Did you hear that storm last week? On Aug. 13, a deluge of rain and intense wind relentlessly bashed Long Beach Island. When it first started, I thought enthusiastically, “Oh!A summer storm! Lightning and thunder make an entertaining show.” Hours later I thought despairingly, “Ugh. A summer storm. Where is all this water going to go?” Sadly, I have an answer.

Like many seasonal families, my son and I live “down the shore” for the summer while my husband joins us on the weekends.