The Latest

Our town looked like a science fiction movie today.  Trailers, trucks, dumptrucks, flatbeds, one after another, hauling loads of evergreen boughs and massive branches to a temporary dumpsite.  The Utah National Guard was activated to assist in the cleanup.  Most LDS church meetings were cancelled and the time was spent sawing, loading and hauling.  Almost everyone had piles and piles of debris waiting to be picked up by city crews, but with another wind storm predicted for tonight, the fear was flying debris.  Big, dangerous debris.  The Herculean effort to remove all the fallen trees was remarkable.  I picked up Scott and Ari at the airport at 1:00 and Scott came home, put on a coat and went right out to join Golda and Ruby with one of the crews in our neighborhood.  They worked their way from one street to another, stacking and loading wood.  I can't even believe what they were able to accomplish.  I bet hundreds of trees were removed just in our neighborhood.  Check out the photo gallery on this link.

I really wanted to be out there helping, but seriously?  I hurt my back carrying a crock pot to Tiffany's party last night.  I did make about 20 sweet pork burritos and my dad and I handed them out to Scott's crew along with water bottles.  Neighbors handed out hot chocolate, trail mix, hot dogs, Gatorade, power bars, casseroles...Everyone helped.  Nobody sat around waiting for help to come to them.

Now, most of the kids are at Ryan and Jennie's and Scott, Ari, Ptolemy and I are at the office with Coco and Bill.  Almost everyone has power restored except us.  Oh well...we're OK.  We're great!  It's been exciting to see the spirit of unity, cooperation and self-reliance in our community.  Incredible!