We don't have time for no stinkin' tornado!

Tonight was a very interesting night indeed! Jim left to take Colin to his baseball game in Harveyville, and took Preston as well. I was supposed to go to my library board meeting and then take Mallory and Madison to work in their CWF concession stand at the Osage City fair. Cam was going with me and was going to take Harper and Quincy on a walk through the fair to see the animals. So Jim leaves and I suddenly remember that I was supposed to bring my crock pot. I went to wash it and as I am at the sink I look out the window to see this tornado like cloud. I had already sent the kids to get in the van. I am trying to remain calm, but this is in my backyard! So I step out the front door and tell the kids to please come inside. They look at me like I am bonkers - we are already buckled up and ready to go ---??? So I say "OK GUYS THERE IS A FREAKING TORNADO IN THE BACK YARD -- PLEASE COME INSIDE NOW!!" Mallory knocked me flat! I got them all in the basement and then took this photo. The thing was just hanging there - and there is another funnel like cloud a little ways off of it too (you can see the beginning of it in this photo as well - on the right hand side). It just continues to hang in the sky - swooping down a little bit lower but never coming down to the ground. Finally I decide that it is not a tornado, so I load the kids and go over to buy some gas. I notice that Jim is at Casey's so I point and we mutually decide that this is indeed NOT a tornado, but a series of very strange looking clouds. He takes off, I pay for the gas and turn on Main Street to go to the library meeting - telling the kids that I won't stay for the whole meeting - do not run off blah blah. About then the tornado sirens go off. Mallory clawed the back of my head and then ended up hanging upside down from the roof of the van by her finger and toe nails. So I turn and drive home where I stash the kids in the basement once again. By this time the low hanging cloud is looking a little more tornado-ish....so I stand in the back yard with Bev and we watch to see what will happen. It goes back in the clouds and disappears. Apparently this type of a tornado is called a land spout. Apparently there were 3 of them over the highway and the city of Carbondale which is about 10 miles away. Knowing full well that Mallory will NOT be leaving the house until the tornado sirens stop blowing and the warning has expired we waited a little bit. I then took them on to Osage City, where Mallory kept a very close watch on the sky the whole drive. I called Jim and he said they had made it safely to Harveyville and that Colin was playing ball. Mallory and Madison were supposed to be selling drinks during a movie night at the fair, but the movie was cancelled. Apparently they thought that tornadoes and outdoor movies are not a good mixture!

We have to work the next 2 days at this concession stand - here is hoping that they are not anywhere near as exciting! I never made it to the library board meeting - I am guessing that if the sirens are blaring you are excused?