Weather's the Weather, Weather or Not

I haven't kept accurate account of how many days this rain has lasted but certainly we are approaching 40 days aren't we? Maybe not. It just seems like 40 days.

When I was a child I used to be afraid of storms and when I grew up and had my first child, my mother told me I could no longer show fear of storms because it would instill my child with fear. (How did I get to be afraid? Huh!) So, I restrained myself and stiffened myself to bearing up under the most fierce storms so that my children would not see me quaking in my boots and lo and behold I learned to enjoy watching storms and pretty much lost my fear of them. I especially love to watch storms when I am at the beach!

This month we have had one storm after another all month long. I think we've had eight to ten inches of rain and the month isn't over yet. We have had tornado warnings, tornado watches, flash flood warning, high winds warnings and 'golf ball sized hail' warnings. The whole gamut of midweastern weather ogres have threatened us. Parts of the state have experienced these disasters in one form or another. Property damage has been rampant, roofs blown off, twisted mobile homes, fences, outbuildings, fallen trees, even whole homes collapsed in heaps, flooded homes , basements,... it has been devastating.

The meteorologists have been on the air twenty-four seven with their dire predictions, they continue to tell us to take cover and be prepared. They take a lot of grief for interrupting regular programing and boring us with their visuals that resemble ectoplasm and other unidentifiable blobs and point out to us the 'hooks' 'bows,'upper level disturbances'and always end with 'go to your safe place'. I've spent two or three nights in the small hallway in my lower level trying to decide if the oak tree falls will I still be safe in my 'safe place'...?

My heart bleeds for the people that have lost their homes, their possessions, their keepsakes, their security. I thank the agencies that are helping give these people solace, comfort,shelter and encouragement. The meteorologists that give up their time to warn the community of eminent danger, are to be commended. They give people the time to seek cover and maybe, while losing their homes, save their lives.

So far I am lucky to have just lost sleep, I have not lost my possessions or my life. While I am writing this I can hear the TV in the next room talking about the severe weather that we can expect tonight. I especially dislike 'night storms' it doesn't seem as ominous in the day light as it does at night but for some reason we can only talk about the weather we can't do anything about it, a truism that has long been established. So be it! Pray for sun! Ciao

Things are looking mighty green!!!!