Three Years and Counting…

I didn’t think much about it when Fargo won The Weather Channel’s “Toughest Weather” challenge this spring.  After all, we’ve lived here for three years now and there has been no limit to the number of times our neighbor has graciously snow-blown our driveway.  And c’mon, wasn’t that really just like stealing candy from a baby anyway, what with the infamous movie as a reminder of the unchanging winter landscapes characteristic of the region? 

But now it’s summer.  You can taste it months before it actually arrives; rhubarb crisp, fresh peas off the vines, and oh those tasty berries.  Many of my colleagues choose to travel during these precious months, but we prefer to soak up and store the gorgeousness of the season to see us through those  long winters. 

So pardon my French when I ask, “Fargo, WTF?!”  It’s as if Fargo feels its hard-earned title is threatened by the rest of the Midwest.  A record-breaking tornado season for neighboring states has Fargo on the run.  And in a feeble attempt to prove its meddle, Fargo invited the beginnings of tornado season a bit earlier than I would have liked. 

Our three year anniversary of arriving in Fargo was celebrated yesterday over a lovely meal with kind neighbors – and late evening tornado sirens.  A girl from Western Montana, it’s taken me a bit to grow accustomed to the drill.  But, I’m getting there.  I had just finished stocking the basement with bare essentials (diapers, wipes, candles, matches, etc.) and sat down for a much deserved adult beverage when the sirens began.  After snatching up O, I headed straight to the basement.  As I settled down on the floor just outside the closet beneath the stairs, I was aware of just two things – S and G upstairs gathering last minute supplies and the unearthly stench wafting from my child’s nappy.  S eventually arrived with a few forgotten items, G at his heels. With lights flickering and the wind and rain eerily mimicking the sound of a train passing by, my usual terror was overpowered by a giggle.  Somehow the image of me changing a diaper, elbow deep in baby poop and S supervising with wine glass in one hand and box o’ wine in the other, the house disintegrating around us,  was enough to squelch my irrational fear of tornado season for the moment. 

So how did our 3rd anniversary turn out?  In short, no tornadoes.  Just 72 mph wind (incidentally, 74 mph is the minimum for stage 1 hurricanes) and lots of downed trees, power lines, etc.  39,000 people without power initially, down to 4,000 now (24 hours later).   For us personally, a few missing rain gutters and a leaky basement.   And maybe a tiny lingering question – just how FAR will our town GO to maintain her hard earned “Toughest Weather” title?