Weathered a storm

Last night shortly after the kids went to bed, a severe weather system was heading our way.  However, it looked like on the radar that we were going to be spared as two different systems, one north and one south of Bismarck, would go around just missing us.  I sat on the couch and just watched as the sky was lit up.

Most of the lightning was in the clouds and the thunder was very limited, but as the wind speed picked up it became more apparent we were not going to be spared by the storm.  We were under a severe thunderstorm warning and then eventually we were under a tornado watch.

I am one that is easily unsettled with high winds when it is related to a storm system, and so is my son!!  Unfortunately, Zack  hadn’t gone to sleep before the wind speed picked up and the lightning was lighting up the sky. He is way worse than I am – so then you put the two of us together during a storm, talk about over dramatic panic, I’m sure – at least that is what Jay says. 

As Zack became more anxious so did I.  So, I thought to help ease the situation, we could go to the basement and hang out till the storm passed.  By then, either she heard the ruckus or she just happened to wake up, Mackenzie was startled by the bright lightning and she came out in tears and joined us.  About that time was when we were put under a tornado watch.  The kids and I gathered some pillows and blankets and headed to the basement.

We pulled out the gymnastics mat and figured we’d rest there just for a little bit, and that is when it happened.  The lights went OUT!!  So, Jay came down with us and we rested for a while just listening to the wind whip around the house. 

After a while, we decided it was pass and probably okay to go upstairs, but when Jay and the kids went up briefly they said it was just too hot now that we had closed all the windows.  So, Jay moved some mattresses from our guest quarters (other side of basement with full size window and sliding glass doors) to our safety side.

We got a phone call from the electric company around three in the morning to let us know the power had been restored, but we just stayed in the basement.

When Jay and I got up – moved quite slowly with all the aches and pains of sleeping on a concrete floor with just a mattress – we checked to see if there was any outside damage.

We looked out our back door and noticed that our wheel barrel had been blown from underneath our deck and our grill and an old hot water tank had blown up against the deck steps.   Our neighbor’s house lost some siding.

This is a picture of the pasture on the north side of our house.  These posts use to have sheets of wood on them to serve as a wind break for any animals in the pasture.  One of the storms a couple of weeks ago took out about three fourths of the wood, and  then last night’s wind blew the rest of it away leaving bare posts.   We also lost some shingles off the roof above the garage, so I guess we need to let the landlord know! 

We’re suppose to have more storms off and on today, but I’m hoping when it’s time for bed we’ll be able to sleep in the comfort of our own beds.