October 7th, 2015

Hey folks!

This past week has been a total mess here in Columbia, SC. Cathy, KG, Doug and I are fine, but we have friends and neighbors who have lost everything. The devastation is staggering. A large pine tree in my backyard uprooted and fell on my house at 5:45am Sunday morning, scaring me, Bobbie, & Scruggs to death! Luckily, it didn't come all the way through the roof, so we are fine, but it took out my power line on the way down and I was without power for 2 days. Our city water treatment plant is completely compromised, so we have to boil the little amount of water we have. Or use bottled, which is being trucked in by the tons and given to us, so that is a big help. We have a curfew every night and many roads are blocked, destroyed, or otherwise impassable.

You may have seen this segment on CNN, about a guy and his wife who rescued an elderly man and his dog from raging floodwaters. The couple are good friends of ours and they are just as wonderful as the saved gentleman says in the video. Tom is a musician, too, in a very popular local band called Tom Hall and the Plowboys.

www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/10/07/flooding-rescue-tuchman-dnt-ac.cnn

My favorite festival, Shakori Hills, is this weekend in NC, and I am planning to go even though I hate to leave when things are still so bad around here. But, I think I need the break. I didn't know until today that I would be able to go, so I'm trying to get packed and all, but I'll try to catch some of the show tonight. I need to see/hear some good music and be among my cyber friends! :-)

Here are some pics of my poor tree and house: