So I had ANOTHER showing on the house yesterday at 4 (we've had 22 showings in like 5 weeks people! They are really exhausting me and testing my sanity, but that's a whole 'nother story). Anyway, with each showing I have to get the dogs into my car to drive around for an hour (in addition to swiffering up each last inch of dog hair... anyone want my dogs for the summer? You think I'm joking!). So, I grabbed the dogs at like 10 to 4, got in the car and drove south to my mother's to pick up Brett. No problem on the way down, but as soon as I got there it started raining. We hung out for a little while until there was a break and then I got back in the car with Brett to head home.
At first it started raining about the time I got on the interstate and as I drove it got heavier and heavier. Driving on 465 in rush hour traffic with very heavy rain is bad enough, but then right before I hit 69, small pieces of hail started falling. This wasn't cool. I was trying to keep my cool, driving like 40 on the interstate. Finally, I got to my exit on 96th street and it stopped. Okay, not bad. I was like 10 minutes from home max. From here I could go one of two ways. I could drive up Hauge Road (which just installed a stoplight and I was hopeful would be working) or I could drive through the airport to Allisonville. This adds like 2 extra minutes if both ways are clear, so I decided that I'd just take Hauge. About halfway up Hague I stopped. Massive line of traffic and the stupid stoplights that were installed a month ago still were not working... grrr... the rain resumed after I'd been sitting there for a couple of minutes and quickly escalated. Then all of the sudden, what seemed like a softball hit my car. I realized this was some major hail. Branches were starting to blow off of trees and then I finally got to the stop to make my left hand turn. Good Lord Almighty... this was the scariest thing I think I'd ever done. At that point I was driving DIRECTLY into the storm. 106th is hilly with nature preserves on either side so TONS of trees, plus it floods. I drove a little bit and then stopped because I was behind someone who wouldn't go any further so I really didn't have an option. Trees were swaying on both sides of me.. branches were flying and then the softballs really started. Clunk. Clunk. And then my windshield cracked. I could picture my car being totally dented up. But I wasn't really worried about my car. I was scared to death about the future of the occupants of the car. Brett was scared so he was screaming. Luckily the dogs played it (mostly) cool.
Finally I was able to start driving again. I could barely see, and places were flooded. And the softballs kept on a comin. When I got to my neighborhood my main street was flooded so I had to turn around amidst all of the rain and hail and drive the long way just to get into my driveway. I was shaking. It was very scary. Steve had made it home and had been trying to call, but there was no way I could answer my phone amongst all of the craziness that was happening. We checked out my car. Definite damage to the windshield and body.
About 15 minutes later the storm subsided and Steve went out to assess his car, which was also damaged. Neighbors were out on the phone to their insurance agents and taking pics so we did the same. Our neighborhood got it bad. Our siding looks like swiss cheese. I'm sure our roof is ruined, but we haven't been up there. Trim has big chunks of it ripped out. Our shutters are full of holes and our screens are ripped up. Oh, and we have a big hole in the back of our house. At least we didn't get it as bad as some neighbors who had broken windows and have put tarps all over everything.
Did I mention that we are trying to sell it???? Seriously. I think this is some crazy joke. Anyway, insurance is supposed to get back with us today. They are probably declaring our area a "catastrophe" which means something different for our claims I guess. I don't know, but this is crazy. I guess I'm just thankful that no one was hurt.
Check out the crazy pics...
2 comments:
Wow is right! So glad you guys are okay. We are just south of you and managed to miss it. I did hear an ad today on the radio - one insurance company has set up a phone number specifically to deal with the damage from the storm. I'd say it probably is considered a disaster area!
I'm so Thankful that you guys are ok. I know that house damage is awful, but it might have been so much worse. Really, it's a testament to how strong YOUR house and car are!
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