Carolyn called me first thing this morning to give me the horrible news.  The tornado that tore through Claremore came to the west of Pryor and destroyed her son Paul’s home.  Nothing is  left.  She sent me a picture of it.  Horrible. Horrible.  But because her son’s grandson was staying with them, he felt the boy’s parents would want them to take cover, so Paul took them to the cellar.  They barely made it.  Their dogs didn’t.  Last I heard, some of the cows didn’t either.

You see pictures on the news of things like that, but when it is one of your own, it takes on an entirely new meaning. Besides all of the physical things, there are papers.  Birth certificates.  Deeds.  Etc. etc.,  that will take months to replace. Pryor is a small town, so everyone will help, but still...what a terrible thing.  But they are alive.  That--in the end--is what is important.  Everyone wants to help.  But what can you do?  People have already gathered and are gleaning the fields, looking for things...and things are turning up.  But...a lifetime of memories are gone.  Tornados all over the USA are tearing up lives.  It is real and tragic when one hits home.