Growing up on the farm, inclement weather meant everyone gathered at Grandpa Evan's and Grandma Johnnie's and fun was had! If we were snowed in, there was a big pot of chili (before we lost the electricity), sleeping in sleeping bags in the living room, missing school, playing games, etc. The town grandparents--Grandpa Keith and Grandma Wanda--would bring groceries to the end of the road where it met the highway and we would snowmobile the half-mile to get them. Fun!
If there was a tornado warning or bad winds, then we'd run up to the "big house" (not a jail, just what we called my grandparents' home!) and try to guess when to quick run to the basement! The power would often go out and the air was electric with excitement (and electricity from the lightning, too!)! Danger approached!
My aunt Julie had duly filled me up with horror stories for every situation. For the tornado, it was that a piece of straw had been wind-driven through a man's heart. To this day, when there are high winds I try to make sure that there isn't any loose straw around!
Oh, all the impending disaster!
Anyway, one day last week I was aware, sort of, that it was kind of dark outside, but it wasn't until I received an e-mail from my mom (in Iowa) that said she hoped that I (in Texas) was watching the weather and that I had a plan.
A plan? I suddenly realized that I didn't even have a basement, let alone a plan! For some reason, even though they live in a state with a healthy tornado season, Texans don't build every house with a basement. Like, ours doesn't have a basement. We do have a garden tub which is quite deep; however, it shares a wall with a huge picture window.
We have beautiful vaulted ceilings. We have a house FULL of gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows. We have new carpet.
Yes, we have no basement. (Sung to the tune of Yes, We Have No Bananas!)
Thankfully, it only hailed. We do have a garage.
No plan yet, though.
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