Hopefully, seeing a post from me yesterday reassured folks but we have
gotten a number of call and e-mails since it's on the news.  Yes, the
NJ tornado hit here (current feeling is that it was a tornado from the
evidence of torsion, length of distance travelled, types of damage, and
degree of damage, but it was a small one), in part right across the
street at the end of a 1/4 mile run, then bouncing up and setting down
again a 1/2 mile away to make a mile run.  The standing joke is that
the ferrets scared it into taking to the air and missing us.  No one is
seriously injured or killed as far as I know.  The animal hospital and
kennel that are in the area weren't hit and we have not had any calls
about displaced ferrets.  (Our local animal hospital tends to give out
our number and then we give people info when needed.) Our ferrets and
Steve and I are fine and so is our home, though I guess the shingles may
get a once over after more critical repairs to neighboring homes take
place.  We didn't even lose our screens or windows though they sure shook
so hard we thought they'd break.  The condos here held up wonderfully to
the winds though some roof sections and smaller things went flying, and a
huge number of trees are down, snapped off, and carried for a while so...
Some houses are decimated, and kids there have set up a lemonade and
snacks stand and are selling to all the workers in to replace power,
shred fallen trees, demolish dangerous structures, etc..  A nearby wooded
park along a small river used for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing is
flattened -- just masses of fallen trees like a giant had clapped hands
at them and sent them toppling.  Hundreds of trees down all through the
area.  One or two lone fawns have been dashing around our complex grounds
in complete panic, darting this way and that before again disappearing
into nearby woods.  I fear they are looking for a herd that no longer
exists.
 
One tree looked like a mad hatchet bearer had taken hundreds of slicing
blows to it.  The single strangest thing I saw was evidence that a tree
that was broken off from its tap root maybe 9" below ground (hole in
tact) lifted straight up, and then danced like a ballerina for about ten
feet by the looks of the ridge in the earth before being deposited.  We
couldn't see anything at the time; it was raining so hard, but friends
closer to it (who lost just one tree at the edge of their property but
otherwise missed being hit) said that they didn't know anything massive
was going on till their oldest child called out to them that all the
trees across the street were falling down.  There was no warning.  It
just suddenly was there.
 
The ferrets did NOT freak, but remained more clingy for over 24 hours.
 
So, that is the excitement locally but it's not something to worry about
in relation to us.  Yes, it is our town, yes, it is our neighborhood,
but, no, it's not us, and all ferrets are fine as far as we know.
[Posted in FML issue 4219]