Enough already!

It started with the Feb. 5 tornado, which remained on the ground for 123 miles -- through the freaking mountains, for pete's sake.

In March, we moved on to flooding. Half the state has been declared a federal disaster area.

Last week, tornadoes tore through several large cities -- from Hot Springs to Little Rock. Just as people were emerging from their damaged homes and trailers, they were warned to seek shelter yet again because round two was on the way. Tornado sirens blared across the state for several hours.

This week, it's rained. And rained. Tonight, the tornado warnings are again in place. And we've been told tomorrow's weather will be severe -- thunderstorms, possible tornadoes and hail.

Until I had kids, I never fretted much about tornadoes. I mean, really, there's not much you can do. And as a reporter -- well, storm-chasing is pretty exciting. (Unless you happen to encounter a flock of newly freed sheep congregating in the highway and accidentally kill eight of them with your Isuzu pickup. *ahem*)

Now, however, I have the wee ones to consider. And given my line of work, the new difficulties involve more than just dragging a mattress into the hallway and emptying the bathtub of its toys.

As last week's tornadoes ripped through town, Hubs and several other photographers were out in the storms shooting damage, seeking shelter, shooting damage, seeking shelter, repeat umpteen times.

One poor photographer was taking both pictures and phone calls from his frantic wife, who was huddled in a closet with several kids wearing bicycle helmets. (No, people, that was not me. My specialty fixation involves bird flu, not natural disasters.)

Meanwhile, the city desk was calling me here --

"Yeah, Cathy, can you be on call if we need more reporters?"

"Sure!" I chirped.

Uh, dude. Don't you have two kids sleeping in the next room? What exactly do you plan on doing? Bundling them into the car so that you can chase twisters? Stoooopid.

"Uh, once Hubs gets back, I mean."

I spent the night calling my spouse with the latest reports. No big deal except that the E-man had awakened, which meant that I had to sound extraordinarily calm each time I called.

Normally, such a call would sound like this: "Hey! A tornado just went over the National Weather Service's offices! Get the hell over there!"

Instead, I had to run with a less exclamatory version: "You might want to check in the vicinity of the National Weather Service's offices."

Through it all, the E-man clung like a burr. The repeated tornado sirens did not help.
(I am most grateful for said sirens, however. Don't get me wrong.)

I guess what I'm saying is that it's a difficult balancing act sometimes, this business of mothering and newspapering.

Still, I love both elements of my life.

So -- I'm checking the weather one more time and then it's off to bed, with the assumption that I'll be wandering around my poor, waterlogged state in the morning.

People here are weary and worried. So if Mother Nature could give us a break in the near future, we would be most grateful.

A few photos from Hubs --

First, a deer swimming in floodwaters...



This was taken in Little Rock...



This is from south Arkansas...



'Night all. Here's to a few hours' sleep without the blare of tornado sirens.