The year there was no summer....Wait!

Just as all who live in the Northwest were seriously suffering from a rather large dose of SAD (seasonal affective disorder) it turns out that Summer was only teasing us. On the other hand, we'll be lucky if we see any real fruits in our gardens this year. Its so late in the season but its been so cold the plants simply weren't happy. I suppose my miniature plants of last year will be giants compared to this year. Groan!

So here are some pictures of our hot day in the sun!

Below: A hot and cranky RoadRunner didn't want to be spalshed

Below: The pool they were "bombing" in.

A soaking wet Bookworm

Bathing beauty Pixie (Gonna have to get the gun cleaned to keep the boys away from this one.)
Noodle showing off her ketchup artwork.

RoadRunner showing off his careful artwork of a smiley face in mustard.
Bicycle Man, Hot and sweaty as he refused to get wet. Crazy man. Eating summer fare.

I have spared you a computer breaking picture of me in a bathing suit.

But since the sun has finally come and brought with it another threat of thunderstorms and yes, even tornado's (yes, it is the Northwest, but I can produce damage pictures with harrowing stories.) that we have managed to have some fun on the 100+ degree day Saturday.

Below: A product of the storm.

By Sunday evening the muggy and unstable weather we were warned about arrived, but the storms seemed distant and compared palely against the one in May. However, about 9pm I was sitting in my bedroom reading, Bicycle man was sleeping and the plexi-glass that is fitted into our bedroom window above the air-conditioner began to rattle. I must note that usually to make this rattle another door in the outers of the house must be opened or closed, thus changing the pressure inside. I got up and looked out the window. I noticed that the neighbor's had quit firing fireworks for the moment and watched as the trees surrounding our backyard in the neighbors yards were blowing sideways in opposite directions with a dark and almost wispy cloud silently still in the middle below the main cloud level. Suddenly I watched as the cloud lengthened and then split into two making the shape of a lower case m from the middle. I turned around to grab my camera, but as I returned to the window there was no cloud. There was however debris from trees flying through the air at this point and I made the executive decision to gather the family into the center of the house in the hallway. It only took one firm sentence and the kids as well as bicycle man quickly retreated to the floor in silence, as we waited till the window quit rattling. I was impressed how the kids remembered what had happened in the drills they recently practiced at schools and real warning they went through earlier this year. One exception, our youngest Roadrunner, said in a quiet voice: "I'm scared." To which Noodle responded, "can we say a prayer?" Without hesitation a short heartfelt prayer was offered up under the faith of Pixie and that was when the rattling stopped.

I was able to see that my spiritual lessons were not all lost and that I had yet another teaching opportunity that prayers can be answered.

Bicycle man went to the view of the window and determined that it had passed. But immediately the children noticed the plastic lawn furniture tossed about and tree branches of varying sizes littered lawns and the road. I searched the local news sites and Doppler radar and found no evidence that such a happening was even present but our local newspaper in conjunction with the weather service had reports of mild damage.

Sleep evaded us, the adults as our adrenaline ran high for an hour or two as we waited to see what the rest of the night held in store. All was calm. The children promptly went to bed with the promise that we would be fine and we would let them know if there was any reason to take shelter again.

You can look up the story here at http://www.thecolumbian.com/ look under Local and US and World News and then the story, Heavy winds uproot trees. The street crossings and neighborhoods are literally where we are. Then there's this link to a local news station. http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_063008_news_lightning_storm_overview_.c96d45e.html