I'm getting calls. Emails. Facebook concerns.
I'm okay.
A damaging tornado passed through Springfield this late afternoon, the city where I work, barely twenty miles from where I live. I am watching television and shocked at the damage: roofs blown off, trees down, some roads impassable.
I knew it was coming only minutes before the sky turned black and a heavy rain pelted my house and yard. Before that I had a lovely day off today: I visited my Mother, made a zillion calls that are finally out of the way; paid bills; had my weekly workout with a physical trainer (finally, and very good for me); stopped at the weekly farmer's market and bought tomato plants, basil, zinnias, and nasturtiums. I planned to plant those zinnias and tomato plants this afternoon.
I talked to people at the farmer's market and we knew a storm was coming--you could feel and see it--but they weren't concerned and I wasn't either.
As soon as I walked in my house Jess called to insist I bring in everything I could from my yard. She had heard tornado warnings on the Boston news with an emphasis on my town. I was surprised.
I cleared what I could. JB was in New Jersey seeing a client, driving, and that was my biggest worry. Because I didn't know of the damage that was happening 15 miles away from me, I was outside, soaked, thinking how much I love rain.
I honestly did not give thought to a tornado picking me up like a rag doll and I didn't think about taking Stella and heading for the cellar. I would say I was foolish and that would be true.
But I wasn't irresponsible either. I did what I could. I made sure I had flashlights when the lights flickered. I shut down my computer. I kept watch at the windows. I should have worried more but I didn't.
The storm is now passing and all is well here. JB is home. The scenes from the local news are unbelievable. I may not be able to get into the city tomorrow morning to work and if so, that will be okay with me.
I'm okay, I'm fortunate, and I'm thankful.
Love
kj
Oh, Kj! I'm so glad you are okay. What a crazy weather year this is! We got a radio that sounds an alarm when the Nation Weather Service upgrades storms to tornado warnings (mostly because I sleep like a rock and I'm not sure I would hear one coming!). Take care, and I am relieved you and yours are all right. xox Pam
ReplyDeleteoh my gosh how terrifying. i had not heard. i'm so glad too, thankfully jess called to warn you. are tornado's common in your area? be careful kj, stay safe.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you are safe kj. I'd have been be terrified - have experienced a typhoon before which was bad enough but nothing like those tornados. Take good care xx
ReplyDeleteDear kj, I'm so glad to read that you are alright and all of your loved ones. I have never experienced a tornado, not even close. Four hours north of us often tells us with tornado warnings (like today) but unlike the south and midwest, they don't often touch down and when they do, do little damage as the area is generally wide open range land and farmland.
ReplyDeletepam, and i'm out in the yard feeling soaked and liking it while i put the lawn chairs away. i'm worrying about flying chairs and forget to think about the possiblity of me flying!!!
ReplyDeletelori, i feel bad for my clients. springfield is the poorest city in the state. it will be a mess to clean up and get upright. xoxo
caroline, i was too dense to be terrified!
annie, i saw the aftermath of a tornado when i was a little girl and i've never forgotten it. then i saw new orleans and hurricane katrina and honestly, i don't think i will ever see anything that devastating again. i hope not. thanks for your well wishes
i'm moving again.
ReplyDeleteI never ever ever remember tornadoes being a concern around here!
meanwhile, after we talked I put on Emma's Thundershirt and we waited, and waited, and waited for the storm that never appeared.
And the Bruins lost :(
THAT was my storm!
I saw the news too and I couldn't believe Springfield! Holy sh--!
Stay home tomorrow. You'll just be in the way of the clean-up crews anyway because they're not used to this. Maybe you can call your clients instead.
We'll talk soon.
xoxo
Lo♥
lo, were you disappointed no storm? i would have been....i'm sorry the lost. hockey is my least favorite sport. baseball is my most favorite. :^) i hope i stay home tomorrow. or at least the am part. i would like JB to have a day off. that will make me happy. ♥
ReplyDeleteIt's funny how our focus can be diverted from what we perhaps should be focussed on. I remember when I came off my motorbike and was skidding down the road. I was thinking I'd be able to go see a friend who works in the ER. Wasn't thinking about how badly I might be injured ... or the risk of oncoming traffic.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you're all OK KJ, and I hope JB gets to stay home today too. A bonus day is always ... well ... a bonus.
xx Jos
Glad to hear it's all right now. US has been witnessing a couple of tornadoes this year. This is a regular turmoil every year at that part of the world.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry and have a good sleep. Nice people won't get the wrath of nature so easily
Oh, KJ, what a fearful story! I am so glad that you, JB and Stella are okay and that nothing serious happened to you guys and the house. Bless Jess (!) for the warning she gave you. I have seen tornados on television and just the look of it made me shiver. Mother Nature is a beautiful lady but she is so cruel sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWell, I wasn't sure it was going to let me comment....I'd like to direct a storm to Blogger....
