Kim's Thoughts
Just a few thoughts I feel worthy of jotting down!
Recovery…Renewal…And Life Goes On
It has been two months and four days since the devastating tornado ripped through our town and a week and a day since I took my tumble at the movie theater in Cary. Both seem like forever ago. The two events, of course, can not be compared in any way, but both are evidence that things can happen in a split second that stop you in your tracks and both are evidence that life, indeed, does go on. Recovery and renewal abound.
As I drove through town yesterday, it was a pleasure to see the Lowes Home Improvement store – the one that made national news after the tornado of April 16th turned it into a pile of twisted steel and debris – actually looks like it is almost a Lowes Home Improvement store again. The company dug right in and cleared the lot and started rebuilding. They anticipate the opening of the new Lowes in the fall. Then, I read in the paper this weekend that the Tractor Supply Store across the street has decided to rebuild and will likely reopen by the end of the year, as well. Although there is still a lot going on and a lot to do – clean up efforts, rebuilding, and donations to help those who lost so much that day, Sanford has picked itself up by the boots straps and is moving on. I’m sure the reopening of Lowes will be a big event for our town. Although it never diminished the horror of the many homes that were gone in a flash and the impressive way the city pulled together to start the recovery process as quickly as the devastation occurred, it was the defining picture of the storm, so it will surely be a defining picture of renewal when it reopens.
And there is new growth, as well. The long anticipated opening of a Chick-fil-A in Sanford will be a reality this week. For as long as I can remember, a free-standing Chick-fil-A has been on every “wish list” I’ve ever seen for Sanford. I say “free-standing” because we DO have a Chick-fil-A in Sanford, but it is in the hospital cafeteria and not so easy to just run by and grab one of their famous chicken fillet sandwiches. It will be quite an accomplishment to have one with a full menu and a drive thru and right there in the middle of the WalMart plaza parking lot! Woo Hoo!
As for my tumble last Sunday……I gave in and went to Urgent Care on Monday and the doc confirmed I had a cracked rib. So, I’ve had a very painful week. For some reason, the anti inflammatory meds were helping a lot until Friday, when I had a major set back and could barely move or breathe! But, I took it easy over the weekend and didn’t do anything to stress it – something I should have done the beginning of the week – and now it feels like it is recovering quite nicely. Oh, it is still very tender and reminds me if I turn just right or cough or sneeze, but for the most part, it is obviously on the mend. I considered going to the movies to see “Mr. Popper’s Penguins” this weekend, but pictured myself getting to the door of the theater and freezing in fear and turning to run screaming from the memory of the “accident”! hahahaha Seriously, I just decided to lay low this weekend and will likely go see this movie in a week or two.
And so, life goes on……….make the most of every moment for you never know when life will throw you a curve ball!
Weekend Movie Reviews
So, the weekend wasn’t a total disaster! Yes, there was the unfortunate trip to Cary (see the next post for details – I really want to just forget it and not repeat it here). But, overall, it was a nice weekend. I started out Saturday morning with a great couple of hours pool side with some friends at a baby shower to celebrate a soon to be born little boy. I did some shopping, made a delicious tuna noodle casserole to feed a craving I had for one, and saw two good movies. I actually went to the theater to see the movies – first time in a very long time. The cost of going to a theater has gotten so high and there haven’t been any come out that I felt I couldn’t wait for Netflix to get them, so I have pretty much stopped a once routine favorite pastime. But, I decided to treat myself this weekend. The first one I saw was “Bridemaids” on Saturday afternoon – I have been toying with the thought of seeing this one since they first started promoting it. Then, today, I saw “Midnight in Paris” – I stumbled on this one this afternoon and it caught my interest.
Like I said, from the first trailer I saw of this film, I wanted to see it. But, I was dragging my heels because I was reluctant to spend the money to see it at the theater only to find out I wish I had waited for Netflix. I was driving by the entrance to the theater Saturday on my way back from the baby shower and suddenly thought I should swing through and see what they had to offer. When I saw this one was still showing here and it was about to start, I decided to give in and see it.
