| General Non-Fiction posted March 12, 2025 | Chapters: |
...21 22 -23- 
|
A Saturday storm in St. Louis
A chapter in the book Reminiscing
Chapter 23 A visit to St. Louis
by barbara.wilkey
| Background We don't remember the days; we remember the moments. |
I took this photograph Sunday while we did FaceTime with Andrew and his family. Our conversation started outside with the girls playing but ended up inside with tired girls and a tired puppy. LOL Eleanor didn't have her nap. I just had to share it.
My memory this week takes me back to last May (2024) when we visited Andrew, Katie, and the girls in St. Louis.
The day started out as a beautiful Saturday. It was sunny and the temperature very comfortable. We took a hike on a nature trail along the Mississippi River.
Toward late afternoon, the sky became cloudy and very windy. We all had that feeling that something was brewing.
When we arrived back at their home, Katie turned on the TV to check the weather and severe weather was heading in our direction. Andrew began fixing dinner and Katie and I watched the girls and the weather reports. My husband, Brian, decided to go outside and watch the weather.
Brian came to tell us the western sky didn't look very good and encouraged us to go outside and look. We did, and he was right.
About that time the news reported that we were in a tornado watch and it appeared St. Louis was right in line for a direct hit.
Time went by and the watch turned into a warning and now the weather reports were naming the streets in the danger areas.
The area Andrew lived in was told to take appropriate cover, now. Katie and I herded the girls to the basement. Brian remained outside to 'watch the weather'. Andrew continued cooking dinner.
I often worry about my menfolk. I don't think they always make appropriate choices.
Katie kept the girls occupied with activities, and I watched the weather reports, prayed, and kept Katie abreast on where the tornado was headed, without alarming the girls.
I did mention to Andrew that maybe dinner could wait. His answer, "Mom, we don't mess with the girls' routine. They eat, bath, get read to, and go to bed."
Believe me, he wasn't raised with strict routines. He had me as a mother. I'm wondering, now, where I went wrong.
He has often mentioned that he thinks I brought home the wrong baby from the hospital, because there's no way I gave birth to him. He's a point A to point B type of person. I'll make it to point B, but I may stop and visit C and maybe D before getting to B.
One summer, after I'd had an ankle surgery, and two breast cancer surgeries, he came into my classroom to help me set it up for the upcoming school year. After arranging the desks as I'd asked him to, he stepped back and said, "Mom, it's not symmetrical."
I pondered that statement and replied, "First graders aren't symmetrical."
Back to the original story. I was used to Brian watching the weather. We've been married for too many years, I knew discussing how dangerous it was, wasn't going to do any good.
The tornado missed the area of Andrew's neighborhood, but did cause a lot of damage on the Illinois side of the Mississippi.
Dinner continued as planned and the girls' routine was not upset, other than having Grandma, Grandpa, and of course, Harley visit. Throwing a dog into the mix always helps. I wonder how Harley and Phoebe will get along.
My memory this week takes me back to last May (2024) when we visited Andrew, Katie, and the girls in St. Louis.
The day started out as a beautiful Saturday. It was sunny and the temperature very comfortable. We took a hike on a nature trail along the Mississippi River.
Toward late afternoon, the sky became cloudy and very windy. We all had that feeling that something was brewing.
When we arrived back at their home, Katie turned on the TV to check the weather and severe weather was heading in our direction. Andrew began fixing dinner and Katie and I watched the girls and the weather reports. My husband, Brian, decided to go outside and watch the weather.
Brian came to tell us the western sky didn't look very good and encouraged us to go outside and look. We did, and he was right.
About that time the news reported that we were in a tornado watch and it appeared St. Louis was right in line for a direct hit.
Time went by and the watch turned into a warning and now the weather reports were naming the streets in the danger areas.
The area Andrew lived in was told to take appropriate cover, now. Katie and I herded the girls to the basement. Brian remained outside to 'watch the weather'. Andrew continued cooking dinner.
I often worry about my menfolk. I don't think they always make appropriate choices.
Katie kept the girls occupied with activities, and I watched the weather reports, prayed, and kept Katie abreast on where the tornado was headed, without alarming the girls.
I did mention to Andrew that maybe dinner could wait. His answer, "Mom, we don't mess with the girls' routine. They eat, bath, get read to, and go to bed."
Believe me, he wasn't raised with strict routines. He had me as a mother. I'm wondering, now, where I went wrong.
He has often mentioned that he thinks I brought home the wrong baby from the hospital, because there's no way I gave birth to him. He's a point A to point B type of person. I'll make it to point B, but I may stop and visit C and maybe D before getting to B.
One summer, after I'd had an ankle surgery, and two breast cancer surgeries, he came into my classroom to help me set it up for the upcoming school year. After arranging the desks as I'd asked him to, he stepped back and said, "Mom, it's not symmetrical."
I pondered that statement and replied, "First graders aren't symmetrical."
Back to the original story. I was used to Brian watching the weather. We've been married for too many years, I knew discussing how dangerous it was, wasn't going to do any good.
The tornado missed the area of Andrew's neighborhood, but did cause a lot of damage on the Illinois side of the Mississippi.
Dinner continued as planned and the girls' routine was not upset, other than having Grandma, Grandpa, and of course, Harley visit. Throwing a dog into the mix always helps. I wonder how Harley and Phoebe will get along.
This is a photograph of Eleanor and Phoebe.
This post is a little over 550 words.
I do not edit this as much as I do my novels. You'll find many errors. I do edit about three times, but that's not enough. I just posted this and have already corrected three mistakes. I'm sure there's more.
Pays
10 points
and 1.00 member dollars
(and maybe more). This post is a little over 550 words.
I do not edit this as much as I do my novels. You'll find many errors. I do edit about three times, but that's not enough. I just posted this and have already corrected three mistakes. I'm sure there's more.
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