Good Afternoon, Flowers! We got up to an orange sky at 5:30 this morning. It was so weird and then it got dark as it is at midnight; the wind kicked up with the rain right behind. We had some small hail for a few minutes to add to the mix. Ernie really doesn't like that noise! It's still pretty windy, but the sun is shining now. Bob is playing in a golf tournament -- the hospital vs. the nursing/retirement home. Last year he has to play with the cat hater next door as part of his foursome. It's not a nice golf day that's for sure.
My hometown (Charles City) is flooded big time. (Storm Lake was mentioned on the Today Show this morning . . . not sure why except we are in the middle of flooded farm land.) Anyhow Charles City closed the bridges and all highways leading into town. There is/was a 100+ year old suspension bridge -- the kind suspended by cables and it swings in the wind. It is gone! I always thought it was up pretty high above the river when I was a kid. My kids loved to run across it when they were little. There are lots of flood pictures in the state newspaper if anyone is interested . . . www.desmoinesregister.com
My "mom" has some water seeping in her basement in one corner. She lives about 5 blocks from the river and it was up to her driveway when I talked to her Monday. She is nervous about leaving her house with the river so high and more rain is on the way. My "sister" lives next to a little creek which is getting close to being out of its banks so they are also nervous about leaving. Their new house is pretty close to the water and since they live in the country now there are no close neighbors to check on the house for them. Her MIL is in the hospital with a stroke which happened Monday. My "sister" from AZ is not coming back. They were set to leave and she was having some pain; is still being treated for the tumor on the liver. They did a CT and put a stent in a pancreatic duct and another stent in a liver duct. Bottom line is we don't know if the rest of us are going to MN or not! I am nervous about leaving in case the electricity would go off or the sump pumps would quit for whatever reason. Bob was going to line up his farmer friend to check if we got a lot of rain. I also am having the cat sitter keep an eye on the basement.
To add injury I pulled a real stupid yesterday! Bob had gone to the cabin to mow and take a key to the cleaning lady. I made a meat loaf, baked potatoes, and scalloped corn to surprise him when he got home. I have a huge oven thermometer that was in my way so I took it out and set it on top of the stove, pulled the meat loaf out and picked the HOT thermometer up with my bare hand to move it out of the way. Needless to say I had 5 burned finger tips. I dropped it on the stove top but luckily didn't crack that. I put Vitamin E on them and eventually the pain went away. A couple fingers are tender today but I don't have any blisters.
Adding insult to injury . . . the AZ relatives are buying plane tickets first and then asking if it is ok that they use the cabin! Bob was not a happy camper! The guy coming is his brother's son and really the only cousin that Jason has the most in common with. Jason said he would be in charge. We are having everything ready to go and won't even be the first ones to get to use it this summer. Of course MIL thinks she will get to go up while nephew and wife are there but it is while we are gone (I hope) so she is stuck here. Too bad!
"Gma" -- I had to laugh at your description of the ball fans! I'd much rather watch the fans or half time shows than the announcers rehashing the plays. I could never figure out why companies send little items in big boxes. Usually you could put a dozen in the same box and still have room left over. I'd love to get some new towels. I get in a rut and use the same ones over and over. I have a bunch that belonged to my mom and they are all "short" in length . . . good to have around but I rarely use them. You'd look good in pink hair -- add some spice to your life.
Susan -- It is 60 degrees here and windy so it is a long pants kind of day. I wish the weather pattern would settle down and just be summer at its best! I didn't realize we were having Friday the 13th until you mentioned it. I hope that is not an omen for our MN trip.
I need to keep moving. I don't know whether to start packing boxes and clothes or not. Have a great afternoon and a terrific Thursday tomorrow!
Jean -- from Iowa!