Re: mind reading...

[Guest guest]

louisa - i have definitely experienced this with my older son sebastian. not so

much now but definitely when he was younger. it could be downright spooky at

times. i could be thinking of something and he would " hey, mum remember... " na

bring up the very thing i was thinking of! it still happens occasionally but

not like before when we spent all of our time together.

rowan can't read my mind but i sure can read his! i think psychic abililty

becomes very fine tuned with parents of non verbal children by neccessity!!

liesel on the other hand is very verbal though is she not?

michelle

mind reading...

Now this might be a silly question but I was wondering if anybody

else's child could read your thoughts.

This has puzzled me for two years.

I can think about doing something we haven't done for ages even

years, and seconds later Liesel will come out and say it, or ask for

it.

Each times it blows me away, and I think 'have we both been in the

same situation that has made us think of that', but we haven't.

But then how else can she know? It's almost like my thoughts are not

private ones.

I don't have that same connection with my dh or our younger

daughter, although it has to be said my dh knows when I am due home

because he always has the kettle on even if I haven't told him when

I due back *grin*

I do strongly believe in mother's intuition and I know what my

girl's want every second of the day...but for the roles to be

reversed like this seems somewhat odd.

Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking right

now?...LOL!

Louisa

http://www.Louisa-diamond.co.uk

[Guest guest]

Louisa,

Stuff like that was commonplace in my house growing up. We did it all

the time. Sometimes we wouldn't even finish a question and the other

person would be answering it (or finishing the sentence for us).

We took a friend of my sister's on vacation with us. About halfway

through the week, she said in an exasperated voice, " Would you PLEASE

talk in complete sentences? I have NO idea what anyone is talking

about! " Apparently, my mom, my brother, my sister & I were having a

pleasant conversation without actually saying what we were talking

about. We had no idea we were even doing it.

Debbie

mind reading...

Now this might be a silly question but I was wondering if anybody

else's child could read your thoughts.

This has puzzled me for two years.

I can think about doing something we haven't done for ages even

years, and seconds later Liesel will come out and say it, or ask for

it.

Each times it blows me away, and I think 'have we both been in the

same situation that has made us think of that', but we haven't.

But then how else can she know? It's almost like my thoughts are not

private ones.

I don't have that same connection with my dh or our younger

daughter, although it has to be said my dh knows when I am due home

because he always has the kettle on even if I haven't told him when

I due back *grin*

I do strongly believe in mother's intuition and I know what my

girl's want every second of the day...but for the roles to be

reversed like this seems somewhat odd.

Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking right

now?...LOL!

Louisa

http://www.Louisa-diamond.co.uk

[Guest guest]

Well, this certainly doesn't happen with Putter. I'm not sure that Putter

knows I have a mind...

Salli

[Guest guest]

It is funny you should mention this, Louisa! lol

Actually, though, I have had a similar experience with Annmarie in

the past several months and told myself it was coincidental. I have

not mentioned it to anyone.

Annmarie seems to be able to tell if I think an upsetting thought. I

can be washing dishes, and she can be in the den tapping or whatever,

and she will yell out in an anxious voice. " Mommy, are you okay?

Mommy? Are you okay, Mommy? What's the matter, Mommy? "

Of course another time I might be crying out loud and the only thing

she will do is lay her head down on the couch and get quiet.

I just think these kids are on some other wave-length.

I have a book called " Talking to Angels. " Have you seen it? It is

about an autistic child who talks to angels. I guess that is what

she is supposedly doing when she is chattering away in her " language "

by herself. I always wondered if this was what Annmarie was doing,

long before I saw that book.

Okay, now you all know how weird I am! lol

mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

> Now this might be a silly question but I was wondering if anybody

> else's child could read your thoughts.

> This has puzzled me for two years.

> I can think about doing something we haven't done for ages even

> years, and seconds later Liesel will come out and say it, or ask

for

> it.

> Each times it blows me away, and I think 'have we both been in the

> same situation that has made us think of that', but we haven't.

> But then how else can she know? It's almost like my thoughts are

not

> private ones.

