thinking a restaurant gift card if there is a chain open near her. Any suggestions will be appreciated.