Wow…where do I begin. This weekend has been quite memorable. Let’s see….I guess I’ll start with the original plan. Chad and Gretchen spending quality time together (minus kids) for their anniversary. We were to keep the kids at our house.

Then the plan changed a little…Donna and Kent wanted the kids one night (Friday) to spend time with Devin. They all arrived at our house about 6 in the evening and the young ones went home with Kent and Donna. They have plans for a birthday dinner with a friend on Sat. evening, so the kids will come to our house for that night until Sun. sometime.

Okay, here comes Saturday……Mid-aftternoon the inclement weather started. We made one trip to the basement after the tornado siren went off. No word yet about when we’ll get the kids. It’s been decided we’ll meet Donna and Kent in Mascoutah and bring the grandkids back to our house.

Finally around 6 p.m., Kent calls to ask if we’re ready to meet. We leave shortly after that and head to Mascoutah. As we sit waiting for them, the weather starts to look ominous again. They arrive and we get under the covering of a gas station to switch the little ones from their car to ours.

Now it’s time to head for home…..and….oh my God the sky just literally opens up on us. We are inundated with rain and pelted with hail. Can’t see the road ahead and driving through high standing water. We try to find a place to take cover without success. When it finally lets up we take off for Freeburg.

When we arrive home, I discover that Jeff started the pizzas for supper for us…it’s now about 7:15 or so and I’m very glad of that. I check on them and all seems fine……oh,oh…did I just say that? Next thing I know Brad says, “Mom look at the oven”, and the smoke is pouring out of it. I open the door to discover a pot-holder in flames in the bottom of the oven. Guess what? We’re out of baking soda (used too much vacuuming and forgot to buy more) so Jerry pulls out the kitchen fire extinguisher. Fires out, pizzas are in the trash, oven racks are outside and we decide to order pizzas, ha,ha. We’re told it’ll be an hour before we’ll get them (forget that). Now it’s about 7:45. Brad volunteers to buy McDonalds, so Jeff drives me out there. You see water had gotten into our car on the floorboard of my side…..not a good idea to take any more chances.

Once back home, everything settled down. The kids watched Alice in Wonderland while chompin’ on their goodies. I think the kids got quite a kick out of the whole evening.

All in all it was a very eventful day and evening. In addition to all of this I believe that Donna and Kent decided to cancel their plans because of the weather. Can’t say I blame them one iota. It was really wicked out there. Update: I Found out on Sun. that they were able to attend the birthday party after all….so glad it all worked out for them and their friend.

Today I got to spend some time washing all the chemicals from the extinguisher from every possible surface in the kitchen. At least the smell is finally gone. After that I went out to the car and removed the floor mat to drip-dry over a saw-horse in the garage. It took half a roll of paper towels and a large bath towel to sop up most of the water on the floor board. All that was left was a little dampness. Yeehaw! I think the end of the tunnel is here for now. I didn’t say that out loud did I?

Never a dull moment in the life and times of the Jerry Winter family.

I was advised by Darren to share this with all of you….he said that this adventure would make a good short story. Hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the night to remember.