As anyone reading this blog knows, Rosemarye and Marty live in NJ that has been hit hard by 2 storms in a row! Here is an emailed update! Summit is updating a spreadsheet with places that are still out of power. Here is the most current list.
Wendy,
I know that Dad wrote to you but he did not give you the whys and wherefores. We were siitting in the dark, trying to cook up and eat the food that was festering in the freezer that was stocked to the very top--to no avail. Our good neighbor, Jim, came over to bring logs and light the fireplace that we had converted back from gas to logs last year. I had refused, after the gas company came, to light it because I did not trust the working man who had come to do the job. Your Dad was sure I was a nut job and, although Jim was kinder, he said he would light the fire and show me it was safe. I INSISTED, as only I can, to uncouple the line. He did so and guess what came out--GAS! We would have blown up the house. The mayor, blast her soul, told everyone without power to leave town and go at least 250 miles away. The police told us not to believe any rumors because no one knew anything positive about getting power. In the meantime, we had no way to communicate and no way to charge the cell phone. The Bensons said they would host us in DC but, when we got there, they were both very ill, Ben with supposed pneumona and they had gotten a hotel reservation for us. After three nights, at $300. per night, and eating out three meals a day, we decided we had to do something else. We could not go to Cincinnati as there was snow and ice in the mountains and, under normal conditions, the motels and stations are few and far between. The only place we could go on one tank of gas was back to NJ and, by roundabout ways, we were communicating with people and someone in a nearby town said they would give us a bed. So, we went back, first to our house where it was freezing cold and a putrid smell emanating from the kitchen and the basement. There were dirty dishes and pots and pans all over the counters and chairs and floor and $1000. worth of food was rotting. We thew it all in garbage bags and left it utside for te deer and the racoons to eat. In the meantime, we were eating at a shelter that the Episcopal Church had set up (there was no food in the markets-most were closed--and the restaurants were not operating). My hostess had no computer so there was no hook up for the MAC. Then, we were told a northeasterner was coming on Wednesday. A friend from the Unitarian Church who has a big house in Summit (she was already hosting 2 people), offered us a bedroom and here we came as the snow pelted dow. We are currently surrounded by the white stuff and more trees are coming down and the people without power continue to mount and it is getting worse instead of better. It is comfortable here, we have wi-fi and my laptop. We are contributing towards the food so I feel I am not a total charity case. At the shelter, there are Wall Street millionaires sitting next to the homeless from all towns around us. We contribute money, because we can but there is no one helping. There is no Red Cross, no FEMA, no charity of any sort. We are on our own.--I keep losing my text so I want to cease and desist. --I did have a panic attack yesterday--seeing no end, which is the phrase the police use--and one cannot stay in another's house forever. --Love, Mother, Amama, Rosemarye--Send to siblings, aunt, grandchildren and whomever
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(From Marty)
First chance to write. We are comfy/cozy in a friends house. We spent 3/4 days in Washington DC with Ben and Enza. Now we are in ,summit at friends from church. Our house is undamaged but we have no power, lights or anything. All our food is rotten and we were forced to throw out everything in the fridge and freezer (so no food)-- Right now it is snowing and the roads are icy. The only good news is that we need not suffer with a Republican president. Pleased about Obama's win. That is the only bright spot in our current life. There is no prediction about the restoration of services so we will be refugees for a while. This is the worst condition that we suffered even through revolutions and wars that we experienced. We are anticipating our short stay with you and yours soon so until then sit warm and comfy. DAD
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