Brit Gal in the USA

Traffic - now & then!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 01:45:00 +0000

The longest delay we've had due to traffic since I got here 5 years ago! 5mph behind this for about 3 miles on the way to visit friends Saturday.

But still highly preferable to this M25 mess, a frequent experience in my old life!

Skywatch Friday 3rd Birthday!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:28:00 +0000

"Tornadic Storm Cloud Heads East"

This week it's Skywatch's 3rd birthday and it's a great reason to celebrate the most successful weekly meme on the web. They have asked all participants to put up their best ever Skywatch entry to celebrate and this is without doubt my best, despite the fact I took it in pink furry cowboy boot slippers in a public cemetery!

So please make a special effort to visit Skywatch this week and be prepared to be amazed at the best skies ever from all around the world.

Happy Birthday Skywatch!

Double click piccie to enlarge

Skywatch Friday

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:59:00 +0000

An amazing formation of Mammatus clouds 2 nights ago!

Double click piccie to enlarge

To see other fabulous skies or join the best weekly meme on the web, go to the Skywatch site.

Things I didn't used to have to worry about...

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 02:02:00 +0000

This was the 5ft long Bull Snake my dear friend Nancy (in the next smalltown) almost stepped on in her yard. And despite being an Okieland native, Nancy is as deathly terrified of them as I am!

She is the authentic pioneer woman, who bravely used her Honda people carrier to repeatedly run over a large Bull Snake on her drive a couple of years back. For approximately 15 minutes, back & forth she went. Screaming to herself with every bump as she passed over it. Needless to say I love Nancy dearly, she is one of my most favourite Okieland people.

That's her brave Hubster who decapitated said snake and bravely demonstrated it's full length (insert whole body shiver at this point!).

Now granted they live even more rural than I do, but they're still in easy sight of the main highway and Main Street. And I had a 3ft one of those (insert full body shiver here too!) in a cupboard in a room in the back of our garage just two months ago.

As I said, not something I used to worry about!

Skywatch Friday

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 18:50:00 +0000

'Golden Contrasts'

Taken earlier this week from the back garden. The Hubster has been 'en vacance' so I also took time off from blogging, but normal service is about to resume!

Double click piccie to enlarge

To see other fabulous skies or join the best weekly meme on the web, go to the Skywatch site.

Hachi

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 23:45:00 +0000

If you've ever loved a pet, or just love animals, this is a must see movie. Hachi - A Dog's Tale, tells the true and famous story of Hachiko a Japanese Akita dog and his legendary loyalty.

We had seen trailers for this Richard Gere movie (with support from Joan Allen and Jason Alexander) and were charmed even by the short clips shown. So despite my fear it would be a big old weepy we went ahead and watched it. Well I wasn't wrong, Kleenex are essential to get through this movie, but it's sad and uplifting, not just sad and upsetting!

Hachi was taken in as a puppy by the Professor (Gere) and they immediately formed a strong and unbreakable bond. Although Hachi being a noble Akita would not 'fetch', he followed the Professor everywhere and their bond was known to the whole community. Hachi would walk with him to the station, return home and then return to the station in time to meet his train every evening. He would sit opposite the doors on a raised area waiting for his master to come home.

But after just over a year together, when the Professor fails to come home one night, Hachi waits for hours in vain. Time moves on and despite a new home and much love Hachi can't settle and still waits for the train everyday. He sleeps under a train and just waits, surviving on the affection and caring of the many commuters and locals who know of him and feel his pain. He even becomes famous after a newspaper article and people send money to look after him.

Hachi waits at the station daily for nine years, an unbelievable testament to loyalty, love and patience.

Hachiko is the most famous dog in Japan. He lived from 1923-1935 and his story is treasured by the Japanese and told to their children as a lesson in loyalty. He is remembered with a bronze statue out side the station and a celebration on April 8 annually. You can read his true story here. Although the movie moves the story from Japan to the USA and puts it in present day, none of this detracts from the story.

