Counting my blessings! Round two.

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » July 20, 2005 5:45 pm

Tiki, stick to the desk please

Having a typical crappy day, with nothing but crappy phone calls from my crappy customers, when the phone rings......

It's my 5 year old

"Daddy, My toof just fell out" (her first baby tooth out)

Thinking to myself.....

Get your priorities in order

lorilovv · Post by **lorilovv** » July 20, 2005 6:13 pm

Oh, Tiki, I am so glad your husband is ok! Sounds like a real reality check indeed.

We all need the reminder every now and then to make sure our loved ones know how much we appreciate and love them. That's just too easy to forget when we get stuck in the everyday hum-drum of our busy lives.

Lots of lovv to you and yours!!!!!

tikitatas · Post by **tikitatas** » July 20, 2005 7:40 pm

Another close call, JoAnn . . .!

Sure didn't sound like a "microburst" to ME!!!!!!

Glad you are safe and sound. <3

balcony girls · Post by **balcony girls** » July 20, 2005 7:47 pm

tikiB . .

I want you and your family to stay in the house for next 16 years. . ! !

and I want you to call me every 3 hours to let me know y'all are OK . .! !

oh my goodness . .how freaky is that . .! ! so glad you're all safe and sound . .

Post by **SMLCHNG** » July 20, 2005 9:36 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:Tiki, stick to the desk please
Having a typical crappy day, with nothing but crappy phone calls from my crappy customers, when the phone rings......
It's my 5 year old
"Daddy, My toof just fell out" (her first baby tooth out)
Thinking to myself.....
Get your priorities in order

Sometimes it takes a moment like this to swing you around, huh Cubbie?

(((JoAnn))) I'm so glad you're ok!!!!!!

Good gracious!!!

Sam · Post by **Sam** » July 20, 2005 9:53 pm

balcony girls wrote:tikiB . .

I want you and your family to stay in the house for next 16 years. . ! !

and I want you to call me every 3 hours to let me know y'all are OK . .! !

oh my goodness . .how freaky is that . .! ! so glad you're all safe and sound . .

FIRST AND FOREMOST......I am MOST GLAD you are safe and unharmed other than the shakes and after thoughts. Been there....

I have been caught in a microburst on the water more than once...I can tell you it is a real E-ticket ride and some of the most intense and longest moments you really wish you had never experienced!

Did you notice if there was any hail at all ? Did you hear any noise at all? I would be surprized that there was no severe weather advisory of any kind....thought the weather guessers have been wrong before....Good example.... Remember "The Storm of the Century"? It took everyone by surprize.... all along the Eastern seaboard.
I don't know how it works today with cable and satellite and all but old tv sets used to pick up electronic interference on certain channels when a tornado was in the area. I am wanting to say that it was either channel 2 or 13....

I know in Arizona we got "mini tornadoes" and most people have probably seen them and call them "dust devils".... except these suckers could remove the paint off of your car among other things and toss debris around, unlike the little harmless ones one might see on a dirt road or a beach.

Again I am most glad you and Hubby are safe. It definitely sounds like you are giving your guardian angels a work out....

I have to ask What have y'all done to make someone mad at you?

PLEASE STAY SAFE AND BECAREFUL OUT THERE! HUGGGZZZZ!!!

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 20, 2005 11:11 pm

Sam wrote:I have to ask What have y'all done to make someone mad at you?

You know I'm asking that too!

Well, I have 2 t-shirt options "I survived the Wildwood Microburst of 2005" or "I survived the Wildwood Gust-nado of 2005"

The top Chicago WGN News at 9 story of the day, from unincorporated Lake County's Wildwood... and Jackie Bange was reporting from in front of my office!

It was also the top story on the 10 o'clock network newses.

When I posted earlier, I hadn't gone out and seen all of the destruction... OH MY GOD!!! Seriously - 100's and 100's of trees uprooted, split, broken, and topless, on roads, houses, cars, fences, etc. I had to "back the truck up" on some roads that either had downed trees, downed lines, or utility trucks, firetrucks, or tree removal trucks at work.

One of the worst hit spots was where I drove through - I had to have zipped past moments before the worst of it! The area of the highway is bizarro-world with the distinct path of downed trees from the golf course across the street into the neighborhood. The side road I took... I drove 3 blocks on it - 2 of them were impassable from downed trees in the street.

It's almost like a movie where I picture them falling behind me in my wake!

Sam - you asked me about the noise - I honestly don't remember! I was busy freaking out about the fact my wipers were on all the way and I couldn't really see, and thinking "this can't be a tornado - the roofs aren't lifting off and flying at me", as branches were banging off the car. I considered pulling over for a moment, and thank goodness I didn't, or I'd have a tree on my van. I don't think it hailed anywhere.

