Good morning all:

Weekly aging quote:

“Weird to think we’re just fifteen years away from Snooki being a grandmother.” ~ Tim Siedell

Scary thought is that I could be its great-great godfather –NOOOOooooo he screamed!

That was probably just a bad dream, shaken off by my large mug of coffee.

A storming return – All around us was devastation after yesterday afternoon’s tornado activity. Death and destruction was all that the newscasters reported on, all stations, all evening. Indiana lost whole towns, as did northern Kentucky, and Ohio east of the ‘Nati. In many places access was gained by starting up snowplows at a highway ramp and then ‘plowing’ a path through the debris to allow first responders, power company folk, ambulances, foodstuff, and evacuation teams to gain access.

As this was occurring Tevita was flying home.

Right before leaving for the airport I checked Flight Alert and checked his progress. Instead of a straight line through southern Illinois, his flight was now scheduled to travel west to east through Tennessee, ease into Kentucky, and then make a ‘hard-90’ over Lexington to then dive into our airport exactly between two pockets of the storm. The attached photo shows his flight path and I circled two of the approaching cells visible on the radar, the very ones which caused most of the destruction (click twice over to open).

Finally, at the airport I waited for Tevita’s call. At last he rang and said he had spotted the truck and was now waiting for his luggage. Moments later the warning sirens went off and kept on wailing. In the midst of that Tevita emerged and we took off. He said that as he walked towards the exit they announced that the airport was being shut down and that people were being herded into safe zones. Whew!

Not a bad drive home. With storm racing along at 60mph I knew that outrunning one would not be possible. In the mirror I could see dark-green skies, but things stayed just gray in the west. In my mind I was leapfrogging from one underpass to the next as potential safe zones; never necessary as it turns out.

Please have your thoughts and prayers with those all around us whose lives turned into turmoil in mere seconds.

For us, and especially Adrianne and the kids, welcome home Tevita—safe and sound.

2-weeks of illness – is now history. Marcia’s hacking is reduced to ‘sustainable’ levels. Vai, now being treated with a new antibiotic is her old self. Vili is sporting two new front teeth and his running nose cleared immediately, and I seem to have escaped completely.

However, while all of the above was still occurring we went out for my birthday dinner. I would appear that, at least amongst the adults (Marcia, Cathy, Adrianne, and newly anointed ‘Yoldie’ Dirk) that our restaurant for the evening was instantly scratched from any “future visit” list.

The attached photo of Vai, decked out gloriously in her white party dress, sitting under the table completes the story of just how well the evening went. Adrianne took her two back to the car while the rest of us made haste finishing up our meal. Cathy did manage a ‘doggy-bag’ of what was left as treat for her doggy—Blueu. Now, how often does a ‘doggy-bag’ actually get to a dog?

Desert was wonderful and was Cathy-made vegan birthday cake at Adrianne’s. That little get together was worth the whole celebration.

Marin – used the opportunity of us all being together for a final rehearsal of his school oration. He had to give a talk at the school’s oratory festival. Two from each class were then selected to, yesterday, give their presentation in front of the whole school. Albert Einstein, er, excuse me, Marin as Albert Einstein was selected to present in front of the school.

Animal Planet – The walk to our house now has clusters of purple crocuses. Does that mean we survived winter? Looking at the lake camera and the daily ton of snow hitting the lake, it would appear not. But we’re thinking nevertheless.

Kellen is already in spring training since baseball season is just around the bend. Is T-ball ready for this guy?

Closing – At noon there will be roller skating – for some (not me) at the indoor rink as Dinah celebrates number 5, and something else. Yesterday she was seen wearing a pair of brand-new little purple flowers in her ears. I must say that, that girl has a sense of fashion.

Make it a great week everyone and be safe.

Cheers,
Dirk