Thoughts on Irene and Vacation
While sitting in the dark last Saturday evening with my daughter, an old classic song by Huddie Ledbetter later popularized by Willie Nelson and others came to mind. The song, “Good Night, Irene” at one point encouraged listeners to stay home with family. Our storm, Hurricane Irene, that arrived in Pennsylvania on Saturday and continued into Sunday certainly did that. If there was any one place where we hoped to be safe it was home with family when the winds raged, the power went out, and we waited. The power blew about 9:00 pm and was restored about 5:00 am. In the meanwhile I listened to the wind through the trees, ventured a few times out to the back patio, and hoped that the huge sycamore in my back yard would not lose a sizeable limb or two. It did not.
We, in West Chester, were in better shape than many on the east coast, even better than many in Philadelphia where Kelly Drive along the Schuylkill was drowned in flood waters, or in New Jersey where some boardwalks were washed away. We were better off than North Carolina coastal residents where, even on Monday, thousands are reported stranded on Cape Hatteras Island or New York City or Vermont when the storm travelled up the coast.
A recorded message came first from West Goshen Township earlier Saturday and then later a recorded message with precautions from Mayor Comitta in West Chester Borough where I live which included telephone numbers to call for emergency help and for reported loss of electricity. There was practical advice in riding out the storm that I found helpful.
I thought we have an interesting double standard toward government at all levels in America. We complain about it often, are resistant to pay for it, and then hope that it will always be there to pull us through whenever the need arises.
Irene’s storm had immediately followed our one vacation of the year, out to Utah and then down through the desert to visit my sister in Las Vegas, NV. We returned on Friday.
Our visit to Salt Lake City was especially enjoyable. The stroll through the majestic buildings and gardens at Temple Square gave a sense of the past and of faith in the future. Our tour guide in Salt Lake City pointed to the state’s growing economy as a business friendly state. He noted construction of the new federal courthouse and the number of new jobs expected. I wondered whether the projected courthouse construction and jobs would weather the recent federal debt ceiling compromise with its major spending cuts. Would the economy also continue to grow as well if the breaks were put on government spending there.
Salt Lake City brought reminders of West Chester. We had dinner our last evening in town at the “Market Street Grill” except it was in Salt Lake City and not on Market Street in West Chester. We passed “Jimmie Johns” on the way which is a chain of Utah restaurants, not on Route 322 South of West Chester. They did not advertise their great hot dogs. A “Philly Steaks” place did not seem as intriguing when we read the ingredients Utah lunch shop owners thought went into Philly Cheesesteaks. I guess you have to be from here to make a real Philly Cheesesteak.
Our vacation had been saved from the very beginning by Patty Jefferis at Whirlaway Travel, our West Chester travel agent. When we waited at Philadelphia International Airport the morning of our departure, the Airport closed for a severe electrical storm. Then, when it reopened, our flight was turned back to the terminal for mechanical problems and then cancelled. I quickly called Patty and, while in line before I reached the employee at the counter, she rebooked us on another flight. All around us people were upset since they would have to wait until the next day to fly. A woman asked how I was doing. When I told her my travel agent rebooked us, she said “You’re lucky. I booked on line.”
On a sad note, my sister, who is a nurse at a Las Vegas hospital, told me of the homeless situation there including thousands of homeless children with their families. She is looking to help. There is much to be grateful for here and much work to make things better. It is also good to be home again.
For more, listen to “50+ Planning Ahead” a weekly radio program on WCHE 1520 on every Wednesday from 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm with Janet Colliton, Colliton Law Assocs., PC, and Phil McFadden of Home Instead Senior Care.
About the Author Janet Colliton
Esquire, Colliton Law Associates, P.C. Janet Colliton has practiced law for over 38 years, 37 of them in Chester County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. Her practice, Colliton Law Associates, PC, is limited to elder law, Medicaid, including advice, applications and appeals, and other benefits planning including Veterans benefits, life care and special needs planning, guardianships, retirement, and estate planning and administration.