Did I mention my mom lives in Wildwood, in the same house I lived my entire child-into-adulthood? It seems we are protected by the same angels, as her trees stood tall, and kept their branches to themselves! Houses behind her had trees down on them and the overhead wires... houses to her left trees everywhere... the beach up the street heavily covered on the news with all the downed trees... houses to her right branches down... very very surreal.

But anyway - my hearts go out to the residents of Wildwood, and I hope that no one suffered injuries. Many are without power, and ComEd estimates it will take a few days to restore. They have a big cleanup project ahead, and the joy of insurance claims to help cover all of the property damage. It seems that the only damaged houses were due to fallen trees, and not the wind itself, as it is a heavily wooded area. I also noticed "stuff" up in some of the trees that still stood, like patio umbrellas and chairs, a tarp, and some pieces of metal.

Whew!!!

jimolliemom · Post by **jimolliemom** » July 20, 2005 11:43 pm

You are doing something RIGHT to not have been harmed. We never go to sleep without hugging and kissing, especially the keets. You just never know...

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 20, 2005 11:49 pm

Thanks jimolliemom! Your sig line is awesome by the way!

jimolliemom · Post by **jimolliemom** » July 21, 2005 12:03 am

Thanks! She's a cool kid... She's 6 now and has decided she wants guitar lessons but will only take them from Mr. Buffett himself...

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 21, 2005 12:04 am

Cubbie Bear wrote:Tiki, stick to the desk please

"Find yourself a lover
who will stick you to the desk!"

sorry!

And yay for your daughter's 1st visit from the Tooth Fairy!!

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 21, 2005 12:05 am

jimolliemom wrote:Thanks! She's a cool kid... She's 6 now and has decided she wants guitar lessons but will only take them from Mr. Buffett himself...

You never know! If you shared that with him, maybe he'd surprise you!

jimolliemom · Post by **jimolliemom** » July 21, 2005 10:08 am

Tiki Bar wrote:
jimolliemom wrote:Thanks! She's a cool kid... She's 6 now and has decided she wants guitar lessons but will only take them from Mr. Buffett himself...
You never know! If you shared that with him, maybe he'd surprise you!

I'D LOVE THAT...I mean...SHE'D love that...well both really....

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 21, 2005 11:34 am

Tiki Bar wrote:I was stuck in a line of traffic on the highway a couple blocks from work, when the wind became fierce, and it just didn't look "right". I turned into the neighborhood to avoid the traffic...

It turns out another co-worker was driving the opposite direction as me on the highway at the time... and one of the trees that fell across the roadway landed on and partially crushed the car in front of him. He was able to help pull the driver from the car.

tikitatas · Post by **tikitatas** » July 21, 2005 11:39 am

Tiki Bar wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:I was stuck in a line of traffic on the highway a couple blocks from work, when the wind became fierce, and it just didn't look "right". I turned into the neighborhood to avoid the traffic...
It turns out another co-worker was driving the opposite direction as me on the highway at the time... and one of the trees that fell across the roadway landed on and partially crushed the car in front of him. He was able to help pull the driver from the car.

Dear God!! Was the driver badly hurt . . .? Or . . .???

jonesbeach10 · Post by **jonesbeach10** » July 21, 2005 12:15 pm

Note to self: Tiki had phamily are disaster magnets---Stay away---

J/K!!!

Glad to hear everyone's all right and from what you describe about your mom's house, that is VERY surreal.

Make sure to tip your guardian angel good today!

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » July 21, 2005 12:27 pm

From the Tribune....

A possible gustnado caused considerable damage in portions of Lake County Illinois early Wednesday afternoon near the town of Wildwood as a line of severe thunderstorms raced through the area. The gustnado typically forms along the leading edge of a thunderstorm outflow boundary called a gust front

Tiki Bar · Post by **Tiki Bar** » July 21, 2005 4:57 pm

tikitatas wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:
Tiki Bar wrote:I was stuck in a line of traffic on the highway a couple blocks from work, when the wind became fierce, and it just didn't look "right". I turned into the neighborhood to avoid the traffic...
It turns out another co-worker was driving the opposite direction as me on the highway at the time... and one of the trees that fell across the roadway landed on and partially crushed the car in front of him. He was able to help pull the driver from the car.
Dear God!! Was the driver badly hurt . . .? Or . . .???

No, thankfully - just a little banged up, and a lot shaken up - all of the windows busted out.

There's a video clip that starts with Libertyville, then Wildwood.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/072105_ ... eanup.html

I guess when things happen in a po-dunk town, you don't get much coverage in local papers... barely a mention. But the 1st one shows a pic that is a common sight in these parts...

http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=75651
"Grandwood Park and Wildwood, both in unincorporated Lake County near Gurnee, were slammed by the storm. Gurnee Fire Department Capt. Barry Henby said several trees and power lines were down.

“We’ve got a big mess out there,” Henby said."

http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... eather.htm
"Wildwood in Warren Township had extensive tree damage. Mill Road in Wildwood was closed off of Route 120 for the cleanup."

That's an understatement!