> I don't have that same connection with my dh or our younger

> daughter, although it has to be said my dh knows when I am due home

> because he always has the kettle on even if I haven't told him when

> I due back *grin*

> I do strongly believe in mother's intuition and I know what my

> girl's want every second of the day...but for the roles to be

> reversed like this seems somewhat odd.

> Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking right

> now?...LOL!

>

> Louisa

>

> http://www.Louisa-diamond.co.uk

[Guest guest]

Wow, what an interesting topic! I don't have any insight into this but

it's fascinating!

louisa_d wrote:

> Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking right

> now?

You're thinking: martini and a hot tub.....

right? Wait, that's me...

~ Karin

[Guest guest]

Louisa,

Yes.

But I have no idea what you're thinking.

Sissi

Kids' Page

http://www.isoa.net/~nitetrax/original.htm

Boone's Art Page

http://www.isoa.net/~nitetrax/bart.htm

Dillon's Music Page

http://www.geocities.com/flaremusic

Please sign petition:

www.geocities.com/stopleland

[Guest guest]

It's very spooky-I wonder what is going on?

I haven't read " Talking to Angels. " but it sounds fun.

I will have to see if I can get a copy, there is definatley

something in this...paranormal abilities? I don't know, but she sure

as hell freaks me out!

Very interesting I will have to do some research...LOL!

Louisa

> It is funny you should mention this, Louisa! lol

>

> Actually, though, I have had a similar experience with Annmarie in

> the past several months and told myself it was coincidental. I

have

> not mentioned it to anyone.

>

>

> mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

[Guest guest]

Louisa,

If you are really interested I will share with you another

significant detail. Last April our family was involved in a natural

disaster. Annmarie and I were together. We definately looked death

in the face. I saw no chance for survival for any of us. But

amazingly we all did survive.

I was injured and flown to a trauma center. Annmarie should have

received a head injury according to what I saw, but she was totally

uninjured except for a small scratch on one hand. It was astonishing.

It was after this experience that she seemed to develop a sensitivity

to my emotions, even from another room. It is inconvenient at times

when I want to be alone with my thoughts, but she starts anxiously

saying, " What's the matter, Mommy? Are you okay, Mommy? "

Pretty weird! Let me know what you find out!

> > It is funny you should mention this, Louisa! lol

> >

> > Actually, though, I have had a similar experience with Annmarie

in

> > the past several months and told myself it was coincidental. I

> have

> > not mentioned it to anyone.

> >

> >

> > mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

[Guest guest]

>

> If you are really interested I will share with you another

> significant detail. Last April our family was involved in a natural

> disaster. Annmarie and I were together. We definately looked death

> in the face. I saw no chance for survival for any of us. But

> amazingly we all did survive.

Okay, am I the only one who this statement fills with desperate curiosity?

Because if so, I'll just shut up, but if not, PLEASE TELL US THIS STORY.

Salli

[Guest guest]

On April 28 our family was driving home from a weekend camping trip.

There had been a severe thunderstorm that morning and another was

expected late afternoon, early evening. We believed we would be home

before it hit. The weather was hot and humid for that time of year,

and the sky was partly cloudy. Had we been listening to the radio in

the van we would have known that there had been a tornado watch all

afternoon that had just been lifted. But we had been playing CDs.

We stopped for a break in La Plata, MD, in the parking lot of the

True Value at 301 and Rte. 6. Changed Annmarie's diaper, let Flory

run around, then we thought we might go over to the Burger King next

door for a snack before hitting the road again. We could see some

dark clouds to the NW and wanted to get home before the storm arrived.

Off in the distance I could see two columns of what appeared to be

smoke rising from a pair of smoke-stacks. A few moments later Flory

says, " Look Mommy! What's that? " I looked up and there was more

smoke and it appeared to be much closer than it had when I first

noticed it. I just figured I had misjudged the distance.

I told her I thought maybe something was on fire over there and not

to worry about it. She said to her dad, " Look, Daddy! There's

smoke! There must be a fire over there. "

Suddenly there arose a loud roaring sound, a police car raced through

the intersection with his siren on, cars began going in every

direction in mass confusion. I saw all this, but it made no sense to

me.

When Joe looked at the " smoke " he could see debris flying around and

recognized immediately that it was a tornado. Not only that, it was

only a couple of blocks away and bearing down on us. He called to me,

and I hopped into the van with Annmarie.

