Trials of the Equinox season.

[Cazzie]

Folks, I am completely brain dead, running on adrenaline alone. It has been one Hell of a night!

In my old NC days, we got what was called "the Equinox storm", which is always the first huge thunderstorm front to come through nearest to the Spring Equinox. Old folk tales has it that after "the Equinox storm", the weather will turn very hot and warm and Winter is officially over with no more freezing weather, thus farmers can start their crops. maybe further south, but I have seen 5-in, of snow on April 18th and as a rule May 10th is given as the last day of frost.

But we didn't just get torrential rains last night, we had the full display, constant lighting and thunder, tornadoes spotted, straight-line winds of 50 mph gusts, we just got deluged! I don't know whether to build an ark or pray for a 30-day drought! I do know that the roof over the lower house extension started leaking at 9:30 PM and two bucket with towels ion the bottom to stop the dip sound were placed. Then I laid down, because I feared the worst and my fears proved true. The wife, oldest son, and I water-vacuum and pumped water for nearly three hours from midnight until near 3:00 AM before the water was drained enough so as not to infiltrate the lower room. The leaking had stop, as being the son of a roofer (trust me, I had done my share too), I went up during one of the lesser squalls and did an emergency patch at the leaks spot. But I have not slept. I laid down, but was always at on watch and got up at 4:30 and finally for school at 6:00 and checked, so I never really slept. This morning has been too full of chores, washing and drying, going to the bank, emptying recyclables, cleaning up from last night (still not done). Any chance I had of going to the race in Martinsville is out the door, I'll turn it on the Telly, but if I sit to watch it, I'll probably go to sleep. I have a feeling it will be just another Hendricks' totalitarian act.

Anyhow, I have two more loads of clothes and old towels we used last night to go, I'm going to finish cleaning up interim, and then, I am going to fix some lunch, sit back, watch the start of the race, and more than likely go off to la-la land.

The back of my head feels like I haven't slept in two or three days, I am so fatigued. I picked the wrong time to quit dropping black beauties! :d

Caz, nodding.............................

[Snuffy]

Wow! Cazz,

Looks like you at least still have power and internet! :mixedsmi:

Lots of folks in NC and other places from last night don't even have that ... if they even have a house left.

Glad no one got hurt and it wasn't any worse than you describe.

[limjack]

Sorry to hear about your battle with nature. I am into weather and get an adrenalin rush when stroms like that happen but at the same time I fear them for I know that the house can quickley wash away or worse, human lives can be taken. Hope you get things dry again and just keep slopping the tar on the roof.

Jim

[luckydog]

I was thinkin about ya last night, Caz..............
I was on an interactive radar until about 3am this morn watchin that stuff just miss us to the west and head up towards your place.
All we got was 1 1/2 inches and a beautiful light and boomer show.

[Lionheart]

Sorry to hear this Caz. Sounds like you worked hard at keeping your ship from sinking in the storm. Glad you made it through fine.

After such storms, the sleep is ever more peaceful.


Bill

[Cazzie]

Thanks fellas.

Yeah Snuffy, we are just totally lucky keeping power. we had two brown-outs, but no black-outs. I have a generator for the water pump, but nothing else.

LD, High Point got hit real bad, so did a little community called Turbeville, VA about 15 miles east of me. It's was one good light show, but a fearsome storm, rain was of the beating variety or as we say it, a frog strangler. I'll be down your way later this evening. Have to drive my wife's sister and two of her children down to pick up her husband at RDU at 9:40 PM. If I didn't have the wife and kids, I'd tell you to come over to some bar and have a few and let Ali drive back! I am domestically constipated, I am in need of some social laxative! :icon29:

Race is a good one, so many cautions I am typing this now while the TV bloats us with adverts! I sure wish I could have gone. had it not been for the consequences of last night and my fatigue, I'd be there. Two Vuh-jin-yuh boys got some good race cars right now. :ernae:

Caz

[OBIO]

Caz

Glad to hear you didn't get washed away. A few years back, Deb and I were taking an afternoon nap with Spud (doggie in my avatar) curled up at the foot of the bed. We woke up to the sound of a train. Looked out the window and the wind was blowing something frightful. I told Deb, "Winds blowing pretty hard...but I've seen it blow harder." We went back to our nap. Deb worked that night and as she drove down the road to go to work, she saw trees blown over, a couple of large barns totally torn apart, roofs ripped off houses. She got to work and some of the nurses she worked with were asking about the tornado damage and if our place had gotten hit. Deb called me as tells me that there had been a tornado and that it hopped and skipped its way right down our road. The next day I followed the track of the twister...and when it went by our place, it was a few hundred feet back on the other side of the road from our house.

So, that whole thing about twisters sounding like huge trains....that is real. If you wake up from a nap to that sound and very strong winds....don't go back to bed. Go to the basement instead.

Tim