Twister

One or more tornados roared through Iowa City where my Dad and two sisters (Patty and Kate) live in the early evening Thursday (4.13). None of them had any significant damage but the house that Patty and family lived in for 20+ years - and sold just 6 months ago - was right in the path. Here are some pix. (you can double click to see enlarged images.)

This is the front view of Patty's old house - built circa 1900 and on the Historical Register. You couldn't have taken a photo with this view before the twister - there would have been big mature trees in the way. All gone.



The boarded up section, lower left, used to be three big bay windows in the dining room










Here's the jumble that was a lovely back yard.
















And here's a broader look at the neighborhood. Patty & Patrick's old place had much less damage than some of the neighbors.















It's a mess. But luckily there were very few injuries and, last I heard, only one fatality. Still, it will be a very long time before this lovely old neighborhood recovers. It wasn't Katrina, but ...

Meanwhile, Patty and Patrick have a touch of survivors' guilt in their new home about 2 miles away. Essentially untouched.