This post brought back allot of memories. I first arrived here permanently in mid-November. I'd made many a trip out here before I became a permanent employee.
In the wisdom of all things corporate (and those of you who are from SE Georgia will understand the whole distance thing), they put me up in Brunswick. For those of you not familiar with the area, it's about a 45-minute trek from where I work.
Be that as it may, it's extremely difficult to complain when your company pays for your living quarters, lock stock and barrel, and gives you per diem, but folks, it was a close call.
So, here I am, in a very nice furnished apartment, nestled in a gated community. I arrived on a Saturday which gave me time to get a feel for the place and stock up on food and other necessities before heading out for my first "real" day on the job. Life was good. I had not yet succumbed to homesickness and was enjoying the lovely, all encompassing solitude. No children. No husband. Just me. It was a wonderful weekend. I will say I got lost a couple of times, but then again, I’m directionally challenged so that shouldn’t be a surprise. Sunday evening came quicker than I was ready for. I got all of my stuff set out for the next day. I even made up a lunch.
5:00 am rolls around Monday morning and I didn't have a problem getting up. I was excited. It was an adventure to me. Yes, I know. Most likely I needed to get a life, and probably still do, but I was looking forward to it. I got ready, grabbed all my stuff, hopped in the car, and away I went. My one fatal mistake that morning was turning on the radio. My timing sucked because at this very moment, they were announcing a tornado watch.
For most of you residing on the east coast, this would be as common as changing your underwear every morning. But put yourself in my shoes folks. I'm a west coast city girl. I freely admit that. Can you even imagine what was going on in my mind? Oh dear God in heaven, should I turn around? What should I do? I panicked all the way into work, sure that the wrath of all that was sacred would pounce down upon me and it would be the end. I kid you not. If you would have been inside my head at that moment you most likely would have been laughing so hard. But again I stress. I'm a city girl. I come from earthquakes. You would that THOUGHT that would have made me a little more on the tough side.
By the time I arrived at work I was a nervous wreck. I had a cramp in my neck from scouring the skies for any sign of a funnel cloud. I have to give my co-workers credit. They all gave me a big hug and said something along the lines of "it happens all the time, you'll get used to it."
I did get used to it. I can look back and laugh at myself now. Completely and totally. What a naive creature I was. Now? When I hear there is a tornado watch? I worry about the satellite going out, or my DSL line going down.
You know what the good thing is? I still love thunder and lightening. I love the really loud storms. The wind bending the trees into an impossible angle. The trampoline doing a crab walk across the backyard. The smell of the air after a good storm. The toads making such a racket, I need to move inside to use the phone.
Give me that over any good day in California. Any time. Yes, a good summer day in California outweighs a good summer day in Georgia. The weather in California can’t be beat. But folks, it still doesn’t beat Georgia. At least not in my mind.
Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind.
Georgia, Georgia, a song of you
Comes as sweet and clear as moonlight through the pines.
Other arms reach out to me
Other eyes smile tenderly
Still in peaceful dreams I see
The road leads back to you.
Georgia, Georgia, no peace I find
Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind.
Melodies bring memories
That linger in my heart
Make me think of Georgia
Why did we ever part?
Some sweet day when blossoms fall
And all the world's a song
I'll go back to Georgia
'Cause that's where I belong.
Comments
The thing I never got used to in GA was that you can't SEE what's coming at you. Across the plains states, you can SEE the storms long before they ever pose a threat. In GA, WHAM, it just slaps you.
-G
Posted by: Garrison Steelle at June 1, 2005 10:53 PM
yea...but does the west coast have our lovely little flying sand gnats to chew away at your flesh? huh? we got em on that one don't we! (wait,...that's not a good thing is it?) never mind.
Posted by: Suzanne at June 2, 2005 09:48 AM
Suzanne -
Do you mean the Georgia State Bird, the Sand Gnat? LOL
We've been having to "break in" the new guys from Maryland to the way that SE Georgia weather works. It's so much fun to have them talk about how bad some of the recent storms have been, and then burst their bubble to say that they weren't half as bad as last year's hurricanes that were near-misses.
Posted by: amber at June 2, 2005 11:07 AM
LOL...the gnats are really bad I agree. We've just invested in a mosquito deleto...seems to be working well.
Posted by: Moogie at June 2, 2005 01:35 PM
Hmm Gnats, Mosquitos ack that's nothing erm Scotalnd, West coast especially has something called the "midge" now these make gnats look tame... hmm oh look that gentleman is wearing a nice brown coat, he must be roasted on a sunny day like today... on closer inspection it's not a brown coat it's just the midges showing they really like him as he's now doing a jig to try and get rid of them...
Gotta love the midges.... well it's the only way to keep the english at bay... (lol)
Posted by: Gopher at June 2, 2005 04:39 PM
I still hate tornadoes and have the urge to run to the basement every time a storm comes up. And we hardly ever get tornadoes here (knock on wood).
Posted by: sharon at June 3, 2005 03:06 PM
Moogie, the meme you requested is now open on my little old blog, pretty dumb things. Have fun. I did.
cheers,
chelsea girl
Posted by: chelsea girl at June 3, 2005 09:02 PM
Here via Guppyman ..thought I would cruise on by and check you out ...I was surfing his blogroll for people I have not met yet :) Very Cute place you have here ...:)
Have a great weekend ....:)
Posted by: Presentstorm at June 3, 2005 09:11 PM
I admit it I would go on a tornado chase vacation if I had the chance. I find them fascinating. I like them when they don't damage the living or their homes.
When I was a child we lived in Georgia for awhile and were in a tornado. No basement so my father shoved a twin mattress my baby brother and myself in a linen closet and sat against the door. The tornado missed our street but hit the next street over. That is my only real life tornado story.
Posted by: Melonie at June 4, 2005 09:56 PM
G'day Moogie,
We do not have tornados (sorry if that has been spelt wrong) but I must admit I would be afraid if I heard a tornado warning.
Here in Aussie we have seen on the news what devastation the tornado can do to the community and the lives it can take.
It was lovely to read that your work mates make you feel more secure.
Have a great weekend.
Posted by: vegemiterules at June 5, 2005 04:05 AM
Tornados would frighten the hell out of me and I would be a bumbling, mumbling, nervous wreck if I lived in a tornado zone.
I have great admiration for anyone who lives in those areas.
Posted by: Amelia at June 9, 2005 02:50 AM
I'm from Georgia and now one state west, and GA doesn't have half the tornado warnings--or tornadoes--we have here. Come on over for a visit if you'd like to check it out. *LOL*
Posted by: TW at June 12, 2005 04:52 PM
You've been BabeWitted again! (It seems this trackback entry doesn't work.)
Posted by: Mark Alexander at June 16, 2005 01:06 AM