[KenP]

This was not the place to be driving during Isabell. I live a block from the Ches. Bay at Lynnhaven Inlet. I can see the Atlantic, Eastern Shore, the entire Ches. Bay Brg. Tunnel, downtown VA Beach and on a clear day the city of Hampton (you need to know where to look for that one) from the Lesner Brg. over the inlet. I am fortunate that I am 10' above MLLW. Most of my neighbors are, and were not.

So the Inlet and the Bay met in my neighborhood. On this street water came up to mailboxes. The main artery, Shore Dr./RT 60 was a lake for over a mile, broken only because of the height of the bridge. We were in the streets shoveling debris out of drains to keep them flowing to the pump stations. We cleaned neighbors' yards. We drank together during the approach and helped each other afterward.

After seeing thousands of trees down I am thankful I made the right decision not to go test the H2 that night.

As an aside, one of my new neighbors' kids was coming home with his girlfriend and a buddy. The buddy was driving and while attempting to cross Shore Dr. was broadsided by another vehicle. The S-10 spun, partially ejecting the 16 yr. old girl and rolling on her. We heard the accident and ran out in time to see the truck being rolled off her by good samaritans and three off duty doctors, one a neighbor, going to here side. It did not look good. I will not be anymore graffic. My g/f, Susan, and I walked back to the house. The girl did not make it.

The kids are young, the family has a new puppy, the insurance adjuster arrived today.

Black Lingenfelter Lux