Thursday was quite the day around here. I was running around trying to play catch up when a message came from Kalissa: “Are you still planning on taking Gannon to the dentist?”
Crap. We had talked about this a few weeks ago. I had offered to take him. Poor Gannon has had three appointments (two trips) already this week to Iowa City which has meant 2 hour drives each way. Kalissa has taken all of her days off to take him. I had offered to take him to this appointment as it was close and do-able for me.
It was a 2:30 in the afternoon appointment…the dentist was a half hour away. I was going to go pick him up from the babysitter at Kalissa’s house at 1:45pm. At 1pm storm clouds rolled in and the skies started to look like they were going to open up anytime. I decided I would drive to Kalissa’s get the car seat installed in my truck and see where the weather was by then.
I did that and ended up loading him up and thinking I’d get to the appointment and if I was really early we’d just wait in the car a bit as the storm looked worse and worse and I was hoping to beat it. That didn’t happen.
It was one of those torrential rains…the kind that you don’t know if you should pull over or just keep driving really slow. The entire drive was that way. Thankfully the dentist is only 30 miles away…but at the pace we were going, I was glad that I had left early….then I got stuck here at the railway crossing with no train in site.
The dentist office was a whole event that I won’t even get into. Covid and me bringing Gannon vs his parents bringing Gannon was a mess. The worst, while I was sitting waiting for the dentist trying to keep Gannon from touching everything, my phone rang. I answered it. It was Jamie the local fire chief telling me was in the fire truck in my driveway dealing with the downed tree. WHAT?? On my house? No. He assured me it the the neighbors tree at the neighbors house…Ah…thank goodness.
As I was driving Gannon back home I started noticing more and more storm damage…check out this flattened corn field.
The picture doesn’t do it justice. It’s terrible for area farmers.
As I drove I decided that I’d pick Carver up and bring him to my house rather than just drop Gannon off. I was sure Carver would love seeing the downed tree and watch the excitement…and he did.
This is what we saw….
Apparently a branch had fallen on the electric line…
The lines were on the ground at the house to the north of me.
There was some damage to the house across the street from in…nothing super serious.
Carver and I surveyed the damage outside…and noticed his pole beans are finally taller than he is.
The wind whipped the peppers and tomatoes. I think they will recover.
My plants by the house in containers…ugh.
We spent a lot of time watching the workers….
As they worked the neighbors drifted down the street this way and I got to socially distance visit with many of them. 
After a bit Carver was getting bored so we went in the house….He was bored there too especially after he realized so many of the things he wanted to do required electricity. He settled on the old pump organ.
It was my grandma’s so it make it Carver’s great great grandma’s. I’m sure she never envisioned the pump organ being in Iowa and being played by my grandson! She died in 1949 and never even met me!
Craig ended up coming to pick up the boys. That was about 4 hours after the storm blew the tree down. The bar in town had power and they make a great burger so we ordered take out from there and ate at my house.
They went home and I continued without any power. I did all of the things I could do without power…and then sat down to cross stitch. I didn’t end up getting power until about 8:30pm. It was a long time with now power but all was okay…everyone was safe and that’s all that really matters. It definitely provided some excitement for Carver, Gannon, me and our little town.
I had no idea children were seeing the dentist at such a young age! Wow!
That was a lot of excitement in one day.
Jo – while that storm was hitting us I was trying to talk to Kayla on the phone – the dogs were almost crawling inside me because of the thunder which was constant for quite a long time. I finally had to just tell her I had to hang up – we got over 2” of rain and a short burst of wind – not as much damage as at your place but some corn bent over, lots of twigs and branches to pick up and plants that were drowning in pots! There was a very dramatic picture of the Lady of the Lake in Clear Lake on Facebook and the sky is black!
Crazy weather! Glad everyone is safe and also a little excitement for the boys.
Hope your plants are ok but especially the corn for the farmers!
Love and prayers
Oh, My!! Looks like that was a third of a tree “branch” that hit those power lines. You are a brave woman to want two children with you in a house without any electricity. Your front porch view with the flowers, the green lawn, the concrete drive and walkway, are just lovely! Glad to hear that no one’s home was damaged. Card games for times of no power, reading books, I spy,…..
Glad you are all OK. That must have been some storm. My Dad had a large tree come down and take a big branch of a nearby apple tree with it. The apple tree is ancient and isn’t any good either so I guess he’s going to get rid of it also. My brother sent a pic , I guess there are trees down all over town. Stay safe.
What a mess for everyone and yet what excitement for your little town. I’m glad you made it to the dentist and back home safely.