Going Back to Omaha

The drive back to Omaha from my Dad's wasn't too bad. The weather was cloudy and at times, raining. But the temperature was in the 60's which made it comfortable. No air conditioning needed. After I got through Bismarck and began my trek eastward, the wind began to blow out of the south. Figures! Now the battle between vehicle and Mother Nature would be on. This is maybe my biggest pet peeve when it comes to road trips; having the wind whip against the side of your car and making it very cumbersome to steer! It gets to be exhausting just trying to keep the car on the straight and narrow.

OK, move forward several hours. Now I've arrived in Fargo after a gas stop between Bismarck and my current locale. I needed to fill up once again. I could see the clouds building to the south-exactly where I would be going! The western horizon wasn't looking very friendly either, I might add.

Once I was back on the interstate, the wind was getting stronger and the sky darker. I know I was in SD somewhere but I'm not exactly sure where. However, as I was driving I could just see the actually rain and wind blowing right across the road ahead of me! The wind seemed to be coming from the west and south at the same time! The other cars in my lane were disappearing as if they were entering the abyss. Mother Nature was swallowing them up into the thunderstorm that was moving through. I managed to snap a picture but I'm not so sure it does justice to what I was seeing! (click the photo for closer view )

Interstate 29 heading south through the rain storm.

Fast forward several more hours. It was almost 9 PM as I was nearing Omaha. I was wondering in the back of my mind what I would find at home when I walked in the door. My cats were left there alone but one of my friends had checked on them for me to make sure all was well. Worriment set in as I turned the key in the door and walked into my living room. The first place my eyes always go to is the fireplace mantle. One of my cats, Trouble, always has a knack for getting up on things that I think would be too hard for him to bother with. Not this time! He had used my TV to launch himself up onto the mantle of the fireplace and proceeded to knock over a very thick glass vase that had glass marbles inside holding some silk floral! Somehow, it missed the TV below and crashed onto the carpeted floor. There were shards of glass all over behind the TV and little nick's in the stand of the TV from the glass. And the marbles from inside? All over the floor! The photo below will give you some idea of where it was. (click photo to see the vase clearer.)

Here is an early photo from when I first moved into my house. There wasn't any furniture yet but the vase is on the right of the mantle. You can see for yourself what it used to look like. Except I had it on the opposite end at the time that Trouble knocked it down! The TV sits off to the left of the mantle. There was virtually no space for him to even jump to so I have no idea what he thought he was doing!!!

I also had several other frames of family photos next to the vase, which he managed to bump down as well. Now I need 2 new frames because the glass in them got broken! And don't forget about replacing the vase too! I was so mad.....he came close to being hauled to the humane society! He has single-handedly destroyed many of my things! But I kept my calm long enough to get my camera and document the evidence! You can't see the glass very well unless you click on the picture but it's all there!

After this all occurred, he decided it would be fun to eat some of the greenery. Then when it didn't set well in his stomach it all came back up in 6 different areas in my basement, on the carpeting! I'll spare you the details!

Welcome home to ME!!!!!