First the Watch.Then the Warning. Finally the siren.

[Solly Mack]

We get the pets all tucked into their sturdy kennels. Arrange dog pillow beds on top and cover it all with the doggie duvet. All kennels pushed under a heavy duty table.

We huddle next to them with our own pillow and blanket.


TIck.Tock.Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.


We laugh at ourselves. Make jokes. Forget to turn Rachel Maddow off. We laugh some more.

We both swear the mini-dachshund is speaking in English to the standard dachshund in an effort to calm him. Sounds like words, anyway. We laugh, but it works. Mac calms down.

Then the hail starts.The noise is like rocks pelting against glass. The wind gets louder. A rumbling that grows into shakes and rattles.

All quiet now. No laughter left. All animals silent. Hands clasped.

Then it was over.

Just like that.

Quick damage check. So far, so good - but it's dark. We'll know more tomorrow.

Tornadoes don't give a fuck about pandemics. Pandemics don't give a fuck about tornadoes.

But we need to care about each other. Everyone needs a pillow and a blanket waiting for them when things go wrong. They need a hand to clasp.

[MLAA]

1. Whew, glad it's over and you and your pack are doing well!

[Solly Mack]

4. Thank you, MLAA.

We are still laughing about RM playing through it all.

[MLAA]

6. She is a tough cookie, nothing can stop her!

[tblue37]

2. Thank goodness you and your pups are OK! nt

[Solly Mack]

8. Thanks, tblue37

Second one in three days. Last thing people need.

Kitten kept reaching through the kennel to touch me.

[tblue37]

10. You have a kitten, too? Or is that the name of one of your dogs? nt

[Solly Mack]

20. Yes, a kitten and three dogs.

She, the kitten, wasn't the least bit fazed.

[tblue37]

13. Second? Where do you live? nt

[Solly Mack]

18. Louisiana. It's that time of year.

[tblue37]

22. I live in Kansas, but where I live, we only get rare tornadoes--2 since 1970, plus one microburst. n

[onecaliberal]

3. Peaceful calm vibes

[Solly Mack]

11. Thank you, onecaliberal

[ZZenith]

5. Are you still in Kansas?

[Solly Mack]

14. No. Louisiana. Like Oz but with gators.

[ZZenith]

21. Ah geez -

Gators are one creature I am fine without.

Something so... primordial about them.

Glad you’re safe! One of my earliest memories is of an Arkansas twister that gave us a close shave. Helpless, helpless, helpless.

[Solly Mack]

23. Gators are easier to avoid.

And I try.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

53. I'd prefer gators over twisters or even the hornets I've heard you folks have.

Once took a swim near some gators. Didn't know they were there until I got out. Didn't go swimming in that state again. Either they weren't hungry or were tired of ignorant out of state tourists.

Glad you and your buddies are ok!

[Solly Mack]

56. Gators are easier to avoid. Twisters not so much.

Course, depending on how bad the storm, the alligators will start wandering about people's houses. Especially when there is flooding.

[Skittles]

7. my cat always hides behind the toilet during tornado warnings

I don't fit there but the bathtub is right next to it; however, I prefer a bedroom closet (don't like the idea of the bathtub upstairs falling on me)

[Solly Mack]

15. My kitten took it all in stride. Me, not so much.

[blm]

9. ((Solly Mack))

[Solly Mack]

16. Thanks, blm

[sheshe2]

12. Hey Solly.

You made me laugh and cry.

Your last paragraph. So true.

But we need to care about each other. Everyone needs a pillow and a blanket waiting for them when things go wrong. They need a hand to clasp.


I am so glad you all are well.

[Solly Mack]

17. Thanks, she.

My old body hasn't moved that fast in a long time.

[sheshe2]

27. You do what you have to do in these times.

You did good.

[babylonsister]

19. omg,

they scare the bejeebus out of me because I've never --knock wood--been through one. Life goes on during the pandemic. I am glad you're safe.

Hurricanes coming up.

Exhausting.

[Solly Mack]

24. Thanks, babylonsister.

If it's not one thing, it's all of them at once.

[brer cat]

25. I'm so glad you are all safe.

You managed to get through it with your sense of humor intact which is almost as good as a blanket and pillow.

I hope you don't have to go through another one.

[Solly Mack]

26. Hey, brer cat. Thanks.

Have to laugh. Haven't mastered the pretty for TV crying yet.

I get all red and blubbering.

[MuseRider]

28. LOL, you moved from around here

to there? Man oh man. These days wherever you are sounds worse than the usual Kansas weather, we have seen much less for the last few years than any time in my life. Edit to add:sorry I was side tracked.....stay safe.

[Solly Mack]

30. I like to live dangerously. Added hurricanes to spice

things up. Got to admit that the brain eating amoeba did give me pause.

It's all fun and games until it isn't. Or something like that.

Got a Democratic governor though.

