Panic and Absolute Hysteria

As many of you know, my number 1 biggest hang up about moving here BY FAR was tornados. Tornados have ALWAYS been my most feared natural disaster...I am an absolute wreck when I even think about them. So, when we were looking at homes here, I insisted on a basement. Cemented. I grilled our realtor about tornado warnings (how often, what months, where do you go if you are not at home, etc.) I made Mike look up statistics about them. Yes, I was a total freak.

Which is why today, when I was sitting here watching the girls play, and I heard a strange noise, I IMMEDIATELY thought it was a tornado siren. My eyes shot to the window and I laughed at myself because it was a gorgeous day outside. But the sound continued. It was strange, and the only way I can really describe it is it was the same noise that a table saw makes when you put a piece of wood in it. That, crossed with a dying cat. It sounded far away, and I thought maybe my microwave or washing machine was going whacky. So I went upstairs, and I could tell it was coming from outside, and getting louder.
I cautiously opened my door (because I was in my bathrobe) and peaked outside. The sound was definitely out there, and it seemed to be rolling accross the town. It progressively got louder and louder until it right upon me. Even though I had never heard them, I knew that it was DEFINITELY the Tornado Sirens.

Confused, I grabbed my phone and called my sister, and then I LOST it. Bawling my head off in a hysterical panic. I think I managed to spit out that the tornado sirens were going off, and she told me to go to the basement. I sobbed for awhile longer and then managed to tell her that there were no tornados, that it was sunny outside. Yes, I sounded like a real lunatic.

But you see, just HEARING the sirens put me into complete panic mode. I have no idea what the heck I would do if they were going off during an actual storm. I think I need to keep a stock of Xanax for this very reason. I am going to have to sedate myself everytime there is a dang tornado warning. Just kill me now!

Oh, and I think I managed to traumatize Rachel pretty well, she is absolutely petrified of the sirens, she thinks they are going to get her. Nice.

I googled and found this siren. It sounds pretty close to the ones I heard today. So if you haven't heard it, take a listen. It's totally creepy sounding.

Oh, and apparently that siren was part of a drill that they do EVERY MONTH. Heaven help me and my fragile nerves.