Stormy Weather

It's been suggested that I make a blog post once a week, so here's this week's update.

Fort Wayne got a BIG storm (but little rain!!!) on Friday afternoon.  Kris and I decided to wait for the storm outside on the back deck swing because Kris said, "I forgot what rain looks like.  You want to go out with me and see the rain when it comes down?"

So we sat and talked for about 5-10 minutes, and Kris kept checking the NOAA Radar on her iPhone to see how close the storm was getting.  We could see it was getting dark to the west, but didn't think too much about it.  Adrian and Katie were kind of worried because a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect for Allen County, but we were not the least bit concerned.  Kris said she almost felt like the weather people were just "crying wolf," because of the severe drought that Indiana has been under all month.

Well, the wolf came charging at us.  One second it was dark and eerily quiet, then -- quick as you could blink -- high winds hit and nearly bent the young trees flat.  Kris has mostly mature oaks and walnut trees in her back yard, and we could see branches starting to fly.  I said, "Let's get the hell back in the house!"  So I got up off the swing, and the wind about carried me away.  Kris got up after me, and she said my eyes were as big as golf balls!  I think hers were, too.  We were both pretty scared and agreed it was the strongest wind either of us had experienced.  All those years in Florida and the threat of hurricanes, and I never saw anything like this!

The next 15 minutes, the wind was fierce.  We could hear branches hitting the roof, and rain was blowing straight west-to-east as it was coming down.  When the storm passed, Kris went outside to inspect things from the front yard, and there were branches and leaves all over, but no damage.

Throughout the greater Fort Wayne area, though, there was lots of damage.  Kris and I took the girls to Crazy Pinz to meet some friends and bowl around 5:00, and we saw some tree damage on our drive there. We dropped them off and drove back home, and we heard on the 6:00 news that a 91 mph wind gust was measured at Fort Wayne International Airport, and that over 118,000 people in the county were without power.  

Downed trees in Fort Wayne

Estimates are that power won't be fully restored until at least Wednesday...as I write this, there are still over 66,000 people without power, and that it will be months before the damage is all cleaned up.

So we sure were lucky not to be hit hard here.  Adrian and Katie have lots of branches to pick up, but it's good for them to have chores.

The girls have their "nationals" dance competition starting next Monday, the 9th, in Chicago.  It goes all week, through Friday, the 13th.  Kris had planned on taking me with her, since when I first got here I was too weak to look after myself, but she came into my room this morning and said, "I have something to ask you, and I want you to think about it for a few days before you give me your answer.  Do you want to go with us to Chicago next week, or do you want to stay here?"  I said, "I don't need to think about it for a few days. I want to stay here!" 

She wouldn't have given me the option if I was the least bit uncertain or lacking strength, but I told her I felt better than I have in 4 months, and she certainly agreed that she thought I was capable of being alone for 6 days.  She's going to prepare some more ready-to-go meals like she did for me over Christmas when they visited me in Florida, so all I'll have to do is pop them in the microwave for my dinner.  I want to make my own breakfasts though.  And there will be plenty of Ensure for the evening.

Another reason Kris thought I'd be OK here alone is that she bought me a cell phone on Monday.  It's one of those Consumer Cellular "simple" phones with big buttons.  There's no contract, and it's just $10/month.  It's made just for nonagenarians like me who don't want internet or text messaging or all that other mess on a phone.  Best of all, it has Kris' phone number programmed as my "emergency number," so all I have to do is click a button fast 3 times on the back of the phone if I want to call her for anything, and there's a lanyard, so I can wear it around my neck.  I have strict orders to wear the phone when I'm out on my daily walks and when Kris is gone on errands or working.

Kris is going to call me around 8:00 every night, and I will e-mail her every day.  And Kerry Ohlwine, Kris's friend who drove to pick us up when our tire blew on the way back from Florida, is staying in town while the dance competition is going on because he's the head groundskeeper at a local golf course and has to work.  His wife, Staci, and his mom are taking their daughter, Katelyn, to Chicago for the dance competition.  Kerry has my phone number, and his number is on my "names" list on my phone now, so he'll be checking in with me and vice versa, too.

If you would like my new cell phone number, just let me know and I will send it to you.

That's about all the exciting news for this week.  Oh, I've gained another pound, so that's 23 so far. And in case you think I'll be lonely while Kris and the girls are in Chicago, think again!  I'll have my two puppy dog best buddies to keep me entertained and watch out for me.

They are 1/2-Chihuahua, 1/2-Pekingese -- Butch and BeiBei.  They are brother and sister and look just alike, but they're from different litters.  BeiBei is 4 and Butch is 3.  It is hard to tell them apart, and sometimes -- I swear -- I think they have ESP, because their behavior is nearly identical, too. 

Guard Dogs -- Butch (left) and BeiBei (right)

Butch (left) and BeiBei (right)

I didn't think I'd like having dogs and cats around when I came here, but these 2 dogs are about the best-natured dogs I've ever seen.  But...ha!!! They get upset when Adrian tries to take them off my lap.  I get a kick out of that!