ReplyDeleteKaren, here is the thing with tornadoes~~even those of us who live where they regularly track occasionally end up mesmerized by the storm coming in (as in one nincompoop who goes out in her yard with the camera...). And if you're not used to them, it seems like just *another storm*.
I'm thankful y'all are alright, and yes, stay in today and out of the way of the crews that have to get things back up an running. Generally they close things off anyway.....
XXOO~~
Anne
jos, that is so true! a friend and i used to laugh that the last thing we would say if our car was going over the side of a mountain with us in it would be "oh shit!" (pardon my language) :^)
ReplyDeleteshubhajit, the weather patterns have been troubling, a karmic message? thank you for the reassurance, my friend. xoxo
wieneke, thank you. i think it;s the sudden moment when a tornado strikes that makes it so dangerous. it was a shock yesterday. the newscasters couldnt even believe what they were reporting! ps ♥
anne, you are the voice of experience. i so know what you mean: it's hard to miss the moments of it all. but i have learned for next time. i do think i was naive. and lucky! wouldnt you know i am off to work afterall. my clinic is open :^) i am proceeding cautiously! xoxo
Late night at the Opera....so I only just heard about Springfield... I am so grateful you, JB and Stella are all ok. (And that those blue chairs that sit out in the back garden have not ended up in Boston!
ReplyDeleteI remember what a "poor" community Springfield is....I hope all of your clents and their homes are ok.
Lo is right...don't go into work today..roads are probably still dangerous. Hopefully you can ring your clients.
A big hug to all three - and one to Jess for being such an astute weather listener!
Love,
♥ Robin ♥
KJ, Because I don't have TV and rarely listen to the radio, I had no idea this was happening to you. I am glad you and yours are okay. I think you did well not to worry, worry never helps anything :-).
ReplyDeleteLove.xoxo
Good grief! Selfishly, I'm so glad I didn't hear about this; I would have worried myself silly over you!
ReplyDeleteI was watching the hockey finals...Vancouver won, lolo, heh...and didn't hear about the tornado until this morning. I'm so glad you felt so calm...you were in the proper frame of mind to deal with any emergencies. Thanks be to your guides, right by your side!
Strange...we had a lollapalooza of a thunder and lightning storm here last night which spawned lots of fires again. Mother Earth doing some re-balancing!
I'm really glad you're all ok! xo
KJ so happy you and JB are safe and nothing really terrible happened!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat is it with this weather all the time........ It is outrageous everywhere.
Things / weather happening where they are not suppose to.......
Well anyhow once again glad you JB and Stella are OK.
And please stay that way!!!!
hugs
♥♥♥
>M<
kj,
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you are not in a million pieces, scattered all over the state.
Have been ill, but better now. Changing priorities this spring and will post on the blog soon.
Love you, silly girl....
Linda
robin, hahaha! those blue chairs are still there! i went to work today: it was an eyeful. almost a dozen blocks on a very poor street with giant trees down, blown off roofs and aluminum siding. i didn't think to call all my clients but i did and good thing. they were very scared, young and old, seeing that tornado coming in the sky in front of them.
ReplyDeletexoxoxo
annie, it was over in a few hours and i didn't know what a big deal it was until afterwards, but wow. why these jabs by nature? i didn't like what i saw in the 'neighborhoods' today. :^(
ReplyDeletemafrion, i have to tell you that i LOVE that you would have worried yourself silly over me. yes i was calm: shocking! talk soon, because i miss you ♥
marianne, what do you think is going on? so many storms & upheavals. there's a lesson there.
i hope you are very well? :^)
AW LINDA! how great to hear from you. sick? i should have known, not good on my part. i hope you are feeling alot alot better. i will be glad to catch up. xoxo
ps thank you for saying that i am a silly girl. :^)
omg! Of course--you live in Massachusetts! Tornado warnings throughout the northeast for the afternoon through nightfall. JB could have been in trouble in NJ, but thank God she wasn't, I wasn't, and you weren't--although a tornado hit right there! What a disaster to hit your town! And how panicked everyone must have felt seeing this tornado spinning down on them. The next thing will be hurricane season--they're predicting 3 to 9 large ones. Take care, kj; I'm sure you'll be discussing emergency plans with your bewildered clients. The worst would to be out driving... Hugs
ReplyDelete