Summer Fun?

I'm starting my morning with a deficit--of sleep--and I don't expect it to get better over the next five days. More about that later, but the cause last night was weather related. Because of the frequent thunderstorms we've been having here in landlocked KS, I purchased a storm alert radio, just in case a tornado decides to surprise us with a midnight visit. Early this morning (3 a.m.), the alert started sounding as a large thunderstorm moved over several counties, mine being one of them. Some six hours later, the sky is now a brilliant blue, something we haven't seen much of lately, and I'm hoping our trip to the zoo today will be free of clouds and raindrops. I'd much rather deal with a little sunburn than have to dodge hail...or twisters.

It's been a rough summer weather-wise across the nation. I've heard this is proving to be one of the hottest Junes for several years in some areas of the South. The destruction and devastation in Iowa from the flooding continues to bring me to tears when I see the latest reports, and my prayers go out to those who are having to deal with it as it spreads into other states. While reading the morning news the other day, I found this in our local newspaper:

Preliminary statistics from the National Weather Service show that 172 tornadoes have been reported in Kansas this year -- the most in the nation.
Iowa is next at 134, and Missouri is third at 127.
As of Friday, 1,577 tornadoes had been reported in the U.S. this year. Last year saw 1,093.

Whatever the weather is doing where you live, keep your eye on the sky. As Sgt. Phil Esterhaus used to say on the old TV show, "Hill Street Blues", "Let's be careful out there."

So why will I be more sleep deprived over the next five days? My two oldest daughters and their hubbies left this morning for a canoe trip near Tahlequah, Oklahoma. In the meantime, we (my youngest and I) are hosting a series of sleep-overs for my four grandkids. In other words, we have the pleasure of their company 24/7 until Sunday when moms and dads return. We should be accustomed to this. The kidlets (ages 6, 5, 4 and 10 months) are here during the day five days a week. I expect it to be an interesting week, and hope the 4-year-old grandson doesn't decide to play Indiana Jones again. Last week, while taking on that role, he climbed on top of my car in the driveway and jumped for a tree limb hanging over it. The smaller-than-pencil-size limb wasn't strong enough to hold him, and he landed on the driveway, resulting in a very large bump on his elbow. It could have been worse and is one of several reasons why we keep an extra lock on the door inside to curb his adventurous tendencies. His mom was printing out and signing medical treatment consent forms when she dropped off her three kidlets this morning. I expect it to be an exciting and interesting visit, with short nights and long days, and I hope they all like the penguins better than the lions at the zoo today. :)