I can guarantee this movie will make you weep. But it's charm, wonderful acting and uplifting true story, make it so worthwhile a few tears.

Invictus - a great movie

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 02:52:00 +0000

A couple of nights ago we watched Invictus on DVD and thoroughly enjoyed it.

It tells the story of Nelson Mandela becoming President after his long imprisonment and the battles he fought to bring his apartheid torn nation together. It especially focuses on the 1995 Rugby World Cup and President Mandela's plan to use the popular 'white' sport to unite the racially challenged nation behind their poorly performing team.

The lead roles are played by Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon, both of whom resemble the real life characters they play, and then work very hard to portray them accurately. They do an excellent job, especially Morgan as President Mandela.

This movie gives you a real feel for the traumatic changes South Africa went through in the nineties, but it also demonstrates the powerful role sport can play in such times. This was a great movie, with drama, humour and accuracy, so you soon find yourself rooting for the Springboks to take the cup.

I remember this World Cup really well and the filmakers really capture the actual raw excitement and yearning desire for South Africa to do well on their home soil. Like most people my age or older, I also clearly remember the day Nelson Mandela was released and watching his climb to power and success with great interest and hope. So I ultimately found this film emotionally connected with me, which always makes a movie mean more to a viewer.

It really brought home to me how much the USA misses out on not competing against the rest of the world in soccer/football and rugby. There's nothing quite like a whole nation coming to a standstill whilst the citizens get behind them and then celebrate their team. The street scenes at the end of this movie really took me back to similar times in England when we have enjoyed success. If like the USA you never experience it (because the Olympics just aren't the same) then you don't know what you're missing out on, and it's one helluva of a world party!

Invictus is an uplifting movie based in fact, that we highly recommend.

I can still scream like a teen!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:15:00 +0000

And on Friday August 6th, one of my bestfriends and I will be doing just that when we get to see 'Glambert' aka. Adam Lambert in concert in OKC!

We were both huge fans from the moment he stepped on the AI stage and have been praying for a date in OKC on his national tour. Well our prayers were answered and we are going to seriously 'rock out' judging by his latest video.......

Unsurprisingly our respective Hubsters are not interested in watching us scream and dance like teens for a couple of hours. We may not be Glambert's type, but that hasn't stopped us both developing a bit of a crush!

To say we are slightly excited would be an understatement!

Double 4's for me today!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 07:59:00 +0000

So I thought I'd see who else was born in 1966?

Two funny guys who always make me laugh

A couple of classic beauties with great style

A pair who starred in my all time fave TV shows

Two very discerning, individual and fine actors

A mouthy rebel and an author I love to bits

Two of my fave songbirds

Plus scary and powerful, you decide which?!

So it seems generally I am in good company.

1966 important event - England won the World Cup!

The hazards of talking ass backwards!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 16:19:00 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I went to see my Doctor to discuss changing the dose on my thyroid medicine. I have a lovely lady doctor and unlike many of her fellow practitioners, she actually listens to how her patient feels and doesn't just go on the test results. I have the appointment, tell her how I'm feeling, my symptoms and we discuss how I should feel. I'm not having a major setback, but I'm just starting to see the signs that I need my dose adjusted downwards.

Two days later she has the test results and to my amazement prescribes an increase in medication! I speak to her briefly about it, but she seems to have good reasons for trying this and so even though I just feel we're on different pages, I agree to try. But I spend the weekend worrying about it, as I just can't understand why she's giving more meds when I think I need less and I hold off changing my dose.

I discuss it with the Hubster, who is also surprised and we begin to wonder if I have confused her. You see I still regularly confuse him, he says I have a habit of saying things 'ass backwards'. We still have arguments because I think I've told him one thing, and he thinks I mean something entirely different or the opposite, talk about frustrating.

It seems Brits and Americans just express some things differently or even the exact opposite way!

So we had the 'what if' conversation and I realised looking back at what I'd said, it was possible. But what to do - I don't like to question my Doctor but decided it was too important not to. So I wrote her a letter, explaining I have a British habit of saying things back to front (to an American) and I hoped I hadn't confused her. I also stated clearly that I was feeling Hyper not Hypo, a crucial statement I never made in person as some symptoms appear in both, kind of important looking back!

