Weird Wild Weather

It has been an interesting year for weather. It started off bitterly cold, and there were a few nights where Natalia swept swaddled with a hat on because her bassinet was on an outside wall and there was a cold draft surging through it all night. Then came late spring and it got hot and dry. And it was really hot and really dry. The upside, I suppose, is that Jeff has only had to mow the grass twice this year, once in early May and once in early August. But the past few weeks have been a special kind of crazy.

We've lived here almost four years, and in that time we've never had tornado warning, at least that I knew about. We have now had three in two weeks. Two were garden variety funnel clouds, but one was much more interesting. Several water spouts, or tornados over water, appeared. Because so few people in this town work 8-5 jobs, we know people who were at the beach and got to see the water spouts. They said they were pretty impressive, if a bit disconcerting.

Of course we are also watching Irene, and when I first checked the forecast this morning, I saw this.

Yes, they were calling for a direct hit. Always fun. But tonight it looks like the storm will turn east, which is good for us and not so great for the northern east coast. So right now we are juggling planning for Ree's birthday tomorrow, the parent orientation I am leading at preschool on Thursday, (not to mention Thursday night's Bengals game!), for Ree's birthday party this weekend if the storm turns a lot, for riding out the storm if it turns a little, and for evacuation if we get a more direct hit. Oh, and work is crazy too now. I am getting up at 5:30 and going in at 6:00 to get stuff done. (I have always preferred going in early.  You don't want to be around me if I have to work late.  I am not very effective and a total grouchy puss.)

But in the madness is a weather related story I find amusing.  This afternoon, as everyone was getting ready for naps, Jeff and Leon were sitting on the love seat in our living room, Ree was on the couch, and Michael was on the floor next to the couch.  The boys were squirming around as little boys often do.  I was at work and don't know the exact details, but I guess at one point Jeff told Leon to stop shaking the couch.  That's when Ree said, no, it's Mikey kicking the couch.  I also don't know this part, but I'm guessing there may have been a reprimand or two in there.  In hindsight, Jeff realized our wine glasses were also jingling.  Only in our house could an earthquake be blamed on twin boys.