Started Out Nice Enough

Yesterday morning was beautiful. Not too hot. Sunny.

The grans were all safely ensconced in what used to be my recliners.

I went out to check on the troughs and found someone had left a note for the fairies.

So, knowing that magic still reigned supreme on Casa Claire, I set about my Saturday business, which in the first instance was to get Claire and Honey their mani-pedis,

While the grans observed from the back deck,

Then I had made it my goal to procure a fridge for Claire and Honey’s new barn so that I could be banished there by my wife to do what has turned into daily prep of their fruits and veggies – which is too noisy when Lisa, now banished to the Dungeon, tries to watch her early morning news reports – and I could turn over the fridge in the Dungeon to Lisa – for human needs.

I was going to buy a new one from Lowes or Home Depot but of course the simpler models I was interested in were out of stock.

So, I did a search on Nextdoor and voila! A family in Loveland was having a yard sale and had a “like new” fridge that they needed to get rid of because they just redid the kitchen with a new color scheme.

So, I drove up to Loveland and an hour later I had backed my Rav 4 (yes, the one from The Claire Saga) up to Claire and Honey’s new digs,

and after some ball busting heavy lifting

Yanked that bad boy out of the Toyota and installed it in its new home.

By then, Lisa had gone out and purchased some more fruits and veggies so I went to work.

And soon the job was done.

So, after filling Claire and Honey’s bowls in their new digs, I returned to the Main house and attempted to medicate with Aleve and rest my achy knees and sore back, watching Denzel Washington in The Equalizer (awesome flick).

But Mother Nature had other plans.

Earlier in the afternoon, the sky looked a bit strange to me.

I must check my cell phone more often.

The wind first played havoc with the chairs outside the back doors and I heard the girls excitedly call to each other that they thought we were having a tornado.

Lisa and I went upstairs where the next two generations had taken positions at various outposts as if watching for approaching zombies.

I glanced out the window and it indeed looked ominous. Out front.

And out back.

Although there was one intrepid hawk rocking the approaching wind shear wave coming from the West like he was Laird Hamilton.

And then the hail rocked the house like the angels had emptied a barrel of marbles from heaven.

This hail was a big as marbles and the sound of it striking the roof and skylights was deafening. I still haven’t checked the cars.

The grans insisted we race out and procure a few handlfuls so they could pelt each other with the mini ice balls. We did.

But of course, in the back of our minds, the adults were considering our next steps.

“Does a hailstorm mean there could also be a tornado? Not always, but possibly.  Since large hail often appears near the area within a thunderstorm where tornadoes are most likely to form, you should assume a tornado could be nearby and seek appropriate shelter.”

https://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/hail/faq/#:~:text=Does%20a%20hailstorm%20mean%20there%20could%20also%20be,tornado%20could%20be%20nearby%20and%20seek%20appropriate%20shelter.

Of course, the grans were thrilled by the idea that they might see a tornado, and I tried to keep it light by suggesting that I take all three out and toss them off the deck into the wind so that they could be carried to Oz (fictional not Australia). I convinced the smaller two that they were perfect sized munchkins and would have no problem assimilating. Probably land positions in the Lollipop Guild. I told the taller Scarlett she should immediately apply for an internship with Glinda the Witch.

I suspect Stella would have opened a protection racket among the the munchkins.

I glanced outside and saw that Claire and Honey had retreated to the old barn, old habits die hard, and was thrilled to see that none of their roof was flying off.

But in my mind I was trying to decide where in the basement we could all huddle if need be. The Harry Potter closet was probably the best place. It is located in the most-interior belly of the Dungeon and just off the center hall and under the staircase. It would probably be the safest structurally, given that the Dungeon is buried on three sides by a hill and the stairway gives it added overhead strength.

When the wind and noise suddenly subsided – much to the disappointment of the grans – I won’t lie, I said a silent prayer of thanks. Old habits die hard.

After a brief exchange among the adults about how we just dodged a weather bullet, we all retreated to our original places in the house.

But I was exhausted. Physically and emotionally, and was barely able to watch Denzel dispatch the last of the Russian baddies, so I took myself off to bed.

I slept like a log.

Alls well that ends well.

Well today is upon us, and I have more to do around Casa Claire.

Claire and Honey are just fine, although they spent the night up on the front property on higher ground. But their circadian cycle told them they should come down back. They had their witching hour feed in the new barn.

So, now it’s time to cuddle some kitties, assuming they also made it through the storm. I expect they did. After all, this is Casa Claire.

Then off on my rounds. Then chores.

You fine, five readers count your blessings. Go to church if that is your ilk. Enjoy your Sunday.

But no matter what else we get up to, let us make today a great one.