Knowing we couldn't outrun it, we tried to get out of the path. As

Joe turned onto a side street something hit the windshield,

shattering it. I could see the tornado coming toward us faster and

faster. I saw no hope for our survival, yet I was compelled to do

*something*.

I got out of the car, still holding Annmarie, and tried to get behind

a building with her. Before I could get there, we were both blown

about 6 feet. I had Annmarie only by her legs and her upper body was

being pulled away from me. She hit a porch rail, and that is what

saved us from being sucked into the tornado. I saw her head hit that

rail and I knew that even if we survived this that she would be

ruined, having hit the rail that hard.

I apparently also hit the rail with my ribs, because I had a bruise

there that shape, but I have no memory of that. About the time I was

able to get Annmarie I was being pummeled in the head by debris.

I don't remember how I got to the ground, but I know right before I

hit the ground something struck me hard by my right ear. I just lay

on top of Annmarie and prayed hard. She was screaming and I knew as

long as she was screaming that she was still alive. But I just knew

that she was terribly injured, and I kept feeling her body to be sure

all her parts were there. I couldn't tell. I thought her arm was

broken.

The noise was incredible and even the ground was vibrating. I knew

that something was going to fall on us and crush us, but there was

nothing I could do but wait for that to happen.

The the noise went away. The last thing I heard was a high whistling

sound. Things stopped falling out of the air. I was confused. I

didn't know if it would come back or what. I didn't know what to

do. I was trying to figure that out when I heard my husband calling

me. He and Flory had never made it out of the van, and though the

van had been sucked a few feet by the tornado, it had not been blown

over or picked up. The van was totalled but they were okay.

I had a lot of lacerations, including a cut diagonally across my face

that sliced open one nostril, and part of one ear was severed.

Annmarie, as I mentioned before, was completely fine except for a

very small scratch on the back of one hand. I cannot explain that.

I got hit with so much debris, and I saw her hit that rail. Yet,

unharmed.

When I got up I thought that the tornado had not been so bad, because

we were all okay and the buildings around us were still standing.

Like I said, I was very confused. I think that blow to my head

rattled my brain. But then I looked around and half a block away all

the buildings were just flat. There was nothing left.

We had experienced an F-4 tornado that was a half-mile wide and were

just half a block from the vortex. If our windshield had not been

shattered we would have driven right into it. Six people died and

over a hundred were injured.

Well, that's my story. Probably more than you wanted to know. It

has been 6 months, but I haven't figured out how to tell it very

concisely yet.

mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

> >

> > If you are really interested I will share with you another

> > significant detail. Last April our family was involved in a

natural

> > disaster. Annmarie and I were together. We definately looked

death

> > in the face. I saw no chance for survival for any of us. But

> > amazingly we all did survive.

>

> Okay, am I the only one who this statement fills with desperate

curiosity?

> Because if so, I'll just shut up, but if not, PLEASE TELL US THIS

STORY.

>

> Salli

[Guest guest]

We had experienced an F-4 tornado that was a half-mile wide and were

> just half a block from the vortex. If our windshield had not been

> shattered we would have driven right into it. Six people died and

> over a hundred were injured.

>

> Well, that's my story. Probably more than you wanted to know. It

> has been 6 months, but I haven't figured out how to tell it very

> concisely yet.

>

>

> mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

Thank God you made it thru that....

how awful, and soo scary!!!

i've never been in a tornado..

and i pray to God that i never do...

(((hugs))) to your family~~

nancy

[Guest guest]

I HAVE to find this book. My dad passed away when Matt was 12 days old, and

he and I were like best friends. Anyway, will be in the carseat in

the backseat, by himself and sometimes just start giggling away. I've often

thought that it's my dad and him playing. will do his babble thing

and giggle some more. It's really weird. I usually look back and smile at

him and ask him who he's talking to. :-)

It's also funny that one of the things besides tickling that can make

laugh the most is saying curse words. How does a kid know a curse

word? I mean, unfortunately, dh and I have gutter mouths (at home, not

around other people), so has heard the " bad " words ever since he was

tiny. My dad was also a curser. I just think it's strange when I say " Oh

$%^t " that laughs.

ellen

Re: mind reading...

