Please accept my apology for such light posting these past two weeks.  During one week I was in Washington, D.C. on a mini vacation.  Then this last week, I wrote once or twice but was booked up on Thursday. Friday was going to be my big writing day, but mother nature didn’t cooperate.

I was having lunch with a dear friend, her kids, and her mother-in-law when the reports began pouring in through phone calls and text messages.  Bad weather was going through LaVergne and Smyrna, Tennessee – just outside of Nashville.  We watched hail pound the outside and I was simply hoping there’d be no major dent damage on my newish car.

Then we started hearing about the tornado in Murfreesboro – and the neighborhoods it was going through.  My friends and I grew pale as we realized it was THEIR own homes that could be in danger.  Emma started crying and we tried to reassure her.  We quickly finished lunch and as soon as the rain slowed, we all headed out.  My friend drove home and called to tell me she just had minor roof damage, but two blocks behind her about three or four homes were demolished.  Her mother-in-law was unable to reach her neighborhood because all the streets were closed because of downed power lines and other debris.  So I called a  friend who called a friend who lived on the same street and we received word back that all the homes on her street were safe.

Others weren’t so lucky.  More than 100 homes were damaged, many were completely destroyed.  The worst news was when we heard was a 24-year old mother and her infant girl (almost three months old) were killed.

Here are some links about the F3 tornado.

Bill’s Tennessee Paradise – Storm Chasing

Occasions of Osborne – Jason and family were at lunch

A link to our local newspaper – The Daily News Journal – which features aerial pictures of the damage. The picture up on top was featured on the DNJ’s web site.

After all this sadness, this should lighten your heart.  Happy Easter Mrs. Wigglebottom.