Category: The Weather

The Aftermath

…of Wilma.

As I wrote in the last post, I put this here not for anything or anyone other than myself. It’s what happened after a Cat 3 ran over us in 2005. Nothing like Andrew, but still…

Thank God it’s cool!! If this had happened in August we’d be miserable. Even a normal October day is usually warm and humid. Two colds fronts equal another miracle! Before she left for home Tonie and I went to Publix for staples and of course she left for home with one of my bags. A heartfelt thank you to Publix for opening their doors! Without power they may have been trying to get shed of some perishables, I don’t know. That’s what I’d do, anyway.

The line outside Home Depot is long, considering the generators haven’t arrived. We need a generator and a new gas grill (not to worry, we have two generators now). Cleaning the fridge and freezer out.

Dammit, Tonie left with my trail shoes!

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Wilma

Ran across this account of Hurricane Wilma’s aftermath while cleaning out my desk. Though I wrote about Hurricane Andrew’s passing, it’s certainly not for consumption. Our experiences after Wilma, though, are simply boring. Putting it here to save it.

Hubris and the Hurricane or How We Found our Miracle

::Cue the Gilligan’s Island theme::

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A Promise

…then it started pouring again.

Christmas Eve saw us in a hotel room after eating warmed up Campbell’s soup from a Circle K. Surreal, but we were able to see family for Christmas so it was worth it.

We drove back down I95 and grabbed the dogs from the ‘spa’. It’s nice to be home.

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It’s Going to be a Busy Weekend

We’re almost directly in the path of hurricane Dorian. (I’m sorry, but I hate that name – I call the storm Dorian Gray)

I’ve been in Florida since 1992, with a rather quick sabbatical in Texas in 1996. The state stopped surprising me after hurricane Andrew ripped my roof off… in 1992. You’d think I’d turn around and leave the way I came after that welcome, but no. Of course not. I never learn.

Several hurricanes later and I’m going through that old routine… and hating every minute of it. What used to be exciting and sometimes terrifying has simply become a major pain in my ass.

All this is to say… someone please send some gas down here so I can power the generator long enough to make coffee.

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During Alberto

burplething

Tradescantia pallida, more commonly known as Purple Heart…  and since I always post the first Crinum lily of the season… lily with Bree in the background. In people years the old girl is 83.

firstcrinum2018

You can’t kill crinums. I pulled the entire bed up after Irma… about 60 of them… and threw the ones I wanted to keep in another bed. Not planted. They lay there dormant, looking door-nail dead, until I planted them again this Spring. Miraculous.

Alberto has been dumping massive amounts of water on us, but guess what? It’s monsoon season anyway. For two weeks before Al got here we were inundated every day. Fortunately we live on a sandbar.

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Après Irma

alive
It’s alive!

Well, we survived. Again. But really, how many times can one tempt fate? I lost track of how many hurricanes I’ve been through.

I took before pictures, as one does… but no after. The pictures would come out looking like modern art that nobody understands because everything is swathed in green and brown roughage; the result of the almighty raking a giant comb over the land at great speed.

We were more ready for this storm than any other, which thankfully was not needed. Luckier than most, we were only without power for 24 hours and internet for a few days. I’d rather have power than internet, but it felt odd and I didn’t even turn my pc on til it came back up.

Kudos to the city of Margate and Broward county, both of which kept everyone updated via Twitter and Facebook.

Now… there are three other systems to keep a weather eye on… and have I mentioned that I WANT TO MOVE??

 

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Front to Back

Roughly half my hopes for survival rested on this lovely front I’d named George.

And then he occluded.

We’re in the Fort Lauderdale area and have prepared as best we can… and are still working… but how do you really prepare for a Cat 4/5 storm?

at201711_5day

Sure, we have brand new impact windows… but I’m worried about the old doors. I’m worried about the roof. I’m worried that the whole damn house will go. I saw it, after Andrew. It just took my roof and most of my stuff, but down in Homestead, entire communities were wiped from the face of the earth as though they’d never existed.

I know, just like Galveston. And every other place… And all I can see when I close my eyes is the Andrew devastation.

If you’re in this, know that I’m praying for you.

Bastard front.

9817_842

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Hurricane Prep/Disaster Kit

This is my master list so I’m dropping it here.

GENERAL

  • Silicone caulking for bathtub drains to hold water. The caulk will not affect the taste of the water and cleans up easily. Just use a thick bead around the seams and it will pull away cleanly when dry.
  • Manual can and bottle openers.
  • Folding stove, oven mitts. Better to use a camp stove or grill; but don’t use them indoors. In a pinch, you can use ”canned heat” (Sterno, etc.) but it will only heat food; it won’t cook it.
  • A battery-operated radio and/or television.
  • Extra batteries.
  • A windup clock.
  • Battery-operated lanterns and enough flashlights for each member of the family, plus extra batteries and bulbs. Candles and kerosene lights can cause fires and severe burns. If you must use candles, never leave one burning unattended.
  • Duct tape.
  • Lightweight fire extinguishers.
  • Wrench to turn off household gas and water. Keep it near the shut-off valves.
  • Chain saw, gassed up, oiled and ready.
  • Generator.

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