bad storms and the appreciation of electricity

We've been deluged with rain and thunderstorms here in northern Illinois for the past

two weeks. While it's been more of a nuisance than anything else (limited yard work due

to the constant rain, barrage of mosquitoes, and humidity so thick that you could cut

it with a knife), yesterday was a different story. It was mostly overcast but the sun came

out here and there. I helped a friend pack her kitchen items for her big move next

weekend and then we went out to a late lunch. When we got out to her car, we saw from

the raindrops on the car that it had obviously rained while we were in the restaurant. But

the sun was already out again. Again, passing storms - no big deal.

I got home and was busy doing things around the house, so I didn't notice that the

sky was turning black. Brian arrived home from work and told me there was a tornado

warning! We headed down to the basement and a minute later we could hear the torrential

rains and wind whipping everything around. We even heard a couple of loud crashes.

It was over in just 1/2 hour and we headed upstairs and outside to see what had

happened. Huge tree limbs were down all over neighbor's yards and the street.

 

Just two doors down and across the street, a massive tree fell on the power

lines.

My next-door neighbor's maple tree cracked and fell across his back yard. It just

missed his house.

 

The only damage in our yard was my overturned planter...

 

and more plants and my vintage window blown over.

 

The worst part was, the power went out. All us neighbors stayed outside talking

to each other late into the night until it was time to go to bed. However, my phone

was losing power and I needed to charge it up, so I got in my car and took a long

drive with my phone plugged into the car charger. It was almost midnight and very

foggy outside when my phone was still only at 38% power and I said to myself, 

"forget it" and went home and tried to sleep. With it being hot and sticky outside

and not even a fan to keep us cool, needless to say, we only caught bits and pieces

of sleep during the night.

This morning - still no power. Brian went off to work and I cleaned up fallen branches

all over the yard, swept off the porch and sidewalk, and bailed water out of the sump

pump. Neighbors gathered in the street again and one passed out bottles of cold water

while we all commiserated together (after all, misery loves company!) and watched

the work crew cut the fallen tree out of the electrical lines.

I then spent the rest of the day at my friend's air-conditioned house until I heard

our power was back on - almost 24 hours. I'm now back at home and Brian just got

home from work. We now have to go through our fridge and freezer and see if any

food can be salvaged. All in all, even though I'm exhausted, I am thankful that my

house didn't suffer any damage and that our basement didn't flood. We've been 

through that nightmare twice in the past few years and I never want to go through

it again! Onwards and upwards...