Track Clean-up
Downed Elm Tree
Downed Barn
Damn!
Saturday morning I get up and cut the grass in the front yard, fart around a little and head for the gym. I ran a little short of time and didn't quite get everything mowed, so when I finished up at the gym I just put on a dry shirt and headed home. Because I was going to do some more mowing later, I didn't bother taking a shower. About 4:00 pm I was just about ready to go back outside and finish up when the wife comes running into the house screaming to get down the basement. And then it started. Rain, wind and hail. Wind like Hell wouldn't have it. I could hear all kinds of things blowing against the house and a couple of big noises. It turns out one of the noises was the elm tree behind the house and the other was the new barn. I could see the barn from the basement window as well as the wind and the all the crap sailing by the house. Some of it went the against the prevailing wind, which was kind of scary. Especially when the prevailing wind had to be about 80 miles per hour.
The Missus missed the last step when heading down the basement stairs and banged herself up a little and the power was out for about 26 hours but other than that, everyone in the neighborhood was OK. I probably had the worst damage due to the barn going down but with all the trees that went down in my little hamlet, most of the houses were spared but garages and sheds were hit pretty good. Lots of trees down and roads closed because of the trees themselves and the power lines they took with them.
I don't know what I'm going to do about the barn. The building trades instructor stopped by on the way to the open house for the house they built this year. After seeing all the damage on his drive up from his house, I think he sensed there might be a problem. He didn't have time to talk but we'll get together and see what we can do. Besides the one tree that went down, a couple of them are leaning now. One of them has started pulling out of the ground quite a bit and the other has a few cracks in the dirt around the base.
The preparedness plan went well for us. With no electricity, we have no running water, lights, air conditioning, etc. We had plenty of water for the animals, drinking and toilet flushing. I wish I would have taken a shower as soon as I came home from the gym, but I do have a shower bag that I would have hung up tomorrow and got myself hosed off. I bought it after having to go three days in the Mississippi heat and humidity on a bike trip without a shower. We have several flashlights and a scanner to listen to what's going on. I'm going to buy another battery operated radio - maybe one of those crank jobs - to keep down the basement. I filled the crisper drawer of the refrigerator with ice to help keep things cold in there and we never opened the lid on the big freezer. I've got a motor drive welder that needs work. It has a 4500 watt generator on it. I'm going to quit farting around and take it in and see if someone can get it working. If not, or if it is going to be cost prohibitive, I think I'm going to spring for a generator. It's supposed to be in the 90's in a couple of days and the Missus can't take the heat. As long as the generator is big enough to power the little window AC unit and pump water, that would be plenty. Wouldn't even have to do both at the same time.
So we're safe and sound, and every time I went outside to take a whiz I picked up branches for a while so the backyard is mostly cleaned up, other than the tree, of course. All the neighbors are in good shape and firewood will be plentiful. The trains are running again and we'll all have stories to tell about the big storm of 2011.
Thanks to all the people at REMC for getting my electricity back on again, the county workers for clearing the roads and the police and firemen for running your asses off the last couple of days to keep us all safe while you're out in the biggest storm I've ever experienced.
Helluva way to start a vacation!
7 comments:
So glad to hear you and your wife are well after the storm.
I read your blog posts regularly. I teach metalsmithing at a University and I always like to read the things you write about the trades and education. I'm originally from a small farming community in IL.
I was really admiring your new barn. I was stunned to see your latest post with it on the ground. So sad to see it toppled... BUT glad to hear everyone is well.
If I know you though (from reading your posts), you'll figure out what to do in short order and it'll be better than it was. Take care and be safe!
Well, sh*t.
Frankie Flood: Thanks for your concern. Before rebuilding I am going to check into what they do in hurricane country to keep that stuff from happening. If the sides would have been on it probably would have come through unscathed. Just bad timing, I guess.
Traveling Pirate: Yep.
well crap ola that really sucks just glad you and sam are ok even after the fall don't get down in the dumps and contemplate jumping out the window of the barn looks like all you would do is sprain your ankle at least everything is still in the county not like rolla mo.let me know if you can use me or anything i have to help out cuzzin ricky
Cuzzin Ricky: Thanks - I'll let you know if I need anything. I might have to wait until school's back in session before anything much gets done.
Damn, Bro. Bad luck and troubles. Hate to see that new barn down like that, but I guess it's better than the house w/ y'all in it. You'll figure out a way to get that barn back on track.
Glad you guys are ok and that's the important thing.
Unk: Other than my money, I didn't have much invested. Somebody else did all the sweating and hard work and since it wasn't finished, I didn't have anything inside to get damaged. Like the old song - can't miss what you ain't never had. I think most everything can be salvaged. Not sure about the big doors that are at the bottom of the pile but since the roof was screwed on rather than nailed, I should be able to take it apart and reuse most everything. I'll wait and see what happens with the insurance then make plans. They said the winds hit up to 110 mph. Not surprising that it came down without any sides to keep it from racking out of shape.
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