A couple of lines of heavy thunderstorms passed through the area last night and I'm sure the news coming out of north and east Dallas will continue to give accounts of huge amounts of damage. We got some rain and outflow boundary winds, but not the tornadic activity.

When meteorologists in North Texas told folks near Preston Hollow to get into a tornado-safe spot, about 12 staffers and customers at Fish City Grill ran to the walk-in cooler. It was cold, but it was safe.

A funnel cloud dragged over the Preston-Royal area of Dallas, and the windowless cooler kept Fish City Grill’s employees sheltered as the restaurant’s walls and ceiling were shredded.

But one customer didn’t follow the group. A server pulled him into the kitchen, says Fish City Grill co-founder Bill Bayne, and they flattened themselves on the kitchen floor. That act kept them safe, and no one was hurt at the restaurant despite massive damage.

“It looks like bombs went off,” Bayne says.

He plans to reopen the restaurant, though there’s no estimated time frame yet. In that same shopping center, Interabang Books was badly damaged as well.

Princi Italia, a restaurant at the northwest corner of Preston-Royal, also used its walk-in cooler as a shelter spot during the tornado. After customers and employees got the all-clear, some found trees smashed into their cars. The restaurant suffered cracked windows, a torn-off air-conditioning unit and damaged trees. It’s closed until further notice.

Shockingly, some restaurants in the hardest-hit areas saw no damage at all. TJ’s Fresh Seafood, on the northeast corner of Preston Road and Royal Lane — and a mere 500 feet from Fish City Grill — saw no damage.

The storm path continued northeast and devastated some businesses north and east of Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. MoMo Italian Kitchen, near Forest Lane and Greenville Avenue in Dallas, lost its sign, has no phone and suffered some damage to the building. Still, the restaurant will open at 11 a.m.

Lots of stories like this.

I went through the house to look for any water and have been out into the yard to check trees for fallen limbs and fences that they're still in place. We lucked out - this time. The folded towel is in the corner near my bed for Pepper, who came and went during the night. Cookie was in her kennel until when the storm had completely passed, when she could go into the yard if she needed. She doesn't seem to like cold wet grass at night, so she simply moved out of the kennel and plopped down next to Zeke.

The wind and rain will have blown ragweed pollen out of the area but those plants are still standing and still pumping it out. My sinuses are still suffering.

Editing is on the final pass this week, and I'll have more free time for other stuff.