The Day After

and, it’s up again!! (You wouldn’t believe how many flag poles we’ve gone through the past 30 years!! I was sure this one was demolished last night, but the boys fixed it!)

Have I used that title before?  Maybe.  But this really could be sequel to the movie “The Day After”…remember that old TV movie?  Yep, that one..Jason Robards, postapocalyptic/nuclear war. Except it was 60-110 MPH winds taking things apart.  And hail and rain.  I’m not sure I’ve seen a storm like this.  BB and I were once in a TX storm with 100 MPH winds.  Many moons ago.  Last night’s storm was nastier.  I really thought my north windows were goners!  And I have NO idea how large the hail stones were.  I just plain couldn’t see them for the storm itself.

The electric company guys were at it all night, with power returning around 3 AM.  Bet they sleep good tonight.

First thing this AM, I had to run into town to deliver some Miracle Whip jars to a former student.  Weird?  Probably, but he’s the Art Production Manager or something like that for the movie “Rabid Love”.  Can you believe it?  A movie right here in our little town, pop. 300 counting all the country folk!!?  Yep, the producer is the grandson of a resident (and a distant cousin of BB’s) so filming began this week.  My former student needed some props so I was called, along with many others, for HELP!!!   He provided the 1980’s vintage jars, complete with labels and lids.  I had to figure out how to make them look like they’re full of Miracle Whip, using something that is non-perishable.

Our first thought was coating the jars with frosting, but decided that could go bad, eventually.  So, I tried latex house paint.  Tinted it to match my recently purchased Miracle Whip and darned if it doesn’t look real.  That project was completed Tuesday and I left the fan blowing on them to hurry and dry the paint.  I delivered them this AM, met the distant cousin, the cute little props gal and watched a bit of the action. 

 Then I headed out to check on my boys’ homes and the church.  Thankfully no damage was found other than lots and lots of leaves and limbs down.  Our church “neighbors” were already cleaning up the church grounds!!  Isn’t that nice?  One of the perks of small town life!! The cornfields are looking pretty beat up and some of the wheat is pounded literally into the ground.  We lost at least 1 pivot and had some damage to out buildings but nothing horrible.   “Pivot” translates into a giant sprinkler that “pivots” from a central point.  They can be controlled and monitored from a smart phone now!  How cool is that?!

Grandkids are coming later to help me clean up here.  Thank goodness.  The thought of picking up kazillions of downed baby apples, apricots, pears and peaches was daunting.  Where do you start?  Well, you just start. And hopefully, someone will show up to lend a helping hand!!!

Apple tree as it appeared this morning…click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see the kazillions of apples on the ground. Ugh!

But….the good news is, kazillions are STILL on the tree. I think that’s good news. Means lots of apple butter this fall.

A dream come true…kids who know how to work. And WILL work!! Even better!