Vellenga Views Online: Thunderstorm . . . Damage

So the first thunderstorm of the year just came through, although there are still some small, less intense cells on the local radar. I had just went out to close up the ends of the rabbit tent (one of those metal frame covered in tarp garages) when it hit. When I say hit, I mean HIT. The wind went from almost nothing to an outright gale--maybe not technically, but it certainly seemed like it. The rabbit tent started to lift off. I grabbed it with a little success, that is, it didn't blow away completely.

What did happen is that the tent pushed over two racks of rabbit cages knocking over the nesting cages in the middle, knocking over the aquariums full of mice (breaking one), and threatening to knock over the other two racks like a bunch of dominoes. I grabbed it and screamed for my mother because it was lifting me up--all 230 pounds and a tent.

There I was soaked to the bone, holding on to the cross bar of the rabbit tent being lifted off the ground wondering if I was on my way to Oz. Eventually (probably only a few minutes, but it felt like a very long time) my mom got out there to help, but even with the two of us we kept blowing up off the ground.

The only way to talk was to yell at the top of our lungs, and once the wind started to abate a small amount, my mom wondered if Justin was ok. Our concern was that he might come outside to find out what was happening so she went in to check. A minute or so later the two of them came out to help (yes, I still needed it) and slipped in the mud (yes, both of them). Justin started to cry, and stood right by grandma as the only safe place. Then when he had calmed he went and hid in the shed.

Slowly, oh so slowly, the wind started to diminish, and one person could handle things. So I checked on what was broken, then went inside to check the radar to see where the storm cells were. They were past our place, and as I was about to go out again, Justin was as the back door wanting to come in.

I let him in, and helped him take off his wet clothes. He told me how he was happy to live in a house because houses don't blow away, not like tents.

Out I went again, and mom and I lifted up the racks. I thought of trying to capture the mice, but having been bitten by a mouse before I decided catching scared mice was not a wise thing to do.

You may wonder where Annette was through all of this. She was at a women's conference in Hamilton. Thankfully, she was on her way home, and while I was not able to exit the tent yet, she called to say she was on her way home.

Soon, the wind and rain reduced enough, and I was cold and tired enough of holding the tent, that I simply headed inside to get out of the wet clothes, have a warm shower, and get dressed in something dry. Annette arrived a little after that and we went to check out the damage.

Here are the pictures:
While the two racks behind Annette are up again in this picture, but notice the middle cages are still on the ground.

Here is a large tear in the tent material.

Here is one of the two posts up the one side which were damaged by this. This has resulted in only two post on that side providing lateral stability so when the wind blows from that side the whole tent sways, and that side bows in very far.