Post Hurricane Matthew and we are slowly returning to “normal”.

The kids have one more day off of school.   The total number of days to make up due to inclement weather so far this year:  5.

It will be weeks before tree debris is cleared out of neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods are checker boards of properties with missing, partially missing or severely leaning fences, granting new vistas all over town.  A little weird.  A little cool.

Our dog (and many others)  will be leash walked instead of enjoying his backyard to run and sniff and dig at will.

Sooner than we planned, our home renovation will begin with our master bedroom since a small part of the carpet sustained water damage from water seeping up through the ground.  For now, we’ll get an area rug to cover the concrete rectangle that used to have carpet.

Electricity has been restored to our city, although there are still areas nearby that are out; it is coming along though and for the most part people seem to be getting the hang of 4-way stops at the non-functioning traffic lights.

Our refrigerators and freezer are sparkly clean and slowly filling back up with replaced food.

Our garage has been purged and shelves re-organized.

The inconveniences have been truly just inconvenient.  Yes, they will cost money to repair; money that had not been earmarked yet, but somehow, I have faith it will all work out.  It always does.  The “damage” we sustained was so ridiculously minor to others in our neighborhood, area and state  as well as in in the other states that hosted our unwanted guest, Matthew; that it doesn’t even bear complaining about.  Blessed.  We are so blessed.

I do know we are dealt our hand, which we have little to no control over, what we do with that hand is completely on us.

The storm gave us an opportunity to hunker down with all  of our kids through the meat of the storm, even playing Monopoly for an hour or more until we were all tired of it.  And Clue.  And Gin Rummy.  And I really am not a game player.

We had plenty of food and snacks and down time.

So now we return to normal.  Back to the election nausea.  Projects due on Wednesday at school.  Homecoming week (now 3 days).  Laundry.  Schedules.  Life.

It’s all good.