Happy anniversary to Lake Wilson, MN. It was 13 years ago today that an F5 tornado ripped through the town. I can recall sitting in that bathroom with Mom, holding her hand, expecting to come out to find part of the house missing. We ended up being okay, as did Dad. I still hate seeing vehicles with IA plates. Guess I was tired of the people trying to come in and see the devastation first hand. Sorry, guess that isn’t the best tourist destination, given that people’s lives were deeply effected. There were some people trying to find the back way in that got a good look at some of the asses of the guys on my crew. I settled for saluting their ingenuity with my middle finger. Since living through the tornado there, I have had no desire to see another town that has been hit. The only way I would go would be as part of a volunteer group going in to either work or provide disaster mental health services. Anything else and I would be in the damned way. I’d wager if you asked anyone who has lived through a major storm (you know, one where you spend 5 days doing nothing but cutting and hauling fallen trees, branches and debris), they know what a pain in the ass the rubber neckers are. I do have to admit I wasn’t weeping when Iowa was hit by floods the following summer. I did keep my ass at home rather than go and see someone else’s misery first hand.

The town has just about recovered from the gas explosion last year. I guess the gas pipe leading into the building was supposed to have a kink in it but did not. Over time because it wasn’t there, the coupling of the gas line got loose, the building filled with gas, and BOOM!