It is funny you should mention this, Louisa! lol

Actually, though, I have had a similar experience with Annmarie in

the past several months and told myself it was coincidental. I have

not mentioned it to anyone.

Annmarie seems to be able to tell if I think an upsetting thought. I

can be washing dishes, and she can be in the den tapping or whatever,

and she will yell out in an anxious voice. " Mommy, are you okay?

Mommy? Are you okay, Mommy? What's the matter, Mommy? "

Of course another time I might be crying out loud and the only thing

she will do is lay her head down on the couch and get quiet.

I just think these kids are on some other wave-length.

I have a book called " Talking to Angels. " Have you seen it? It is

about an autistic child who talks to angels. I guess that is what

she is supposedly doing when she is chattering away in her " language "

by herself. I always wondered if this was what Annmarie was doing,

long before I saw that book.

Okay, now you all know how weird I am! lol

mom to Annmarie (4 1/2, blind, autistic-like) and Flory (10, NT)

> Now this might be a silly question but I was wondering if anybody

> else's child could read your thoughts.

> This has puzzled me for two years.

> I can think about doing something we haven't done for ages even

> years, and seconds later Liesel will come out and say it, or ask

for

> it.

> Each times it blows me away, and I think 'have we both been in the

> same situation that has made us think of that', but we haven't.

> But then how else can she know? It's almost like my thoughts are

not

> private ones.

> I don't have that same connection with my dh or our younger

> daughter, although it has to be said my dh knows when I am due home

> because he always has the kettle on even if I haven't told him when

> I due back *grin*

> I do strongly believe in mother's intuition and I know what my

> girl's want every second of the day...but for the roles to be

> reversed like this seems somewhat odd.

> Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking right

> now?...LOL!

>

> Louisa

>

> http://www.Louisa-diamond.co.uk

[Guest guest]

I think you are absolutely right.

It's happened here more than once....

and I just look at her and say " HOW did you know that? "

Penny

[Guest guest]

Woah !! Andy does this too ! When Andy just started walking (when he

was 13 months), he would go into the kitchen and

babble...giggle...babble. This would go on for ages. We used to joke

that he was talking to my grandfather. Andy is very like my

granfather (who incidentally died when I was 4 years old) Any way at

New Year time, (Andy was 13 months when this happened ), both the

kids were really unwell. gave them infant paracetemol, tepid baths

etc... nothing brought their temps down. I stripped Andy and put him

in his cot, and said a wee prayer to my grandfather to look after the

kids while I slept. I woke up about an hour later to hear Andy

giggling and looking at someone (there was NO ONE else in our room).

Both kids temps were down. So I said aloud " Thanks Papa, they seem

better now "

Now my own dad was really sceptical about all this, so we did an

experiment..we showed Andy my parents wedding album. Andy looked at

my grandfather and said " Papa " . Now not only does my dad look nothing

like his FIL, but Andy did not at the time call my dad Papa. To this

day, Andy can be heard having conversations in the kitchen with

someone.....

Ali

> I HAVE to find this book. My dad passed away when Matt was 12 days

old, and

> he and I were like best friends. Anyway, will be in the

carseat in

> the backseat, by himself and sometimes just start giggling away.

I've often

> thought that it's my dad and him playing. will do his

babble thing

> and giggle some more. It's really weird. I usually look back and

smile at

> him and ask him who he's talking to. :-)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I am SO glad I'm not the only one. I thought I was nuts to even think

something like this.

That is so neat about Andy knowing who Papa was!! :-)

ellen

Re: mind reading...

Woah !! Andy does this too ! When Andy just started walking (when he

was 13 months), he would go into the kitchen and

babble...giggle...babble. This would go on for ages. We used to joke

that he was talking to my grandfather. Andy is very like my

granfather (who incidentally died when I was 4 years old) Any way at

New Year time, (Andy was 13 months when this happened ), both the

kids were really unwell. gave them infant paracetemol, tepid baths

etc... nothing brought their temps down. I stripped Andy and put him

in his cot, and said a wee prayer to my grandfather to look after the

kids while I slept. I woke up about an hour later to hear Andy

giggling and looking at someone (there was NO ONE else in our room).