The next day I got a call from her nurse, who over laughter told me my Doctor sent her thanks for the great communication and yes I had left her thinking the exact opposite, so she was reducing my meds.

With great relief I told her "next time I'll bring my translator with me"!

But a valuable lesson all round, and I'm guessing we'll both double check what we think we've discussed in the surgery before I leave next time!

My World

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:07:00 +0000

As you may have heard, Okieland has been hit by some major rain in the past 24 hours. In fact as I type this we are the lead story on CNN as rescuers try to save a teenage girl in a tree above flood waters in Oklahoma City. They reached her but then their rescue boat sank and now a dive team is trying to reach all of them!

When I took these pictures around town last night at 7pm we had numerous weather warnings; tornado watch, flash flood, severe thunderstorm all issued. These skies told us we were about to get hammered, it started as we drove home and proceeded to thunder and rain solidly into the early hours. I have never seen it rain so hard in my life!

We got 2.5 inches in 6 hours, to put this in perspective, from Jan - June 2010 we only had 11.5 inches total! But we got off light, around Oklahoma City they have had between 6 - 11 inches in the past few hours.

So my world today is 'Water World' which is quite bizarre for Okieland in June, this has been a very wierd year for weather! My blog seems to be turning into a weather blog lately.

To see some great sights around the globe or join in the fun, go to My World Tuesday

What a racket!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:17:00 +0000

We are enjoying the World Cup coverage, it's great to have so much quality football/soccer available on US TV for a change. What we are not loving is the bloody racket those Vuvuzela horns make without a break for the whole game!

Sure we could mute the sound, but then we also lose the commentary and with foreign unfamiliar teams it's kind of essential. Sadly I think the World Cup will lose viewers over the din they're making. It was enough to make us give up and turn it off today, during a match with no personal interest we would otherwise have watched.

But as FIFA are selling them online, I doubt the wish of the majority for Vuvuzela's to be banned will be granted!

Ha! I knew I wasn't crazy!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 21:07:00 +0000

We were in bed pretty early Thursday night, but despite new super sealed windows I couldn't help notice the wind had come up. The chimes on the porch were going nuts, our tin US flag appeared to be trying to break in and the roof kept creaking.

I was lying there thinking "bloody hell it's windy out there", then the gusts started making the whole damn house creak and you could even hear it forcefully hitting the window. So I whispered to the Hubster, who was admittedly trying to sleep, "wow the winds really got up!" - absolutely no response.

More howling wind, creaking and loud noises from the porch ensue. So I nudge him and mutter "can you hear that wind, it's really bad!" He was not impressed and let me know it in his inimitable way, so I shut-up and after awhile fell asleep.

The next morning I go out in the garden and there are small branches and bits of Cottonwood tree all over the place, enough to justify me picking them all up. But Hubster was having a bad day at work so I kept stum.

But next night I am watching the state news and we got a mention!

Apparently north west Okieland had a very rare weather event overnight - a Heat Burst! Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

A heat burst is a rare atmospheric phenomenon characterised by gusty winds and a rapid increase in temperature and decrease in dew point (moisture). Heat bursts typically occur during night-time and are associated with decaying thunderstorms.

Although this phenomenon is not fully understood, it is theorized that the event is caused when rain evaporates (virga) into a parcel of cold dry air high in the atmosphere making the air denser than its surroundings. The parcel descends rapidly, warming due to compression, overshoots its equilibrium level and reaches the surface, similar to a downburst.

Recorded temperatures during heat bursts have reached well above 90 °F (32 °C), sometimes rising by 20 °F (11 °C) or more within only a few minutes. More extreme events have also been documented, where temperatures have been reported to exceed 130 °F (54 °C), although such extreme events have never been officially verified. Heat bursts are also characterised by extremely dry air and are sometimes associated with very strong, even damaging, winds.

