It was a dark and stormy ... day?

Today I had a bunch of errands to run and my sister wanted to go to the movies ("Water for Elephants").  I slept in a little late today due to a very hectic Friday AND being awakened at 1 a.m. this morning by my NOAA alarm.  Since I had set it to "tone" instead of "voice" I have no idea why I was awakened early this morning, but  by golly it worked and got my attention, yes siiirrreee.


Anyway, back to today.  After the movie my sis and I went our separate ways.  I spent several hours in our local mall attending to my errands as well as getting a much-needed pedicure ... my first since leaving California, so you KNOW how much I needed it. 


The weather people have been predicting gloom and doom and rain for days now.  Oh, and add flash flooding to their predictions too.  It seems we are having a wetter-than-normal spring, along with the most active beginning to tornado season in YEARS (welcome to Kentucky!)  And they have been right about every other day.  However, I've learned quickly that you don't mess with the weather back here ... ever.


Today was a little overcast and warmish ... mid-70's is my guess.  After my pedicure I decided to go get an early dinner at Denny's; I just love their "Superbird" sandwich and since it was now 4 pm and I had not eaten since 10 am it was sounding better than ever.  As I left the mall I noticed that dark rain clouds were rolling our way.  Most all of the storms come from the west, and those of you who watch the Weather Channel at all will confirm that.  By the time I got to Denny's (not more than 1.5 miles from the mall) the dark clouds were covering one-half of the sky.  Nothing to worry about, I thought.  Ya, right.


I was escorted to my booth and given a menu, even though I knew what I wanted.  By the way, back here, when you sit down at Denny's the VERY FIRST THING they do, before drinks or taking your order, the very first thing they do is sit down a plate of biscuits and butter.  I'm not kidding!  They are fresh-baked, still-warm yeast biscuits.  I need some prayers for abstinence here people!

I'm in Denny's, in my booth waiting to give my order when the folks behind me start talking about how bad the sky looks.  I look out the window and it was the darkest daytime sky I've ever seen back here.  And as I am looking at it, suddenly the wind whips up  and it starts raining ... HARD!  Between the blowing wind and the deluge it actually looked like fog for a couple of minutes.  I mean it poured buckets, there was thunder and lightening.  And oh ya, about then the town sirens for off.  They sound the sirens when weather conditions warrant a "Tornado Watch".  The folks behind me are starting to say things like, "Boy, this sure looks bad.", and the folks in the booth in front of me are talking about  how many people can get under a table ... when the tornado comes.  Yep, the weather conditions described above are classic pre-tornado weather.  And then my food came.

Sooooooooo, I'm trying to read my Kindel (thank you again to the AAM Team and all those Amazon gift cards!), and eat my lunch-dinner.  But I can't help staring out the window ... it looks like the end of the world, and the folks on both sides of me are continuing to talk about how bad it looks, and how many people can fit under a table at Denny's.  And they are not laughing and punching each other in the shoulder, either.  After about one-quarter of my sandwich I call over the waitress and ask for a box.  When she inquires what the problem was I told her I was from California and I was SCARED and wanted to go home!  She understood immediately and I got my box and packed my food and took off, feeling like I was 10 years old.


The drive home, which takes about 10 mins., was uneventful AND by the looks of things, it had barely rained on our street.  Kinda of anti-climactic, I know.  However, I felt so much better in the house with the basement just steps away. 


The NOAA weather station has been going off periodically all evening and I have to wonder how many times I will be awakened tonight with warnings and watches.  It's going to be a long night ... *sigh*.


On another note, may you and yours experience the joy and blessing of Easter.


Sueky