Both kids temps were down. So I said aloud " Thanks Papa, they seem

better now "

Now my own dad was really sceptical about all this, so we did an

experiment..we showed Andy my parents wedding album. Andy looked at

my grandfather and said " Papa " . Now not only does my dad look nothing

like his FIL, but Andy did not at the time call my dad Papa. To this

day, Andy can be heard having conversations in the kitchen with

someone.....

Ali

> I HAVE to find this book. My dad passed away when Matt was 12 days

old, and

> he and I were like best friends. Anyway, will be in the

carseat in

> the backseat, by himself and sometimes just start giggling away.

I've often

> thought that it's my dad and him playing. will do his

babble thing

> and giggle some more. It's really weird. I usually look back and

smile at

> him and ask him who he's talking to. :-)

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

WOW! An F4 Tornado. We lived in Oklahoma when I was a kid and had

one go through a friends neighborhood, not far at all from us. Cars

were in trees, roofs were gone, buildings were obliterated, parks

looked like junk yards, and you all survived one. That is nothing

short of a miracle.

Six months is not a very long time to be past that. I can't imagine

your story being much more succint than it is either. Have your

injuries healed reasonably well or do they still require some

attention? It sounds like you sustained a fair degree of lacerations

to your head. I'm glad you are all here and that you found us.

[Guest guest]

It is, ellen. My granfather died in 1975, and Andy was born in

1997, and he is sssooo like him!!

Ali

> I am SO glad I'm not the only one. I thought I was nuts to even

think

> something like this.

>

>

> That is so neat about Andy knowing who Papa was!! :-)

>

>

>

> ellen

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

If you want to share fears of storms in the aftermath of a tornado, let me

know. My story is nothing as horrific as yours (and 23 years past), but it

took me years and years to be able to not panic during a thunderstorm.

Knowing how I felt then, I can only imagine how you must feel now. What a

blessing it is that your family is still intact.

Sue

[Guest guest]

ellen,

That is so interesting! I would really not be surprised. I do

believe our children live in some other dimension. They see things

in an entirely different way than the rest of us. So who is to say

that they are also aware of something different than we are.

The book is called " Talking to Angels " by Esther . It is a

children's book, but a very special one IMO.

Last year Annmarie was barely talking, but one day she started

saying, " Gonna walk with the angel " and " Going for a walk with the

angel. " Scared me! She talked about the angel for months. Since

the tornado she has stopped saying this.

Who can say what is going on? I want very much to believe that there

is an important purpose in a child being born with autism. I want to

believe that all this suffering is not entirely senseless.

My child is very special. Does she walk with angels? Possibly so.

Possibly so.

> > Now this might be a silly question but I was wondering if

anybody

> > else's child could read your thoughts.

> > This has puzzled me for two years.

> > I can think about doing something we haven't done for ages even

> > years, and seconds later Liesel will come out and say it, or ask

> for

> > it.

> > Each times it blows me away, and I think 'have we both been in

the

> > same situation that has made us think of that', but we haven't.

> > But then how else can she know? It's almost like my thoughts are

> not

> > private ones.

> > I don't have that same connection with my dh or our younger

> > daughter, although it has to be said my dh knows when I am due

home

> > because he always has the kettle on even if I haven't told him

when

> > I due back *grin*

> > I do strongly believe in mother's intuition and I know what my

> > girl's want every second of the day...but for the roles to be

> > reversed like this seems somewhat odd.

> > Anybody got any thoughts on this....oh and what I am thinking

right

> > now?...LOL!

> >

> > Louisa

> >

> > http://www.Louisa-diamond.co.uk

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Me too, ellen. This is really interesting. I was afraid to ever

mention it to anyone. It sounds so " out there " . I'm glad now I took

the risk. Fascinating!

> > I HAVE to find this book. My dad passed away when Matt was 12

days

> old, and

> > he and I were like best friends. Anyway, will be in the

> carseat in

> > the backseat, by himself and sometimes just start giggling away.

