Assessing Auntie M’s Tornado Damage
In my last post, I shared about the tornado that hit my hometown of Lena IL less than 2 hours after I arrived in the area.
Auntie M’s house had some damage from the tornado. Minor compared to some, but damaged nonetheless.
The yard was a chaotic mess…
Her yard was a maze of fallen trees, tangled limbs and branches, broken glass from blown out windows, a bent in half screen door that was ripped off the hinges, and debris that may or may not have been hers.
A huge tree on one side of the house was yanked up by the roots and tossed into the yard. Thankfully, it missed both Auntie M’s house and her neighbor’s house, landing across the neighbor’s backyard.
On the other side of the house, another huge tree (also pulled up by the roots) took out the back wall of a storage shed.
A wayward branch pierced the side of her house leaving a minor hole in the siding.
There was also damage to the roof, gutters, and downspouts from high winds and balls of hail.
The trees and branches were cleared away lickety-split…
The Fire Station was the place to go for help. As I was looking up where the Fire Dept was located, Auntie M’s neighbor offered to get her put on the list for help clearing the trees 😊
Volunteers make quick work of the mangled, tangled trees! Not even 2 hours later, all of Auntie M’s fallen trees and branches were at the curbside.
I don’t know when it was all picked up but it was gone when I went to her house the next day.
Fixing Auntie M's shattered windows…
To prevent more damage from rain and weather, a friend of Auntie M's and one of her neighbors fixed the broken windows.
Stump busting is on the agenda…
The trees and branches were taken away but the 2 big root stumps still need to be taken care of.
Her friend owns his own business… removing tree stumps and such. He told me busting up stumps is what he does best and he wants to help Auntie M 😊
Meeting with the insurance adjuster…
On Tuesday, we met with the insurance adjuster - but this meeting wasn’t for the tornado damage.
This meeting was scheduled prior to the tornado - for damage to her roof from a significant hail storm that hit Lena IL in March.
The adjuster said they were closing out the March hail storm claims and rolling everything into the tornado claim. There was also hail with the tornado and no way to keep anything separate.
The roofing contractor is “in the works”…
We already had a roofing contractor set up for the damage that happened in March.
I called them today to get the ball rolling on the new tornado claim.
I’m waiting for a call-back from the roofing company but I’m sure they are swamped right now. The windows were the most pressing issue so, at least, the rain can’t get in while we wait for the rest of the repairs.
Parting thoughts…
It’s been a busy week with Auntie M. I find it a little concerning that she doesn’t remember there was a tornado. Yesterday, she asked me to close the front screen door … forgetting that the tornado had ripped it from the hinges.
Maybe dementia is a good thing in times like this. No stress, no worries, no memory of a frightening situation.
As for me, I think I need a nap 😴
Connie 🌼
❀ ❀ ❀
Life Right Now
- My Whereabouts → Northwest Illinois
- Home Base → A cozy, country campground
- I’m Here Until → Whenever the mood strikes me to leave - possibly October or November
❀ ❀ ❀
Previous •