What did I learn last week?

I learned that falling, frozen tree limbs are nothing to be messed around with. One imagines a tree limb as a thing that falls slowly, or at least gives one ample notice before it goes (lots of cracking and creaking, et al). Not so. A heavy, ice covered limb is on the ground practically before you know it’s even left the tree. Crack…WHAM! I heard and saw them come down all over my neighborhood last week, what with the disastrous ice storm that hit the state on Tuesday. Much of Louisville is still without power today, large portions of the state, I understand, are even without water. It’s the second time in six months this area has been clobbered by a major weather event, though this time with the complicating factor of cold. Many families have been living in shelters, others have been sleeping in their running cars to keep warm. I myself have been forced to look after my own children (talk about a total breakdown of civilization). They say society is never more than two hot meals away from anarchy. Happily, the good people of Kentucky have managed to refute that maxim with countless examples of pitch-in spirit. About 100,000 people are still without power and heat in Louisville, schools are closed and electrical crews have been brought in from all over the country to help tackle the problem. Hopefully we’ll be seeing some dramatic improvements in the next day or two.