The storm - part III. Hide
Quick recap:
- Drive through hell culminated with campground chaos
- Hiking and mental preparation for the impending apocalypse
- Still had not decided on the severity of the storm, but stopped to stare to the Southwest and sniff the wind like any wild animal does. Its coming, but do I need to worry????
Man we had a great shrimp boil!! Potatoes, sausage, corn on the cob and shrimp the size of a chicken leg (with the thigh). All boiled together in some creole or Cajon based seasoning mix, a bubbling mixture that smelled like "don't bother me, I'm eating" wonderfulness 🦐 Terri of course thought she didn't have enough for everyone. (Give me a break, has anyone ever left our house hungry?? OK, silent conversation.)
We ate and ate and caught up with everyone. Oscar Juarez, Yvette Juarez and Alex came out too. Oscar had put in the new suspension earlier in the day and my truck no longer had a saggy rear end. So almost all of our Memphis family sat around eating and telling stories.
The weather was still pretty quiet although the wind was starting to pick up. Branches 60' up were begining to sporadically clack and rub together with the gusts. I kept catching myself looking up at the occasional creak of limbs for any rotten or dead branches preparing to launch at us. Of course the conversation turned to the coming zombie apocalypse, I mean the storm. Recaps of news alerts were flying around like mosquitoes after my ankles. Hate mosquitoes and they seem to attack me before any one else even notices them. The general consensus was Memphis was going to be wiped out. Completely removed from the face of the earth. I think that is the point that the evacuation decision was made.
The youngest of the grandkids decided he wanted to go home with his Mom and Dad that night. I don't think it was because of the coming storm though, rather, its not often the 3rd kid gets one on one time. I, being #4 of 9 never even saw my parents let alone got one on one. Well.....unless I was in trouble. Ok, happened quite a bit. So #3 decided to go home and got his Dad and Mom busy packing to leave.
It had gotten dark out while we ate. Dark and close as it only does in the woods. The clouds had definitely rolled in, thickening and turning a deep grey as they began piling up. An occasional break allowed light from the stars and moon to outline the mounting gloomy clouds. It definately was building up and we better take the warnings seriously.
The storm was forecast to begin late the following morning and increase over several hours. Greatest risk of being a Dorthy was projected for 3 to 4 and by 8 or so it would be past. We decided that we would pack up in the morning and get a hotel room for the day and hide. Probably would have called then and reserved one, if we could get a phone signal!
As it started sprinkling lightly we cleared up the leftovers (wasn't going to be enough🤔) everyone loaded up into their cars and the mass exodus back into the city happened. Since we were going to head out in the morning I decided to put away all the lawn chairs, and other items that might blow away. That basically ended up being everything outside the camper. Of course while picking up I found that all my toys had been sprinkled generously throughout the campground. Wasn't too bad out still. Light rain instead of sprinkles but the stillness was gone and a continuous soft moan of the wind in the tree tops was evident. The creaking in the branches was not ominous yet but I could hear it worsening. Yep, good decision to run in panic in the morning Terri.
We had a couple of small thunderstorms roll through in the night. Skirmishers sent out in front to test the landscape. Not damaging physically. More a mental assault to send fear through the masses.
We were loaded up and on the way by 8 am. Closed the camper up totally, slides in, water off just in case one of the trees decided to fall and crush it. At least it would be a condensed consolidate metal pancake. As soon as we were out of the park Terri was able to get a phone signal. However, since we had been out of service for so long, the AI controlling Apple and Samsung decided to begin multiple downloads of all the critical new shopping gizmos they had released in the last few days. We decided to go initially to Tony and Julias house and book a room from there. (We also had a few loads of laundry to do) They tried to get us to stay, but they are working and attending school online from hone, and we had 2 kids, the killer chihuahuas and their 3 cats......
Terri managed to find a hotel that took dogs, booked the room and finshed the laundry while the kids and I caught up on our internet addictions. So back in the car we went.
It was about 12ish by then and the rain was starting to really come down. The hotel was not far and despite the traffic we were there in a few minutes. Only had to dodge accidents about 20 times in the 2 miles, but I understand, they were still trying to find the toilet paper. It's pouring hard now.
The hotel does have a drive up apron to park and unload in. 2 lanes large enough for 6 cars to park with space to unload. A little shortsighted because only 1 lane is roofed. There is 1 car pulled up as far as they can in the covered area. But it dosen't matter, because someone has abandoned their running car haphazardly on a slant at the front blocking everyone else from getting in. Who the hell leaves a car running in Memphis. Cars are stolen every 1.5 seconds. Man it is a downpour. Straight down like a cow doing their buisness in a field. I could say I couldn't see the car and just drive over it....still considering...still weighing my options, no might mess up yhe new suspension.
"Terri. You run inside and get the keys and I will bring the kids to you." And like the trooper she is out into the rain and off she goes. I found a spot that my truck almost fit in. You know built for a subcompact and I could open my door about 6". To the 7 yr old " You're first. Get your mask on. How did you lose it? Your in a car seat with nowhere to go. Here take this adult sized mask and only 1 of those stuffed animals is going up! To the 11 yr old, you're next - Be ready. I'm downing. 7 yr old is inside to Terri, back through the Monsoon for the 11 yr old who is ready. Back to the door and push him in. Up to the room and immediately we stare out the window to see the storm. Ok, now the dogs. This time I moved the truck, I was wet enough that I could easily slide in through the 6" gap☹ Found a spot close to the side door and brought the frisky, drenched puppies in. Ok we are all inside and can get dry. Crap, gotta go get the suitcases.
Did I tell you I was wet? I had a raincoat on but from the waist down i had about 20 pounds of water draining out of my bluejeans. My shoes were squelching and I left a water trail to find my way back. Actually the rain was letting up. That had been in the forecast, there would be a hour long lull before the worst.
We had decided to order a pizza and have it delivered so we wouldn't have to go back out. While I got the suitcases Terri tried ordering the pizza. Was not a smooth operation. Either they had no delivery service or it was a 2 hour wait. Looked out the window but the only restaurant in sight was Hooters. Ok I will go pick up pizza now in the lull before the bottom falls in. Everyone was happy, puppies were wrestling, the kids were scanning Netflix choices since the pool got RONA and was closed. Wonder how it lives through all the chlorine BLEACH!!! I squeak as i walk but I'm off.
Pizza is in the room, the count down to extinction is up, Netflix is on snd we are staring out the window.
IT'S HERE: ,Flash, BOOM, rumble rumble rumble, boom!! Get ready
Wait.....is that the sun? What the hell??? Where did all the clouds go? It's over...no really, nothing happened. No tornadoes, no broken trees or crumbling buildings. No wind or prolonged lightening. Just piles of the ever present Memphis litter washed into the rain gutters.
I can't believe it
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