Are you all doing alright. Been watching the weather channel and saw that Alabama had some deadly tornadoes. We've had some heavy wind and alot of lightning, but nothing like you all farther down have been getting. Praying that all is well. It looked like a real nasty storm.

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 16, 2000

Answers

Hope everything is well with all down south .Upstate NY is getting very high winds and rain .

-- Patty (fodfarms@slic.com), December 16, 2000.

We also had heavy rains (about 6" in 24-hours) and winds. Last night received about 1/4"-1/2" snow, which is ususual for us. Normally it would have melted the next day, but this looks like it may stick around for a bit. If schools hadn't been out for the holidays, probably no school tomorrow.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 17, 2000.

The storms were worse south of Birmingham. Lesley, Kristin, How did Y'all make out? Around here it was weird. Started out at 62 deg, got up to 72, then tornadoes, hail and rain and now its in the 20s. Lost a couple of trees by the house. Lynn accused me of being outside like Mickey Mouse in Fantasia, directing the storm to just take out the trees I didn't like and she did. I introduced DJ to my version of a "hurricane party". When it got dead still and the radar showed a mean cell coming, we started grilling out right beside the well house that also serves as a storm shelter so we would be close to it just in case.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), December 17, 2000.

WHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Annie and all, thank you for thinking of us. We just got power back early this morning. A tornado touched down in Hokes Bluff, about 20-25 miles from us and whipped away 100 homes. The news did not say, but I assume they were trailers..no reports of folks hurt in all that up here, but 10 dead in Tuscaloosa (2 and a half hours Southwest of us). We do not have a storm shelter or a cellar, so as the winds gusted and the chimney actually whistled, we sat in an interior closet with the dogs. It was really freaky, yet we did not really mind no electric because we have our kerosene lamps and wood stove, etc.We did not know about the Hokes Bluff damage until this morning when we could see the news on TV. This morning there was about an inch of snow and 18 degrees, as opposed to 70 yesterday! Welcome to Alabama! Husband now feels a greater urge to build a storm shelter before March. Cinder blocks with steel rods inside on a bolted foundation. I'm going to use it to store my canning supplies....Love to all and prayers for those who lost loved ones yesterday. God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@gateway.net), December 17, 2000.

Hello All! Reporting in from the Near-Montgomery area... Everyone is fine here. it was more bluster in our area than real danger, I guess. But it sounded like the walls were going to come in on us- not a happy feeling! It was very warm here yesterday, then this morning it was COLD!!!!! It looks like it's coming up to workable temperatures now, because my dogs finally decided they could manage a bathroom break to the outside. : )i'm glad to see that everyone seems to be reporting in well and healthy. I'm really sorry to hear about the devastation near you, Lesley. Our prayers are with those people who lost family and homes. Jay, the menatal picture I got from your description of the "fantasia" episode was priceless! Stay safe- and warm!

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), December 17, 2000.

All accounted for, thank God. Lesley, sorry to hear about the town near you. Pray there were no casualties. Yep, the storm shelter sounds like a good idea! Kristin, I was laughing too when I read Jays' post about Fantasia. What a mental image! So glad to see you're all ok and thanks for posting and letting us know.

-- Annie (mistletoe@earthlink.net), December 17, 2000.

To Lesley and Neil: We here in the balmy state of Maine had a bit of a blow, but no big deal. Now have almost 2" of snow. Still no snakes to speak of, and when they do arrive, they'll be our friendly buddies, such as milk, garter, and black snakes! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), December 20, 2000.

Thanks for your concern, Annie. From all the flaming I have got on this forum, I suppose most of you Yankees and liberals wish I WOULD have been blown away. Hate to disappoint you, but the 22 yards of concrete and fifty tons of dirt on my roof will be hard to move. We did have one little bit of damage--one the the Kuvasz flipped out and chewed up a steel doorknob trying to get in when a big bolt of lightning hit nearby.

And, hey Brad, we find uses for our snakes: I fed my catfish for two whole months on water moccasins last summer. And for you folks in New York, I'll take rattlers and mocs over Hillary Clinton anyday.

Jay's got the idea with his hurricane party style tornado watch. I've often explained our unpredictable and wildly variable and extreme weather here in Alabama by this saying,"In Alabama we don't have weather. . .We have DRAMA."

-- Rags in Alabama (RaggedReb@aol.com), December 21, 2000.

Good Lord - Rags. I do suspect you misunderstand me! I am a friend of snakes, as long as they are my friends. There are few more beneficial than the milk snake, the black snake, et al. I am less than enamored of the venonous slitheries. Many call them poisonous, but they are NOT. There are poisonous mushrooms, but no poisonous snakes! Conversely, I know of no venomous mushrooms! And I will agree with you that there are few life organisms more dangerous than the Slitheree Hilaree! Can you say "Socialist/Communist?" I hope not! GL!

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), December 21, 2000.