The Empty Red Couch: Irene brought our daughter home. Irene, the hurricane of 2011 who will go down in East Coast history as a late summer mini-series of dramatic proportions, exerted her force on many a family unit. In our case, she imposed significant bonding momentum in our circle of immediate family and neighborhood friends. The daughter’s new hometown is power-less as is her parental town. However Mom and Dad have a generator that is providing showers and electrical charges to the local hordes, though its power is limited to the well, the fridge and the office wing.

Candles And Mad Libs: Last night, in the glow of candles, with clashing scents ranging from cinnamon to musk, our daughter played Mad Libs with her brother and his beau, who asked her for nouns and adjectives, something, with some coaching, she was able to accurately provide with hilarious results. We woke up today with no hope for power in either town but her DSO (Day Service Options) was open for business. Strangely, our daughter “requested” that she be able to stay with us until power returned to her Ridgefield apartment. I felt a slight sting of guilt; had we so brainwashed her into the mentality of “adult independent living” that she felt like a guest in her folk’s home? Actually, I don’t think so but any chance I get to feel maternal guilt, I embrace.

Tonight: I pick her up today at 3 and bring her back to… her home? Parents’ home? Second home? In any case, it will get boring eventually for her but at least this evening we attend a birthday barbecue for a friend who has an ancient and massive oak tree lying across their entire garden, felled by Irene though she spared the family home. Oh that Irene. Quite a gal. Mourning the tree, the garden, yet celebrating the exquisite piercing blue sky, sharp splashes of sunlight everywhere and friendship. I thought, a day as beautiful as this followed 9/11 too. Yes, we have much to be thankful for on this day.

© Jill Edelman, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. 2011