“Bridesmaids” stars Kristen Wiig as Annie and Maya Rudolph as Lillian, who are life long best friends. Annie’s love life is sort of like a train wreck and Lillian is newly engaged. Lillian asks Annie to be her maid of honor and that’s where the fun begins. One of the other bridesmaids, Helen, is Lillian’s fiance’s boss’s wife and a new friend of Lillian’s. Starving to be the center of attention, Helen takes over everything and throws her plentiful cash around to ensure all the plans that Annie is trying to make go Helen’s way! Most of the funniest scenes are in the trailers, but there are enough other surprises to make it still funny and worth seeing. One disastrous event after another make this one of the funniest journeys from engagement to wedding day ever! Through it all, the characters find love and the true meaning of friendship and how to make life work out for the best. A strong cast and well put together story line result in my rating of A- for this movie. I recommend it for a girl’s night out and a good belly laugh!
“Midnight in Paris” has been under the radar for me. I haven’t seen any trailers or heard anything about it. When I decided to go to Cary, today, I scanned the movies that were playing and stumbled onto this one. I really like Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams and was impressed by the story. So, I added it to my plans for the day.
This is the story of Gil (Wilson) who is engaged to Inez (McAdams). They are in Paris with Inez’s parents, who are there with the Dad’s business. Gil is a screen writer who is attempting to write his first novel. He is a hopeless romantic and dreams of 1920’s Paris, wishing he could live in Paris to fuel his artistic creativity. Gil and Inez have very little in common and she constantly says things to criticize him and come off as apologizing for him. Some friends of Inez just happen to also be in Paris and they start to spend a lot of time with them. Since Gil doesn’t particularly like the friends, in particular the guy, he starts taking long walks through the Paris streets at night to gain inspiration for his book. He gets lost and sits on a stoop to gather his thoughts. When an old fashioned car comes along with a bunch of people dressed in flapper outfits calling to him to come join them, he is intrigued enough to go along for a ride. And what a ride it is. He finds himself at a party with music, literary, and art icons like Cole Porter, F Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker, Gertrude Stein, and Pablo Picasso. He leaves the party to go get his manuscript so that he can get some of their opinions of it and finds himself back in current time and the place where the party was is actually a closed laundry mat. He goes back to the stoop each night at midnight and the same car comes along to pick him up and take him back to 1920s Paris to hob nob with the friends he met the first night as well as others, such as Matisse, TS Eliot, Gauguin, and more. His adventures change his life and his relationship with Inez.
It is a fascinating story full of fun and adventure. Gil’s dreams come to life and he finds his inner creativity. I rate this one a solid A+ and highly recommend it. I should probably knock off a little from the rating because the movie just sort of ends abruptly and leaves you wanting much more and has too many loose ends, but I won’t because the rest of the movie makes up for it, by far.
I HATE Cary!!!!
Ok, so the title is a little misleading and not totally accurate. I don’t really “hate” Cary – there are a lot of cool things in Cary and if you want some of the more specialized shopping, you really have to go there. I really like what the Cross Roads Shopping Center area has to offer and really like Cary Towne Center. But, what I really dislike (I won’t say hate, again) is getting around in that whole area. I have never – yes, never is the correct word to use here – not even once – ever gone up there but what I left totally sorry I went! I typically have a specific reason for going and rarely go just to “go”. I almost always accomplish what I went for, but I still leave frustrated and irritated! My biggest problem is the layout of traffic flows – both on the streets and in the shopping center areas. No matter where you are, you can’t get to where you want to be without going 100 miles out of your way to get there – you can see where you want to go and you may even be right in front of it, but, unless you’re damn lucky, you will have to drive around the world to get to it! And wherever you go, you have to go in the wrong direction, first, and then get turned around to the correct direction! It is INSANE!!! The directionally challenged should never be allowed to drive around in that area alone……….and I am a prime example!
