Power Saw and Katrina

I live in Birmingham, Alabama and we still have 2 days later over 100,000 people in the Greater Birmingham area without power. I have power that blinked a time or two but got up Tuesday morning thinking we have escaped Katrina.

They said on the radio we could have winds in the 45 to 55 mpg catagory with gusts over 60 mph in places. My yard must have been the place! I got up early Tuesday before dawn and went about my normal routine of making coffee for me and Karen and getting the paper and reading my email.

I got Karen up and got her cup and refilled mine. It was still dark outside and I had looked out the front windows in the living room seeing nothing but trash, leaves, and pine straw strewed all over my front yard. It was not until I went to the kitchen the third time when Karen was ready for work did I see the tree up against the house against our deck.

It was now light enough to see and we have two trees down and one is being held up by one corner and railing of our deck. The top of the oak tree is over the gutters and gutter toppers and resting on a nearly brand new roof. Karen and I both called out bosses as we knew this had to be taken care of today.

Karen and I both changed and I got on the phone with State Farm insurance. David gave me 2 phone numbers of tree service companies they have used and I called Jason's tree service. David said he wanted the part on the house off the house as soon as possible to make sure there is no further damage.

We were working in the yard about 11:00am when a 350 4 Door Dodge Ram diesel pulled into the cirlce and out came Jason. He and I assessed the damage and immediately got the part against the deck cut so it flipped into the backyard and off the house. It looks like the gutters got some paint knocked off and a dent or two here and there but the roof was not damaged.

Jason and I talked and since he had so many calls with trees on homes and cars, he ask if he could come back Thursday after getting these other people cared for as he did me so promptly this Tuesday morning. He said I would not have to be here but his crew would cut up and two trees and leave me a bill for State Farm.

I was lucky. But so, so many people have been hurt real bad by Katrina. The death toll last night crossed over 100, making Katrina one of the 'deadliest' storms in history. Two trees and a whole day of cleaning up....i'll take my fate compared to so many that lost loved ones....Jeff

PS. I was listening to the radio and the James out local weatherman, had a tree down in his back yard. He said "Have you ever felt Chain Saw inadequate?" He went on to say, "I was cutting the limbs off the fallen tree with my 16" inch Poulan when my neighbor shows up with his 30" McCollough. Boy, did I feel 'inadequate!"