pic of the tornadic storm, from the south

Click the link for a fantastic pic of the storm on Flickr.
Barn Storming on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

tornadicism

At about 5:30 PM on Friday night we had a tornado come right through Lansing. I happened to be working late that night and was at the International Center on campus, and got herded into the basement with everyone else who was there. Of course I was freaking out as my cell signal cut out in the basement and Justin and Ellie were at home, about a mile north of the damage. There were a few hundred people crowded into the MSU Bookstore sitting and waiting it out.

It turns out that the storm produced an F3 tornado in Potterville, southwest of Lansing, and was still rotating by the time it got to the city. The rotation went right through the South Side, within a block of some of our church members' homes. Luckily no one was hurt and there are just a lot of trees and branches down in the path area. Our favorite Fazoli's restaurant had its windows smashed in by a flying billboard.

the end of an era

It's official: last night I packed up the oboe, went to the UPS store, and sent it off to RDG in Los Angeles to sell on consignment. I have to admit, I did feel a sentimental twinge although it's been sitting in my closet for the past 10 years. There's nothing like that distinct oboe smell when you open the case... although the romantic sentiment rapidly turns south when I start thinking about reeds.

I forgot how much I always had to explain to the general public about what an oboe is. The guy in the UPS store got that faintly amused look when he asked why I needed so much padding and I explained it was an instrument. "What kind of instrument?" I told him a wooden one that could crack with big temperature changes. Look of amusement deepens... then changes to incredulity as I tell him I need to insure it for $4000. "What, do you play in the Boston Pops?" he asks, still laughing. I tell him no but the people who play in the Boston Pops play this type of instrument. I then told him it was an oboe, and then watched him type O-B-O into his form. I politely added the E on the end for him and after laughing at me some more he promptly charged me the $83 I needed to ship it. I just hope it gets there in one piece!

dad is hilarious!

Here's a video Justin made while I was gone last week... I'm glad Ellie was having such a good time.



http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8544935170061197192