So, today I wanted to take a drive up there to go to BJs and Best Buy. I was pleasantly surprised that the traffic wasn’t too bad. I went to Best Buy, first. I bought a Kindle – I’ve been tempted to get one for quite some time and finally decided to do it. Then, I went to BJs and stocked up on some things there. From BJs, I went to Sweet Tomatoes for a late lunch of a delicious salad. I also planned to see a movie that started at 4:50 at the theater in Cross Roads Shopping Center. When I got done with lunch, I had some time to kill and realized I left Sanford without gassing up and I was just about on empty. So, I set out to find a gas station. I wanted to find one on a corner so that I could get back in the direction I needed to be in. I thought there was one just up from where I left Sweet Tomatoes, but it was quite a bit further than I thought. I made a U-turn to get to it only to find out it was CLOSED!!! So, I got back on the street to go a little further in the opposite direction. After not finding any other gas station and time was ticking to the movie, I decided to go back in the other direction again. I found one a way’s past where the other one was, so I pulled in and got gas. But, as I was leaving, I discovered that, although it was on a corner, I was only able to make a right hand turn and wasn’t able to head back towards the movie theater. So, I turned right and then left at the next stop light. I pulled into a parking lot to turn around so I could get back on the main street to head back in the right direction. It wasn’t long before I realized I had no clue where I was and absolutely nothing looked familiar! The street signs said the street name was one I’d never heard of and then, suddenly, I was at the intersection of Tryon Road. I knew that was wrong! So, I back tracked to see if I could figure out where in the hell I was and how I could get to the movie theater! I found the parking lot I used to turn around in and discovered I just went the wrong way and was soon on the right track! But, it was 4:45 and traffic was really starting to pick up. And, of course, every stop light had a “Kim’s coming, turn red” sensor in it! Uuuggghhh! By now, my blood pressure is through the roof and I’m cussing at every light and car in my way!
I made it to the theater at 4:55. I thought, that’s OK – they usually show a 1/2 hour worth of previews, which I generally really enjoy, so it won’t be a big deal to get there 5-10 minutes after start time. Um, nope – not this time! I walked into the theater and the movie was already playing – but, I was fine – couldn’t have missed much more than a couple of minutes. Guess what happens next? I walk into the dark theater. I stand there for a minute to let my eyes adjust. I carefully walk up the steps to the second row and turn in to take the first seat so that I don’t have to go too far in the dark. What I soon discover is that I am on the transition step – not the one that is the walkway for that row! I step towards the seat and there is nothing there to step on and I fall flat on my face on the floor between row 1 and row 2! As I went down, I caught the top of the back seat in front of me with my rib cage! The girl sitting in the seat turned around to see if I was OK. I wasn’t sure that I was, but was too embarrassed to say so – I just said, yes and apologized for falling on her. I got up and sat in my seat. The good news is that I was late, so I didn’t buy any popcorn or drink – if I had, I (and the girl in front of me) would have been wearing it!!!! I sat silently crying and wincing in pain while I tried to figure out what was going on in the movie. It didn’t take long to realize that I could barely move my arm or shift in my seat without causing intense pain in my ribs! After sitting there through the entire movie, I had all I could do to stand up. I have a sore right wrist and right ankle – both of which must have twisted as I fell – a very tender right shoulder, and the entire right side of my chest is traumatized – front and back and side from just under my shoulder down to my waist! I’m half convinced I may have cracked a rib or two. I can’t get up from a sitting position, bend over, twist, reach, cough, sneeze, or laugh without bringing tears to my eyes!!!! No visible bruising, though!
So, I got everything I went for and saw what turned out to be a really good movie, but got lost, irritated, and injured in the process! Yes, I’ll say it again – I HATE CARY!!!!