> I've often

> > thought that it's my dad and him playing. will do his

> babble thing

> > and giggle some more. It's really weird. I usually look back

and

> smile at

> > him and ask him who he's talking to. :-)

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks . There are pictures of this tornado somewhere on the

net, but I lost my links when we moved. There were a lot of miracles

in La Plata that day. The worst damage was at that intersection

where we started out. It wiped out a grocery store full of people, a

pharmacy, KFC and Burger King. Also several gas stations, and the

True Value (where we were taking our break) but which was closed at

the time. Plus there was a lot of traffic in that intersection. 301

is a major N/S highway through our state. Amazingly, only one person

perished in that intersection, and that was from a stroke, not

directly from injuries.

I still have a small scar on my nose. My dermatologist believes it

will close up eventually. I'll believe it when I see it. It bothers

me, but everybody says it is not noticeable. It is to me.

I have scars on my legs, but who cares? I have fat, ugly legs

anyway. I'm grateful for them. They get me where I want to go. But

I am never gonna win a beautiful legs contest! That's for sure!! lol

The worst thing is that I don't think I was adequately evaluated for

the blows to the head I took. Something hit me hard enough to cut

off part of my ear, and the side of my head was tender for more than

2 months. My memory has not been the same since then, and I just

feel very disorganized and muddled. I don't feel the same as I did.

I feel kind of stupid, not really with it.

Sorry, there I go. This is pretty far off-topic now. Sorry!

> WOW! An F4 Tornado. We lived in Oklahoma when I was a kid and had

> one go through a friends neighborhood, not far at all from us.

Cars

> were in trees, roofs were gone, buildings were obliterated, parks

> looked like junk yards, and you all survived one. That is nothing

> short of a miracle.

>

> Six months is not a very long time to be past that. I can't

imagine

> your story being much more succint than it is either. Have your

> injuries healed reasonably well or do they still require some

> attention? It sounds like you sustained a fair degree of

lacerations

> to your head. I'm glad you are all here and that you found us.

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks Sue! Storms are tough. My girls do get upset, but I try to

stay very calm for them. I went and got SkyWarn training and have

weather radios all over the house now. Plus, a portable one to take

in the car. Knowledge is power!

I worked with a therapist for a while on PTSD. I still have it I

guess, but it's not in my face like it was.

I also spent a lot of time talking with the meteorologist from the

National Weather Service who is studying this tornado. We were both

able to help each other gain insight into this storm. That was

extremely helpful, both in answering my questions and feeling like my

experience was helpful to someone else, and perhaps might even save

lives in the future.

I would love to hear your story though! Especially how you got over

your fear of storms. Maybe we should take this discussion off-list

though. :-)

> ,

> If you want to share fears of storms in the aftermath of a tornado,

let me

> know. My story is nothing as horrific as yours (and 23 years

past), but it

> took me years and years to be able to not panic during a

thunderstorm.

> Knowing how I felt then, I can only imagine how you must feel now.

What a

> blessing it is that your family is still intact.

> Sue

[Guest guest]

>

> Well, that's my story. Probably more than you wanted to know.

Oh, definitely not. It sent chills down my back...but I always prefer a

story to be told properly.

It

> has been 6 months, but I haven't figured out how to tell it very

> concisely yet.

I should think you have hardly recovered then. Are you more nervous of

storms than you used to be? I certainly would be, in fact, after reading

your tale, I imagine I will be more nervous of storms.

You probably saved Annmarie from more serious injury when you laid on her.

Salli

[Guest guest]

> The worst thing is that I don't think I was adequately evaluated for

> the blows to the head I took. Something hit me hard enough to cut

> off part of my ear, and the side of my head was tender for more than

> 2 months. My memory has not been the same since then, and I just

> feel very disorganized and muddled. I don't feel the same as I did.

> I feel kind of stupid, not really with it.

It does sound as though you may have suffered a closed head injury. You

could still possibly have it checked out if you wanted.

Sue

[Guest guest]

Wow.

:-O !

Penny

Re: mind reading...

On April 28 our family was driving home from a weekend camping trip.

There had been a severe thunderstorm that morning and another was

expected late afternoon, early evening. We believed we would be home

before it hit. The weather was hot and humid for that time of year,

and the sky was partly cloudy. Had we been listening to the radio in

the van we would have known that there had been a tornado watch all

afternoon that had just been lifted. But we had been playing CDs.