It certainly looks like a warezone Vikki your right one with that. I hope she checks in safe soon!

Oh my gosh! I hope our "girl" is ok.

I just been watching CNN and have seen all the damage done to downtown Atlanta, so far no casualties have been reported but the whole scene looks so very bad. I hope Glynis can check in soon, let us know she's O.K.

Annette

GGG was my first thought when I heard the news this morning and was similarly relieved when no casualties reported. Hope all is well in that spiffy new kitchen.

Ana

Oh my gosh, since we don't watch much TV, this is the first I heard about this and I do hope GGG is fine.

FlowerLady

I haven't had the news on either. Hope all is well and that we'll hear "good news" from GGG soon.

Patti

My thoughts exactly too. Only found out about the wreckage to Atlanta today around lunch time (I've been sick) and my thoughts immediately went to our GGG. Let's hope she was spared any damage. Please do give us some news when you can.

Eduarda

I keep checking to see if she has posted, worrying here also, M

I do hope you're okay! These photos are frightening!

Check in!

Good thoughts and prayers,

Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: damage to cottages

GGG made a post at 18:00 on Friday. If Atlanta is devastated, the communication lines won't be fully working. Whatever is working will be overloaded.

When a big earthquake hit northern California, few phone lines were damaged. But so many people were calling, trying to check on their loved ones, the system became overloaded. An out of state friend told me it took her three days to get through to me. I wasn't able to call my mother in a nearby city until the day after the quake, I kept getting the recording "the circuits are busy".
Lorna

Hoping you and yours are okay, GGG.

Ed-

My DS2's girlfriend lives in Cabbage Town, that is where the tornado hit. The building next door collapsed. She is fine as she was at my son's place by Piedmont Park. All communications were fine for him and my DD who was in Buckhead. DS2 said the rain was blowing horizontally as the storm went over. He said it was very strange and scary. DD was alone at her place and was scared to death. I sure hope GGG is OK. Still no word....c

I note that this thread was started at 7:18 this morning and Glynis still hasn't checked in. It's likely that her electricity is still out from the storm and I hope that's the case. We're all thinking about you sweetie!

Steven

Thank-you all. I am in War Zone Central. Our almost acre property took a direct hit by the tornado! The forested back yard is no longer forested at all. 20 100 year old hardwoods are GONE! This is a property more wide than deep, and NOT A SINGLE tree hit our two houses. Nothing hit the cars. I mean we were SURROUNDED, completely surrounded by all of our trees and are FINE.
God's angels were working darned hard last night, I am telling you. The swath hit three houses wide and spared us all, spared the houses huge houses behind us on the hill, but a tree took out the house across the street. And I mean took it OUT. Split it in half.
Three houses less than one block away are demolished completely (two owners too poor to afford insurance!!). We had 5 trees in the street and two snapped telephone poles but again, miraculously the incredible teams have cleared it and run our power in just over 24 hours!!
Since we are an urban forest (um. WERE an urban forest) the forestry unit came out and cleared the road. Then subcontract crews for the power company (I think from Tennessee or Alabama) came in en-masse to get our power back up.
Anyway, we are all fine, the pets are fine but rattled like crazy. Besides having bad and weird dreams, I had 4 cats piled on me and every second they perk their ears up listening outside. Two hail storms today (one with like 5" SQUARE) hail beating the heck out of us so once again the pets had to be evacuated to the basement and crated for awhile. Baby Kitty didn't leave the basement for like 5 hours. Smart cat.

Thank-you all for your well wishes and concern. It is going to take a long time and a LOT of clean up in our community. We were hit far harder than Cabbagetown. Their damage was condensed (it is only a few blocks in size) - ours was more spread out and our lot by far had the most tree damage in the entire city. Some of my local GW friends came to make sure were were OK and were in tears to see our backyard & trees (which was not really landscaped, so no loss to landscape!!)

GGG

GGG,
Well, thank goodness you are okay. PTL! What a shame about all the trees at your place. On the bright side you can now grow things you never could before, lol. The news talked about how rare tornados are in Georgia. Funny, the only tornado I ever experienced was when I was a small child and lived in Macon, GA. Go figure. No doubt, if all your cottage buddies could come down/up to Atlanta we would be there in a heart beat to help you with the clean up. We're with you in spirit and here to provide support as best we can.
Vikki

GGG, I am so thankful that you have survived such an ordeal, Vikki is right, I'd be there if I could making you a nice cup of tea and lending a hand. Hope you can get some rest, take care, Martha

Glynis, thanks for letting us know you're alright. What a horrendous thing to have to experience. I too wish I was closer to lend a hand, take care and stay safe.

Annette

I've been thinking of you GGG and am relieved to hear you're OK.
So sorry that there was so much damage to your property and community!

Patti

Oh my! I am so glad to hear that you are okay.

I'm sorry about the trees. I empathize. At the time that Hurricane Fran came up I-40 in North Carolina, I was living all alone in my (previous) house in the middle of 6 acres of woods. I spent that night in the powder room under the stairs. I could hear the trees crashing all night long. Like you, the trees (100+) fell like dominos on all sides of my house with not one falling on my house. My first floor windows couldn't be seen due to the stack of trees piled up outside.

