I am so ready for spring. Or maybe not. In the depth of winter, I always long for spring. But, around here, spring means kabooming thunderstorms and tornado watches/warnings, which always seem to come in the middle of the night.
On the other hand, tornado watches/warnings mean storm parties, like the one depicted below. Mom and our next-door daughter and her husband and son come down to our basement, and we have snacks and play games or read books.
Spring Means Storm Parties
Storm parties started when next-door grandson was wee, and we didn’t want to scare him. So we didn’t say we were sheltering from a deadly natural disaster, we said we were having a storm party. We had special toys that only got played with during storm parties.
So I suppose, all in all, I really am ready for spring, storms and all (but please no storms please please no terrible storms please).
A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: During a natural disaster or threat of one, a character takes shelter with someone else.
MA
Jane
February 20, 2014 at 9:21amWe had to take shelter in the basement once. I dragged both the cats downstairs, and, wouldn’t you know it? Nicholas loved it. The storm sirens wailing. Going down into the nasty basement where he didn’t usually get to go…
Next month, when the noon first Tuesday sirens went off (testing only), the big boy raced for the basement door, eager for another adventure. Goofy boy.
Marian Allen
February 20, 2014 at 12:21pmAw, Nicholas was certainly a boy with loads of personality! Was he the one who loved tuna so much, or was that BJ, or both? Katya loves tuna or salmon juice, but not the fish, if it’s from a can.
Jane
February 21, 2014 at 9:09amIt was BJ. But Nick wouldn’t turn it down. It took so little to make those boys happy. Unlike dogs, cats are pleased with a taste. Canines want it all!
Chris Graham
February 20, 2014 at 2:42pmThat is excellent name to help kids (and adults) cope with the trauma Marian 🙂
Marian Allen
February 20, 2014 at 4:47pmChris, it worked, too! He always looked forward to storm parties. 🙂
Jo
February 24, 2014 at 1:25amThat really is a brilliant idea Marian. It’s awful how terrifying extreme weather can be, and if you have to experience those things every year I can’t imagine how scary it must be knowing they’re coming. I hope they stay away from you so you can spring around.
Marian Allen
February 24, 2014 at 7:54amIt’s weird: We’re all like, “How can people continue to live in California, when they KNOW they have earthquakes there? By the way, better put some jugs of water in the basement for tornado season.” :/