Sun Breaking Through

Sky over Amherst, 10/30 at 9:15 am

The power went out last night, and the power came back on about four hours later. At least that's what happened for some of us here in North Amherst. And from what we have heard, many parts of Amherst didn't lose power at all. So for local residents, Sandy has been what we were predicting all along - a storm not unlike many we tend to experience from time to time. Nothing at all like last year's Halloween storm, either in ferocity or official response. And for those of us still suffering (no joke) from a certain form of "PWSD" (Post Weather Stress Disorder) brought on by that Halloween storm, getting through Sandy unscathed was no small thing on either a physical or emotional level. Apparently having learned a thing or two since this exact time last year - and even then, I found the Town response to be reassuring - this time around the Town Manager gave advance notice as well as regular status updates, including tweeting power restoration projections up until power was restored last night and a "final" update 10 minutes ago. Altogether, our household was given advance "what to do in an emergency" notifications by the Town of Amherst, Comcast, WMECO, and UPS. Even one credit card company (that we are aware of) sent out a mass e-mail offering to eliminate late payment fees for anyone affected. So that's the good news around here.

We only wish everyone had been so fortunate. As we watch the footage of Sandy's impact to our south, our hearts go out to everyone affected. To our loved ones, and to people we have never met, here's hoping the sun breaks through soon, recovery goes smoothly, and you stay safe through it all.