It Happened at Midnight

Literally. The big storm that has been predicted for California hit my area yesterday afternoon. The winds came right about midnight. Now, I don't live in the areas that were burnt back in November, and I don't like in the hills, so there is no worry of slides here. However, there is always the concern that the flood channel will crest in my back yarn and flood homes as it did years ago, sending 5 ' of water into lots of living rooms. Luckily it didn't happen last night, but the winds did rip apart more of my poor fence. I tried last night to go and take some pictures between the rain, but I wasn't very successful. When I went to move the trash cans back to the side of the house it was the tree that caught my attention. Can you see why here?

No? Try looking at it in the daylight from this afternoon and see if something catches your eye.

You may have to click on the first picture to see it. That line that's horizontal through the tree? That would be the power line. It stretches across the driveway. My driveway. Now, while I don't have many places to go...it's the idea that a tree branch has wrapped itself around the wire that has my interest peeked. Very. How a branch can wrap itself around a power line, lean on it..is beyond me. I called the power company last night when the news was still calling for another big storm to come through. They've promised to come take care of it. So far, no one has shown up. Maybe they don't think it's a big deal? But I keep thinking...but what if?

In additional 'movement' around here, the wind continued it's 'way' with the back fence. 2 years ago when the winds came through the day after New Years, I swore Dorothy, Toto and the Wicked Witch were going to fly past my bedroom window at any moment. Last night was a close second. In it's continuing flinging, it's pulled more of the fence out of the posts and twisted and dropped another huge segment out of the back yard. Also much easier to see in the daylight. Not to mention the metal piece of siding that came off my next door neighbor's house and hit the side of mine before landing on the ground. I'm really glad I wasn't outside at that point. But, let me tell you how loud that was! Had I not already been awake, I certainly would have woken up by then! And lastly, the roof shingles have begun to come off, too. That's not making me happy. When I moved in here, the one thing that I appreciated was the seemingly new looking roof. Roof shingles on the ground. Not something I particularly enjoy.

Now, I am fully aware that I don't have it the worst than many people who live out here. Granted. But...I still don't like these times of weather. Growing up in the Midwest, I lived with tornado drills, etc... I never associate high winds with 'sunny Southern California'. The fact that there are no basements to 'hide' in...don't make me happy either.

So, what did I do while I was obviously stayed awake until the winds died down? I'm glad you asked.

I grabbed my Brittany Black Walnuts size (US)9 (5.5mm) (Love those needles! and rarely ever use them-they're so soothing. A perfect remedy for last night's nerves.) and finally made the slippers my niece requested back in June. When she found out that I had a fair 'bit' of camouflage yarn on hand, she asked for a pair of slippers. I thought that I'd have had them finished long before now, but...sheessshhhhh....what was in the water that put me on the Island of Baby Blankets? Oh well, the family knows it would tip the Earth on it's side if I actually got their packages to them on time. This year is no exception. Now, to find where I put the red Classic Wool for my brother's Felted Oven Mitts? Good question. I'm off to hunt through the bins! Stay warm, and stay dry!