Tag Archives: storms

I Felt Your Presence

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There are times we all feel alone. We can be amongst others and feel alone.  I am one of those too, but last night was different. I knew I was not by myself.

It has done nothing here in my part of Indiana this week but rain. Not nice gentle rains that you want to sleep to. Instead we have had big thunders and plenty of lightning. Heavy rains.

Because I am not strong enough with my fingers I lost the portable gazebo in my yard. It has metal piping with those silver buttons that you push in on them to lower or stand it tall and keep it in place.

Because of my Diabetic Neuropathy in my hands I can not push hard enough to lower the gazebo down. My son scolded me telling me to lower the buttons. I explained that I can not do it. He told me he wasn’t running to me every time I needed help, so I lost the whole thing.

This was more than a gazebo to me. I purchased it last Spring when it was Al‘s birthday. I used it as a safe haven for him to be able to be out in the fresh air and free from flies and mosquitoes. I was so planning on being able to sit him out there this year in his wheel chair, but not now.

As I sat inside my safe haven, I was alone physically, but not actually. To those who think I am seeing things or may be a little crazy in my mind at 59, I want to assure you I am not. I prayed and asked God to stay with me during this storm. I prayed for his mercy.

Unfortunately where I live there are no storm shelter. There was when I moved in last year but the owner of the mobile home park has locked it up and swallowed the key, so to speak.

I was in a tornado once when I was at church camp. I was, I believe 10 or 11 years old. The girls dorm was completely wiped a way while I and many others sat safely in the tabernacle. So when severe thunderstorms and tornado watches arise here, I still feel a bit of fear.

When Al was here last year and we had storms I sort of forgot about the damages a storm can do. My thoughts instead went to Al wanting to keep him safe. Now, this year, I knew he was safe behind the brick walls. It was me who was frightened.

As I sat at my window with a candle near me and the police scanner on my Tablet playing I prayed. Take what you want Lord. None of it means anything to me. But please keep our home safe and me too. I need this home because my brother is coming home within weeks. Amen

The winds were bad and the lightning so bright. Thunders rolled through the skies. This wasn’t a baby storm either. Yet it was nothing like Oklahoma, but it still did damages here. I heard on the scanner that one car was actually under water to the hood here. The driver was able to escape.

Many trees and power lines were down all over town. As I watched the skies light up I have to admit I felt a bit of fear. It is amazing to me that I was not running for my life, getting in my car and driving to no where. I had a heavy blanket and a candle and my purse all in the bathroom waiting for the scanner to announce run for your life. We were also under a tornado watch.

This storm lasted from midnite to 4:30 in the morning. God answered my prayers. He kept me safe and my home safe, but he took the gazebo and branches. Our lights went off three times but I made it through with God’s existence within my house.

I finally was able to fall asleep and woke up at 10am. I saw sunshine immediately and was able to open windows again. But God wants me to remember that he is here with me always. His example for me is the sun is gone and it is clouding up again and becoming windy. We are in for more rains, but thankfully I am not alone.

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Did You Miss Me, If You Say No, Tell Me A Lie And Say You Did!

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Did you miss me? Did you notice I wasn’t on here like I usually am to respond to your replies or even toss in a new blog?

This photo I inserted explains why. One of several trees down.

It was a hot day yesterday, just like being back in Florida.103 degrees, and some humidity.

We spent more time outside cleaning up the yard, then we did in the cool house. Why? Because I am silly. I knew there were chances of rains coming and I wanted to have the yard picked up prior to the storm. It was supposed to be a storm coming out of Chicago with lots of rain, which we needed so badly. We have been in a drought for the last month, with all other areas north and south of us getting their required rains, bypassing our area. Did we do something wrong, were we being punished? I promise to be a good girl, if you bring us some rain. Do I need to get out and do the Indian rain dance? Please don’t make me?

My son and his family were down here, and after cleaning up some, they decided to get in the pool for some cooling off and fun. They swam for about an hour, while I swung in the swing just enjoying the day. After they got out, we fixed a summer days lunch, bologna sandwiches, chips and watermelon. We sat around and watched TV and just relaxed.

My son went back outside and noticed the skies were looking a little weird. Darkness was in the far sight in the skies. He came in and told us about it and we all had to get a look at this unusual color of the sky. He turned on his scanner and we heard that an unexpected storm had popped up and was heading our way within minutes. Minutes? No, not minutes, I haven’t had my shower or combed my hair. Please wait!

There was very little time to wait. We proceeded to take the tent down and put this in the shed, and then we took off all of the cushions off the furniture and placed them inside of the gazebo and we lowered that at half mass and tied it down for that level. The one grandson took his and his little brother’s bikes and laid them down flat. Our son moved his John Deere out of harms way

The dark skies turned quickly to green skies. This was to be a wicked storm with sixty mile per hour winds and too big of hail. We had everything done and I went over the plan of where to go inside the house if we got these winds. If they heard me yell, bathrooms, they were to take off for the hills! LOL.