Don’t Worry, Be Happy
Found this video a little while ago and the girls have been frolicking and following me around the house as I danced and sang this song from room to room……they get so excited when I dance and sing! That’s the difference between 4-legged babies who love and get happy over every little thing you do and 2-legged kids who get embarrassed by every little thing you do……hehehe! Anyway – just thought I’d share my mood and maybe you’ll sing and dance around your house, too!
Have fun……and be happy!!!!
Strange Dream
I had another of my famously strange dreams this morning. I went to bed early last night because I was so tired. Then, about 4:30 I was wide awake. The girls thought it was morning and wanted to go out to take care of business, so I got up and on the computer. After about an hour, we all went back to bed to finish the night and try to sleep in – after all, it was Saturday! Some time between going back to bed and waking up again at 8:00, this dream happened…….one of the oddest I think I’ve ever had!
So, this is how it went. I was in a meeting that wasn’t going well. I didn’t recognize any of the people in the meeting, but they all seemed to dislike me a LOT and weren’t paying any attention to my presentation and as soon as it was over, they bolted out the door without any reaction or interaction with me at all. I stood there in shock and started to get upset. Two ladies I didn’t recognize came up to talk to me. We acted like we knew each other very well and I told them how upset I was and I started crying. They went into a rant about how I should just forget about “those idiots” and chalk it up to ignorance. I started feeling better and grabbed one of the donuts left on the tray from the meeting. I bit into it and noticed what looked like a string inside. As I looked closer, I could see it was moving. I immediately spit out the bite that was in my mouth. The ladies looked closely as I pulled it out of the donut and discovered a very large worm and it was ALIVE and wiggling around! We all shuddered and were sickened at the thought that it was in the catered meeting food! About half way down this large worm (and when I say large, I mean LARGE – it was easily 2-3 feet long and as big around as tube of chapstick) there was a bulge. The skin of the worm was stretched very thin and we could see through it to see what was causing the bulge. It was a tiny piglet! Apparently, the worm ate this baby piglet and it wasn’t digested, yet. (yes, I know – worms don’t eat stuff like that, but this one did and it is my dream, so that surely explains it!) So, we just happened to have a scalpel handy and I very carefully sliced open the worm’s skin to retrieve the piglet. It was very tiny — as oddly small as the worm was oddly large — it was barely over an inch long and maybe 1/2 as big around as it was long – just round enough to create an obvious bulge in the large worm. When I got the piglet out, it was all curled up and felt warm to the touch. I put my finger on the chest and felt a very faint heart beat! It was alive – barely! We all got happy and excited that we just may have saved the little piglet’s life! We talked quickly about what we should do. I said that I should take it to Dr. Cindy – she’ll know what to do! So, I wrapped it in a wash cloth and ran to All Animals Veterinary Hospital and told them I had an emergency for Dr. Cindy! Dr. Cindy confirmed the piglet was still alive, but in distress. She said they would do what they could and that she was hopeful that they could save it. She said I needed to decide what I wanted to do with the piglet if it lives. Without any thought at all, I said “of course, I’ll take it home and raise it!” I woke up just about that moment………not sure if the piglet survived, but I’m glad I woke up before I totally committed to bringing a pig home to live with me and the girls! Can’t imagine how THAT would have gone!!! haha
Alarm Clocks Are EVIL
I hate alarm clocks…….there, I said it! They are intrusive, irritating, and mean! They are EVIL! They jolt me awake long before I am ready and quite often interrupt a dream I would prefer not get interrupted. And to make matters worse, most of the time they wake me to the sound of some obnoxious song I don’t particularly like that then ends up playing over and over and over in my head ALL DAY LONG!!!! But, the alternative is that ear-piercing repetitive BEEPING sound that just grates on my nerves and starts my day off feeling totally violated.
But, much to my dismay, they are a necessary evil. I do have an internal alarm clock and three four-legged alarm clocks that tend to not allow me to sleep much past 7:00 am, but they all aren’t always dependable – and I do have to be sure I get up early enough to shake off the sleepiness, get a shower and do other primping and prepping, let the girls do their business, feed the girls, goof around checking emails and Facebook, read the paper, and get to work on time. When I don’t get up early enough to do all those things, I start the day feeling rushed and disorganized.
