Kathy, I'm glad you weren't seriously hurt, but I'm sorry about the car. It does sound like you already have a good plan in process, though. So best luck with all of that.

So many vibes and prayers and good thoughts to you, Maria. There are absolutely no words for the awfulness of what you've been staggering through, and also no words adequate to the goodwill and love you have on tap, from all over the planet. I just wish it was enough to shield you from the bad shit. But please, please keep checking in, love.

And I'm so tremendously glad you're okay, Kathy. And many sympathy car-woes-SUCK vibes to you, and to Allyson, too.

Not to say that all insurance agents or companies are good, but we hear so many horror stories, I feel compelled to say my experience was good.

When my mother's car was totaled, their insurance bought her a new car too, without any hassle. I think they have Allstate?

And it's raining like crazy here again. ugh

Yeah. And while my salon in Ellicott City faired pretty well in the flash flood (they are reopening tomorrow), at their other site in Havre de Grace, they're watching the Susquehanna creep into the lot behind the salon.

I am so annoyed with the New York Times, which has a zillion stories up about 9/11 but is barely covering the massive flooding that is occurring NOW quite nearby.

Oh fer chrissakes, the universe needs to KNOCK IT THE FUCK OFF. I am so tired of this shit. Kathy, I'm so glad you're OK, but I'm sorry about the car. Can you give me the details? Year, make, model, trim level, and mileage? I can look up wholesale, which should then give you a good idea of what you should pay retail.

Yeah, Agnes is on everyone's lips. If the Susquehanna crests at 28.5 ft in Harrisburg, it will be the third biggest flood ever. Agnes in '72, then the flood of '36, and 2011. You can't really see it, but the restaurant is at the far end of the field of vision in the pic accompanying this article: [link]

I have a feeling we're going to need a bucket and shovel brigade to clean out the muck. Both basements and the wine cellar will need to be cleaned, and then the main floor which will include coolers, kitchen prep areas, and customer seating. I'm ready to cry just thinking about it; I cannot imagine what my sister is feeling. And not to mention people in the region who are losing everything they own, including their houses. It's unfathomable.

My mom lives in southern NJ, in the Pinelands area just east of Cherry Hill, and she was saying that they've been okay with the flooding there (all of the houses in her retirement community are all built on slabs, so there are no basements to be flooded), but the flooding in PA is just horrible.

Timelies all!

{{{Maria}}}

I have a bit of grey/silver/white hair, but it's not too noticible unless you're really close. I'm surprised I don't have more by now, considering that I found my first grey hair at age 13.(To be more precise, the girl behind me in class found it, and yanked it out.)

Unless you are like me and are comforted by plotting strategies and contingencies for the worst case scenario, try not to drive yourself crazy imagining the worst. They'll be plenty of time to cry armed with shovels and squeegees, and you won't be alone. And if planning does actually help you, know that it is doable.

Maria, I just want to say again how terribly sorry I am for your sister's restaurant.

And thanks for any info you can give me! I've got a 2006 Honda Civic EX (auto trans.), which Edmunds is telling me is worth around $11,000, and Blue Book says the trade-in value is around $13,000.

I'm going to see what I can find for around that price that's a good-quality 2008-or-later car with under 40K miles (mine was 41K). As long as it's a safe car with automatic transmission and the ability to play an iPod through the speakers, I'm fine.