Mainly Jane

At least mine did.

With our vacation in Connecticut seriously compromised by Hurricane Irene, Michael was my hero. The house we’ve been renting lost power and phone, and we were desperate to make our escape and get food and water after the storm passed on Sunday, not to mention be able to use our cell phones to call family and friends.

We got into the rental car and slowly made our way up the driveway – only to find this.

A large pine had fallen and was blocking our escape. Trapped! The grassy area to the right of the downed tree was much too soggy to drive over; we would have gotten suck in the muck for sure.

“What now?” I said, weary and wishing I could fly back to California.

“I think I spotted a saw in the garage,” said Michael.

“Really?” I said. When I rent somebody’s house, I notice things like dishes and glassware and sheets, not saws.

“Yeah,” he said and off he went, slogging through the mud back to the house.

Minutes later he returned with a saw that looked like it would be as effective for freeing us as a butter knife.

But Michael was on a mission. It took forever but he managed to make a cut in one section of the tree, then started on another.

Eventually, he was victorious and we were able to get out. Somehow. If only the roads had been clear when we did get out. We were thwarted at every turn and went back to the house to sit in the dark and eat cold blueberry pie.

We’re still waiting for the power to come back on, but it could be awhile. In the meantime, I have new respect for Paul Bunyan Michael.