Tornado. In Minneapolis. Hit our house?

[abracanabra]

x-post LJ/Fb--

Yes, our house was hit by a tornado. Thirteen years I lived in Kansas, right in Tornado Alley, without a problem, though there were plenty of times that we headed to the cellar when I was growing up. Then I grow up, move to Minneapolis, buy a house--and then get hit by a tornado. Ridiculouser and ridiculouser.

I heard about the tornado on MPR. As soon as they listed the epicenter of the damage as being 38th and Portland, I called Phil and told him he should go check on the house. After work, I bused and walked home (with great irritation/discomfort--but the buses were detoured). A block away from home, I thought we were in trouble because I recognized the tree that wasn't there.

Our house got a little damaged when one of the Russian olive trees in our front yard was uprooted and hurled against the front porch, mostly the roof and gutters--there's a broken window and a few other minor things. Nothing to make it unlivable. Phil was a brave, brave husband and went up on our hellishly steep roof to put a tarp over the place where the roof vent was ripped out. Usually I do the roofing stuff, since I have no fear.

On the plus side, this means we get rid of one of the horrible Russian olive trees. Take my advice: never, ever, ever plant Russian olive trees. Branches (up to half the tree) randomly die, resulting in a very mangy-looking tree that requires constant trimming. Phil & I are currently feuding over the tree's replacement: red bud (if it's hardy here) or fruit tree of some variety. (I have sentimental associations with red bud trees.)

Our huge, gorgeous, beloved 3-story-tall maple tree got half its branches snapped. It looks like a hand reached in, grabbed everything in the center, and twisted it off. Most of the branches fell on our back fence and gate, totally obliterating it, and some of them landed on the garage. The tree will probably live, but it's going to have a large bald spot in the middle--tree guy #1 said that other branches won't grow to replace it or anything.

Our cats were fine. Nameless was waiting for us to get home. Foundling was hiding under the couch and refusing to leave--he had to be dragged out by force. The kitten was safe in its box next to the wall, although it was in the room with the broken window.

Status: We have no power, which means no phone, no lights, no fridge, no laundry machine, and no internet. We do have water and gas (which means hot water and a functioning stove). I have a tree guy, a roofer, and an electrician scheduled to come in and give us quotes. Turns out the tree has to get taken care of before the insurance adjuster can adjust. Something about him needing to see the damage?

It could be worse. The neighbor beside us had three trees hit his small, one-and-a-half story house: his tree, part of our front yard tree, and the tip of the towering fir tree...from across the street.

It could also be more entertaining. Our neighbor across the alley had a 10-foot rowboat mysteriously deposited in his back yard, full of water.

And yes, there *will* be pictures once I have the computer and internet to load them up. In the meantime, here's the Star Tribune slideshow: http://www.startribune.com/galleries/53727487.html

Comments

[jongibbs.livejournal.com]

Glad you and the cats are okay :)

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Me too!

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Oh no! Sorry to hear about the damage, glad no one was hurt and cats are okay.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Yeah, we got off relatively okay. Fortunately it was a "baby" tornado and the big tree fell away from the house.

[birdfigment.livejournal.com]

Wow. Scary. Glad you are okay.

And the rowboat thing is baffling.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

There are some inexplicable dents high-up on our house. My theory is that's where the rowboat went through.

[joeboo-k.livejournal.com]

Just glad you, Phil, and the cats are okay.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Me too!

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Well, that's definitely a good news--bad news--weird news report! I'm glad that you, like most had "only" property damage--a pain to deal with, but just stuff.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Yup. Could have been much worse. And I always try to include the weird news!

[grntserendipity.livejournal.com]

I am glad you are okay!!

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[oneminutemonkey.livejournal.com]

Relieved to hear your place was mostly okay. Very glad the cats were safe. :>

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[guppiecat]

As others have said, I am glad to hear that your cats are OK and that the place is livable. I would also hope that insurance will cover much of what needs to be done.

Regarding the replacement tree issue, while I am no arborist, I have heard that redbuds have a definite lifespan... as in they'll grow fine for X years and then suddenly die for no good reason. I will also point out the obvious -- that one cannot eat apples off of a redbud. (At least not without first going through a great deal of work.)

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The insurance should cover it all, minus our deductible--we'll see what the adjuster says on Monday. Fingers crossed!

I grew up with a redbud tree that did fine for many, many years. Also--and I just found this out--turns out that redbud blossoms are edible, in salad and the like. Though I know that's not the same as fruit. I wonder if apricots grow in Minnesota?

[kitryan.livejournal.com]

glad you're all fine, good luck with the rebuilding :)

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I just want it to be done, to have my property back to myself. I'm rather a territorial person.

[kitryan.livejournal.com]

I can understand that. I get very tired of explaining to various delivery folk/installers that I won't just leave the key so they can come in any time. My home! Mine!

[pameladean]

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum has bred a redbud that will survive Minnesota winters.

P.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Good to know.

[mapache]

Holy crap—glad you're alright and your property is mostly fine.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[aedifica]

I'm very glad y'all are well, and I hope the damaged things can be taken care of with a minimum of stress.

P.S. Have you seen this yet? Special tree debris removal set for parts of south Minneapolis

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks, and thanks for the link! I hadn't seen it, and it will be useful--the tree people hauled away most of the stuff they cut down, but there are some smaller branches that it would be good to be rid of.

[braddr.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you guys weren't home during the 'fun'. Sounds like it could have been much worse, so two thumbs up for that too.

While we're talking about unfortunate accidents, how's the knee?

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Yeah. There was no warning, either--conditions weren't right for a tornado, so there were no sirens or anything.

The knee's doing better! I'm able to sleep through the night and get around pretty well without the cane. I'll starting official knee therapy exercises in a week or so (they've had me doing basic stretches since day 1).

[mischief03.livejournal.com]

We'll hold onto the CSA for you until you have a fridge to put it in. Since we're heading out to Fest this weekend, most of it should still be around on Monday. Except maybe the Edamame. I might not have that kind of self control.

Did the tornado actually hit your area or was it the straight line winds? Because Portland was mostly straightline, as far as I saw. (I was driving to the dojang about the same time as things got interesting. I just didn't realize it how interesting while it was going on.)

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

They've confirmed that an actual tornado did touch down. Albeit a baby tornado (thank goodness!).

[green-truth.livejournal.com]

I am so glad that you, Phil, and the kitties are alright. I hope that all the insurance stuff works out and you aren't paying for much of anything out of pocket. Good luck with getting everything fixed up. It is probably good you guys weren't home. When I was a kid we had a tree fall on our bedroom. Funny thing is, my brother and I slept through it and were woken up by my mom telling us we had to get up and come to the center of the house.

[cloudscudding.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yeah, I'm really looking forward to having all the insurance and the repair stuff taken care of.