Last night we had some powerful storms blow through Our Fair City. The sky had that yellow-green color that is characteristic of tornadoes. We had rain, and strong winds, and then hail. Hail that we could hear pounding on the roof and windows. Looking at the satellite images on TV, we could see the pink area heading right over our house. Suddenly I was telling Gift Girl to get on her socks and shoes and doing the same for Bonus Boy so that we could head for the basement. I don't think I've ever done that before. I know my heart was pounding. The thing about tornadoes is that they can spring up suddenly. You know "conditions exist that are favorable for a tornado," but you don't know when or where or if it will actually form. Kind of tricky, and kind of makes you need to prepare even if you can't see it coming down the road.
Speaking of preparing, we have been thinking about, intending to, "prepare" for emergencies for a while now. Since Katrina definitely, and even before then, b/c we had lost power for 4 days over Christmas the first year we lived in this house. (We had to take Christmas on the road.) Crankable radio and lights, water, food, etc. I also thought about those who were facing Katrina last year (and other hurricanes). What does it feel like to see a huge storm bearing down on you? What do you take with you when you have to go, quickly? Gift Girl wanted her favorite doll after we had gone to the basement. I went to get it. With tornadoes, you never know. They come; they don't; and then they're over in a matter of minutes. It's so random. Just over thirty years ago, my mother went to work at the hospital in Xenia, Ohio just after the huge tornado passed through there. She saw the roofs flying in the air as she was driving, but then it was over.
I'm thankful it wasn't a tornado. I don't need that kind of adrenaline rush.
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