Looking Back 40 Years

40 years ago today we spent hunkered down on the Navy base in Pensacola, FL while hurricane Camille came ashore as a category 5! As we left the next morning we were surrounded by snapped off power poles from the tornadoes that passed us by and the gate guard asked as we left what we were doing there as the base had been evacuated. We were not only young and stupid but too poor to own a television or even a radio and did not know of this impending disaster until our landlady stopped to ask us to put the garbage can inside when we left. She was kind enough to let us use her phone to find a shelter to go to when she realized we and her other renter were unaware. We piled into two cars with our babies and in the driving rain headed for shelter, stopping at a phone booth long enough for me to call my folks to let them know. How did my mother ever survive me? As a mother and grandmother I sure am grateful for all the ways we are able to stay in touch today.