Oklahoma!!!!!!

We arrived in eastern Oklahoma with the plans to visit friends in Tahlequah and left the interstate just past Sallisaw. Little did we know that just a little further down I-40 (and about the time we would have been at that point), a tornado ripped across the interstate and turned over semis and blew cars around. People were killed). We traveled up to Muskogee to a RV part centrally located just southeast of Tulsa. Although not a cloud in sight,we were 'attracted" to one that offered a "storm cellar". Little did we know that having that would be such a comfort. Monday was a lesson in Oklahoma's stormy springtime. I have now concluded that Tornados are "BORN" in Oklahoma!!!! They are massive and powerful, wiping out everything in their path. The next two days we are basically entombed in our RV about 20 yards from the attractive Storm Cellar. We watch TV and listen for our county (we are on the line of Muskogee and Wagoner counties), and the alarm to take cover (hoping it does not give birth here and only those ahead can be warned). We do venture out to Muskogee to eat in the late afternoons and took advantage of one calm time to visit Oklahoma's oldest town, Ft. Gibson. Being the historical fiction person I am, I could envision life there among the buildings, hear the voices interacting, and a glimpse at the bars in the window of the jail set my mind racing. :) We also watched with the rest of you in horror at the remains of Moore, OK and felt the heartsick pain of the children that did not survive. On Monday alone, there were 26 tornadoes in OK.

Wednesday, and it's finally a beautiful, sun-shiney day in OK. Finally, we will go to Tahlequah and see our friends, Stephen & Kate Alyea. They do rodeo ministry and live on the Illinois River. They were such gracious hosts, and we loved their place on the river. We then rode a bit around the Cherokee nation and headed back to Muskogee.

My eyes opened up Thursday morning at 7:00 a.m. (that's 6:00 back in the Chattanooga area) to beautiful sunshine. I sat down at my computer and within 30 minutes, we had overcast skies and the threat of storms and rain in the forecast. My thoughts went to the ones that are still trying to clean up from the storms that destroyed their homes and, for some, their lives. My heart felt heavy at the thought of the storms around them as they worked. There are a few things in life we have control of but storms is not one of them. You just do what you have to do and put one foot in front of the other. You take it not one day at time but one minute at a time.

Well tomorrow we plan to attend a RODEO!!!! Is there anyone that knows Sam Phillips surprised at that? I thought not!!! Then its on to Monument Valley where we both will ride the lands that the TV cowboys (and real ones before that) rode!!! LOL. I think after that, I may not be able to walk for several days. HAHA.

((((Hugs)))

Ann

PS: I have not written much but made lots and lots of notes for when I do sit down and spend more time writing on Bad Blood: The Sighted Sister. 8-)