Tornadoes and Ike and Vacations

Hello friends, I'm back from my little vacation, relaxed and ready to get serious in the next couple of weeks with and about the whole idea of this little out of state moving adventure that is actually happening in less than two weeks. Because... we close on our new house in two weeks, so we will be leaving KC in a little less than that amount of time. Dawned on me today what a short span that really is. So, deep breath Mel! Eeek... You guys I'm actually getting a little bit exited!

Photos of Tornado sightings in KC area 09/12/08

So much happened in the world while I was away. The night I left, Ike was just rolling into the Gulf. Somehow, here in Kansas City area we had a batch of late season Tornadoes form making my travel a bit hectic. The skies were dark and bleak and rain was pouring down when I drove to the airport, but once there the board showed that the flight was still on time. But, when the plane still hadn't arrived twenty minutes before we were due to take off it seemed we would be getting a late start. I kept thinking to myself, okay not such a big deal I'm a midwestern girl, tornadoes, dark skies, thunder and lightning are not really a new or particularly frightening event, you know, as long as you are not in a plane. I'll just be a few minutes late getting in. The plane arrived and while we were waiting in the passenger holding area it became pretty apparent that there may be bigger trouble brewing when the TV's were all showing tornado warnings in the area. They went ahead and began loading the plane anyway. I was in the first loading group, so I got on stowed my carry on buckled up etc., when the captain came on shortly afterwards and said that we needed to leave everything on the plane and get off quickly. They had evacuated the tower, a tornado had been spotted a couple of miles away and they were herding everyone in the airport into the underground tunnels. So, off we went. Into the tunnels for half an hour until the all clear and then back out and had to go through security again. (If you have ever traveled through the Kansas City airport you will understand this.) Getting back through security, even in little Kansas City was very hectic at this point. Everyone in the terminal had to go back through. Some folks who had been on our plane had left ID on the plane. Anyway, to make a long story short, it turned out fine. I arrived at my destination two hours late but just fine with a big story to tell. The ironic thing about it was that my sister traveling from Dallas the next day, dodging hurricane Ike was lucky enough to have her flight leave on time. Sometimes I just think WTF.

My dear friend Ann ran a half Marathon in St. Charles, Missouri on the 14th. By that time, the storm had blown all the way up and over Missouri and was pounding the St. Louis area. She sent me this as an example of what they dealt with that day:



I don't know who took the video, but as an example... those folks who ran with Ike certainly are troopers! Ann will be running the New York Marathon in the next couple of months and I wish for her better weather!

My week away, aside from weather events and worry over the stock market and the state of the country's economy, was FANTASTIC. I hugged on my family, laughed with my sisters, shopped and went to movies and visited lions and met nice people and even scrubbed my nephew's toilet. THAT, my friends, is a one time thing, done in the spirit of helping him set up his new apartment. :-) Now I'm happy to be home with my best dog ever. Seeing my kid this weekend, and my hubby. Life is good.