Batten Down The Hatches

Storms are rolling in as I type (it's currently 5:05 p.m.), so I don't have time to be long-winded tonight. I am sitting in Farmer H's La-Z-Boy while I warm his supper in the oven, looking out the front window at dark skies and lightning. A situation to which I was ignorant of only one short hour ago.

I was frittering away my retirement time in my dark basement lair, getting ready to go upstairs for my walk, when Farmer H called to warm me of a tornado watch, and severe thunderstorms headed right at me.

"So I guess my walk is out of the question tonight?"

"Well...unless you can walk pretty fast if a tornado comes at you."

"Do you think I should go up and get my purse?" Let the record show that I was mostly concerned about my GAMBLING purse, chock full of expendable cash for our upcoming Oklahoma casino trip with my sister the ex-mayor's wife and the ex-mayor himself.

"It probably wouldn't hurt."

I normally take the purses, my prescription medicine, and when I was working, my teacher bag, down to the basement for safekeeping during tornado watches and warnings. Of course, I, myself, was safely ensconced in the basement when Farmer H called, but went traipsing upstairs to look outside. Huh. Not even all that overcast. The wind was nonexistent, unlike the swirling gales this morning when I was in town. I could probably squeeze in that walk...

So...I went outside, greeted my whimpering fleabags, and hit the gravel. Juno accompanied me partway. She usually sits in the front yard watching. I think she was trying to tell me to abandon this folly and get inside. So she could go back to her house. Copper came over to romp. Jack trotted beside me for a while before playing. I finished all six laps, even though at the end, a cool breeze sprung up. The air was thick with humidity. I went inside to cut up some of Saturday's Casey's pizza for the dogs' snack. None for Copper.

Juno didn't dawdle after eating. A quick nudge at my leg for a pat, then she took off toward the goat pen. That's unusual. Maybe she was headed for the stacked hay bales in the ramshackle shed beside where Farmer H parks his Gator. Even Billy the Goat and Barry the mini pony were in their wooden shed. The turkey, though, was right in front of me by the porch. He's normally up in the trees by now. Maybe those animals know something!

Anyhoo...I'm off of here for a while. Gotta take my valuables downstairs. Something tells me I might have company down there tonight...