Things that have happened since I last posted (May 1)...

*I turned 45. :) Happy belated birthday to ThomCat and the other DUers that share my birthday! :hi:

*On Thursday a week ago at about 11:30 PM, an EF-2 tornado touched down only a couple of miles from where I live. My husband had just finished two MRIs and I was driving back from the doctor to our house. As we passed the airport at 10:45 PM, we almost got blown off the road by wind gusts. The tornado went through that area less than 45 minutes after we were there. Nothing happened at my house, but one of my husband's friends sustained damage to his business, and there are a decent number of families who had to find other places to live.

At 2:10 AM that Friday, an EF-2 tornado touched down in my mother's back yard two hours away and knocked down most of the trees in her back yard. Her deck was severely damaged, but she and her house are OK. Three of her neighbors sustained major damage to their cars and homes. The tornado touched down there and hopscotched to other areas in a six-mile path, causing all kinds of havoc. I left work at lunch on Friday and went down to her house to help clean up. I was there until Sunday evening, and I was really freaking tired when I got back.

*My father-in-law suffered an episode of dementia. He's been in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's for a couple of years now, but it's getting worse.

*Work has gotten even busier. I didn't even think that was possible.

Hello to everyone I haven't talked to in a while. :hi:

I wondered how you all fared over there during the storms. It certainly was scary. I'm glad no one got hurt.

:hug:

:hi:

I've missed you around here! I'm so glad you and your family survived the storms...

I HATE tornadoes. :-(

Sorry to hear about your father-in-law...Alzheimer's is so terrible. :hug:

I'm terrified of them. Is it me? Or are we having tons more tornadoes and storms with strong winds in them the last couple of years?

In any case, glad you didn't get carried off or hurt. Hope your mom and your hubby's friend get back on track fast. Tornadoes are so devastating. They really :scared: me.

:loveya:

I missed you this year! I noticed that I had not seen you around for a while and thought you must be taking a break from DU. :(

Wow. I'm very sorry you've had so many challenges and hard situations happening recently. I hope you're holding up okay.

:hug:

ginbarn and I send our love and best wishes.

:grouphug:

sounds like a lot to happen in just a few weeks!

Happy Birthday! :toast:

glad the tornadoes didn't hurt you or your mother

Sorry about your father in law and his dememtia

busy here too at work, must be a good sign though eh?

:hi:

:hug:

:loveya:

:hi:

I'm so glad you and your family are all right after the tornadoes. Stay well. As for your father-in-law's dementia, I'm right there with you. My grandfather suffered from it for the last seven or eight years of his life. It's a confusing and demoralizing time for everyone involved. There were times he would "escape" my mother's house, shamble out into the street stopping cars and telling anyone who would listen that my mother was holding him hostage, and to call the police. Even when he was in good spirits, he would recognize very few people. He called me Harold on a number of occasions, and my grandmother confessed she didn't think that he had ever even known someone named Harold.

Anyway, I hope you are okay in spite of everything (plus work! My God, NWC. How can you stand it?) It would be good to see you around here more often. Your many admirers have really been worried by your absence.

:hug::loveya::hug::loveya::hug:

:hi: :hug: :loveya: :hug:

Hope the storm season moves on by quickly...

You have been pulled so many directions in such a short period of time. :hug:

Glad to see you back.

:hi: