Blessed . . .

That's all I could think as I drove to work last Saturday - "I am blessed."  Because, you see, when I pulled up the shades Saturday morning, this is what greeted me . . .

When Annie and I went out to look at the backyard, it was even worse up close . . .

The saddest view was the front yard . . .

But I was blessed because I still had a house that was intact, no one was hurt, and the basketball hoop missed Sam's car completely.

I returned home from work sometime after 5.  The pine tree was off of the neighbor's driveway and in a neat pile in the front yard.  I found the culprits in the backyard, going after half an elm.  It turns out that our next-door neighbor, Nancy, and our across-the street neighbors, Dave, Tron and Mya, and our down-the-road neighbor. Bob. were there with chain saws, cutting and piling and clearing.  

I did what any good neighbor would do - I bought the pizza!