Tornado AZ

What a day this has been!!!


I am OK??   quite rattled!!  I have welts and bruises on my legs due to hail the size of VERY large cherries!   I had just arrived at Jeff and Christina's to try and get in and take photos of their new home in progress....when it hit!!   I tucked into a corner of the exterior of the house, crouched down and boy did I pray!!!!    After the hail stopped and turned to torrential downpour...I covered the camera as best I could with my tank top!!!  and ran to the truck...that thank goodness was still standing on all four tires...I'm not even exaggerating!!!  

I drove in a panic..until trees fell blocking the road 4-6 meters in front of me!!!  I stopped!... pulled over to wait it out.....but then the Tornado warning came over the radio...the scariest thing I have ever heard!! ..... The radio informed me that I, with all  others on the road, had to get to the nearest building immediately!!!,  get to a corner, and wait until it is over!!   

I stopped twice on the way to my safe place to take photos...My brother asked "What is wrong with you, how could you worry about a photo at that time?"  Something inside me had to stop and take that photo, perhaps if I hadn't I would have been crushed by a tree, or in the eye of the storm....after all everything happens for a reason!!!!!!

When the warning was over - 15min later (it felt like an hour), after watching at least 14 trees crack and break in the parking lot, hitting vehicles, we were able to get back in our cars and go straight home!!  I was shocked at the value of material objects in that moment...as trees fell and struck trucks, men and women yelled...men cause they "were angry...look what happened to my baby!", women because "what will my husband say??"...We were safe!!!!! The storm hadn't 'touched' us!!!


When I arrived home, I had no power...to top it all off....this is the first visit to AZ without my amazing husband.  So besides the fact I'm missing him terribly, I am drinking horrible coffee every morning (because Ted always makes my coffee), eating like a bachelor, and getting lost all over Arizona, this is my day....it has been an interesting one!

But....A very good thing happened today!!   I got my new camera!!!  I can't wait to open it up and play...However, I'm glad I did not take it into the storm!

The power is back on for the time being which is nice....I guess it is cold salmon and cheese for dinner as I am exhausted and I'm not sure if the neighbourhood pub will have power?!!

This is Jeff & Christina's absolutely stunning new home!!!! 

This is what I saw before the storm!!!!!!  Should I have known??

Then the wind came...the sand swirled and I had to duck into a safe corner...I will take a picture of my 'favourite' corner tomorrow!, when I return to get photos of their beautiful home!!!

I wish you could have witnessed, it looks like snowflakes in this photo!  Instead of small balls of ice!  

RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES!!!!!

The next few are in the parking lot of the gas station..

It seems so mild in these photos!!!

The glowing peace of fear!!!

Our back yard!!!

My little Friend!

Ok T- dog this post is purely for you!!  This is what I found in the kitchen tonight while talking to Nana Sue!!!!!  He is 3" LONG!!!  and sorry but I could not spend more time with this guy...so I smashed him with a phone book and put him in a water bottle, in the garbage, and then  in the garage!!....he will not be getting back out of this pickle ;-))

and I wish I had sound to send you because the storm is absolutely CRAZY...I'm headed out to see if I can get a photo of the lightening!   It is even more then the Journey concert we went to!!!!!


XOXO  I miss you all!

Fabric, Ribbons, & Bows Oh MY!!!!

Today, while I was lost....way lost!!!  I stumbled upon the best fabric store in the world!  Not just fabrics, but jewels, ribbons, A WALL OF RIBBONS, bows, zippers, buttons, trims of all sorts and everything else to do with sewing!!  I got organza today for .50 cents a yard!!!!!  Linen for $1.99 a yard and the most beautiful ribbon for .15 cents a yard!!! Crazy deals!!   From the store front it looks small and cramped but when you get inside it is the COSTCO of Fabric!!!    SAS Fabrics  AMAZING!!    Anyways I took my camera in and snuck a couple shots...tomorrow I will post my most wonderful finds!! ;-))

911

So on Sunday, as I'm sure you are all remembering, is the anniversary of 911!!  I went to Tempe, AZ, this morning where they were digging in and tagging 2,996 flags...AMAZING...the emotion, love, sincerity and memories are strong as the astonishment and grief of that day!  We all know where we are the minute the news broke!

Anyways here are a few pictures of the peace that is set up for all to pay their respects....the one guy in army fatigues, searched for a tag and then got up on the flag pole to take a picture of the tag he was looking for, his fishing pole in his backpack....spending the day on the water with his thoughts?  Each flag had a name, age and short description of the ones lost to the day....

From the skies!

A few photos I took on the way to Sunny Hot AZ!!!   I landed at 4:40pm and it was 112'F Crazy beautiful!  I also rushed out to get the sun going down (so although not good photos...you get the just of the beautiful sunset this evening, when I rolled into the driveway!!

Rouladen

My sister is coming for dinner, with her new man, which I am excited to meet!!   Joy called ahead to request Rouladen for dinner - which Taeya was very happy about as that is her very favourite...so of course I turned it into a post opportunity ;-)  If you have 45 minutes in the morning...you will have a hot tasty dinner that night!

Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 4 -8 hours in slow cooker

Ingredients:

Rouladen strips - Save-on-more - usually has the best in stock (Canada) also your local butcher - or T-bones can do them for you if you ask in advance.   I plan on two per person (kids included - because both our girls eat 2)....and they are amazing for left overs!!

1 sm jar Dijon Mustard
1 large onion
1 pkg bacon
3 cloves of garlic
1 carton Beef Broth (I use sodium reduced prepared Campbell's cartons)
1 C red wine (optional)


Process:

Finely chop onion and saute until soft, add garlic and saute until aromatic  - put aside
Chop bacon and saute, drain fat, then combine onion mixture.

Meanwhile....lay strips of Rouladen on parchment paper, spread on dijon mustard - to your taste (we like lots)
Spoon onion/bacon mixture onto one end of the rouladen, roll, while tucking ends inside to hold bacon and onion, toothpick to hold.
Heat pan on med to high heat with a TBSP of EVOO, brown all sides of rouladen (starting with the end side if not using tooth picks)
Transfer from pan into slow cooker, arranging tightly to accommodate all rolls (I did 18 (with two bacon packs in these pics)
Pour Beef Broth over rolls to cover
Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8hrs (I always do 8hrs)

Prepare sides, serve with J-Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon and enjoy!!!

Disaster!

OK OK OK, so yes we were way to busy yesterday to get the tie-dying underway!!  We went straight from shopping for new shirts, to swimming lessons to piano and then when we arrived home Uncle Rick was here for a visit.  We then had dinner....then the ice cream truck showed up, so we had dessert.... Took the dog for a walk, filled out first day school forms, played Apples to Apples and then flopped into bed!!   So I thought I would post pics of the first tie dying process as it will have to wait until next week now as today we have swimming, dentist and Aunty Joy's visit, then tomorrow is swimming and soccer....you get the drift I'm sure!!!