Dorthory and the Wizard of Oz

That's how I felt anyway.

Thursday at 11:30 am, a tornado went over head and touched down about a mile away. It then went on a 30 mile path of destruction taking out houses, barns, telephone poles, trucks, cars, trees and killing 1 man.

I was working from home and had no idea a tornado was in the area. I really should keep the news on when I'm working and the skies are overcast, but we don't get lots of tornadoes in this part of Colorado. The area I grew up, was a different story, but here it's usually pretty safe.

The Internet went down and I thought it would be a good time to stop work and chill for a bit. Then the rain and hail came, I was looking at the window making sure the calves were safe in the windbreak. They were of course, they have great mommies that do their jobs well.

I texted Phil saying "raining and hailing like crazy here." Still didn't think anything of it. Then Phil's mom called and said a tornado touched down in Gilcrest. Then Phil called and told me to go to the basement. Both calls came after the tornado already past while I was being oblivious.

We went out yesterday too look at the destruction. I meant to get pictures for the blog, but I couldn't bring myself to snap pictures of others that were not as fortunate as myself.

It was bad, 100 year old trees laying on their sides with roots ripped from the ground. Barns that looked like a hill of lumber instead of a shelter. Brick houses with only 2 rows of bricks, tons of homes with the roofs plum blown off.

Reports say it touched down 1 mile from the house, but the best I can see the destruction was about 5 miles away...still too close.

A dairy in the area lost 25 cows and all their buildings. They built the place in 1977 and it had been in the same family since it was built.

The news showed a story where a 8 month pregnant wife ran outside to save her blueheeler, but when she saw her patio set blowing away she got scared and ran in without him. As any good blueheeler would, he hunkered down in a low spot. He lived through it, their house did not....but a house can be replaced a pet cannot.

A day care in Windsor moved all the children to the bank vault next door minutes before their roof was blown off saving all the kids