Where you been?

I've been downstate (and just south of the state) for the last two weekends hanging out with GalPal's family and friends. It's been nice to get out of town but man were we both zonked by the time we got home from both of these trips! Anyhoo, this last weekend we went to a wedding in a state park and got another chance to see just how swollen all the rivers around there are. Last week we also drove around and we able to see firsthand some of the tornado damage that occurred around St. Louis. It's incredibly scary to see how much destruction they can cause in a single spot -- decimating a house while leaving the one next door untouched -- and it just reminded me how tiny and weak we all are in the face of nature.

I didn't take any photos of the tornado damage; I wouldn't want someone treating the destruction of my house as a tourist-y photo op. I did manage to get a picture of just what the river looks like down there though.

Note the submerged structure, and if you look waaaay back there you'll see a building with stairs leading into the water. I'm telling you, we have GOT to start showing Mother Nature a lot more respect...