What a weekend we had in Western Tidewater surviving Hurricane Irene.

One good thing about a hurricane is, unlike a tornado, you are given fair warning. We started hearing about Irene a good week ahead of time. Watching the Weather Channel stirred up concern in all.

Many of us went on a spending spree, preparing for the worst. Stocking up on bottled water, Spam, granola bars and filling our tubs with water for flushing toilets in anticipation of losing power.

By Friday, we were set, anxious for the storm to hit and get it over with.

Saturday was a long day. We woke up to wind and rain that never stopped. It intensified as the day went on, leaving Western Tidewater with 12 inches of rain and wind gusts of up to 59 mph.

The storm also left Western Tidewater with next to no power and many, many downed trees. Some fell on homes, and to our knowledge, no one was hurt.

When the sun rose Sunday, residents assessed damages and checked on neighbors. As of Tuesday, enough folks remained without power, and again neighbors and friends offered showers, generators and food.

So we survived Hurricane Irene. Let’s hope we don’t see another storm like that for a while.