Apparently the temperature here went up 10 degrees after dark, reaching 93 degrees and the wind gusts were over 60mph. And I believe it, I'm telling you that wind was crazy!

Split loyalties already?

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:22:00 +0000

So tomorrow the USA plays England in the World Cup (ABC 1:30pm EST) and it's being dubbed here as the most important day in US Soccer history. It is after all the Soccer Rookies vs Soccer Nation, we invented the game and it is our sporting passion.

I will be parked in front of the TV for most of the next month, watching all the big games whichever nations are involved, I have my highlighted schedule at the ready. As I type this I am supporting France against Uruguay and it's very rare for me to support France let me tell ya! But I'm a little torn, as Evra of Manchester United (my team) is the French captain.

I feel sorry for Americans, because this is the world's largest sporting event but they just don't get it, and miss out on a worldwide party of massive proportions. There is hope though, Soccer is the fastest growing sport in the USA, thanks to youth soccer teams. Maybe twenty years from now, I'll have some locals showing some interest in the 'beautiful game' with me.

So where will my loyalties be, well let'sjust say the flag of St George was raised on our flag pole this morning as the World Cup started and it will stay up for a month, until England wins the World Cup!

I always feel most homesick during the big soccer events. If you've never been in England during a big match, you can't even comprehend the national fervour and passion for our team. The streets are literally deserted when England has a crucial game and it's the one time we all fly our flags.

It just ain't the same living here, if I run down the street with my flag chanting Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land, Eng-er-land - I'll get some very strange looks! So I guess the Hubster will just have to put up with me running a few laps of the backyard tomorrow when we win.

Skywatch Friday

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:04:00 +0000

'Golden Lilac'

Our Lilac bush taken at sunset on Tuesday

Double click piccie to enlarge

To see other fabulous skies or join the best weekly meme on the web, go to the Skywatch site.

"Nah, that's just down the road!"

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:49:00 +0000

"And it's off to the city I go - yet again!"

Once upon a time, I was a virgin Brit Gal in the USA and I thought making the trip to Oklahoma City was a mammoth haul, that usually justified an overnight stay. After all it's just under 3 hours drive each way and I would never have considered driving about 6 hours just to shop in England!

But those days are long gone it seems. Now I flit to the big lights of the city on a whim and a moments notice, with nary a motel booking in mind.

Just last Tuesday I made the trip with a couple of girlfriends for the annual boob mashing checkup, followed by some well earned and husband free retail therapy - an almost perfect day.

Then this Tuesday the Hubster and I made the same trip for my Naturalisation interview, followed by a little more retail therapy, a meal at Chili's and home.

In the morning I am headed back to the city again, this time in the good company of work colleagues for some computer training. So that's twice in three days, my mother would shudder at the thought!

Then next week it's my birthday, so to celebrate the Hubster and I are planning another trip to the downtown area of the city to witness the annual Red Earth Festival. A Native American Indian arts festival with a colourful full dress parade (excellent photography opp'), arts and crafts, and a dance display.

So if nothing else tells me how much I've adjusted, the fact that I now think a 6-hour road trip is no big deal, certainly makes the point I'm a changed woman!

"How did you miss my butt Mr. Mosquito?!"

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:49:00 +0000

"Because between my eyebrows maybe your idea of a joke, but I'm not amused!"

And of course I swell up with Mosquito bites, so if anyone knows a fast and effective cure, please let me know, because this photo makes it look better than it is.

Right now it's like a small pink egg is reshaping my forehead! After-Bite and Aloe gel have helped a little, but I'm open to any other ideas thanks.

One thing I hate about Okieland - enormous Mosquito's that just won't quit!

Approval to become an American!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 22:50:00 +0000

"I AM DONE WITH IMMIGRATION - HALLELUJAH!"

Yes this morning I passed the final hurdle to becoming an American at my USCIS interview, now I just have the Oath ceremony to complete. It all went very smoothly, I wasn't nervous and felt fully prepared - until she slid the first question across the desk to me!

'When is Columbus Day?'

