Deaths from tornadoes are rare in Iowa, or were before this year. I'm frozen with sympathy for the families of the Boy Scouts who were killed and all those who were injured.

I think the storm system dumping water over my head right now is the same one that went through the Boy Scout camp, but it's not spawning tornadoes at the moment. Even if it does, our county has a good warning system, so we'll have notice.

Water is over several levees downtown, our local 911 service is out, and lots of areas of town have no electricity. The local stations are having trouble reporting and their reports consist mostly of announcements and news received via cell phone. No details, but there are water rescues taking place in town. Around the area, there are lots of evacuations, and whole cities without power.

I'm fine. The absolute worst that can happen here is electricity goes out and our basement takes some water because we can't run the sump pump. And the last time that happened in 1993, we still kept the basement dry by bailing the sump pump with buckets and pouring the water out in front of the house.

Stay safe, everyone.

I'd like to go back to this being the place where nothing ever happens, please.