Timing is everything!

[annissamazing]

I am *so glad* Justin and I cleaned out the basement last weekend. I've spent the last hour hunkered down here waiting out a tornado warning. There was a funnel cloud just north of us. It doesn't appear to have touched down, but there are reports of severe flooding, roofs torn off industrial buildings, and major wind damage. A friend of mine was working at the mall and ended up in a tornado shelter with all the kids that were visiting Build-a-Bear. According to her, some of the windows were blown out.

I was upstairs playing FFXI when I felt a change in the wind. We keep the windows in the attic open for ventilation and something just felt wrong. I opened the blinds and saw a wall of black coming at us. We shut everything down, grabbed that crib mattress no one wanted this weekend, and set up a bed for Dominic. Justin marched around the house while I stayed down here next to the interior load-bearing wall with Dominic.

The storm appears to have passed. The national weather service lifted the tornado warning about 50 minutes ago, but it looked so bad outside, I decided to stay down here just to be safe. Luckily, it's pretty darn comfy down here right now. Because it's clean. And I'm so glad we did that!

I'm giving it another 10 minutes, then I'll be taking Dominic back upstairs to bed. Then I'm headed that direction myself. Vacation brain or no, I am tired.

Comments

[redknightalex.livejournal.com]

Ok, I will seriously take any blizzard/Nor'easter any day of the week over that scary business!

Yikes!

[annissamazing]

Yeah. I don't mind blizzards, lake effect snow, or even hurricane remnants, but this tornado business terrifies me.

We had severe thunder storms rolling through all night long and we're expecting even more throughout today. Dominic spent a lot of time in my bed last night because the storms kept waking him up and he was scared. Between him and the thunder, I didn't get much sleep.

[kelkat9.livejournal.com]

Oh you poor dear! I so understand. I'm in the South and when the tornado siren went off a few weeks ago, I spent over an hour hunkered down in the downstairs bathroom with pillows and even after it was done which was around 1am or so, I could not sleep. Be careful and I hope the storm has passed so you and your family can get some rest.

[annissamazing]

The worst of it passed by about 9:00 last night, but we had thunderstorms on and off all night long and we're expecting more throughout the day today. But we're all ok and it's nice to know that we have a nice, comfortable place to go when we need to seek shelter.

Thanks!

[10docandr.livejournal.com]

Ah, summer tornado warnings good times for all. ( I hate storms and the sarcasm is my way of covering supreme fear.) I'm sorry you had to spend your evening that way, but I'm glad that you and your family are safe.

Vacation brain, that sounds like what has been infecting my students.

[annissamazing]

Oh yeah. When I was in high school, I was pretty much useless the last two weeks of school. When I was a senior and knew I was going to graduate, I didn't even know why I attended class. I just sat there and zoned.

I wasn't a very good student back then. It's probably very good I waited to go to college.

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

So glad to hear you[e okay--and woot for great timing!

[annissamazing]

Thank you! I've decided (and I just notified Justin) that we need to buy a couch and tv to set up a "summer living room" in the basement. It's so much cooler down there than the main floor. With the AC on, it's too cold.

[yamx]

I'm glad you guys are okay! :)

[annissamazing]

Thank you very much! I was on Facebook through most of the storm (hooray for wireless internet!), and it was really interesting to watch my friends' and neighbors' accounts of the storm while it was happening. It was also a nice distraction from thinking about which kitchen appliance was the least likely to fall on our heads.

Edit: Hmm... that sounded far more grim than I meant it to. Sorry!

[yamx]

It's okay. After all we already knew you were fine. :)

[ladyprydian.livejournal.com]

*GLOMPS YOU*
Oh my goodness! That's scary. Tornado's must be so terrifying. I am so glad we don't get them here. I'll take a dumping of snow and ice any day.

[annissamazing]

I can be pretty cool about them now, but when I first moved here, I was terrified for two straight weeks. The storms never seemed to stop! We're actually pretty far north for tornadoes, though we do get them very occasionally. And, of course, with the major damage some other cities have seen recently, we were taking no chances.

[develish1]

glad to hear you're okay hon *hugs*

[redcirce]

That sounds TERRIFYING. I'm glad you're okay!

[annissamazing]

Thank you. It was the worst storm we've had this close to the house since we moved here. The other day, we drove past where the tornado touched down. I was shocked by the damage. It wasn't a huge area, just two structures, but there was a car next to one of the buildings that was just flattened.