10/16/01

Hi,

   Just wanted to check in with some of you that don't get news here in North Texas, but we did have a tornado here in Paradise and Decatur this past Friday the 12th.  Luckily for Albert and I, it went right past our house and hit our neighbors up on the hill from us.  This is one time I was glad we built in sort of a valley.  There was no damage, but it did move our horse trailer sideways, and our next door neighbors had the windows knocked out by another neighbors trampoline.  The roof was ripped off of our fire department, and blew into a house in back of it, the water tower was destroyed, and a vacant brick bldg. front wall was completely blown away.  Of course there were trees blocking roads  and trees on top of houses.  

   The neighbor on top of the hill had a lot of damage to his roof, some of the roof peeled away except where a tree was on top of it, and a old stock trailer blew completely across his tractor.  His barn, and his hangar where he keeps his airplane was damaged also.

   Albert and I were watching a movie on t.v. and really didn't hear anything till it was almost over with.  That is scary!  Of course when I heard the hale and wind, about the same time, I ran for the pantry.  (That's my shelter in the middle of the house Ha!).  We could see from our back porch the tornado going towards Decatur.  Even though we are in a valley, you can see Decatur (10 miles away) and we could see the transformers blowing, and the lightning that was making quite a spectacular show.  We knew it must be devastating Decatur at that time.  

   The next morning we drove into Decatur, and saw where one subdivision that was horrible.  One home was completely demolished, lots of roofs gone, and trees uprooted everywhere.  Our son-in-law, Jimmy took his tractor and we took some chain saws to try and help clear out things.  You had to get a permit from the Sheriff's Department to just drive into that area.  It was amazing how the communities of Paradise and Decatur came out to be of assistance to one another.  It certainly made us proud to be a part of that and to be American's.

   The Lord does take care of fools, like Albert and I, because we didn't know anything till it was over with.  Certainly made us think about buying a storm shelter.  But, I guess if you don't use it, it wouldn't help, would it?  I think we were just use to being down south, when you have a hurricane coming ,you know in advance.  I bet we listen a little more and watch the weather more closely from now on.

   Hope this note will find all of yall doing well.

Carol and Albert Thornton - carol@wccs.net