Monday, May 24, 2004

Am I in Kansas Toto?

Hello everyone
How are you all doing today after the long weekend? We, are a bit waterlogged, here in South-western Ontario, let me tell you. Yes, we have had an absolutely terrible weekend, weather wise. Storms swept through our region and just didn't stop.

Now you may not know this, but I like a thunderstorm, and quite often open the windows wide and sit enthralled just watching mother-nature do her thing with thunder and lightening. Not last night though. These storms were so fierce, I felt like hiding in the closet, not sitting by any window!! No kidding. It was frightening.

We were under tornado watches and warnings most of the day yesterday, and they really frighten me. The weather channel didn't lift the alerts until 10pm last night, and by that time I was a wreck. I had all my emergency supplies (water, radio, flashlight, candles, matches, cell phone, etc.) lined up in the basement and I was ready to grab the cat and head down there at a moment’s notice. I posted myself at the front door to watch for funnel clouds while I listened to weather reports. It was a tense time, as the winds and rains buffeted the house, but no funnel clouds appeared and we got through another spring storm without mishap. Whew!

Tornados have touched down in this area quite a few times so I don’t take the watches and warnings lightly. I have spent many a stormy afternoon, over the years we have lived here, crouched in a doorway in the basement waiting for the all clear. The hardest times were when my kids were at school and I couldn’t get to them. I was taking cover in the basement and they were going through the drill at school, crouching on the floor in the hallways. Thanks goodness those days are over.

I was exhausted when I fell into bed last night, and I could only imagine how tired some of my neighbours were after having to deal with their flooded basements all that day and then having to contend with another storm that night. Oh dear what a day!!!

It was still raining when I went to bed around 11, but at least the thunder and lightening was off in the distance and moving further away with each passing minute. The night was pretty quite and I slept soundly – no pie plate bongo drum last night.

We had lots of wind today, but no rain and the sun even peeked through a couple of times.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring? Stay tuned.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There's a hurricaine warning for Central Canada and the likliehood of earthquakes. Could that possibly affect you?

Texas Tom