Tuesday, August 31, 2010
High on candy that our wonderful friends provided, we headed further west into Oklahoma. The rain outside Oklahoma City was intense, and the dark storm clouds behind us were threatening. This is where movies like "Twister" lead to paranoia. I felt like we were fleeing ahead of some monster about to snatch us up, even though I couldn't really see one. (Only one twister sighting per family per trip. We reached our quota in Florida when we saw a water spout form over the Gulf of Mexico just miles from the condo. Instead of being dusty, brown and gritty, it was a deep midnight blue. Different color, but still it qualifies!)
By the time we gassed up near Bob's grandmothers house, we knew we were in the west again. Dry air, a slight smell of manure, and most importantly, NO BUGS. Bugs are a blessing....in the east, where I hope they will stay.
When we got to Lela's, one of the first things I asked her was whether she had a cellar......which she did. Not that she ever uses it. When the sirens go off, she usually heads for the closet, so she will not be trapped under the heavy cellar door when the twister goes another direction. So, without my promptings, Bob had a look with the kids.....creepy. Let your imagination wonder if I got any sleep that night, with the wind softly swirling and winding its way through wind chimes. You know the sound if you have seen the movie.
The kids slept with sugar plumbs dancing in their heads (literally), and woke up to play with the little outdoor kittens, which will make that almost as memorable as the candy! Thank you to grandmothers who provide friendly conversation, food, a dry place to sleep, kitties, and a cellar for paranoid inlaws! There is NO PLACE LIKE HOME!
