Lots of hugs to them! I'm glad they are safe, and sorry for the aftermath.

Careful with how many tic-tacs you eat in a sitting. #speakingfromunpleasantexperience

They both look pretty nice! How are returns if the dress doesn't fit as well as you hope? And how tight is time to get a dress? If time isn't tight and returns are easy and quick I'd go for the white, since you don't have other white ones. If you like the navy better, though, go for the navy even if you have other navy dresses.

Down, Swamp Thing! Down! Soggy Booya(h)!

Just got done scanning in all of Dad's tax documents and filing the stuff all away properly. I still need to do this with his sundry medical stuff, but right now I'm done scanning and filing. Time to pull the hematologist file in preparation for Dad's appointment this morning. We (hopefully) find out what is causing his concentrated blood today, and the plan for how to treat it. Cool temps and a morning sun are cheering me on this morning! Must remember to put out Dad's deck furniture again, and make sure he has bug repellent for when he wants to sit outside. The mosquitoes are rather bad of late.

Yay, John! Slachie, thanks for sharing. (((Angi))) On top of whatever else I have also noted that people in general (especially in traffic) are a lot squirrellier of late. I blame it on the weather systems that have been coming through. That coinciding with other things can make for some really aggravating times.

*gives comfy blankie and warm beverage of choice*

You were married in 2000, then, like DH and me. :grin: I like being married in that year. All I have to remember is that each year after 2000 is the number of our anniversary.

Happy anniversary!!!! :party::party::party:

((((Jean))))

See how much you need that river time? It gets your brain juices flowing. C'mon, good weather weekend. I want some water time, too!

(((Critter's cat))) A Booya(h) for all of the critters out there.

There there. Oldest will survive this, as will you. No one will end up living in a van down by a river long-term. It will only be short-term, as part of an adventure.

Add a not-too-large table with an upright chair or two and this is about perfect! Maybe also a window seat. And sconces and other light sources everywhere, so the lighting can be tailored just right.

What will you call your bookstores?

I am whelmed.

Here's what we told coworkers when I worked in a high rise: If a tornado or very strong storm threatens the area leave any room with a window or exterior wall and proceed to interior rooms or hallways. Take your keys, wallet, and anything else you might need to get home with you (because you might not be able to return to your office later to retrieve them -- same as for a fire alarm). There is often not enough time to get to below-ground floors, so focus on getting to sheltered interior places away from glass, putting as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Sit down against a wall, curl up to protect your core, and cover your head with a coat or jacket to protect from flying debris, in case it occurs. Wait for the storm to pass before attempting to return to the office spaces.

I liked that you are all unscathed. Hugs for further cold.

If the stormy sky turns a sickly green color hail is highly likely in the storm cell. Storms that turn the sky this same green or a purplish color can also produce tornadoes (though not all storms that produce tornadoes will turn the sky strange colors). Either way, in my own experience growing up on the prairie one should ALWAYS get to shelter if the sky turns odd colors. I would have been loudly disagreeing with those hotel desk people. The hail storm that hit my BIL's house a while back had grapefruit-sized hail that punched holes clear through the roof, attic, and ground floor ceiling (as well as smashing windows, fences, and exposed cars). This size hail is uncommon, but even much smaller hail can do a lot of damage. Prairie storms often have just what it takes to develop hail of destructive proportions.

Yesterday evening Dad's tax papers were in our mail, so I ran them off to Dad, got his signatures, Secure File Transferred the signed forms back to the accountant, and mailed the checks to Colorado (for taxes owed) and the accountant (for services rendered). Taxes done (except for some file management). Check. I also rented a climate-controlled storage unit yesterday, and today we moved the stuff from the non-climate controlled unit to the climate-controlled one. It was raining so we didn't take over any more boxes, but I did bring a few back to be dealt with here. Storage unit switched over and non-climate-controlled one relinquished. Check. I groceried. Check. I helped DH cut down a tree, and helped get the tools put away when it started raining on us again. Check. I have the last load of master bedding in the dryer and a jacket load in the washer. Progress being made on laundry. Woohoo! I have already passed the 5,000 step goal I set on the pedometer app on my phone. MUCH better than the almost-there days I have been having recently. I wonder how many more steps I'll get today? Tomorrow we move tree pieces to ILs' burn pile (might save some wood if FIL wants it), and I can make stuffed peppers for them for supper (sale on yellow and orange bell peppers at the store today). I also picked up 4 kinds of berries and an angel food cake. I forgot whipping cream, but we can pick some up on the way over. Pork chops on the grill tonight (the grill is in our covered breezeway so we can grill in the rain) for supper. It's a productive day!

Both missing items might be hiding in a pocket of something. Or under the mat inside your car.

I was at archaeology field school in NW Nebraska when our site received a tornado warning. My roommate and I (sharing my pop-up trailer) had the radio on and heard the warning. Our side had a couple of trenches dug into the side of a hill, so the entire camp of us piled into the trenches and waited for the storm to pass. It was night already and hard to see, but in the lightning flashes we did see a couple of funnels poking down from the clouds. None touched down near us, thankfully.

You have a basement -- below ground is better, though if time is too short to get to the basement that half bath is better than the other rooms upstairs. We have a slab foundation due to a high water table here. No basements. Our half bath is the ONLY room in this house that doesn't have exterior walls. If you can't get below ground you put as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Debris can come from ALL directions if a tornado hits. I would REALLY like to build a tornado-resistant house. Think a box of reinforced concrete, with strategically-placed openings for doors and windows.

Happy birthday DD6!!!! :party:

Yesterday I had the girls tip my canopy swing over onto its front to keep it from blowing if wind gusts hit while we were gone. After we were all home DH helped me actually remove the canopy and seat cushions, which we stowed in the garage. The instructions the kids have gotten in the past should we get a tornado or other severe weather warning: IF they are in or near their rooms or the sofa they are to grab a pillow and a blanket, but if they aren't near those they are to skip them. Everyone crowds into the half-bath under the stairs. I usually won't have any pillow or blanket because I will have grabbed the cat. Stuffed critters can stand in for a pillow if desired and immediately grabbable. Whatever they grab shouldn't slow them down -- the important thing is to get into that half bath quickly. Cushy things (pillows or stuffed critters) are for sitting on or otherwise cushioning oneself in the cramped corner each person gets, and blankets are for covering heads just in case the mirror breaks. Getting us all in the half bath gets interesting. Everyone gives up any idea of personal space or getting to stretch out. I also remind them that a CLEAN toilet is a lot more pleasant than a dirty one when one is tucked into the corner alongside the toilet.