Hey Lori,
We're taking off today. Van's loaded and I'm picking up Dan after work then we're on our way. Did you know Yahoo has maps that show free roadside internet hookups? Yup.
You guys thought you were rid of me for two weeks??? HA!

Like about everyone else in Oklahoma I used to chase tornados. Then I caught one and now I just watch it on TV. We had a huge one here a couple of years ago. Wiped out a path about ten miles long and two miles wide. Missed me though. Your Illinois tornado experience is a lot like mine. We had a small community cellar at the school and in the summer it was the Parteee place.
My mom always wore elegant nightgowns and dressed my sister and I in lacy cotton gowns in the summer so we would look nice for the cellar where we went almost every night. (Seems like tornados only come at night) Daddy would try to drive her crazy getting his hair just right as the wind blew and the lighting cracked. Once we lost my sister who went to sleep in the closet.
All the neighbors and their kids would come to the cellar and we would play games and sing til dawn.

Noodlin' is when men dive into the murky water of creeks and dirty rivers with no breathing equipment at all to pull 100 pound catfish out of under water caves. They do it by putting their bare hands in the catfish's mouth and the fish tries to drag them under. Look under the "enjoyable hobbies" topics for a full discussion. There's a show about it on PBS. It's a must see. Fun stuff. Scary too. Especially if you grab a snake or a catfish pulls you under. Whew!!
But my personal fishing preference is for telephoning.

I don't know if tornado chasers wear spandex or not, but Boomers do. For sure.

Did you go to Branson. Ain't that a trip?? We were going there this weekend, but decided to go home for a boat trip and fish fry instead. Maybe we'll stop there on the way home.

Good traveling to you. Keep us informed. I'm looking forward to reading everyone's travel adventures when I get back.

GO BOOMERS!!
smile