The stormy North

Monday we went to Thessalon to help Linda’s sister Arliss celebrate her birthday. Actually Linda’s job was to ”lure” Arliss away from home so her daughter’s could prepare for a surprise party. So we took her out to their “camp” at Big Basswood Lake. Linda & I both got into the water for a swim – first time in a while that we’ve done that.

It has been quite warm (32C or 90F). When we were leaving the Sault the sky had gotten really dark looking like a thunder storm was blowing in. When we got to Thessalon we had just went into the house when It started to pour rain with hail mixed in – along with Thunder & lightening but it only lasted about 10 minutes and by the time we got to the lake the sun was shining again. . However, when we got home last night we had an email from Karen Morin with pictures showing a tree that had blown down in their yard when the storm had blasted through their area.

Linda’s sister Theresa told us at the party that a couple of barns were blown down in the Desbarats area and there were pictures of one of those in the Sault Star (click HERE)

Roger had made a trip to Sundridge to return some canoes to his uncle Steve May and he told us this morning that he nearly got blown off the road due to severe winds and near tornado like conditions. In fact the storms in the Mattawa area (Click HERE) were so severe that a national emergency was declared in that area.

One of the comments that I often hear (and have even made myself) after we returned from Mississippi has been that we may have snow and cold in the North but we don’t have to worry about floods and hurricanes and tornados. I think this was just a small reminder of the power that exists in Nature and that no one is exempt.

Of course –this damage is small in comparison to the wide spread devastation along the Gulf Coast. You would have to take theseisolated cases and multiply them millions of times over to get anything closetothe damage doneby Katrina. However, it still is no less serious for those affected and certainly devastating to those families where there was loss of life. Our prayers are with the victims ofthese storms.

Well this is a short entry— I have had a fairly busy day. Made trip to Sault Michigan this a.m. to pick up a replacement light for the bathroom in the “BBB” that I had ordered last week. When I got home I iinstalled itand did some other odd jobs. Tammye & the kids are in town but are staying with her sister to-night. Hope to see them tomorrow

God Bless
Charlie.