We came through OK, but we lost electricity from 2:00AM this morning until
just a few minutes ago.  We had some large branches fall off our trees, but
luckily only into the yard and not onto anything.

The most damage was done by *US*, not the storm.  We had boarded up the
French doors downstairs so tight that when Ben (freakishly strong man that
he is) yanked it off, it pulled a section of bricks away from the wall!!!!
They didn't fall off, and some mortar should fix them, but it was scary.

Re the storm, we had some gusts up to, maybe, 65-75 MPH, and steady winds of
about 40-50 MPH.  We got very little rain, and no flooding.

The fur kids didn't miss a beat - they weren't in the least disturbed by the
storm.  The bare kids slept through it.

The dogs spent the night in the garage and they, predictably, peed and
pooped all over the place (and guess who picked it up and washed off the
concrete!??).  After the storm was over, MIL didn't want them to go back
into the yard, but I insisted, so they're back outside now.  (Heck, there's
tons of trees back there, an upper and lower wooden deck to lie on, and lots
of grass to do their business in - it's not like we're harming them by
making them stay back there.)

I just finished cooking breaded pork chops on the grill's side burner (I'd
started cooking before the electricity came back on).  We have somehow
picked up two extra kids somewhere (Audrey and Ashley from across the
street) who ate dinner with us and will be sleeping over - so things are
pretty much back to normal, in other words chaotic, messy, and noisy!  ;>

Hugs,

CatNipped