I know, I should probably get a job somewhere in graphic design or something similar. My artistic abilities still amaze me. But seriously, let me explain what happened. Everyone was hanging out on the BBQ side of the roof when his cousin showed up. Up went the lights and everyone sang happy birthday (or the Brazilian version of happy birthday) and I yelled SURPRISE!!! because I realized that I never asked anone what I was suposed to yell when they came in so I just went with my American roots.... He was surprised and he thanked everyone and then everyone started munching on the food thatwas there and mingling, etc, etc... About 10 minutes after he showed up, it started raining outside. Not really rain, but downpouring! Luckily the entire 3rd floor had a roof except for the side that was eventually going to be a pool. So we just ignored it and scooted our chairs in from right next to the wall so we didn't get dripped on. Next, the wind started. First it was just a breeze that blew random napkins around and the tablecloth fluttered a bit. No biggie. Then it gradually got harder and harder. All of a sudden, a big gust of wind came from the hallway (basically the large open area on one side with the other large covered area on the other with a covered narrow hallway in between worked as a huge funnel) and blew the tables and chairs around. Everyone scambled to grab what they could from the tables so everything didn't just blow off the deck into the street. From that point on it was pretty chaotic. At first everyone was just kind of gathering stuff and meandering around but then we realized that it was getting pretty dangerous up there. The guys continued to pick stuff up while the wind whirled around them and some of the women and kids went downstairs. The rest (including me) just moved towards the hallway that led downstairs and watched. Finally, a chair and a large piece of plywood came whipping down the longer narrow hallway and almost took someones head off before it soared over the side of he deck. That is when I moved inside. Everyone was talking or yelling in Portuguese and because of the noise and how fast they were talking I could understand practically none of it. I stood in the small hallway just above the stairs that lead to the 2nd floor and listened. Most of the women had gone downstairs at this point but I was kind of stuck in the hallway not knowing where to go. I heard a window break downstairs and the young kids were crying. All the guys were still trying to move as much as they could out of the way on the deck. Then, as I still stood there frozen, the power went out. Awesome. This was the point when Edi came over and told me to get my butt downstairs before I got hurt. Good thinking Edi. Now, all I have to do is maneuver the narrow, winding staircase with my little summer dress and my 4 inch heels.....in the pitch black. Cake walk.
Probably about 20 minutes later I actually MADE IT down the stairs. There was a little light from candles that someone had lit and from the occasional burst of lightning that lit the whole room but for the most part it was darkness. I realized that the windo I heard smash was in the kitchen and water was pouring onto the floor but nbody could do anything about it yet because the wind was still unbelieveably strong. I made my way to the couch and sat myself down. Again, not understanding what anyone is saying or what exactly we should do or what is going on. Everyone was moving around trying to secure things and watching the scene outside. After a few minutes the rest of the guys came down from the third floor. Suddenly there was a loud banging coming from outside on the first floor. Now in front of the building there is sort of like and awning (I dont know how else to describe it) to over the couple of parking spaces in front of the business on the first floor. The "awning" however, is made large metal shingles(again, for lack of a better word) and the wind was almost ripping them off the structure. That was the loud banging came from. It lifted them up and slammed them back down again. So of course, all the guys had to go rushing downstairs to watch. I didn't know why they were going downstairs at the time, I thought they were going outside or something and I tried to tell Edi not to go but that wasn't happening. I just sat there and waited, terrified. Listening to the wind rip everything the shreds outside, watching the water pour into the kitchen window and very badly wanting to start crying like the rest of the kids that were there, but thinking that since I would be the only one over 5 years old shedding tears, I should hold off on that.
Finally Edi came upstairs to get me and said we were going to go home. Thank goodness!! I couldn't sit there in the dark much longer without either crying or screaming like a lunatic for someone to please tell me what is going on! I was fairly upset and Edi was telling me not to be because it wan't THAT big of a deal. Everyone is fine and they were just downstairs watching everything from the entranceway to the building. I had to explain to him that in a situation like that, for someone like me, it may seem FAR worse that it actually is because all I can do is TRY to listen to what people are saying. When it is loud and scary and dark and everyone is running around and he runs off downstairs and I don't know where he is going I just have to sit there with nobody to talk to it sucks. It is scary enough to be in that situation with people you know and you can talk to, but that multiplies when you can't communicate with anyone. I think he got it. : )
The wind had calmed down quite a bit by the time we started driving home. The rain, lightning and thunder were still in full force though. There were a LOT of trees and branches down on the way and quite a few business signs had been bent or ripped down completely. I mean large, metal signs. That wind was CRAZY! We drove by gas stations and there was debris everywhere and the display cases that hold things like windshield wiped fluid, oil, etc... had been knocked over and strewn about the parking lots. There were a few trees that fell on cars and houses too but the damage wasn't too extreme. We made the rounds to Edi's aunts house to make sure everything there was ok and then to his house. The garage was a mess of leaves and twigs but other than that the house was ok. I was completely exhausted. I am guessing from the stress because it was only like 11:00pm when we got home. So I collapsed into bed and passed out immediately.
So for me, that was a seriously scary situation. It may not have been as frightening for everyone else there but it definitely was a freak and intense storm. People continued to clean up the tree and debris for the next couple of days. The storm was featured on the news the next night. The power came back on by the next morning. (I know that New England was getting hit hard with 10"+ of snow at about the same time and there are people there that STILL don't have power. So I consider myself very lucky) I can say that it was definitely the scariest storm that I have been a part of. I hope I don't see that again anytime soon!
Now, in other news! I have just over 2 weeks left here. I'll be sad to go of course, but I can't deny that I am ready to be home for a bit. I wish Edi could come with me, but sadly that can't happen just yet. I expect you all to get out your calendars and pencil me in for a few dates! I'll be living in Hebron working in Plymouth and making frequent trips to the seacoast so I'll be hopping around the state an want to see everyone!!
That is it for now my loves! To be honest I have been busy and doing plenty of stuff to write about but I'll save the rest for later. I have many an email to write today so I'll leave you with that! Enjoy your weekend!
Oh! I almost forgot. On a final note, a VERY Happy Birthday today to my amazing brother Nedley! And also a VERY Happy Birthday to my dad in two days! Sorry I can't be there to celebrate but I'll see you both soon!
Peace and grease!
No comments:
Post a Comment