Month: March 2021

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Since we returned home last week after the storms ran us to Chattanooga, Anne has been doing NOMADS work and more tax work and we have still been working at the house getting it ready to sell.  Starting two days ago our weather forecast began getting progressively worse.  We were planning to leave north Alabama Saturday to return to Atmore to get our second Covid vaccine on Sunday.  However, by last night we could tell today was going to be a dangerous day in our area and we decided to bug out again.  We got up at 6 this morning and hit the road south.  Sometime after we left, our area was placed in the High Risk category by the weather service and by mid-morning the storms began.  So very thankful that we have wheels under our second house and we were able to leave quickly.  It was a windy drive but we made it safely to Gulf Shores.  We continue to monitor the storms as sadly they are not yet over.  We know there have been at least five deaths and others injured.  So sad.  We have friends with homes damaged and flooding all over our county.  No one has been able to check our house yet – the roads are not yet passable – but we really are not worried.  It’s just stuff.  Thanks to all that have sent emails and texts to check on us.  We really appreciate you thinking of us.  Please be in prayer for all those who have lost loved ones and others who have lost their homes.  Everyone stay safe out there.

On the way down we stopped at The Warehouse Market and Bakery at Exit 54 on I-65 to grab a delicious lunch and a few extras.

Thursday, March 17, 2021

Starting a few days ago the National Weather Service and local media meteorologists started expressing concern about today’s weather. By this morning central Alabama had been determined to be at High Risk of long track tornadoes and large hail. So – as we have advised others who have wheels under their homes to do – we left for an area of lower risk. We drove northeast to Chattanooga where only rain is expected. We will spend the night in a store parking lot then head back in the morning.  Praying for all our friends and family that might be in danger tonight.

Otherwise, since our last blog post we have been working around the property, working on taxes, and NOMADS work. Except last Saturday, when we spent the day with about 45 other members of our church at Camp Sumatanga cleaning up and getting things ready for summer camp and retreats.

Saturday, March 6, 2021

While in Gulf Shores last Sunday, we worshiped with our home church via live stream.  We are so blessed to be a part of a church that understands being the hands and feet of Jesus, always working outside the doors of the church.  After worship we quickly jumped in the truck to head to Atmore, Alabama.  We had an easy 1 ½ hour drive on a beautiful day on some back roads we don’t remember ever traveling before.  Nice!  Walmart was very organized and ready for our arrival.  Max’s appointment was at 12:00 and Anne’s at 3:40 but the good folks in Atmore had recognized our appointments and called before we arrived to verify that we were together and told Anne to come on in at 12:00 too.  We were a little early and we both had our injections and were on the way back to Gulf Shores by 12:25. We are so thankful to have received our first dose and an appointment on March 28 for our second dose.  The people at Walmart could not have been more helpful or friendly.  We have had no adverse side effects and hope the second dose is no worse.

Monday morning we readied Fred for a travel day in the rain.  It was a long day driving with wind and rain. We stopped at an Amish bakery and store that is about ½ mile off I-65 at Exit 54 near Atmore. (It was time to stretch our legs.)  The caramel apple cinnamon rolls are some of the very best we have eaten and those of you that followed us to Alaska and back know we have tried a lot of cinnamon rolls.  Their breads looked wonderful too but we just didn’t need any.  We will probably make a stop there every time we go back to the beach.  We arrived back home about 3:30 and worked on getting settled in for a few weeks. It’s always a relief to find everything okay at the houses.  Tuesday morning Donna brought us our mail.  Hard to believe how much there was and we had already received several large batches of mail while we were working.  We have spent the rest of the week catching up on things, and resumed our work preparing the house for sale. Hopefully we can make some progress on downsizing while we are home.

While we were working in the Fort Myers area in January, we discovered an eagles’ nest and have been following the hatching and growth of two eaglets on the South West Florida Eagle Cam ever since.  We check in on our babies everyday.  It’s been such fun to watch them grow.  Remember to pray for all out pastors who will be bringing us God’s Word tomorrow.