Not much of a story.

Up and down the east coast of America people will be relating their tales of Irene. This hurricane will be the primary topic of conversation for weeks. Anything that effects so many would be. That is only human nature.

I have no big tale to tell. Irene, I'm glad to report, did little to directly effect me. I never even lost electrical power. My satellite television did flicker in and out but remained functioning 90% of the time. I was both amazed and thankful. Many others were not nearly as fortunate.

The day following this event I did go out and take some snapshots. A large limb down here and debris strewn about. The most remarkable by far was the flooding of the river. I have not heard what the height of the cresting was but it had to be considerable. Two roads were rendered impassable. They still are as of this writing.

The towns waste treatment plant was flooded. It is located fairly close to the river and was overwhelmed. The expense to repair that will be considerable. Service was not interrupted. Why our sewage system even functions at this point is a good question. I'm surprised the entire system isn't backed up. I'm grateful that it is not.

Almost everyone over the age of ten will remember this event. It will enter our collective memories. Stories told and pictures shared. As in all storms of this magnitude some suffer terrible loss while others are relatively unaffected. Over time and the telling and retelling of stories this storm will undoubtedly grow in force. The tales will be embellished just a bit as well.

I think it is our need to join in the conversation,to be a part of it all, that leads to this. A branch that falls in our yard becomes a massive oak. The cresting of the river grows in stature. Our personal experiences made,shall we say, a bit more interesting. I have no big tale to tell. I will have to be content to listen. Funny how on one level you can be happy that you suffered no damage or loss and yet on another secretly wish you had some great tale to tell.

Hurricane Irene has come and gone. Greensboro has been relatively spared. It could have been a lot worse. The clean up has begun and things will be back to normal in a few days. Life goes on. The spirit of man unbroken.

the river hadn't fully crested at this point

So let me see, it was the height of the storm. The wind was gusting and the rain pounding on my windows. The satellite lost its' signal and the picture went blank ! It was a tense moment my friends. That is about as bad as Irene got for me. Not much of a story is it ? I am grateful.