Wicked storm last night! Thunder crashing as loud as I've ever heard it. Rain beating down hard enough to crush plants, and wind strong enough to uproot small trees.  
But the worst of it was the small river coming down from the hills: it flooded...badly. Dozens of houses filled with water and mud and debris, up to 5 ft high, causing total loss of household goods.  

There is no credit around here (that's not a hundred percent true, but what there is costs you 30% interest or more). Everything is on a cash basis. So unless you have money in the bank, you're now on the poverty list, waiting for handouts for food, clothing, household goods. Life goes on...these people will survive...but will they ever recover their previous life? If they're young enough...maybe. If they are older, they'll have to live in even poorer comfort than what they had (which wasn't much to begin with; but at least they had a roof over their heads). There are few well to do people in this town. Even the nicest businesses are a bit shabby. Everybody will give something - and I suppose if you put it all together it'll be enough to get people back on their feet. Let us pray this is so.  

No internet today - modem burned out by the storm. All I can do is read. Very thankful for Kindle!  
 

 
Tried for sunset pics.  
 

 


Started out mostly cloudy, but then the sun broke through, sort of. 

 
    



 
Tried to get a shot of this bird with his wings spread out, but he wouldn't hold them out long enough. Terrible model. As bad as kids.  

 
Waited 'til dark, then went to the little store: got coke, bread, paper towels. $3.35 - budget's looking pretty good these days. (Kind of has to: my company pension doesn't kick in 'til the end of Oct - my choice: I'll get a little extra each month this way - and the money I had put away to keep me going until then is going pretty fast.)  

The storm cooled things off a little bit, but the humidity is still high. Going to read a little bit, then off to bed.  



(completed Oct 21)