July 3, 2014
We were getting ready to go out to see the fireworks tonight. I was going to post some nice photos for you. BUT,... all out cell phones started wailing their emergency alert signals before we left. Dust storms, or "Haboobs". Two of them had joined together in the south and were headed right at us. So instead of beautiful fireworks, I'll give you a skyline full of flying dirt.
Naturally, I grabbed the camera and a ladder and headed for the roof,... cause I'm a bit of an idiot. Because I needed the practice, I climbed down, actually grabbed the SD card for my camera, and climbed back up. Obviously, this illustrates that besides being a sarcastic DIY blogger, I'm a crack photojournalist. I bet the neighbors enjoyed me staring stupidly at my camera, on the roof, while thousands of feet of swirling dust madness bore down on me.
Translated: "AZ DIY Guy, head for the roof!!!"
I watched the wall of dust slowly engulf the neighborhoods to the south and west of us. Creeping closer and closer. I could see trees and rooftops nearby start to disappear, so I headed for the ladder.
This neighbor won't have to worry about muddy pool water.
I was staring straight up at a wall of dust thousands of feet high. I scooted down the ladder just as the leading edge slammed in.
I heard a neighbor shout, but I was sprinting for the front door, getting my face sandblasted off, and didn't turn around to chat.
Still, he must have been running right behind me, because he knocked at the door as soon as I closed it. He had been racing towards his portable gazebo / tent thing to tie it down when it lifted, out of his yard and flew, pretty much right over our block fence (and my head) and tumbled into our yard.
We actually fished it out of the swimming pool, which was brobably the only thing that kept it from touring the neighborhood for a bit longer. Three of us peeled the canvas top back, since it was acting as the reverse parachute and tied it in place.
I lashed it to our pool fence for the night, with some #14 Romex electrical cable and we all ran back to the shelter of home. I guess I'll be getting to know the neighbors a little better tomorrow as we try to man handle this beast back over the fence. I may float the idea of staking it to the ground and see what they think.
Thunderstorms are rolling in now. Maybe we'll even see a couple ounces of rain here in the desert.
Enjoy your holiday my American friends! I hope they still have fireworks where you are.