In Arkansas for Christmas

Back in early October I made reservations for a cabin the Smokey Mountains (Pigeon Forge, TN) for our first ever Christmas vacation. Since Jerry and I have worked retail hours so much of our lives we have never ad any work time off around the holidays. With Jerry retired this year, he was anxious to go somewhere. Talked to my mom and she expressed an interest in spending Christmas in a mountain cabin with a fireplace. And, that's how the cabin at Pigeon Forge happened.

from rental website

I found a great single story cabin with a fabulous view, hot tub, two bed/bathrooms and near Dollywood! We were so looking forward to seeing the millions of lights and Christmas in the Smokies at Dollywood. I was also anxious to go to the national park. But, something happened between the cabin owner and the leasing agent and they dropped each other which left us without a reservation. Money refunded, no problem, but it left us without Christmas plans.

We hadn't even put up a tree at home because we were going to be away. So, we decided to take the opportunity to spend Christmas with family in Arkansas. My mom's sister Joyce lives near Memphis and I am siting on her couch right now typing this.

We left Florida on Tuesday and drove as far north as Ozark Alabama. Yesterday we continued through Alabama into Mississippi, and then a short stint through Tennessee to reach Arkansas. The weather was awful at times and only sprinkling rain at it's best.  At one time we were very concerned with tornados because the clouds were low, dark, and it was windy. That was around Holly Springs Mississippi.

Despite sketchy weather we made it safely to Arkansas only to learn that tornados followed us. Last night we saw photos of the interstate at Holly Springs with semi trucks on their side and trees sheered off. We also learned there was a loss of life in the area. This all happened only a couple of hours after we drove past.

from Google images

We are very thankful that we made it safely to be with our family this Christmas and the families and victims of the storm are in our thoughts and prayers.

Enroute to Arkansas

Today we traveled from Clearwater through Florida, Alabama and am now typing from a hotel bed in Tupelo, Missisiippi.

We passed through Birmingham today and just at the edge of town OMG!

The string of Alabama tornadoes at the end of April passed through the area and I could not believe what I was seeing. I can't remember the road, perhaps US78, but I was talking to Jerry (he was driving) and saw a huge tree stump that had been sheered and a house that looked like it was partially burned and partially torn down. Then I noticed the tree stood alone but not because nothing was built around it but because the neighboring houses were rubble. About the same time Jerry responded to what he was seeing to the right and I turned and saw mass destruction about as far as i could see. Seems the torando tore a path through this part of town and tore up everything except the asphalt on the road. It's one thing to see it on TV, another to see it in person and so close up. Was tempted to take a photo but decided not in case anyone is still entombed in this horrible destruction.

While Memphis may claim Graceland as Elvis's home, Tupolo is his birthplace and they are very proud of it. Here's a few photos:

( The old downtown area had painted guitars sticking out of the sidewalk on everyblock. Not actualy guitars but metal, pop art painted ones. Very cool - maybe a photo tomorrow?? We were tired and hungry and only ooh and awed at them. )

The house - a small, shortgun style. There is a vistor center but we wanted to get a hotel and something good to eat (we had been living off gummy worms and chex mix all day, lol) so just popped out for a few photos.
Historical marker at the home. Reminds me, Alabama was full of historical markers. Will need to look them up sometime as I learned nothing whizzing by at 65mph.
A concrete walk circles the house and there are many of these "bricks" of dates and a carving of an event to match these dates.

Tomorrow the plan is to stop in the Memphis area to see a relativem, buy some flags & flowers, go to cemetery to place them on Dad's, grandparents, great grandparents, and GG grandparent's graves for memorial day. Then, it's off to Mountain Home to visit Vern.

Tropical Storm Wind Warning, Tornado Watch

The front page of the St. Petersburg Times this morning says it all "Fay is Fickle". I'm not complaining - I'm glad all this preparation was for almost nothing. I told my DH when he put up the storm shuttes that he had personally guaranteed we would not have a hurricane (by being so proactive). So, now I am off work today because the City closed down. This is what it SHOULD look like today:




Apparently we will get lots of rain, probably some flooding, but since the wind of the storm will be coming from the east (over the bay but not the gulf) it should not present a strong surge causing severe flooding. It's a little confusing because Pinellas county is a penninsula on a penninsula.

It's a good thing work is closed today because I got very little sleep last night - maybe 4 hours. There was some sort of banging noise outside, the ratties had 3 barking fits in the middle of the night so I ended up closing off the dog door, Chloe or the cat wanted out everytime I closed off the dog door, wind was creating movement and shadows (what we could see of it through the shutters anyway), etc.

Luckily the change in the storm means I won't have to put up the last 6 or 7 metal shutters, bring in patio furniture, plants, etc. That's a good thing because I am exaughsted from all the up and down last night. I ended up sleeping on the couch so they wouldn't as easily hear that noise on the side of the house. I went out this morning at 7am to look and I heard it just before going into the side yard and waited but it didn't repeat while I was there. The noise remains a mystery.

Dumas Tornado

In February 07 I drove my dad back to Dumas Arkansas after he spent a couple months with us. About two weeks later the town was devistated by a tornado. While some homes were destroyed, the majority of the impact was on the commercial business area. These photos were taken by my Dad and I will do my best to describe what these were before the tornado but honestly, it's sorta hard to tell.

This was a nursey/garden center. Nicely merchandised interior with garden accessories and then a greenhosue area - of course the shadecloth green house is gone but I see that most of the plants are gone as well.

This was a gas station. The same gas station associated with a murder the year before but that is another story.......

This was a Sonic Drive-in. The way they are designed I am not surprized that it collapsed with that metal open-roof area - tornado bait.

I believe this was the steak house called Butch's. If was a good restaurant and made of metal, wood, and stone. Looks like it was made of match sticks in this photo. I remember they had really good photos of President Clintonon the walls from some BBQ contest they entered.

I am thinking this is the civis center but can't be sure with so much debris. If so, at one time it housed Hurricane Katrina victims.

This is a factory where I believe they made dog food. Look closely at this photo to get the impact of the destruciton - that coiled metal is NOT a rollar coaster although it looks like one.

Another shot on the highway where many of the businesses were. Lots of metal buildings in that area. I believe what you see in background used to be the Wal-Mart. They had closed up prior to the tornado and left an empty building.

Pretty sure this WAS the Mad Butcher grocery store which was rebuilt this year and now open again.
Not sure about this one - it seems to be residental by the grass and no road/highway. The tornado destroyed the town because it destroyed so many businesses and services but luckily it did not take a human toll.