Lived in Kansas throughout my entire childhood, left after high school to go to college. I couldn't tell you how many tornadoes we lived through, it was just a common occurence. Usually only minor damage though. The weather right before a tornado hits is something to behold. Green clouds from hail are quite a sight, and the way the wind picks up and then suddenly dies...you can't hear any birds singing...they're all scared to death (calm before the storm)---it's almost chilling. Horizontal rain and the whole bit. Amazing stuff.
There was this one time: we lived out in the country, and we were watching the evening news, and they were going on and on about how we all needed to seek shelter and yada yada yada. We'd been through so many, it was like nothing to worry about. In 18 years I'd never actually seen a tornado up close and personal until, on that particular evening, I decided to take a peek through the curtains out our large window that faced south. HOLY *@#$! There was a funnel cloud on the ground 1/2 mile away tearing our neighbor's house to pieces. It seemed like it was right on top of us.
I started yelling at everyone to go to the basement, and they all thought I was being funny/sarcastic....until I showed them. We ran downstairs and huddled together in the furnace room. It was LOUD, and of course my younger siblings started crying. When we thought it was over, we went outside. The kennel our dogs had been in was 1/4 mile down the road, the chain-link fencing wrapped in a ball with the dog house still inside. (our dogs were ok...they came running back home 1/2 hour later soaking wet). Trash was everywhere: people's mailboxes, trash cans, lawn furniture, roofs, etc. Our house had minor roof damage, and that was all (whew).
I will never forget the sick-down-in-the-pit-of-my-stomach feeling upon seeing that tornado so close. It seemed like it knocked the wind right out of me. You never think things like that are going to happen to you...until they do.
We all think we're gonna live forever. Not the case. 🙁