I do, however, have a favorite part of the alarm clock that I find rather rewarding……..the snooze button. I slap that button the first 4 or 5 times the alarm goes off so that I feel like I’m being defiant and telling the alarm clock that I am still the boss and I tell IT when I’m going to get up! It is my little way of privately showing off my disobedient and naughty side each day. But, the last couple of days I have been less in love with my snooze button.
Sunday night, I noticed that my alarm clock’s LED was acting funky. It no longer displayed the time in a readable manner. I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in. I tried resetting it. Nothing made the time show up properly. Then, I tried just seeing if the alarm would come on by hitting that button that allows you to check it for sound. Nothing! I tried turning on the radio portion – again, nothing! So, I came to the realization that my alarm clock DIED! My first thought was to dance around the room singing “Ding, Dong, the witch is dead”, but soon sprung back to reality and the fact that I needed that witch to work the next morning.
I got out a small travel alarm clock I bought some time ago, but have never used, and set it and went to sleep. I figured it will do until I can get to the store to buy a new regular alarm clock. When the time came for it to go off on Monday morning, I was pleasantly surprised – the sound that woke me up was a low tone steady beep – not that usual blaring or clanging sound that comes from most non-music alarm clocks. I smiled and hit the snooze (hey, the sound may have been more pleasant, but I was still going to steal those extra minutes). Then the reason for the snooze button’s fall from grace happened. The alarm clock went off again and I thought “that didn’t feel like 8 minutes to me”! When I looked at the time, only FOUR minutes had passed! REALLY???? Four minutes????? What kind of snooze session is that? You can’t even get comfortable again in four minutes!!! After a couple of those, I just give in and get out of bed – no sense in lying there hitting that thing every four minutes.
So, I will be making sure I get out there and buy a new alarm clock………anyone know of one that I can program to only go off when a song I don’t mind having play in my head all day is playing?
Planning For The Future
Planning for the future can be a complicated topic. It means different things for different people. It even could mean different things for the same person at different times in their life or in certain circumstances. Future planning can include events like birthday parties, where to go on vacation, what college to attend, who and when to marry, family size, career aspirations, and ultimately, retirement. Some people are casual planners and some take planning very seriously and put a lot of time and effort into it. And, then, there are those who rarely plan for anything and just take things as they come.
I, for one, am a serious planner. When I need to make a decision or plan for something, I research it to death and think it through to the Nth degree. That’s not to say that I am indecisive or have difficulty putting a plan together. Quite the contrary. I find thinking it through and understanding all the variables helps me come to an informed decision that I am comfortable with and the result is a plan that I can live with and rarely run into a curve ball that I’m not prepared for.
