Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Stormageddon

Friday night Ruby and I were chatting and laughing in the car as we were booking it up to PA for the celebration of my friend Amanda's wedding.  In the instant that I took my eyes off the road and glanced at my sister the sky changed from grey overcast to a scene from a doomsday movie.  For real.  It looked like the End of Days was about to descend on us.  Yellow and black skies.  Lightning.  Wind.  I thought maybe we could soldier through, but just a few miles down the road the car was rocking back and forth. Trees were kissing the ground and I was convinced a tornado was hanging out around the corner to pounce on us.  We booked it back to the small town we had just passed.  The lights in the town were flickering as we pounded on the locked door of the McD's.  The manager looked pretty harrassed but she told us where we could find shelter, and Ruby and I and about 40 other people made our way to the Hampton Inn up the hill. 

We camped out in the lobby eating their fruit and playing board games as the storm played its own games outside.  I felt awful for the parents that were begging for cots so their kids could sleep.  The next day we made our way up to PA through forests and towns that looked decimated.  Power was not to be had anywhere at any gas stations, so gas lines wound all the way down the freeway in some parts. 

And then there is this week in the Burg. 

So in all of this adventure I am thankful for:

A lake day with my best friend and her husband. 
Camping out in the basement like 5th graders.
Internet up at work.
Extra time to get editing done.
Life and health and a house undamaged.
We didn't get swept away in WV in that storm.
My hallway at work is painted and pretty thx to my bro in law.

BTW, I've never heard of anything called a Derecho in all my life in north OR south America.  I think weather people make stuff up when they don't know what's going on.  :)

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