Yesterday afternoon, Toby and I heard thunder rolling in over the city. I love thunderstorms. One of the reasons I wasn’t able to embrace the West coast – more specifically, San Francisco – was due to its predictable weather. There is nothing more intriguing that the schizophrenic weather of the Northeast. Growing up with it, you become attached as one might with an eccentric cousin or an unpredictable friend; you just never know what might happen next.

Take yesterday, for example. We drove the car a lot this weekend. And although it lacks a working air conditioner, it does have a barely functioning sun roof. If it’s not closed all the way it leaks. Upon hearing the first distant rumble, I asked Toby if we could make sure it was closed tightly.

It probably won’t rain anyway—but just incase.

Within a half hour from my false prediction, we were witness to a thunderstorm with hurricane envy. And this went on for hours. First, the wind picked up. And the neighbors’ grill blew over and into their back yard. I’m not talking about one of those small, portable ones. I’m talking about the variety one wheels, the SUV of grills.

Our back yard turned into a monsoon. Buildings collapsed in Williamsburg. Trees were brought down smashing cars all throughout Greenpoint and Williamsburg. It was an awesome storm.

Today, I took a few pictures of my walk to the L Train on Graham Avenue. They don’t reveal much. And they certainly don’t illustrate what Williamsburg went through.

I got a phone call from Gerry after the first storm came and went. He called from the car as he and Anna drove home from a movie and aksed me if a tornado hit Greenpoint and Williamsburg. Apparently, in downtown Brooklyn, it didn’t even rain. Downtown Brooklyn is not far from Greenpoint.

It’s being reported that there were no deaths. And with the departure of the storm, it’s about 20 degrees cooler. Given the unbearably hot summer we’ve had, I think that I’m ready for Fall. I’m ready to take drives up north to see the leaves change. We missed our Northeaster Fall last year. I’m ready for the Apple Festival and hiking in the catskills. I am ready to take the car on long drives through Pennsyltuckey. I’m even ready for primetime TV again.