Moshiach Times...

Hurricane Sandy, now dubbed by meteorologists the hybrid "Post Tropical Cyclone" has superseded anything I was going to write about, although my daughter's visit from Israel to the States was one of the topics under consideration.  But this storm became monstrous, and has,
unfortunately, intertwined with her visit.


She is now stranded at her cousin's apartment in New York City, without power, on the sixth floor.  They weren't worried when I spoke to them yesterday morning: they live in what was designated "beyond Area C," not expecting many problems and not expecting power outages.  Area A was the area in the direct line of the hurricane and closest to the ocean: lower Manhattan--the Battery Park area, which was under a mandatory evacuation.

In this photo it looks as if the sea is coming in and taking over the land, which it is, at high tide in Battery Park.


But as I stated above, my niece, her husband and my daughter who was staying with them (her sister Toodles saw her for only one day--she had to fly out on a business trip, and because all flights were cancelled, decided to fly to her main office in Florida), lives beyond Area C--considered far enough away from the danger zone that nothing should have happened.  Or so she thought.  But they didn't anticipate a transformer exploding on 14th Street in Manhattan.  So far as I am aware, there is no power from 34th Street and lower, and Con Edison has no clue when power can be restored.

My daughter is now stranded on the sixth floor with no power.  The only way she can reach street level is by her cousin-in-law and cousin--or neighbors who are linebackers--lifting her in her wheelchair down six flights of stairs.  And then she has to find a cab to take her to the airport on Thursday, in order to fly here to be with us out West.  She was supposed to arrive here yesterday morning.

My daughter really missed New York and wanted to stay there longer.  Now she's sick, maybe with bronchitis, and forced to stay there under not-so-great conditions (she got her wish).  I am hoping she will be able to fly out on Thursday.

One of the places she visited was Ground Zero, a few days into her trip.  This is what it looked like when the hurricane finished with it.  A hole in the ground.  With water.


You can see more astounding photos here.

I was born and raised in New York City.  I have never seen it like this.  Ever.  Some say, all these brutal natural disasters occuring so frequently, plus all the horrific mass murders that are happening--not to mention Iran on the verge of acquiring the capability of nuclear weapons--are a sign that the End Is Nigh.  Moshiach Times.  I don't know.  Perhaps it's just that in the information age, we have global information at our fingertips and are instantly informed, through our PCs, our smartphones, and our tablet computers.

Just the same, a note to my Jewish readers: keep your passports updated and betokef...

Comments

Norma said…
I'm sorry that your daughter has had to endure this too with her illness, and I know it is a worry for you.
5:34 PM
Lady-Light said…
Norma: Thank you so much for your concern. Yes, I am worried-I'm a worrier in general. I spoke to her today and on top of everything else, she is sick--bronchitis--barely able to talk between coughs. She is on antibiotics. When she gets here I just want her to stay in bed and rest, until it all blows over (bad metaphor, under the circumstances).
4:13 PM
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