To which my immediate internal thought was "oh sh*t, that isn't one of the questions, wtf?!" and mild panic immediately set in. She asked me to read it aloud, which I did, then she handed me a blank sheet and told me to write out "Columbus Day is in October", which I did. Then she told me I had passed the reading and writing test, at which point I laughed and said "thank goodness, because that question wasn't on the list and I didn't know the answer", which made her laugh too!

She then asked me the following questions:

What does the Cabinet do?
When do we celebrate Independence day?
What was Benjamin Franklin famous for?
What was the war between the north and the south called?
Name a branch or part of the government?
What does the Constitution do?

And I'm pleased to say I instantly knew each answer and passed, I was just pleased to avoid all the questions to do with 'rights', which are confusing.

I then spent another 20 minutes answering questions I had answered on my application, to make sure I gave the same answer I guess. Then we went right through the list of general questions: Are you a terrorist, have you ever been in jail, are you a drinker, do you owe any taxes and many more, all of which she met my eye as I answered each one. I was amused however, when she asked me if I'd ever been a prostitute and it was the only one she didn't glance up to eyeball me!

And that was it, she got out her big APPROVED stamp and punched my file. I commented on how huge my file was, and she laughed and said yes they keep everything from day one, I said I had a similar sized one at home too! She confirmed the Oath Ceremony will be in the next 2 months, that it's a big deal, I should dress up and bring family and friends with camera's!

Then as she walked me out she asked if I would like to make a speech at the Oath Ceremony! She explained they choose one person to represent each group taking the Oath and I would have to speak on what this means to me for 5-10 minutes, after the Judge introduces me and speaks a little. I said I would be happy too and she said they will let me know if I am selected.

And that was that, approval to become an American achieved, so now I just need to memorise the Oath!

Thank you for all the thoughts and good vibes.

My World - D-Day is here!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:38:00 +0000

The big day is finally here for me. Tuesday morning I will be entering the USCIS building below in Oklahoma City to be interviewed for American Citizenship.

My interview is at 9:15am and I would appreciate positive thoughts to keep me calm and my memory full of all the answers to the civics test questions.

Our experiences have always been good with the Oklahoma City office, the immigration officers seem to be generally nice, which is not the case everywhere. Plus I have to keep in mind this final stage is different to the others. At this point they're not trying to trip me up, they actually want me to succeed and see it as a positive that I want to become a citizen.

I have studied the civics questions and am now just ready to finally be done with the immigration process. Check back late tomorrow to find out if I was approved.

To see some great sights around the globe or join in the fun, go to My World Tuesday

My garden of Eden

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:52:00 +0000

There are days when you are reminded why you love where you live, this is one of those days for me.

As I sit on the patio under the shade of an umbrella and gaze across this pretty view, I fully appreciate the warm climate I now get to live in daily. Sure there are times when the Oklahoma weather can be terrifying, but they are far outweighed by the advantages of the majority of days being like this. Hot or warm, breezy, not humid and sunny. As a Brit used to less than perfect weather, you just can't beat it!

These are very much the languid days of summer now and I fully realize how blessed I am to be out of work for two months so I can enjoy them. Cal Jo is a fan of warm weather too, she likes nothing better than to laze on the bench in the shade soaking it all up, as I work away. She just about manages the occasional excursion to the bird bath for a drink!

My plan for the summer is to write and take photographs, the two things I love to do and find so rewarding. Yesterday I was given the go ahead on five new articles for Powder Room Graffiti, so today I am sat here working on the first one.

And when I just need to go over my ideas or think through things, this is where you'll find me. Under the Maple tree swaying in the hammock, with a cold drink to hand - life is sweet.

Skywatch Friday

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:04:00 +0000

'Big Okieland stormy sky'

The calm after a hail storm last week. I got caught out and had to make an urgent dash to a friends home where I was able to take cover in safety!

Double click piccie to enlarge

To see other fabulous skies or join the best weekly meme on the web, go to the Skywatch site.

How trusting is an Okie?

