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Irene was a Disaster!

As we write this, our power has returned and our lives are getting somewhat back to normal. Our entire family is fine but not so for many in Irene's path - especially those in our adopted home of Vermont. If you've watched the network national news (if you have power,)  you've witnessed the complete devastation to so many areas in the beautiful state of VT. What normally was a rambling stream became a raging dynamo due to the onslaught of torrential rains (reports of 10" and more) in such a short period of time.

I watched a heart-breaking video that showed an historic covered bridge as it was swallowed by a churning river. A Vermont icon gone in a matter of seconds. And this scene repeated itself several times around the state as other covered bridges suffered the same fate. You could hear the suffering in the voice of the person filming the video as her voice cracked with emotion as she exclaimed "Oh no!"

Our weekend home was spared what others were not. Wilmington, Vermont's downtown district of quaint homes turned into shops and restaurants all took on water as the peaceful Deerfield River that meanders through town rose and brought havoc and 6 feet of water and mud into many of those establishments. Dot's Diner was almost totally engulfed with water since it had enjoyed the heretofore enviable real estate of being located right at the river's edge.

With roads being blocked and rivers out on main roadways, supplies aren't arriving to the stores thus food and water are at a premium. Wilmington center has reopened as of yesterday and our hope is that vital items can begin to arrive. The National Guard has a presence there as well to help in the restoration process.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the residents of Vermont (and other locales) that have had to endure the hardships that only a natural disaster like this can bring. Going without electricity, phones and cable for 2 days pales in comparison to what these residents witness and will continue to do so in the coming weeks and months. Vermonters are a hearty bunch and there's no doubt that they will recover from this storm. The Deerfield Valley and the state as a whole will eventually be returned to its former self.

For more information and pictures of the storm's effect on southern Vermont, visit the Deerfield Valley News website located here. After reading the front page, click on the "Breaking News" heading on the left to see pictures and more reports. And please keep a good thought for those who are dealing with Irene's leftovers.

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