Did I ever tell you?

Did any of you ever know how much I am fascinated by hurricanes? I am sad that they do so much destruction and at times cause so much death (espeically right now with all that is going on in Haiti-- I just want to cry for those poor people), but at the same time the force and power behind a hurricane are amazing. I recently read a book called The Great Hurricane-1938. It was a about a hurricane that hit the coast of New York (Long Island to be specific) and Rhode Island and shot straight up causing havoc and mayhem across all of New England. It was a Catagory 4 storm (which is rare in New England) and it hit in mid September. It was recorded as having waves as high as 30 feet and at least an 18 foot storm surge. What amazed me were the stories of survival told in this book. One family was composed of a mom, dad, oldest son (he was about 13), 3 younger daughters and a neice (all 10 years old and younger) and 4 other adults. They lived in a 4 story house by the shore(basement, 2 living floors and the attic) that was in the path of hurricane. They ran to the attic during the hurricane and watched in horror as the storm surge engulfed the entire house. Finally the house collapsed and they managed to escape on a piece of the roof-- dad holding two girls and mom holding 2 girls and everyone else fending for themselves. They rode out the rest of the hurricane on the roof and spent the night in some wet hay when they finally found land. As I read this tale I thought, "what in the world would I have done with my children?" Maybe that is the appeal of reading stories like that-- you ask yourself what would I do given that situation. I would hope that I wouldn't panic and be able to figure out what to do with my family, but I can't fathom the terror if I was faced with something like that... So, that is why we don't live on the coast. As fascinating as a hurricane is, I prefer it from a distance-- let the reporters see their lives pass before their eyes. I can watch and be amazed from home!