We left Georgia early evening yesterday, and got home about 9:30. We miss the grandkids already. There was a week's mail, a week's newspapers and 76 emails (still loading). We read up on the big train wreck/H2SO4 spill just across the county line. As we had hoped, the wind blew it the other way. They are saying no long term environmental damages, but it's a big deal when they close schools and evacuate 16 subdivisions.

We also had to read the local paper about a fire in the neighborhood where we lived about 30 years ago. A 100-year-old apartment building burned down. One woman died in the fire and this morning we heard that the manager, a guy about my age, died in the hospital. Several other people were seriously injured. Officials say it was arson.

So we have been home about an hour when a giant explosion rocks the house. I turn on the police scanner and they are discussing it. It seems that reports have come in from a wide area, some several miles from our house, but in all directions. I went outside and looked, but saw nothing. From here, you can't see very far because of the trees. Back to the scanner and I hear a policeman say that he has seen a big "mushroom cloud of smoke" and is turning into our street to see if he can get to the source. Our street is a dead end, barely a half-mile long. Before long there are a number of cars and a couple of untility trucks going by. The scanner indicates that there are no power failures in the area, and they are checking pressure on underground gas lines. So I go back outside and at 10:30 pm, a lot of neighbors are out looking up and down the street. It was starting to rain. By the time I got back to the scanner, they were canceling the ambulance and fire truck and I heard an officer say "under control."

I still don't know what happened, but I was really tired and went on to bed. Maybe when the rain stops, I'll get out and look around. It was no small explosion, and it occurred down the street and over in the woods. It was bound to leave a mark.

It sure is great to be home, I think. At least we are finally getting some rain.
Howard