It's Monday Here's why I'm NOT Reading

 Time for another Monday's  meme with Shelia @ One Person's Journey Through a World of Books where I get to answer the question, "What are you reading?"


Only problem is my answer is not about what I am reading, but why I did NOT read or make my daily rounds.

First let me begin with my normal reading habits. You see I tend to do all my reading on the weekends. During the week I am usually too busy with my job as an eighth grade communication arts teacher.

But come the weekend, when I am not visiting my dad or cleaning house, you will find me in my comfy reading chair engaged in my first love READING.

Friday night I began a book, which I had every intention of finishing on Saturday so that I could begin another book to finish on Sunday. 

Mother Nature had other plans!

Tornadoes hit our area hard Friday, and while I was not hit my daughter and son-in-law was. They live in the same school district where I work, and a tornado devastated this area. Thankfully, my daughter's house is in tact, but her entire lot, filled with eleven very old trees, was hard hit. Ten of the eleven trees were uprooted, split and ultimately destroyed. When the tornado had passed, she was unable to get out of her driveway and for the rest of the weekend, we began trying to clear away the destruction. 

I fear many of my students were even harder hit. Some may well be without homes, as this tornado leveled several of the subdivisions where my students live.

Caption: April 23, 2011 - Beaverton Drive in the Harmann Estates subdivision in Bridgeton took the brunt of Friday night's tornado. Robert Cohen rcohen@post-dispatch.com Album ID: 1233003 Photo ID: 35377792

Caption: April 23, 2011 - Beaverton Drive in the Harmann Estates subdivision in Bridgeton took the brunt of Friday night's tornado. Robert Cohen rcohen@post-dispatch.com Album ID: 1233003 Photo ID: 35377334

I have never seen the destruction a tornado does first hand, and all I can say is that it is horrific. 

I am thankful that my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson's are alright, and that the devastation was slight compared to so many others, who lost everything. Experiencing this type of disaster, really makes one think about how quickly the things you take for granted can all blow away in an instant. I am also very thankful that as far as I know there was no loss of life.

So friends, needless to say my reading life is on hold for a little while. Hope your week was a lot better than mine!