4.27.11

I know everyone one is talking about the awful weather that hit here yesterday.

I know everyone will be writing about it.

I just wanted to write it down here to remember.

I woke up at about 5 am to tornado sirens.

I have never been one to freak out over weather. 

So I don't automatically go into protection mode.

But when I heard the sirens I flipped the TV on and saw that the sirens weren't meant for my area of Alabama.

I turned the TV off and tried to go back to bed.

Next I knew,

it sounded and looked like a hurricane outside my window.

We lost power.

and I got ready in the dark.

When I stepped outside to head to work there were trees and power lines down everywhere.

It took me an hour and a half to go the 5 miles it takes me to get to work. 

My work let most people go around 1:30 due to the pending  threat of disaster that the weatherman was reporting.

I stayed because a huge project needed to get done.

I wasn't able to keep up with the Cullman tornado or Tuscaloosa one.

I just heard snippets of what was happening.

At 5:45 our boss told us to "make a commitment because the storm is coming."

I decided to leave because Potter (my dog) was home alone.

The reports on the radio were the first news I had heard that wasn't hearsay or bits and pieces pulled together.

apparently a F5 was headed straight for the middle of Birmingham.

I have NEVER in my life driven as fast as I have to get home.

It was so eery out too.

No rain.

No thunder.

No lightening.

Just wind and a green sky. 

I made it home.

Still no power.

So I had no way of knowing what was happening.

I grabbed my pup and headed straight for my basement.

I stayed there waiting it out.

About an hour later I touched base with my roommate and met up with her and a few other friends.

They had power and news coverage which made me feel safer. Knowing what is going on is a good good thing.

Thankfully Birmingham city center was spared. But the outlying area was hit as well as Tuscaloosa and Cullman.

I couldn't really sleep last night.

I was just really freaked out.

I am so thankful to be safe.

But this has also made me realize the importance of a plan and protection.

Being home alone with no news or definite reports made me feel so vulnerable.

THANK GOD FOR TWITTER.

That was my only source of news I had as I waited it out in my basement and you all who are my twitter friends were so helpful in keeping me informed!

Anyways.

I plan on getting emergency supplies together soon.

I am also thinking about investing in a gun.

I know that may sound crazy to most of you.

But yesterday made me think about what would happen if a widespread disaster occurred that knocked out my power and resources for longer than two days.

What would I do?

People get crazy during disasters. You just never know. 

I'm a single girl living far from family.

I have to be able to take care of myself and yesterday rattled me.

Again.

I just wanted to write this down to remember.

And to stress the importance of a plan of action.

I didn't have one.

Thankfully nothing happened to me.

But you just never know.

you have to be as prepared as you can for something like this. Or something worse.

As James Spann says: " Get to your safe place." In other words... Don't F around.

Get a plan.