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 11:44:00 +0000

Trusting enough that our local WalMart manager decided to put racks of sale items along the pavement (sidewalk) outside the store, without a checker or member of staff in sight to watch them!

Quite bizarre and not likely to happen in many places.

My World - Memorial Day

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Mon, 31 May 2010 22:31:00 +0000

Having had a deliberately lazy Memorial weekend, we decided to do a little Geocaching today.

So we headed out into the wilderness that is NW Okieland. This particular area pictured, is the site of the final inter-tribal battle between the Native Indians that once covered this area. If you fancy your chances against the Rattlers, you can still find arrowheads out in these grasslands.

I enjoyed seeing the native flora all in bloom.

I especially love the colourful Indian Blankets. I once bought some to plant which the Hubster could not believe, as they're freely available on every roadside!

Another fascination of mine, all the abandoned homesteads spread throughout the countryside. In fact I am going to start a photography project on them I think and research their history.

There really isn't alot of anything out on these Plains!

We were after 3 newly published Geocaches, all in cemeteries. If we had given that a little more thought, we might have realised it wasn't the best day to hunt undetected in a cemetery!

We don't have a Memorial Day in the UK, when the cemeteries are all decorated and I think it's a lovely tradition, the displays of flowers are beautiful.

The flags are proudly flown and everyone remembers the servicemen who fought for their country so bravely. But it has also grown to where families decorate the graves of their loved ones generally.

I am always facinated by the choices people make for their headstones. I really wasn't too keen on this design I hadn't seen before, just a little ghoulish I think!

Now here's a surprise, I thought he was indestructable?!

I liked this design, obviously a keen fisherman.

And this one which illustrates our area nicely.

We passed another home that lost a fight with a tornado!

Found another Geocache at this very old cemetery.

The peace, quiet and endless views were amazing here as the sun finally broke through.

What do you do if your town is out of businesses?

Why you get someone to paint them back in as fun murals!

This was our Memorial Day, hope yours was fun too.

To see some great sights around the globe or join in the fun, go to My World Tuesday

Territory dispute!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Wed, 26 May 2010 17:59:00 +0000

We're having a bit of a feline dispute today, all over a scrappy bit of newspaper!

I know cats like newspaper for it's texture I assume, but I had no idea my three were so keen until we left this lying out overnight. It's been ripped, scratched at, slept on, hidden under and is far more entertainment than any toy apparently!

And now we are having a battle of wills over who gets to sleep on it?

We had a bit of a butt to butt stand-off, with Bon Bon sensibly deciding to stay well out of it and give in to seniority for a change.

But this time our middle child Cal-Jo won the day, with Bon Bon assuming a supportive role!

And down we go!

sukie175@hotmail.com (Brit Gal Sarah) — Tue, 25 May 2010 02:41:00 +0000

Well there's nothing like a tornado warning and trip down to the storm shelter, to enliven an otherwise dull Monday night!! There we were quietly watching TV with a storm rolling around us, when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for our town and instructs us to take immediate cover underground if possible!

I wasn't even watching the weather until a friend tipped me off earlier, which tells you how far I've come in the past two years. Another local Okie friend even had her bag packed ready! All I did was grab two of the cats, shove them in a carrier and then grab my handbag as an after thought.

The Hubster had to hunt up Bon Bon who had hidden herself away with all the thunder, but in the end we all made it safely to the shelter within a few minutes. Then I got a text from my good bloggy friend Pam OKC to check on us, as the weather reports on TV were showing it right over us.

But all was quiet, well tornado wise, the cats stayed in the shelter, I stood on the steps updating Facebook (!) and the Hubster sat in the truck in the garage listening to the local emergency management team. We had a big thunderstorn and lots of heavy rain and after various texts, calls and listening to the stormspotters on the radio, we headed back into the house.

And of course all this happens right in the midst of the season finale of 24, which we missed, no spoilers!

Anyhoo, just got to make it through tomorrow at work and then I am free until August, maybe then this will return to being something other than an Okie severe weather blog!