N damage: Itentional & Unintentional

[Hopalong]

My lord, GS--
I am watching that terrifying monster in your town as I type.
Enormous.

I am so so so glad you and M are okay!

I can't believe the size. I haven't seen a tornado like that since one that took out a huge swath of Louisville in the 70s.

Please, keep us posted.

Stay safe.

love to you,
Hops

[Gaining Strength]

My neighborhood was hit hard but its damage was dwarfed by the devastation that hit yesterday afternoon.  In the morning it was estimated that it would be up to a week before electricity would be restored but now there are almost 400,000 without eletricity and it could take much, much longer.

I have no idea how we will function.  Last night there was nothing to eat because no fridge and no stove and no restaurants or grocery stores.  Trying to figure out for tonight. 

I simply would rather find a way to make it rather than going to my mother's.  Right now that is simply more than I can do.

[sKePTiKal]

Sweetie - that's a hard choice. Does she have power? (I mean the electric kind! ooopss...) Don't forget to keep a daily check on your place. Desperate people do stupid things sometimes and it's really hard to lose what you do have - when it's not a whole lot.

You will do what you think best, I know. Just don't be afraid to change your mind later, if the situation becomes uncomfortable. God knows, it's not inconceivable (to me) that these strange people could even blame us for the weather...

[Gaining Strength]

I could change my mind but honestly I doubt it. 
I have checked out a couple of shelters for laundry etc but no luck so far.
I stayed at home last night.
The biggest problem is food.
Darkness during sleep is no problem and today drug stores are open so I can buy more batteries.
No lights is far preferable to N, PA attack for now.

[sKePTiKal]

AH! I hear the red cross food trucks are on their way. Hot food has a tendency to just "feel" more filling to me...

We finally have thunder; the storms are here now - but far weaker than you had, I believe. I'm merely hoping we get some real rain out of it. (I've been planting.) We're under tornado warning, but local weather doesn't show anything immanent. You gotta check out Dr G's thread - it's so hilarious I can't even think of something semi-witty to reply with.

Be safe - and if ya do take shelter at your mom's at least reassure yourself that it's temporary.

[sKePTiKal]

gotta get off - that last one was CLOSE.

[Hopalong]

(((((((((((((((GS)))))))))))))))))

I am grieving for your community and again,
so very grateful to know you and M are safe.

It is a terrible thing and I hope somehow,
some spirit of togetherness might transcend
all other barriers as you all must face this.

Many thoughts your way, all day,
with love,

Hops

[Meh]

GS

Hope all is well with you and that you get the resources you need right now.

[Gaining Strength]

Here are some photos from my area (not my neighborhood.)
http://photos.al.com/4461/gallery/pratt_city_alabama_tornado_damage_042711/index-2.html

This one is close to my neighborhood:
http://photos.al.com/birmingham-news/2011/04/alabama_storm_damage_12.html

This page is of images of a commercial district within walking distance of my house.
These are stores we shop in and restaurants we eat in and gas stations where we get gas:
http://photos.al.com/4461/gallery/alabama_storm_damage/index-3.html

[Gaining Strength]

I received a call from my brother who quit talking to me the week before our father died in February.
I still don't know why he no longer speaks.
He didn't mention it in his phone call.

He called because there is an issue about a residual from our paternal grandfather's will that now comes to us.
It is a small amount of money that has been held in trust.  The local bank was merged with Wachovia a few years ago and in the Sept 2008 financial collapse Wachovia was handed over to Wells Fargo.  Wells Fargo does not want to handled this small trust residual but they want to adjudicate (at a significant cost).  for some reason all communication concerning this has been between my brother and Wells Fargo.  I have received no notice. 

My brother called to notifiy me of a conference call that is to take place in one hour.  He just forwarded the e-mail he received on tuesday at noon.

The issue at hand is very straight forward.
The detrius stirred up is not.

[Meh]

Yikes GS!

You have a lot of stuff going on over there. Good luck with that conference call if you can get on it at all?

Still possible that you will get some of the money? Because your brother doesn't determine all of that even if he is manipulating it some? I don't know the history of all this I haven't read the whole story.

Just seems wild that you were hit with tornadoes and now you have to deal will positioning for inheritance right now.

Good Luck  X  Good Luck X Good Luck   

[Hopalong]

and here I was thinking he called to be sure you were all right after the storms...



Hops

[Gaining Strength]

Thanks Boat.
I have known since my grandfather died in 1982 that I would receive a residual trust.  What I did not expect was that my father would be allowed to spend it down to very, very little.  The amount is not really the issue at hand for me.  I have received a 2 minute briefing on the purpose of the ocnference call so I cannot speak authoritatively nor knowledgeably about it but from what I understand the call is about the issue of requesting the bank to not adjudicate the tranfer of the funds to another financial institution.  Wells Fargo does not want to maintain the trust.  it is now under the size that they hold.  However, they want to put the transfer through the court system in order to shield themselves from liabilities.  however.  The cost to litigat rather than simply transfer will eat up a significant portion of the meager amount.  It is all about Well Fargo and not about the customer.  The cost is less significant to them but moreso to us.  Typical corporatist bank attitude.

for me - one of the issues is not being a part of the dialogue.  i suspect I am needed to indicate that we are all on the same page.

[Gaining Strength]

My out of state brother did.
But not my intown brother but I wouldn't expect him to as he chose to quit speaking to me several months ago.

[Meh]

Oh, ok, I see what you are saying now GS.

It is odd that you got so little warning time though about the conference call and little involvement. That is typically how a person behaves when they are trying to cut someone out of the process.

Do let us know how the call goes and also how you are getting by in the dark and with less food?