Hmm..my first blog post...and it's about the WEATHER!

The weather is usually such a boring subject, but the weather yesterday was anything BUT boring.

As a Tyrone resident (you other Tyronians can probably identify), I wonder: HOW do you tell when a tornado is coming around here? They say a key identifier (besides, perhaps, the sight of flying roofs and household pets) is the fact that tornados make the unmistakeable sound of an approaching freight train.

Here in Tyrone, thanks to good ol' CSX, you hear the sound of a freight train AT LEAST 20 times in one 24 hour period, both day and night (and I'm not exaggerating!) You can even tell the different engineers by the sound of the different train horns. One guy even blows "Shave and a haircut...two bits" as he drives by. My hubby and I think he must have kinfolk here and the interesting tone is his way of saying "hi" to his family and friends.

One of the OTHER engineers who comes through honks in an "interesting" way, too. His distinctive tone is one long, UNENDING blast. He's PROUD of the sound of his train horn, by cracky! He has the uncanny knack of blaring his horn while you're watching a very interesting movie or talking on the phone with your brother in Seattle. One or two long, continuous blasts that last about one minute apiece.

If the "shave and a haircut" engineer is saying "hi" to some local loved ones, this other engineer is saying, "@&*($%&*@(#!!!" to SOMEBODY, and he conveys it VERY well.

I guess THAT's how you tell the difference between a tornado and a train...tornados don't have horns.