WWTBAM Bored

Okay, so maybe I'm a rarity, but today I love the Federal Emergency Management System. At this very moment, two huge trucks and some kind of bulldozer/lift are in front of my house, loading and hauling away the gigantic mound of broken branches that have been there since our early December ice storm. Technically, the trucks and crew don't belong to FEMA, but they are being paid by the city, which will be reimbursed by FEMA.

I went out to thank the work crew. They were surprised and delighted. One of them told me that they were more used to hearing that they missed twigs with their heavy equipment, or that they should come back and rake all the yards clean.

I laughed. I have a rake. The huge branches said "emergency." There is nothing left that so much as warrants a caution sign.

I can see my mail box again. It's lovely.

Very thoughtful of you to thank them. As you found out, it is pretty much a thankless job. The world could use more people like you who bother to show appreciation. Thanks!

We had floods here when I was away. My house would be the last to be flooded, so I forgot all about the floods.

I was at Home Depot soon after returning and there was FEMA, set up outside Home Depot. They were there to help those affected by the flood. They had forms to tell them what FEMA could help with.

I stopped to talk with them. They even asked me if I knew of anyone affected by the floods. They wanted to call them.

FEMA is okay in my book.

I say "Amen!" to all y'all who take a minute to show appreciation in a case like this.

One of my ex-SILs (not that I have so many, only two) was never particularly popular because of her quick temper coupled with a sharp tongue. However, there is a local plumber who still remembers her fondly after more than 20 years -- he was fixing a buried broken water pipe in their yard a couple days after Christmas, and she came out and said, "It's freezing out here! Come in and have a cup of hot coffee." He passed because he had to move on to the next fozen pipe but was warmed by the offer.

Not bashing FEMA, but the folks I really tried to thank were all the power company workers when they got us hooked back up after Katrina.