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Friday, June 3, 2011

Quick Update

Hi everyone!  You may not have really noticed, but I have been incommunicado since Wednesday (luckily I had pre posted everything!).  I have been able to keep up with stuff on my phone and with a couple quick jaunts to Barnes and Noble and Panera for free Wi-Fi.  In case you don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook or just missed it on either - my apartment complex was hit by a tornado on Wednesday night.

There were three tornadoes that hit Massachusetts on Wednesday June 1st.  It was the scariest experience of my life.  I was in my car and just getting ready to pull into my complex after work when it came - it hailed, my car got swept to the side of the road and a tree limb fell on my windshield - pushing the wiper through the glass and shattering it everywhere.  I was able to get back up to the apartment - and it looked like a war zone.  Luckily our actual building has no damage, but there are 65 apartments that have now been deemed unlivable.  My boyfriend was home at the time and said it was crazy.  Luckily there were was no one hurt at our complex.  Just after we got the car covered with plastic and I got done with the insurance company, we were told by the fire department to go back inside and hunker down because another bad storm was coming where there had been another touchdown.  So into the bathroom we went with the cat and cold dinner to wait out this storm.  We have been without power (and at the time of this writing we still are) for almost 3 days now.  There is an alarm in our building that is super high pitched that has been going off the whole time.  Wednesday night I had a nightmare and couldn't sleep because of the tornado.

I have been so thankful for several things in the last 2 days - my insurance company (for making everything go smoothly from the claim to the rental car to fixing my car), the Southbridge Conference Center for letting anyone come down for hot showers (you can't imagine how wonderful this was!), the Red Cross for bringing bottled water and snacks, and my wonderful neighbors.  I have to thank my boyfriend for really holding me together - it has been hard - I was shaking so bad when I got out of the car.  He has made sure that I have eaten, slept, called everyone I needed to, asked the questions I need to, and been overall a wonderful rock.  It has been a very tough year for us with so many terrible things that have happened.  I also want to thank you all for being my support when I needed it!

We just posted some photos to Facebook - so drop by and take a look.  These are just some of the photos of our complex - the street below us was pummeled as well.  I would be remiss if I didn't point out that Old Sturbridge Village was hit by the tornado as well - we went and checked it out today.  None of the actual buildings had damage but some came very close.  There were many trees down in the back pastures and some of their old apple trees were uprooted.

But hang in with me and I should be back up and running in a few days.




Copyright © 2011 by The Maiden’s Court

18 comments:

  1. Heather, how horrible and completely terrifying! I am so glad that tree branch didn't land a different way, causing you bodily harm. My prayers and thoughts are with you.

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  2. Oh myy gosh Heather, how did I miss this??!! I am so glad you were not hurt - please take care of yourself and I hope you begin to feel like things are getting back to "normal" soon.

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  3. WOW! I'm SO glad you and your boyfriend are ok and that your apartment wasn't completely destroyed. What a blessing that your insurance company has been so helpful! Hang in there - hopefully things will get back to normal for you soon.

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  4. Yikes - I'm glad to know you're OK but how very scary. The tornado season has been terrible this year. Take care and I hope things settle down soon.

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  5. How terrible that you had to experience this -- we are all thinking of you and sending you our prayers. Take care.

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  6. Oh wow, I didn't realize that you were in MA! I hope you're okay!

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  7. I'm so glad that you made it through okay. What a horrible experience to have to go through.

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  8. I'm so glad that you made it through okay. What a horrible experience to have to go through.

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  9. I just checked out the FB pics you posted and all I can say is Wow! You were in the car when that happened? I am glad you are ok!

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  10. Svea - yeah, looking back on it now I am so glad that it didn't land differently. My rear view mirror also flew off so I'm lucky to have not been hit by that either. The only injury I had was a tiny pinprick from the glass on my arm.

    Daphne - now that the power is back up, it at least feels like life again.

    Heather J - thanks! I'm just so thankful, it could have been much worse.

    Sarah - I know! The last tornado we had in Massachusetts was 2008 and usually they are fairly small and don't cause much damage at all. They are saying that this was likely an F3 tornado which is HUGE around here!

    Joanne - thank you!

    Meg - other than being very shaken up we are ok. I was shaking so bad when I got out of the car and I was just so angry!

    Melissa - I have always heard Tornado Warnings but they have always come to nothing - this was very scary. I am just so glad that I had happened to be talking to my mom about 15 minutes before and she had said "did you know there is a tornado warning in your area?", otherwise I wouldn't have known!

    Holly - yup I was! it was terrifying!

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  11. Heather -

    Glad you made it thry the tornado okay. I live in Rhode Island so we were getting constant up-dates on the storm and the distruction it caused.

    Our prayers go out to all the people affected.

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  12. Glad to know you're Ok. How terrifying! I live in AR and we got quite a few storms this spring as well. Not as close of call as you! Hope you're life settles down soon!

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  13. Wow, what a horrible experience Heather! I am so grateful you are okay, but so sorry at everything you are dealing with. Hang in there and if you need anything please let me know!

    Take care.

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  14. Heather! Ohmygod, I'm so sorry -- how awful! I'm so glad you and your boyfriend are fine but I'm so sorry for the experience -- and for your community. If you need anything locally, do let me know -- I'm happy to help out in whatever way. Sending my thoughts to you and your boyfriend (and kitty!) -- take care.

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  15. Jeanne - Oh I can imagine. My parents live in CT and were giving me updates because I didn't have any power.

    Allison - it's so weird because we really don't get storms that are this severe up here. I mean, we have had microburst, which are like very high winds for a short period of time, but no one really is prepared for tornadoes up here.

    Amy - Thanks! I can always count on your girls to help cheer me up!

    Audra - Thanks! It was super scary. But as of today Safelite has come out and worked their magic on my windshield and it looks amazing! And I returned the rental and it is kinda settling down now. I think everyone has power back now but they are still doing some major clean up and will be working on our complex for awhile!

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  16. Thank goodness the both of you are safe! What a scary experience. Makse you realize how precious life is and to be thankful for what you have and the one you love. {{hugs}} to you both and I keep you all in my prayers

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  17. Jenny - I certainly does put things into perspective. I was totally freaked out during the storm, but I was continually re-shaken up when I would drive around and see all of the damage and how close I was to being caught up in it at other points on my drive home.

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  18. Omg! I just read your post, I am way behind.

    I am so sorry and so grateful that you and your boyfriend are okay. I hope things have gotten back to normal for you! Thinking of you!

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