Rainy Day

There are a few things in the deep south you don't mess with. OK. Make that lots of things including football, NASCAR, Republicans, and truck drivers who carry firearms. One thing on that list that I felt was pretty universal is tornadoes. No matter what your redneck status, we all bow before the tornado (when we are not getting out of our trailers to take some video to go along with the audio "It sounded like a freight train!")

Maybe Gadsden is not the tornado alley that Huntsville is, but Jamey lacks the proper respect. Take this morning.

Me: Do you hear that siren?
Jamey: Yes. Ruby get on your shoes. Let's go.
Me: Its a tornado warning
Jamey: So?
Me: For right here. Maybe you should wait a few minutes.
Jamey: Why?
Me: Why would you drive out now?
Jamey: Same reason I go to work every morning.
Me: An unfulfilled secret death wish that will leave you with no crying children and tons of sleep?
Jamey: Ruby, ask Mommy meteorologist if we can go now.

If my checking weather.com seems extreme to Jamey, he should have grown up in my family. My mother would have grabbed the baby from upstairs and rushed us all to the basement with a battery operated radio as soon as she heard the siren. In my mom's defense, our house in Huntsville got hit by a tornado 3 times in the time we lived there which seems to make tornadoes a statistic probability.

And the Big Sister Award Goes To

Ruby has been absolutely great with Cora. She has an inner sweetness that must have come from some recessive gene. Last night she wanted to put on a puppet show for Cora (which Cora LOVED).

Also, look what she made in daycare this week when asked "What are you thankful for?"

Squirrels vs. Squirrels

For as long as I have known Jamey, he has left me notes with cartoon pictures of squirrels on them. The above is a good example although they are not usually in color. Recently, I was sitting with Jamey's mom on the porch when she noticed a squirrel carrying something. I looked and informed her it was another squirrel. Before you say, aww how cute, I feel obliged to point out that the other squirrel was the same size as the carrying squirrel and was in the mouth of the squirrel. There was nothing cute about it.

A quick search online revealed that I have not been the only one to witness this and that squirrels are in fact, cannibalistic at times and will eat other dead squirrels (sometimes that they killed in a fight). This certainly has changed my perception of squirrels a bit and added a hint of ominous to our fuzzy tailed friend in the backyard. Jamey commiserated the occasion by leaving me the following note yesterday morning.

Since this happened several weeks ago, it took me awhile to figure out the significance of the picture. I actually had decided that it represented the fact that a zombie could not have awakened me that morning because I was dead tired. Regardless, I might have nightmares.

First Smile

Cora gave her first smiles today to Grandma. Now, I must admit that Cora has had one object of affection that received a smile late last week but I really couldn't count it as her first smile since it was directed at a, while not inanimate, certainly inarticulate object. The fan was, I am sure, very worthy of the attention.

Still no smiles for Mama so here is a random picture of her in a cute outfit from Leah's mom.

Dads vs. Moms