I don't know how many of you saw my post in the DM, but this past week has not been one of the best.  Reminents of Hurricane Ivan devestated most of Pennsylvania and my area was one of the hardest hit.  The levee that protects my side of town developed a major leak and the leak WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE!!  We all had to evacuate.   Luckily the levee didn't breach but unless they fix it, the next time it floods, we will have to evacuate again.  With 4 inches of rain from Frances, then 6 inches from Ivan, our river reached 18 feet which is 6 feet over flood stage and as of today caused over 18 million dollars of damage in our county alone.  My basement recieved 41 inches of mad/water/sewage from a sewage backup that cause all of our basements to flood.  We lost a ton of stuff in the basement (almost 90% of what was in the basement.  I just got done with the official inventory and we are at 3 pages of shit.  For me, I lost virtually ALL of my backup equipment (the lone exceptions was  3 lights, one amp and all the extra speakers which were in the garage at the time), 765 albums (the entire collection), 572 45s (2 cases worth), 210 12" singles (the entire collection), 58 cassettes, & 32 cds. I was able to save most of my collector toys that was stored in rubber totes. My father lost all of his tools and mom lost all of her nicknacks, rugs, curtains and all the christmas stuff (except for one case that somehow escaped untouched).  I finally realized that I basically lost everything that pertained to the first 20-25 years of my life.  All my school memories and stuff like that.  After 5 days of cleaning, hauling out and inventoring everything.  I am mentally & physically exhausted.  FEMA will be here next week so that's some good news.  I had a dance and a birthday party this weekend to take my mind off of things and that helped a little.  Everyone has told me they say my picture in the paper last week (when the congressmen and EMA people were ssurvaying the damage, they were in front of my house with all the news people and of course, they came over and taked to me and my dad).  It's not the way I like to be in the paper.  But I guess I'm happy that no one was hurt and the smell is finally leaving the house (thanks to all the incense I'm burning).  Now I just hope Jeanne don't come our way and do more damage. 

Peace to one and all.

JOHN