Best friends

THIS SUCKS. WE still don't have power. Our roof is crushed. Sheryl's nephew doesn't have a car. The garage and shed are totaled.

I feel great.

I feel great because we had friends come over last night and chainsaw the living daylights out of The Hood. We got the tree off our front roof. We got about half of the tree in the back cut down, though the huge piece on top of Evan's car is still there - it will take a professional tree service to finish the job. Our neighbor, Don, is happy to have the tree off his garage too. We ate pizza and drank a few beers after we were done. We laughed a lot.

We are blessed.

James McKinney - chainsaw artist!

James McKinney of Pepper Spray Security manhandled the huge tree out back with his chainsaw. He'd been up since 5 a.m. helping his parents and other people with similar issues. He only drank water (I knew it was serious) and never complained. He. Was. Huge. Marines, Hoo Rah!

Frank Haxel, always in the right place at the right time, directed traffic and sawed away. Benny Lyssy did the same. Mike Baker and Greg Ellery took care of the tree in front. Greg got up on the roof and actually appeared to enjoy himself. Five chainsaws and 15 tree limb/debris helpers cleared as much as they could to get our yard and house safe again. Sheryl and others documented it all with photos.

My old Herald-Whig buddy from Hannibal, Kevin Murphy, showed up with a chainsaw and started blasting away on the branches after they fell from the main trunk.

Connie Guthrie walked up the street from her house and started dragging stuff into piles. So did Sheryl, Cori Lyssy, Lacey Davis, Amanda Waterkotte, Stephanie Boyer and Evan Boyer. The area by the alley is covered in huge piles of tree branches, and other huge piles of logs. I won't have to beg for outdoor firepit wood anymore, that's for sure.

All it cost was us five pizzas, two cases of beer, a case of water and a load of patience. Sheryl and I agree that a hundred bucks for the food and beverages was a small price to pay.

Some of the Ameren guys were in the alley and pointing at Evan's car. So he jumped up, grabbed his car keys and guess what? His car is totaled. But it still starts. He was a little excited when the engine turned on.

It was too hot and humid to sleep in the house. So we slept in the store. Fast Eddie enjoyed it, that's for sure. "Wake up, human! I don't care it it's 3 a.m. You guys are never hear this late ... let's party!" The dogs finally got comfortable and rested by the lesson rooms.

We are reviving with a Thyme Square breakfast and I will head back to the house to see if we have power. And all I can really say is .....

Thank you, thank you, thank you.