(Not) Just Another Storm

We've been havin' some kinda weather this week. Ma was all ready to post pictures directly to the blog, when Blogger El Paino Supremo reared it's ugly heado, denying Ma picture posting privileges.

No matter! Ma will not be thwarted...I'll just have to insert links to their new location on Photobucket.

After two straight nights of storm-after-storm, we caught a break Friday evening and actually got to sleep...well, except when Trevor-boy came over and whispered outside the bedroom door, "I'm sca-ohed." (he hasn't done that for months)

Last night was another story. It started out with this formidable wall cloud, and went downhill from there.

It had been windy all day, but there was still plenty of room to increase the velocity.

Still, the kids were sitting all calm and spiritual-like in the living room, while I read the last chapter of the study book for Sunday School. Despite my need to beat the Saturday night preparatory deadline, Derek interrupted my well modulated yet appropriately expressive tones to say,

"I hear a noise outside....it's going up and down...."

We ran to the addition and opened the screen door...and now the truth can be told...yes, Ackley's tornado sirens CAN be heard clear to our house.

It was still light enough to see the horizon, where no funnel shaped clouds whatsoever did loom.

*insert hemming and hawing*

Loren got the lowdown from Weikerts: a funnel cloud had possibly been sighted near Ackley and the siren had been sounded as a precaution.

*insert more hemming and hawing*

Another peek out the door confirmed that the wind had picked up, so we headed for the basement...but, WHICH basement? We landed in the old one, which was closest.

Well now, you haven't had fun until you've sat on the stairway while a few of the older kids found the two or three remaining dry places on the floor and the little kids made nuisances of themselves by squeezing past people up and down the stairway.

Once or twice we thought we heard a slight noise...maybe something falling.

Upon deciding nothing was happening, we went back upstairs whereupon it become suddenly evident that the living room had been newly air-conditioned. OK, it was only top half of the main window, but we were a little surprised. Especially Loren, when he realized he'd have to cut up some plywood and screw that baby to the rotten window frame. (this is particularly fun when you were just hoping to go to bed)

The one good thing about all this--besides the refreshingly cool air, was that the glass fell out on the grass.

Oh yes, the bird feeder fell over again.

When we woke up the next morning--an event that occurred entirely too soon--we noticed a little tree damage. (ah well, I have plenty of little Ash trees I can use as a replacement)

Somewhat bleary-eyed, we proceeded to church and managed to stay awake. Just barely.

But on the way home, we noticed the water had risen . There'd been numerous flooded fields, but nothing across the road on our way to church.

Hmmm, this was going to be interesting. The nice man in the truck said that mini-vans had made it through so there was NO WAY our 15-passenger Maxi-van was turning around.

The pool seemed somewhat bigger once we got into the water, but we made it, with Loren giving advice to all persons of driving potentiality on the tricks to getting through standing water without stalling.

Which we didn't. Stall, that is.

We had heard of a washed out bridge one mile further on from our usual turnoff, so we investigated. Those cows on the left just have a narrow strip of grass between the water.

Seems odd for a paved-road bridge to wash out.

I've never seen so much water around, and there's potential for rain almost every day this next week.

Bible School was supposed to start tomorrow, but it's been canceled due to "several" gravel roads being unpassable.

I'm going to try and get out tomorrow by a roundabout way to go grocery shopping, however.

I mean, fer cryin' out loud....we're almost outta chocolate!
 

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