What a week this was.  I don't know when I've felt TGIF more forcefully.  Let's recap, shall we?

When last we visited, we were getting ready for Sandy (it isn't a coincidence that my sister-with whom I have no contact since she has never liked let alone loved me- is named Sandy) and had battened down all the hatches and things.  I'd like to say the storm swept through but it wasn't a fast moving storm and we got a really good soaking.  We anticipated taking on water and had the pump ready.  The wind did minor tree damage but nothing major on our street.  We didn't even lose power except for a few blips.  All in all, not so terrible.

Not even close to what the coast of NJ and NY got.  The damage there is extreme and the clean up will take months and even years.  There is talk of restricting the building of homes and businesses on the barrier islands since the existing structures (well, they WERE existing a week ago) are gone and we have a sort of clean slate.  I forsee lots of arguments over this.

The casinos actually closed down.  Only 4 times since 1976 have they done this.  A few are reopened today and more will follow once the power is restored.  Problem is, it's not easy to get into Atlantic City right now and they are restricting entrance onto the islands.

Hallowe'en came right on the tail end of Sandy.  There has been a lot of confusion as to when trick or treating would happen.  I figured we might just not have it this year.  No one will die if they don't get a bag full of candy.   Each town had set up its own day to have trick or treating and some kids would have travelled from town to town night after night.  It would have been nuts.  The Gov stepped in and officially declared that November 5 would be trick or treating day.  This is odd for lots of reasons but no one asked me what I thought.  So, we will be going to my brother's house on Monday night and have dinner and the annual Candy Swap after the kids go trick or treating. 

I had to use a vacation day and a personal day at work for Mon and Tuesday even though all the public transportation was closed down (they closed down the bridges across the Delaware River on Monday and the mayor said to stay out of the city, "we don't want to have to take care of you") and I had no way to get to work.  It's pointless to be irritated about it.  I went to the grievance committee and lodged a grievance but it won't change anything.  There were a few hardy (foolish) souls who made it into work but they sent them home at noon and paid them for a whole day.  I think I should only have lost half a day but that idea didn't fly either. 

Tues was the last day for the folks who were laid off and so I missed my chance to say goodbye.  I was bummed about this because a few of them were people I wanted to see.  The rest of the week went by in a flurry of phone calls and rescheduled appointments and paperwork.

Today, I came home to find a box with my name on it in the mailbox.  I belong to a Birthday Pass It On clubthingy.  The idea is that someone who had a birthday in October sends me a present and I send a present to the next person to have a birthday.  I got some lovely yarn and some mints.  Look how pretty this is.  And this lovely, squishy beauty was inside.  It was a wonderful way to end a stress filled week.

Pk and I went to the bookstore to read magazines and drink hot chocolate and then out to dinner to decompress.  He's been working long hours and sitting together, holding hands while we peruse our favorite magazines (to make sure they're worth bringing home) is peaceful and a good way to disconnect from the work.

Tomorrow we'll be shopping and doing laundry and Pk is meeting with a roofer to get an estimate.  Sunday he's taking me to Smithville for brunch for my birthday.  The girls are meeting us there so I anticipate a laughter filled meal.  Then we can stroll the shops and I can buy a bar of bay rum soap for him to shave with.  It's really a gift for me because I love the smell.

That's what we've been up to here in the drenched Northeast.  Last year when Irene hit, we had an earthquake in the same week.  As Roseanne Rosannadanna used to say, "It's always something".