A Very Strange Day

I awoke early to bring Alanna to daycare and then head to Westchester for a few days to visit my sister. I have not seen her since she had her little boy Alexander in May.

It was pouring, and I did not relish the thought about driving nearly 2 hours in the rain. I listened to the forecast, and tomorrow sounded no better, so I figured, how bad can it be?

I periodically encountered mist and light rain on my trip until I hit the Hutchinson River Parkway. The sky got as black as ink, and looked very surreal. The heavens opened up, and thankfully I was able to navigate the roads in spite of the heavy rain. I could not read the signs but knew my way well enough. As I neared another split, I saw it was barricaded. Panic. I pulled off the side of the road and promptly called my sister for directions from the Cross County. I got lost once in Yonkers and the Bronx many years ago for hours, and did NOT want to repeat that experience.

My sister had been trying to call me on my cell which I do not turn on when I am driving. It is illegal to talk on a cell phone in NY unless you have an earpiece, which I don't have. She was trying to reach me to tell me that many of the roads to get to her were flooded from torrential rains.

I managed to get there just fine, but my sister was besides herself as the daycare flooded and closed for the day, as we had the 2 year old and the 2 month old, and her husband had still not left for the city.

Neither one of her children napped all day, which was unusual as normally they take long naps, especially the baby. So we played and rocked, and went for a ride when the rain stopped.

She got a phone call from Peter who said he was going to be late. She was upset as he would not get to see the children before bed, but so be it. A little while later he called to ask us to please go on the Internet to find out why there were heaps of firetrucks and police cars in front of Grand Central. Turns out there was a steam pipe explosion, which claimed one life and injured many others, and he had missed it by having to work late.

I am sure that scenes from 9/11 raced through their minds as she could not find nor contact Peter for a long time that day: he worked and lived downtown. The both of them were marooned in NY and were terrified much like many NYers.

All ended fine. Peter managed to get a train out, later than sooner, but he arrived safely. He was spared experiencing the blast by fate...

Both Mary and I agreed that the energy of the day was very strange, and even the children seemed affected by it. I am glad the day is over. I am sitting in my 12 year old niece's room (she is away) and am surrounded by the comfort of stuffed animals, books, and clothes. Tonight's picture is of the light in her room by which I type, golden and warm, and give thanks for all of our safety on such a strange day.

Patti