Thanks, Muse.

[MuseRider]

33. We do too now.

It is much nicer but we will be digging out of the Brownback years, added to the coronavirus years, for a long long time.

[Solly Mack]

36. Yeah. Pisses me off, too. Having to clean up

the mess Trump has made during an already bad situation. So many people dying because of his ignorance and his ego. Even in a time of life or death, republicans still can't stop themselves from taking from those in need.

[niyad]

29. Oh wow. So glad that you and your family are all okay. Tornadoes are so frightening.

Your furriers sound wonderful. I love that your kitten kept reaching to touch you. What a little sweetie..

Your last paragraph said it all so perfectly. Thank you. Thank you.

May you and yours be safe and well.

[Solly Mack]

31. Thanks, niyad.

May you and yours be safe and well also.

Everyone is asleep now, except for the humans. My furbabies are smarter than I am.

[samplegirl]

32. Glad your safe.

[Solly Mack]

35. Thanks, samplegirl

Still under a watch until midnight central time. But with any luck...

[OhNo-Really]

34. How terrifying. This map has helped me for years

Link to tweet

You can see where the wickedest weather will pass on a 4 day future forecast

Happy you are all safe.

[Solly Mack]

38. Thanks, OhNo-Really.

That will come in handy.

[OhNo-Really]

41. U of Utah has awesome forecasting tools.

Helps with.....remember places & traveling. I’m old enough to. Be safe!

[Solly Mack]

46. I'm old enough too. :)

[OhNo-Really]

40. Another interesting tracker

https://tornadopaths.org/

List all tornadoes for 24 hours

[Solly Mack]

45. Cool. Thanks.

[greatauntoftriplets]

37. Stay safe, Solly Mack!

[Solly Mack]

39. Thanks, greatauntoftriplets

[Ford_Prefect]

42. Good to hear you are all OK.

I lived 36 years in central NC. When we weren't waiting out Hurricanes we had Tornadoes to keep us awake. I know that feeling.

[Solly Mack]

44. Gets the blood to pumping.

Thanks, Ford_Prefect.

[spanone]

43. Great Post Solly Mack

[Solly Mack]

47. Thanks, spanone

Glad I could.

[Laffy Kat]

48. Great replay.

I felt like I was going through it with you. So glad you're ok.

[Solly Mack]

49. Thanks, Laffy Kat

The fear was still fresh. Getting sleepy now.

[calimary]

50. OMG! What a terrifying experience!

Thank goodness you're still here to tell about it! Glad you ALL are still here.

Thank you for sharing. I was riveted, reading your post.

[Solly Mack]

52. Hi, calimary. Thanks.

It was a scary few moments. So much can change...

We lost a pecan tree a few months back to storms. I hope we still have the others come sunrise. The old oak is still standing. I enjoy my trees.

Got to thinking about the trees once my mind got to working again.

My furbabies went to sleep. Their parents aren't as smart.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

51. the election season is going to be like ..

Fighting headless monsters during a zombie invasion.

[Solly Mack]

54. We need a Carol.

[Hekate]

55. ((Solly Mack, continue to stay safe))

So glad all is well for now.

[Solly Mack]

58. Thanks, Hekate.

Hopefully it will be calm for a bit.

[MerryBlooms]

57. My Manx was the best bad weather alarm I had...

He'd head for the basement stairs way before the sky got dark or the sirens blared. Once he hit the stairs, I'd kennel both cats and strap them to my left ankle. I would already have the news on, but my cat knew when a storm was close. He has PTSD and still searches for the lowest part of the house when there's a storm, even though we're in a mobile home and back in Oregon. When the rain rolled in today, he got between the back of my legs and my chair. Wasn't a bad storm, but he was nervous.

I don't miss those tornado sirens one damn bit, nor miss one damn thing about my time in the upper Midwest.

Hunker down and keep your shoes on.

[Solly Mack]

59. Thanks, MerryBlooms

My standard gets nervous when it storms. He hates thunder. I usually hold him.

I didn't grab my shoes. My husband remembered to though. Good man.

[AllaN01Bear]

60. hope no tornado damage . stay safe . and the pack too.. does wherewolf howelll. these

wind map,,
http://hint.fm/wind/
vialasala lighting portal. the lighting has just been crazy,
http://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/explorer.html
on wind map , the map is portraing surface wind speed .

[Solly Mack]

61. Thanks. Some limbs down at back of property.

Woods back there. Mostly loblolly.

We're good. Back to as normal as we ever were. Not everyone as lucky. Sadly.

Thanks, again! For the links and kind words.

[NNadir]

62. Wow. I'm so glad you came through.

I know that this may not seem appropriate at this time where your heart may still be racing, but that's very fine writing that you've done, very evocative. I could really feel being there.

[Solly Mack]

63. Thanks, NNadir. We are all good.

Some downed tree limbs is all. Very fortunate.