The Perfect Storm

Okay, it wasn't perfect, but it sure was a storm!

We knew Hurricane Irma was on it's way. That's all the whole media world was talking about. Sorta refreshing, in a way. A break from throwing stones at each other, like when we had the eclipse.

Anyway, We did everything we could to prepare: made sure the generator was up and ready, food in the pantry, laundry all done, and cars parked low in or at the garage.

Sure enough, Monday at 2:20 p.m. our electricity went off. We waited a few, but upon looking up in the sky at the top of the trees, which were being thrashed about furiously, we decided that would be a no go and Husband started the generator.

Now, way back in 1993, when the blizzard hit, our house was totally electric. BIG mistake. See, I was a town child and town doesn't lose electricity like country. And our house really was in the country then. We were at the end of the power line, and only one other house here. So when the blizzard hit, by 5:00 a.m. our house was at 55 degrees and dropping. If not for our neighbors who "just happened" (thank you, Lord) to be up from Florida and got caught, I don't know what we would have done. They had a wood heating furnace in their basement, and once we could manage to get there (a two minute walk that took us twenty) we could be somewhere that was warm.

This taught us a lesson, hence the generator. It runs our fridge and water pump, plus a couple of other outlets in the kitchen so we can use the microwave and coffee maker. It also gives us overhead light in the kitchen.

In 1995, when Hurricane Opal hit, we were without electricity 8 days. I still had an electric hot water heater and cook stove, so we had to heat water and grill outside. 

I got even smarter, and we bought a gas hot water heater and a gas cook stove. 

We also have a gas log fireplace in the sun room and a "real" fireplace in our living room, so if something hits in winter again, we can stay home.

That means a lot. You can hunker down and make do when you can stay home.

So, if you are a praying person, stop right now, for just a minute, and pray for all those who no longer have a home to make do. They have lost everything. 

And if you've never been there, you have no idea how hopeless and helpless that feels.

So, please.  Say a prayer.

Auntie Em! Auntie Em! It's a Twister!

Any time I hear that we may be looking at a tornado headed our way, I always think of "The Wizard of Oz".

I'm not being silly, it's true. I also remember a friend telling me the story of when she was a little girl and there being a tornado in Pickens County. Her mama and daddy went to the place where it had struck and she remembers a broom straw stuck in an oak tree, both ends showing, as though the tree had been pierced by an arrow.

The blizzard of 1993 was a lot like a tornado with snow. I remember it coming in and hearing thunder in the middle of the crazy snow and wind. First time for me, and hopefully the last time. I don't live in the South for nothing.

Then a few years later we had a hurricane. Yep, in the mountains of North Georgia.  I mean, really?

And not too many months ago I witnessed a wind storm for the first time. No rain, no thunder, just furious wind, all alone. 

Mother Nature is a dangerous woman.

All my activities for the day were cancelled. Wednesday is my only activity day. I have Bible Study in the morning, a deep tissue massage afterwards, and church activities on Wednesday  night.

That makes the coming storm even more real to me. 

Stay home,  hunker down, make sure you got candles and watch out!