After getting off of work/teaching today at 4:30, I decide instead of coming home, I would visit Pat at the TURNING POINT DANCE STUDIO in Elmwood Park. Which is where I taught for 14 years. I go back from time to time to visit, chat, etc.
I had not been there in a while. Yesterday, after receiving her call asking me how I’ve been, what am I doing, how are things going....etc. I thought I would stop by & surprise her.
Around 5pm, I get there and it’s hugs and kisses to my former desk help, MEL and a former student (now teacher), Christina. It was great seeing them (of course)...but Mel said I just missed Pat by 5 minutes. 'Drat'. Well, I decide to hang out visit with her for awhile, and then wait for Christina to finish teaching hip hop, so, I can chat with her. By this time it’s going on 5:30.
So---- after visiting and chatting and catching up with christina about her upcoming wedding. It was getting darker and darker and turned that funny color grey/green in the sky. Then, here comes the rain, lightning, etc. but not high winds. we wait, talk..and started to get a bit nervous...but the 3 of us were there and decided to just hang out..and not leave just yet....and THENNN..
The horns (warnings) go off. Now, we’re like OK...don’t panic. There was no loss of power but we were just a bit worried. By this time it’s around 5:45 ....and its raining ridiculous and lightning like crazy. Mel was saying to us, well, you 2 better not leave yet. In the meantime, I’m calling ernie to let him know where I was, couldn’t get through. We talk and pass time (keeping each other calm w lots of laughter)..and then, Christina calls her mom in River Forest..who said that there was a tornado in Brookfield, IL.
side NOTE >interesting thing is that ...after I left Oak Park...it was getting dark.I looked back towards downtown..and it was that feeling of, oh dear a storm is coming but I decided to go to Elmwood Park anyway not really knowing what was coming. Simply because I hadn't checked in with the weather. 
anyway.....now we’re like WHATT?? That’s very close to where we were. But yet, the horns hadn’t gone off anymore since around 5:45 because they were on for about 10 minutes and then silenced.
Now, a little funny feeling in my stomach occurred..and I'm like, OH dear...I have to get home into the city. (Cicero)....some 25 minutes east of where I was located. I finally got thru
to Ernie...he said STAY WHERE YOU ARE DON’T COME HOME...IT WAS RAINING LIKE CRAZY. Apparently, it was moving east. Now going on 6:30 in Elmwood Park...the rain let up tremendously but the lightning was something fierce..so, I sprinted to my faithful Lincoln Navigator, got in and drove home, very carefully. Staying away from the expressway, I take all the side streets home. NO major problems with the exception of some small flooding here and there. -I come down 22nd st.Cermak...and almost every street light was out..so, it was the 4 way stop on each light..but still no worries. In the meantime, ernie is calling me to see where I was as I’m getting closer to home. Then....it’s time to go under one of our via ducts which is about 5 min. from my house...and it
was scary. Flooded ... many cars were waiting in line to go thru. Extremely slow!!! Ernie said I should be fine, since I’m in the truck..but to go slow. Which I did..and went through without any trouble....but I was soooo scared..as the water was up the bottom of my door. Just think if I was in a car. YIKES. Thankfully, I made it home safe and sound. My husband standing inside the door waiting for me..and when I pulled up, he came out the front door..anxiously wanting me to get in the house.! I was sooooo happy to be home.
(another side NOTE) I’m rarely scared in all of our winter, icy storms when I’m driving....but the rains, the lightning, humidity, heat...and winds all make me extremely nervous in general. But somehow, as I’m driving in this madness.....I become extremely clear headed and calm and just talk myself through it.
Wow, I’m just thankful, that I was able to get home and since I’ve been typing this
at 11:18 pm...Our power went out for about 25 minutes...but it’s back on now.
Very scary to have a house full of darkness...and PRIMO who is behind me on my couch resting....staring at me with only the computer screen to highlight his eyes. Not the prettiest picture in the world. LOL. Very SCARRRY.. I FEEL LIKE I’M IN A HORROR MOVIE.. LOL!!!
But it’s all good...”whew”..... what a creepy day!!!
(photographs)
At 7:20 pm, the after effects with the evening sky is very, very interesting...and haunting. I took photos of the 2 stages of how it looked. See the next blog.
There is no photoshop.. THE SKY LOOKED EXACTLY like what you see in the photos!!!
Cora
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MODEL, DANCER:-SIGNED.JPG)
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When I went home, I collected a few images that are my personal fav's. Of course, there are a ton of images from mom and dad's books...but this is just a small collection. 
THREE NEW EDITS.... LOTS OF NEW 
IMAGES COMING SOON.
WELL OUR PRIMO TURNED ONE YEAR OLD yesterday..ON JUNE 18th. I'm not sure of his weight yet...it's been awhile since he's been on the scale (vet)..but we're guessing....around 110 lbs. Not sure of his height either...but will soon take images with him standing up next to ernie, so you can see his actual size. Uh,yes.... He's not small. anymore. Those days are longgggg gone.. 
