Home and Dry
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86765)
United States
May 8, 2023 7:58pm CST
Gee, do I feel gypped!
I came home Saturday night. Yes, Derby Day night. By the time I got home (about 10 PM) the area was cleared of traffic, most of which had moved to Derby parties or bars by then. I had no trouble getting home (of course, I’ve lived here 34 years, so I know the “sneaky” ways to get here 
).
WHY did I drive 500 miles? The weather. They were predicting severe weather. I don’t want to be driving in it, nor do I want to be in unfamiliar territory during it. If they issue a tornado warning and you’re in traffic on the interstate, you can’t just get out and build an off-ramp and get away from it!
And did we have severe weather?????
Well….yes.
I watched a local meteorologist on Facebook live tonight, and he said there were five confirmed tornadoes in the area Sunday morning. And how many tornado warnings did we have? ZERO. The guy I watched in the morning explained that Doppler radar works by scanning the entire storm; however, that can take two minutes. In that space of time, an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado can form, drop, do damage, and dissipate with no notification.
Tonight we’re expecting severe weather, too; however, it was supposed to have been here by now. This morning they said by dinner time, which was three hours ago as I type this.
Anyway, I have a couple of doctors appointments before Memorial Day. Additionally, I don’t like being out on a “big holiday weekend” like Memorial Day (“too people-y”), so I’ll be probably staying home or taking day trips.
But fear not…I’ll be back out there before you know it!
Glad y’all came along with me.
PHOTO: the statue of Princess Noccalula at the falls in Gadsden, Alabama.
).
WHY did I drive 500 miles? The weather. They were predicting severe weather. I don’t want to be driving in it, nor do I want to be in unfamiliar territory during it. If they issue a tornado warning and you’re in traffic on the interstate, you can’t just get out and build an off-ramp and get away from it!
And did we have severe weather?????
Well….yes.
I watched a local meteorologist on Facebook live tonight, and he said there were five confirmed tornadoes in the area Sunday morning. And how many tornado warnings did we have? ZERO. The guy I watched in the morning explained that Doppler radar works by scanning the entire storm; however, that can take two minutes. In that space of time, an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado can form, drop, do damage, and dissipate with no notification.
Tonight we’re expecting severe weather, too; however, it was supposed to have been here by now. This morning they said by dinner time, which was three hours ago as I type this.
Anyway, I have a couple of doctors appointments before Memorial Day. Additionally, I don’t like being out on a “big holiday weekend” like Memorial Day (“too people-y”), so I’ll be probably staying home or taking day trips.
But fear not…I’ll be back out there before you know it!
Glad y’all came along with me.
PHOTO: the statue of Princess Noccalula at the falls in Gadsden, Alabama.13 people like this
13 responses
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
They were small, but they still did damage!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
@LadyDuck — they do. The Fujita Scale (now the Enhanced Fujita Scale, or EF) classifies tornadoes based on the damage they left behind. They didn’t know one (or five in this case) had even happened until the National Weather Service surveyed the damage left behind! They have a way of determining these things based on what the late, great tornado expert Ted Fujita developed following the 1974 Super Outbreak. I find that fascinating….but I am a weather geek, so I would. 
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502608)
• Italy
9 May 23
@FourWalls I think that all tornadoes do damages, even if small.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174575)
• United States
9 May 23
I'm glad you're home and safe... Good luck with the coming storms.
We're getting some rain again now and may have severe storms this week. We'll see, I guess.
Screenshot is mine. I got this about 5 pm. It's after 8 pm now.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
The only thing severe right now is west of Owensboro so it has a while before it gets here.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174575)
• United States
9 May 23
@FourWalls I hope it misses your area completely.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
@DaddyEvil — just checked the update, they’ve removed us from the slight risk. Thank God!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
“They” say you’re safer in a ditch than in your car during a tornado. And you know something? I don’t ever want to find out!
Glad you like the picture. 
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
@AmbiePam — I want to see “them” in a ditch before I’ll do it! 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
9 May 23
I love that you have the freedom to travel as much as you do. On the radio this morning I heard Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere” and it made me think of you!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
I’m very, very thankful that God has blessed me. My house and car are paid for, and all I have are about $300 in utilities. The other $4.78 of that Social Security check is MINE!!!!!!!
I just paid the credit card off. I’ll be hanging around until the crooks in Washington decide whether the social security recipients get paid next month. 
I just paid the credit card off. I’ll be hanging around until the crooks in Washington decide whether the social security recipients get paid next month. 1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
11 May 23
@FourWalls I hope you enjoy every penny of that $4.78 in social security!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
Yes, those are braids on the statue and not chimneys on roofs.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122232)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 May 23
Nive photo of the statue of Princess Noccalula.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122232)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
9 May 23
@FourWalls I am in agreement with you.
1 person likes this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
9 May 23
I'm glad you got home safely. 5 tornadoes! I could only imagine how that was. I have never personally experienced them but I've seen in videos how vicious they can be - uprooting anything along their way.
May you have a successful and pleasant trip to your doctors' appointments. Stay safe and take care.
Good photo, by the way.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
These weren’t those monster tornadoes you see in news coverage. These knocked down trees and moved shingles.
Thanks, glad you like the photo. It was quite beautiful there!
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
9 May 23
Lovely statue of the Princess.
Glad you are home safe now Four Walls.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
That is a gorgeous park. I’m glad I got to go there!
Glad I’m home, too.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (98026)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
9 May 23
That is a fantastic looking statue, I am glad you got home safe and sound, I am always glad to see where you went and what you did.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
10 May 23
The statue is poised in a great place to tell of Noccalula’s legend. The entire park, the top and the gorge, is gorgeous.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22244)
• United States
9 May 23
pretty picture. Yesterday we had sunny weather. But I couldn't be outside for long because someone was burning something.
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
10 May 23
I’m sorry about that. I had to run into the restaurant because they were cutting grass next door. Hope you’re better!
1 person likes this
I bet you were happy that the Derby crowds had gone. I heard about the storms in your area. Tornados are very scary for how quickly they can form.@FourWalls (86765)
• United States
9 May 23
Gas prices are down 30c in my part of town since they left. Still high out in Lou’s area.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222527)
• United States
9 May 23
Great picture. Princess Noccalula looks like she's going to take a dive into the water. I'm glad you are safe and sound. Thanks for taking us along on your trip. Have a great day.