That being said, I have been giving a lot of thought to my future lately – in particular what I want to do in regard to my retirement, which is still a way off, but something I really need to start serious planning for. I don’t know if it is because of certain things that are going on in my life and my family or if it is just something that most people start to do at my age, but I came to the realization that I needed to start making plans and acting on them – regardless of how far off I think actual retirement may be. I’ve known for several years that if I couldn’t talk Mom into moving down here, I would eventually move back up to my home town to be near her. But, lately, it has become so much more than that – an intense feeling that I need to make the move and make it work – a sense of belonging. It is obvious to me that it is time to set some wheels in motion. So, the end result has been decided, which is a big load off my mind! The only part that is still unknown and subject to several factors is the timing – when will the right time to retire be? Obviously, there are a lot of things that need to be considered and my finances are a huge piece of that! But, that’s OK – so long as I work towards the end goal and make progress along the way, the timing will work itself out when the time is right. I just don’t want to get to the point that the timing is right, but I’m not ready and have to push it out until I am ready! I’d much rather have everything in place and waiting for me! hahaha
I took a big step in the last few weeks to set some of those wheels in motion. One big detail needed to be worked out in my mind so that I knew how it fit into the over all plan. Do I wait and figure out the details of getting a house after I work the timing out or do I start figuring that out sooner rather than later, even if that might mean an unknown duration of maintaining two homes? The pros and cons are endless and took a lot of soul-searching and deep thought. So, in keeping with my tendency to research things to death, I decided to do some exploratory work while I was home on vacation the end of April. I thought it might help if I knew what types of homes were available in the area and what my money might get me – if and when I’m ready. So, I spent hours looking at realtor.com, trulia.com, and other web sites to see what was listed and the price ranges. Then, I contacted a high school friend who owns a real estate business in Albion to seek out some advice and gave him a long list of homes I wanted to go see while I was up on vacation. Even though I told him I wasn’t necessarily ready to consider actually buying anything, yet, he was great and spent a lot of time with me going over all the options. Between the homes he took me to see and some open houses I popped in on, I probably saw about 20 houses in a few short days! Intense! But, I got a real good sense of the market in the area and what I might be able to get in the price range I was thinking was right for me. What I wasn’t really prepared for was what I would do if I found something I really loved? It is really early in the plan, so do I jump on it or wait and see if something else comes along further into the plan?
Well, I did fall in love with a house – a very modern home with an amazing kitchen! So, the torment began — and so did the pros and cons lists! First, it was above the top end of the price range my calculations said I would be comfortable with, but still within my reach. Second, I wasn’t really sure I was ready — I was only exploring options with no intention of jumping in with both feet, just yet! It would be very tight financially for an undetermined duration. This was a huge decision! I wasn’t sure I was ready, but I couldn’t stand the thought of passing up this house and the potential of not finding something I’d love as much later on. So, I thought it through and after much consideration, I got pre-approved and put in an offer. But, it didn’t work out – just wasn’t in the cards – and I was so disappointed!
But, as fate would have it, the very day I finally decided to just walk away from that option, another house popped up on the web sites that caught my eye. It was totally different and not like any home that usually grabs me. But, I couldn’t stop looking at it – the pictures showed an adorable Cape Cod with bright, inviting rooms and what looked like a really good layout and flow from room to room and some really lovely features. Unfortunately, I was already back in NC, so couldn’t go see it in person. I asked my brother to go look at it and see if he thought it was something I should see for myself. He did and called me all excited and recommended I go see it. So, I booked a flight for a fast weekend trip. I instantly knew it was the one — the feeling was totally different from the “wow factor” I experienced in the other home — it was more like an “aaahhh, I’m home” feeling! Instant comfort! I had already gone through the “should I do it now” struggle, so it was an easy decision, this time. I could see myself in every corner of the house and imagined the potential for making it my own – I’m already decorating it in my head. It looks like a lovely cottage and I can’t imagine living anywhere else in my retirement years! So – I put in an offer and it was accepted! It was obviously meant to be – for it to be listed the very day I decided the other one just wasn’t in the cards – for me to feel so comfortable and at home in it – for the offer process to go so smoothly – for the “is it the right time” struggle to already be done – for the price to be so much more comfortable – it is the right home at the right time! Of course, until closing, there are things that could still go wrong and derail it. If that is the case, I will be crushed, but I’ll just keep looking and know that something else even better will come along………but, I sure hope it doesn’t come to that because this one is perfect!!! {coy smile}
So — here is the “sale pending” sign in front of my future home (my soon to be second home, until such time as I am ready to retire – however long that may take). Funny how a simple little sign can put such a huge smile on my face:
It takes a leap of faith…..
I am in the middle of making a life altering decision – one that I am not prepared to share at this time, but those who are closest to me and those involved in the process know what it is. I have a goal and a plan, but some of the details and in between stuff is a little out of my control. The out of my control part is what makes me nervous because this is huge and it is difficult to plan around variables that you can’t control. However, I am ultimately in control of the end result – I take comfort in that.