Take care.
Cameron

Thank goodness! I saw the news in the 5 minutes I had to absorb some TV before work Saturday, I'd wondered.

Okay, I'll be the awful person to ask. They say it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good. So, um, did the tornado sweep out any undesirables or just make things worse? Not, of course, that I would champion the destructive forces of nature or wish anyone ill. And such.

Sigh of relief to hear from you. I have to ask...how did the nasty neighbors fare?

Edna

Uh, Kent, you know we were wishing the same thing however the "party house" is still standing, lol. However, thank God as the sweet Grandma, her sister, nice son and two lovely grand children were inside.
NOT ONE SINGLE major injury in the entire city! Can you imagine!! It is phenomenal if you see the damage.
Here's the side yard of our 2nd home, it's the pink one. In between it and the beige house was the shade garden I made last year. Toted 1,000's of lbs of broken concrete for edging and planted so many plants given to me by GW friends for this garden. 99% are gone. The cherished fig tree from Bellie (who used to visit this forum sometimes) is 1/2 crushed but I can save it. The rest is toast. It is kind of funny actually. Now I need insurance to hire someone to fix it, lol.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335854104/in/photostream/

Here is the trees blocking the street. See our vintage volvo. NOT A SCRATCH!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335021555/in/photostream/

Telephone pole on the ground, snapped like a toothpick and ugly metal fence crushed to oblivian. Contractor is ripping it out and installing a new picket fence later this week. Look to the left. See my rose, finally growing into the fence? IT IS SAVED!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335849276/in/photostream/

Purple house and garden UNSCATHED!! I don't have photos of purple house back yard which was COMPLETELY and utterly covered in trees (so was behind the pink house).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335846164/

Our hurbie curbie, lol
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335847616/in/photostream/

Tree of "heaven" which was one hellion of a tree, seeding EVERYWHERE. GONE!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335016861/in/photostream/

Across the street neighbor. The house has been torn more and more in half as they try to get the tree out. The work men are falling into the house as the roof is breaking up. It is frightening work. You can hear snapping and popping.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335851086/in/photostream/

GREAT photo of between my and neighbors house. This is two hundred foot trees and a few smaller ones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335854104/in/photostream/

GGG
http://www.flickr.com/photos/extraface/2335849276/in/photostream/

Just looked at your pictures. Wow, what a mess. Amazing more of those gigantic trees didn't hit homes. When hurricane Isabel hit us many very old and large trees in downtown Norfolk fell. Because they had been in place forever their roots had long since grown under the street. Consequently, the streets were buckled from the pulling roots and often there were hugh roots sticking out from the middle of the street. Have you seen any damage like that where you are? After the Isabel clean-up cities in my area are more diligent about keeping what trees they can pruned. The picture of your neighbor across the street is heartbreaking...poor people. Hope they have insurance!
Vikki

(((GGG))) After looking at your pictures, I am so thankful yourselves, your homes, vehicles and pets were spared. Sorry you lost your woods in the back. We also used to live in the 'woods', but due to hurricanes don't any more. May your clean up be swift. I really feel for your neighbors who lost their homes. Just heart breaking.

FlowerLady

Glynis, just looked at your pictures, not only were the angels looking out for you, me thinks you've got horseshoes stuck..... that must have been so scary while it was happening, unbelievable no-one was hurt in that onslaught. We've had some horrific high winds around here the last couple of years, the sound of huge trees snapping in half sends shivers down my spine, but to have them come down that close to you.....

Annette

Vikki, our sidewalk is buckled where trees were rooted, and also fell on it. Then all the way up the street it is like that and our driveway at the pink house has damage all across the bottom of it too, but not roots, just from a kabillion lb tree falling.
I am worried about insurance.
Apparently the guy across the street from us had very bad news today. We have the same insurer.

GGG

(((Glynnis))) I'm so relieved to know that you and yours are okay!!! Totally amazing---NO fatalities or serious injuries TG, but what a fright!!! Will be thinking of you and am keeping you in my prayers. Becky

Wow. I'm so sorry for the scare you have been through - thank goodness it wasn't worse!

I just posted - all unaware - on another thread. Disregard, please. Obviously, you were way more in danger than we were.

Scary, these storms. And again, thank goodness you came through as well as you did!

