April Storms...not showers!

We have had some rather windy, hot, humid days....4 days at 80F or above....just begging for a storm right? Well a dry line came through yesterday and a cold front from the northwest with all that southerly wind bringing in moisture....you got it.....storms and hail and high straight line winds, rotating clouds and sheets and sheets of rain with hail from penny, nickel, quarter, ping pong ball, golf ball, tennis ball, and even baseball sized hail stones hitting.  Lots and lots and lots of rain with flash flooding (we really need this to fill our lakes again) and eventually tornados just northeast of us....no fatalities, but 4 injuries and lots of damage. Lots without power too.  I received 3 different "Red Alert" messages from 5:45 p.m. to 8:24 p.m. that a severe thunderstorm had be forecast for my area....only the last one proved to hit my area....with only wind and lots of rain, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 inch in about 20 minutes.  But just north of us and then to the northeast, they really got the "train" effect of rain when all the pop up storms finally became a long line of storms just after dark.  They even had to close a Wal Mart in Denton as the hail stones broke their skylights and they were without electricity...still without and closed today too! The winds at times were clocked at 150 knots....that is amazing that there is not more damage than we got.  The insurance companies will be flooded for a couple of weeks! Now we have a nice cool down, only to be in the upper 60's today (that is more like spring now)!

We also had another tragic mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army Base southwest of us. This is the same place where 13 died just 5 years ago. This time 4 deaths (including the suicide of the shooter) and 16 injuries. Just keep praying for all the families and soldiers affected by this senseless act. Our nation and the world needs lots of prayer for things to calm down and for all of us to be able to LIVE in peace.

I finally got my yards mowed and cleaned up yesterday just before all the ugly weather began to hit. It looks great, but when it warms up again in the next few days, I need to spray for weeds.  Since so many around me are renting, they don't care about their yards and with the winds we have had this year....all their weeds are trying to take root in my St. Augustine grass.  At least everything looks manicured and so neat for a little while.  The winds caused the oak trees to shed a few of their "blooms" and land on all my drive way, my car and the sidewalk....LOL! had to do a little sweeping this morning....ROFL!

We have lots and lots of visitors in our area of the state this weekend. The Final Four of the March Madness tournaments is in Arlington at the Cowboys Stadium....the arts festival is in downtown Fort Worth, the Texas Motor Speedway (with Big Hoss the largest TV Screen ever) is hosting 3 Races this weekend, the truck races, Nationwide and Nascar's Sprint Cup races. Needless to say, this chick is staying home out of all the traffic.  We are supposed to have rain most of the day on Sunday (hope Nascar gets to race).  Lots of free things to do is offered for all out of towners visiting. There are no Hotel/Motel rooms and no camping sites available for the weekend. Coupled with all the road construction and visitors, it will be a nightmare for traffic.  LMBO!!!!

I lost a dear friend, Vicki R. Boyd Truman, on the 21st of March. She was just 64. Cancer is still such a devastating disease and takes way too many before their time. I have been doing a lot of reminiscing of the FUN we used to have. Those memories are really precious. If I haven't said it lately, I love you to all my friends and family! Tomorrow is never promised us so live each and every day FULLY!!!! Make lots and lots of memories to share and to be able to remember later!

I have a dental appointment for cleaning that I must get dressed for....yes, I am still in my jammies! LOL! Off to shower and put on my face, then after the appointment I need to do a little grocery shopping and check my mailbox.....house is clean and last load of laundry is in the dryer. Gonna take another breather this weekend, chat more with all of you later! Hugs, Mat

Here's a couple of pages I did this past week or two.

My "sister" Nina's hubby wanted a photo page for his "man cave" wall of him at 17 in his 1955 Chevy and one that was taken of him 50 years later in a 1955 Chevy....He lucked out that I had this from Booland called My Old Jalopy....he loved it and has it hanging just where he wanted....LOL!

Here's Kathy's grandchildren in spring looking page...I even place their cat Sarah in her box on here too. I think this is by CheyOkota....not sure about the wordart.

Cute little Annabeth and hunky little Calvin in their Bouncing toys....just love their facial expressions. Both are in frames by Neli at Lugar Encantado Da Neli. frames.

And not to be left out....here's Miss Hayden with her Papa being a real monkey making faces. I will have to search for the designer here...get back with you later today....hugs, Mat