I barely got my words out and saw their heads nod in affirmation of their understanding, when the winds appeared suddenly! A plastic trash can was picked up and tossed through the air, and the trees were bending in a curtsy. I yelled, BATHROOMS! Everyone ran for the house and disappeared into the bathrooms, except me and my son. Al was in his bathroom, and the grandkids were in my bathroom. The lights went out  faster than turning off the switches. The central air was quieted. Silence inside the house, the winds were ripping the trees back and forth. The gazebo was dancing a disco style, flapping its sides, bending too and fro. We could hear hail bouncing off the windows, and the house actually shook from the winds. I was reminded of the tornado I was in when I was at church camp scared, but because I prayed for my family and home, I wasn’t afraid this time.

As fast as this monster came it left. I called a, you can all come out now from hiding,and we all ventured outside to have a look. No damages in my own yard, but right behind us was this tree. One of a few trees that were uprooted. The photo is above for you to see also.

We started picking up big branches and twigs. I looked at the clock and it was getting time for Al’s medications and his supper. We still had no power, so we all jumped in our cars and went to Wal-Mart for a while. Al is on a new collecting habit, replica cars, vintage style. This was the first isle we seeked out, and of course, he picked one out. I got him a new sleeveless shirt. As he is losing muscle and weight, we buy him more clothes more often now. After leaving the store we went to KFC to eat supper, but it was closed, due to no electricity. We noticed that whole section had no street lights working and no business was open anywhere. We made our way to the opposite side of town, and boy, was it crowded everywhere.

I didn’t know what to do, Al needed his meds, I had no electricity at home, and people were lined up outside the doors at the few restaurants we passed. My quick thinking told everyone that we stop at Wendy’s. Al likes Wendy’s and I would just take him ahead and sit him down at some empty seats to wait for us to get through the line. The two grandchildren, sat with him so they were helping out a lot, by saving a few tables for us. Al would never had made it five minutes waiting in line, he would have collapsed right there from his weakness from Parkinson’s.

We finally got to be waited on and took all the food to the tables where they were waiting for us. We ate and talked about the storm damages. Everyone else in hearing distance were also talking about the same thing.

After supper we came home and there was no electricity as of yet. There was still daylight left, so we sat outside and just chatted, but darkness kept creeping nearer.  We talked about what it was like in the 1900’s and what they did and how they lived without central air, Tv, and computers. This made us think about the game badminton. My son went to his house and got his generator, and when he came back, he hooked this up to a light. We sat the badminton net up and sat Al up beside us in a chair with his diet pop, and we played this game until around midnight.

We had more fun than anytime I can remember of lately. We laughed when we each missed the birdie, and chased after it when we knew it was going to hide in the shadows.

The kids were tired, and so was Al. Still no electricity, we made our way into the house, with a flashlight, and I washed Al up with baby wipes and clean boxer briefs and helped him lie down on the living room couch. My family went home to their own beds, and I smiled as I made my way to my own bed, thanking God for this gift of the needed rain, and to spend hours just laughing with family, and giving me quality time with the ones I love. This storm brought a special rainbow into my life.

The electricity suddenly came back on at seven am this morning. Day light is given back to us. I put the flashlights and candles back in their rightful spots. Al fixes his breakfast, and I take a shower. After his breakfast, I give him his shower. Laundry is started, cleaning is picked up once again. Life goes on, but now I have a reason to smile today. Remembering yesterday.

A Peek Inside

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I have been blogging now almost three months, and I often wonder what name hides behind the WordPress names that I respond to. I have wondered what you look like and do not always know what area you are from. I have decided to share with you a little about myself through pictures I have taken through the years. The top photo is of me, and the one beneath is my brother. This is my eldest child, a daughter, with her husband, and one of their daughters standing with them,at the bottom of the page. This little girl,third photo down, is another one of my granddaughters. The little boy on the bike is also a grandson to me. The sixth photo down is the mother of the little boy on the bike. She is the one in the bottom left hand corner. They are a part of my youngest son’s family.The photo under these words with a  young man holding the little girl and the boy sitting beside him is my youngest son and his two children, more of my grandchildren. The young man sitting alone, is my middle son. Now I have shown you my three children. Mom, me and son together, next to the bottom. Son-in-law and his son, my grandson together,third from the bottom. My daughter and her daughter, my oldest grandchild,eighth from top. My entire family minus the middle son, one granddaughter and one more grandson. I love them all, and wish they were all living near me. Things that I enjoy doing are taking photographs. Here is one I took of tree leaf reflections. Here are two I took of the skies after the storm. I also love antiques and blogging. Well here is my sweet family, and some photos of nature. I have lived in Indiana all of my life except a short time when I lived in Florida. There is nothing more important to me than living for God and my family.  Thank-you for stopping by and getting a better peek of who I am.