Instead of my usual (sort of) Wordless Wednesday post, I thought I would acknowledge the second anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. I know a lot of the world wasn’t affected by the storm, but along with 9/11 and the loss of my mother, it was one of the defining moments in my lifetime. (May there not be too many more of those, thanks very much).

My neighbor shot a video walking down our block a week after the hurricane. You can see our house near the end with the Amazon River Mermaids sign out front. The video will give you some small idea of how much damage there was, and we were by no means the worst off.

We were really, really lucky. Sure, we lost lots of stuff; everyone did. But unlike many of our friends and neighbors, most of what we lost was replaceable. We’re okay, but it’s still one of those anniversaries I need to honor, and I don’t think that will ever stop. Yes, it took a lot out of us, but more than that, it helped me realize how fortunate I am, and I don’t want to lose sight of that.

That’s enough of that. Here’s a poor zookeeper trying to give two toddlers their medicine. You’re welcome.