I�ve figured out what is worse than the cold, rainy weather we had for the past month. It�s the hot, sticky, rainy weather we�ve had for the past few days. It�s not just the sticky, not just the hot, not just the hail. It�s that siren call�the one that sends us scurrying into the basement to avoid potential tornados.

Last night at 9:55, the sky was clear. By 10:00, the siren went off. Luckily, we�re a camping family and have sleeping bags, flashlights, pads, and air mattresses in the basement. Unfortunately, the rain began coming down so hard and so fast that I wondered if we�d have a repeat of the flood and have to chose between being blown to Oz and drowning. I didn�t know whether to look out the basement window or check the drain first. (The major flood we had a few years ago occurred when the sewer system backed up.)

When they called off the warning at 10:30, we all decided to trudge up to bed. (Actually, Day-Hay and Kat wanted us all to sleep in the basement but I prefer my bed.) Soon after that, Mr. Philately and I had a visitor. I�ve always wondered how families that sleep together do it. Me, I�d rather sleep with a scorpion than a child who practices Tae Kwan Do in her sleep. We solved the problem by making her a pallet on the floor and I listened to the snore next to me and the rustling down below.

So, here I am, watching the sky cloud over again and awaiting that siren call. You answer it this time. I�m too tired.

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