GGG,
Bad news from the insurer? That doesn't sound good. I know from past experience that insurance will not pay to have a tree hauled off unless it has hit a structure. No doubt your streets are lined with "tree removal" experts, but beware - their prices sky rocket at times like these. Of course the city has to take care of removing trees from the street. We had what I thought was a tornado (others said no) several years ago. A piece of wood from a neighbor's roof went through one of our bedroom walls. We had some other minor damage also. Our insurance company (State Farm) was Johnny on the spot and covered all our structural losses, to include the deck table unbrella which we never found! I'm so glad you had no damage to your house, however, cleaning up your property and rebuilding your gardens will be a monumental task. Don't try to do too much all at once, take it a little at a time. Good luck to you and God bless you.
Vikki

We too have State Farm and they won't cover much the costs of the damages at all. Actually, we are very unimpressed with them to say the least. Our local agent lived and grew up here, we have not heard a word from him or his office yet we called him as they have been our insurer for 10 years. We can't even put a claim in for the damages to this house. Our structural damage is "invisible" our electrical got messed up from the lightening and probably some magnetic fields in the storm. We have to cover that. We did have some structural damage, and trees fell on necessary structures and we have someone advising us on how to get things worded etc. However the estimated costs that the insurer came up with are not appropriate for Atlanta. $1,500 to fix the driveway will not even cover the cost of breaking it up and removing it here. $800 for a fence does not even cover the cost of materials, let alone labor.
However, a person on another gardening forum has offered to help us. I don't even know this person and she and her husband have offered their backs to help us get things better. One of our biggest concerns now is flooding. State Farm isn't much concerned about the impact to the structural integrity of the property itself now that we have nothing: no grass, no trees, no landscaping anymore. They do not consider that "structural" even though it was all in place to save the structures from damage.
The good thing is, I have 4 jobs. The bad thing is I will be leaving my volunteer job to max. one day a week now and having to reliniquish some of the other responsibilities I had at church. That is most important to me, but I have to get this stuff paid for. They offered me full-time at work recently. This afternoon I am going to tell them I'll take it. I was offered a job teaching gardening and environmental education classes at a local private school and I'll take it. My hours at the community garden can probably be increased.
However that leaves little time for now to make things around here look decent, lol.
But you gotta do what you gotta do, sometimes.

GGG

Oh Glynis, if I can be of any help (seeds??) let me know. Good luck with your clean-up. My hubby and I were thinking of you as we watched the news of the devastation.

Tracy

Hmmm, a lot of us think we've got it covered insurance wise but when something happens it seems to be a different story. I think this should be a wake-up call to all of us, I know in recent years when we go to renew our house insurance every year I've made a point of asking questions about what exactly is covered. I've started giving examples like what happens if the trees in the park across the street fall on our house are we covered and to what extent. We now have earthquake insurance, something we never use to carry but now do just in case. Some of these companies gladly take your money but if or when it comes a time you need them to fork out it's seems to be a different story. All I can say is GET IT IN WRITING!!!
I know a lot of us wish we were closer so we could lend a hand, Glynis do take care of yourself and don't overdo.

(((Hugs)))
Annette

Glynnis, I'm so sorry for all the losses you are suffering but I am so relieved and thankful that you and your husband, and of course your fur babies, are all fine physically.

I've been in several tornados over the years, common occurance in the Midwest, and I know just how devestating it can all be. Hang in there, you'll be amazed at the people who come out of the woodwork at a time like this just to help those who need it. Loving thoughts coming your way.

MeMo

Thank-you all for your kind thoughts.
Actually, the people we have hired to help us so far have been outstanding. They are bending over backwards to make sure we get as much insurance as we are owed.
Remember all that it is not just things that hit your home, but damage to property that does not have structures on it which is usually NOT covered by insurance. So if you had say, 10-20 trees fall and they didn't fall on a structure, they give you $50 a tree to have it removed. I don't know if they can imagine how LARGE a century old tree is, but $50 basically takes off the top branch!
DH has really stepped up to the plate and is trying to get stuff sorted out. My friend has dealt with our insurer when a tree fell on her home, and as a professional advocate is willing to give us any help in getting our claims settled fairly. A lawyer advised DH on the telephone today of all the legalize that the insurers use, and we had all our bills drawn up in this legalize. That will help, we hope. We have excellent photographs published on the internet and by various photographers who can be our eye witnesses.
The biggest thing now I see is getting the land graded, and terraced quickly for re-planting. We will have major flood damage if we can't get at that. So that is our next line of questioning and fine-print reading for the insurance!

GGG

Holy smokes! Amazing pictures! I see the missile is still standing.

*sigh* I sure hope the best for you and the others dealing with the insurance companies.

Edna

GGG... I have been "out of the loop" (no TV or radio)and didn't know about the tornado until I just read this post! Oh my....so much damage. I am so thankful that you and yours were not hurt!

Wish I lived closer as I too would be there to help in any way that I could. Hoping that everything works out for you with the insurance. Please keep us posted.
Hugs....Marylu

Wow Glynis. After seeing the pictures, I'm surprised people in your immediate area weren't injured or killed. You really dodged a bullet in that respect, but what an awful mess. It is for to cry, losing all those beautiful trees. Perhaps, when all the debris is cleared away and the neighborhood recovers, you will see new gardens popping up where gardens couldn't previously grow.

About State Farm, I've heard awful things about them. They are still taking a black eye in New Orleans. It is infuriating when insurance companies force victims of disasters to fight for their money. We are forced to have home owners insurance to secure a mortgage. Insurance companies should be forced to pay every dime owed and toot sweet. Hang in there GGG and fight the good fight. Things will get better.

Steven