And……I have the faith, determination, and passion that can will make it work – no matter what twists and turns I may have to maneuver around. I have faced difficult life decisions in the past and, while they may not have always gone exactly as planned, the end result always worked out because I knew where I was going and basically how I wanted to get there. When I put my mind to something and want it bad enough……I make it work!
So, how am I preparing for and working through this decision? First, I made sure I had the end goal fixed – this has been known for quite some time, but I wasn’t sure until recently how I would make it happen and what time frame I was considering. Then, I went into research and planning mode – big time! Thinking every option through to the smallest detail. Spending many sleepless nights going over “what if” scenarios in my mind. Creating pros and cons lists upon pros and cons lists upon pros and cons lists. Then, I made my plans known to those who may be able to help with the variables, talked it through with family and friends who could help ensure I’m not overlooking something important, and relied on support and advice where appropriate. It has gotten a lot easier to work through since I stopped trying to think it through all on my own.
Now, I just need to work out a few little details before putting the first big ball into motion…….then, all I’ll need to do is tackle the variables as they come – with the same faith, determination, and passion that got me this far!
That first big ball is very scary…………………..and very exciting…………………and very important! I can’t wait to finish with the decisions needed to get it rolling so I can breathe again!
Puddles’ Story
Four years ago, today, my sweet Puddles left us to go dance with the Angels. I can still feel her soft fur on my cheek when I think of her and miss her terribly! Follow the link to read all about my precious angel and her amazing story – she was a treasured gem in my life!
https://kiminsanford.wordpress.com/2009/05/25/remembering-puddles/
Her Royal Highness,
The Princess Puddles Pritt
April 20, 2007 – 16 years, 4 months old
Terrified…..Heartbroken…..Grateful
As I stood out on my deck this morning watching the girls play in the yard, I looked up and noticed this gorgeous blue sky with birds singing in the trees and squirrels racing along the branches. So peaceful, so lovely, so calm! It brought the first smile to my face since a little before 3:00 pm yesterday. Until that moment, I had no smiles, no sense that the near future had any hope for peace and calm in this community. My emotions over the past 24 or so hours ran the gambit of terror, fear, sadness, compassion, and relief. My heart is breaking and, yet, I am eternally grateful.
Yesterday, our community was hit by a devastating tornado that resulted in lost homes, lost businesses, and lost lives. The day started out as a normal spring time Saturday morning and the only potential wrench in what should be a gorgeous day was the threat of some severe thunderstorms later in the afternoon. Regardless of the forecasted rain, people went about enjoying the day — shopping, errands, routine Saturday activities, community events – including the annual Broadway Our Way event in nearby Broadway, NC. But the day ended with mass destruction, fear, chaos, sirens, emergency rescue efforts, news helicopters, the National Guard, tears – lots of tears, blessings being counted………and a broken community coming together to assess what may be needed to overcome the wrath that nature bestowed upon us.
I am choosing to only post the picture of today’s beautiful blue sky in an attempt to remind myself and others that life does go on – even after something like this. But, I would also like to share the powerful photos in this link to a slide show put together by Sanford Herald photographer, Wesley Beeson – they show the devastation, but also the compassion and immediate “rush to aid” that was so impressive in the aftermath. Click here to see them!
