Morning Folks 02 06 08

"Tornadic activity in the area...seek cover if you are in a mobile home. Find the lowest spot in an interior room, away from windows if you are in a home or building. Lie face down in a ditch if you are outside."

That's what I woke up to this morning, turning on the TV at 6 AM to check out the Super Tuesday results.

'Tornadic acitivity' is not exactly a common phrase in Massachusetts where I spent most of my life. So, thank you all who called or e-mailed to check on us, but we are both safe and sound.




I found out that Ooltewah's tornadic frequency is about the same as the state of TN in general and about about 58% higher than the rest of the country. The last really big one in our area was in 1997 about 7 miles from here. I also learned today that Tornadoes rarely occur in the early hours of the day, most commonly appearing around supper time. The peak season is March, April and May. So today's early morning tornado in February might change the data a little bit.

I am probably not as afraid of tornadoes as I should be.


It might have something to do with the Wizard of Oz and making

one think that a tornado is more of an adventure or a scary but exciting wild ride.

Sort of like the roller coaster at Dollywood.


I haven't been there, and probably won't ride it when I do go there, but I thought it was interesting that the roller coaster there is called the Tennessee Tornado.


I really don't find tornadoes as scary as earthquakes. How do you escape a large crevasse that appears rioght in front of you and swallows you whole?

This has been a fear of mine ever since I was a little girl. I am sure that fear was based on some other movie that I saw. I guess the real danger in an earthquake is about things falling on you rather than you falling in things. So my fear of earthquakes might be a little irrational.

As kids we had a lot of fears of natural phenomena that still kind of make me uncomfortable when I think about them. We were very afraid of tidal waves.

I remember screaming "TIDAL WAVE!" many times as we romped in the Cape Cod surf and saw a particularly large wave headed our way. We kept our eyes on that surf at all times because at any moment one might appear.

And quicksand...how often we warned each other of that danger whenever we saw a puddle or a patch of mud when we played in the woods out back.





Not to mention locoweed...at least if the elephants got into it.

I think those fears may have originated from Lone Ranger and Tarzan episodes. But I am not sure.

So, here I am after the storm. The sun is shining and I am feeling very safe right now. A tornado? Huh! No big deal.

But if the squirrels get into the locoweed, I'm outta here!



Have a great day!

Love,


Suz