As for me, I am OK! The storm pretty much stayed in the South Horner Blvd, Lee Avenue / Industrial Drive, and St. Andrews / Lemon Springs areas and then moved on out of our community to unleash more evil on the Raleigh area. When I saw WRAL’s Facebook post saying “Sanford, take cover NOW”, I gathered up the girls and shut us up in the small guest bathroom, which is the only room in my home that has no exterior walls. I have never been so afraid of a storm – I live in a solid house that is well-built and sturdy – I typically don’t get nervous or scared with the threat of storms, but the warnings of this one just felt different! I heeded the advice and took shelter in the bathroom that never felt so small until I was in it with the door shut and three dogs. I never lost power, but did lose internet and cable, so my access to news updates and information came via my iPhone’s Facebook app. When I emerged from my safe haven, I found that we and my neighborhood was spared – no damage, just signs of some minor leaf and limb debris and a very saturated yard from the massive rainfall. I am truly grateful to be able to say that and am heartbroken for those who can not say it! But, as heartbroken as I am, I didn’t cry last night – something I found very odd and disturbing! I am a very emotional person and cry at the least little thing that touches my heart – good or bad – so, why not over this? I wondered if it was because it hadn’t sunk in, yet – maybe hearing the reports and the few photos I saw didn’t make it seem “real” – maybe I was just too stunned. All that changed this morning when more photos came out and more reports were posted – I started to cry and couldn’t stop! I felt helpless! I had to be realistic – I am not physically able to get out there with a chainsaw or to pitch in to haul large debris in the clean up efforts. But, there was a lot more that was and still is needed – I dropped off a donation at the Lee County Red Cross and some food and cleaning supplies at a collection point at Lowes Foods. It is a small contribution to the overall help that is needed, but at least I did what I could and that helps me honor my pride in our community. Yesterday, right after everything settled down, I went out for a bit – I know I probably shouldn’t have ventured out, but my best friends are out-of-town and I couldn’t tell from the postings if their area was hit. So, I drove out to check out their home – thankfully, all was fine and I was able to call them and put their minds at ease.
So, as I reflected last night on what had occurred here and my personal experience, I found that I am blessed and grateful for many things. Some of them may seem trivial or self-centered in the grand scheme of things, but isn’t that what blessing counting is all about – recognizing the things in your life, big or small, that give you something to be grateful for and taking the time to consider them blessings to be counted? Here are some of the things that went through my mind during my time in the bathroom and throughout the evening that followed:
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I am so very grateful that the worst thing I personally had to endure was being terrified and locked up in a small bathroom with three dogs for an hour or so.
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I am grateful for Facebook for several reasons:
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the WRAL posting that made me realize this was to be taken seriously because there was a potential I could be in imminent danger!
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the postings of friends passing on information about what was going on
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the postings of friends saying they were OK
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I am grateful that my family lives 800+ miles away – WOW – that is the first time I EVER thought that!!! But, knowing they were all far away from the storm meant that I didn’t have to wonder if they were OK
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I am grateful that I had a slow start yesterday morning and didn’t get out and about as planned – I got up rather late, was slow to get motivated to do anything, and then got tied up and didn’t go out to do the things I had planned for Saturday. Popping in to Lowes and Big Lots were on my errand list and, if things had gone as planned, I likely would have been in one or the other or at least in the general vicinity right about the time the storm hit!!!!
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I am grateful that it happened in the middle of the day in broad daylight so that people could see what was coming and get to safety, where possible, and see to assess the situation immediately afterwards
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I am grateful for all the emergency responders who seemed to be there and working to care for those in need in a flash!
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I am grateful for my decision to purchase THIS house – not only because it is located in an area that didn’t get hit, but more so because one of the top three I was considering was located in the St. Andrews subdivision!!!
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I am grateful for the beautiful weather we are having today and over the coming week – it will help a lot as our community needs to get out there to clean up
Yes, I have a lot of blessings to count……..if you are counting your blessings today, as well, please consider sharing your time, money, supplies, comforting words or support, or prayers – whatever you can do that may help someone who has a few less blessings to count today! A lot is needed right away, but more will be needed as our community begins to rebuild. If considering a monetary donation, please be sure to donate directly to the Lee County NC Red Cross at 507 N. Steele Street to ensure the money stays here in Lee County and is applied to this disaster relief effort.
It is a sad weekend in Sanford, but I am so encouraged by the way everyone is pulling together and helping out in whatever way they are able……….shows the strength of character of a community and this community is overflowing with it!
Kim's Thoughts 
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