For more than a month now, most of FL has prepared and waited and waited
for these storms.  I believe it was August 13th that Charlie hit and
devastated so many from the western side of FL through to the east side.
 
I personally spent several nervous days preparing.  No utility bills were
paid as there's just nothing left from my social security check except
basic supplies for the ferrets and their care.  With no funds to purchase
a generator (even if they were available) or to buy plywood to protect
windows, I bought a lot of 1.00 plastic table cloths to cover windows and
cages, hoping they would prevent glass from flying.  And covered & moved
cages away from windows.  What a waste of time and sore fingers.  "D"
batteries could not be found so bought the last little battery radio
Radio Shack had.  NO one else had any!  Plus a couple of flashlights that
used other size batteries since my flashlights were so old I couldn't
even get them open.  Thankfully we had no damage from Charley but many of
my friends south and southwest did.  One friend in Daytona Beach had his
whole apartment complex destroyed and condemned.  A dear friend southwest
of me wanted us to come there then it looked as if she needed to come
here.  That went back and forth for several days!  We both stayed put. :)
Neither of us had transportation to move a large number of kids and
Charley didn't make up his mind till too late for either of us to leave.
 
In the meantime, Frances developed much larger than Charley.  This one
scared me as I've been through Andrew in Miami, one that wiped out Wake
Island for two years and a few other smaller ones.  I have a very healthy
respect for Hurricanes, knowing how they can turn at the last minute.
I hired someone to cut branches that were over the power lines on the
other side of the house and spent days worrying what to do, stay or go.
I reserved a cargo van just in case.  Again we waited and waited and
waited but Frances was so very slow.  Again hurricane supplies had to be
purchased.  Another dear friend bought us a portable propane grill to be
able to warm soup for the sickies.  This time I found "D" batteries! :)
Again funds were used to prepare, this time I didn't make my mortgage
payment in order to have a cargo van ready to evacuate.  I was quoted
$424.34 for the van which included taxes and surcharges for 7 days,
thinking we'd be without power several days after the storm.  Generators
were non existent even if you could afford one.
 
Our weather didn't get really bad till around 5:30 Sat. evening, 9/4.
Later that night while feeding the sick kids their soup, I heard a loud
noise but didn't inspect till later.  I was pretty shocked to see a tree
limb in my bedroom window!  Basically we only had tropical storm winds,
some up to 70mph, but huge amounts of rain.  We were very lucky to not
lose power for any length of time, just internet and TV for 4 days.
There are still people here in Jacksonville without power and water!
There have been signs out pleading for water.  Remember we only had
tropical storm winds.  We did have 70 tornado warnings in a period of 3
days.  I still cringe each time I hear a loud noise.  There would be no
time to move all the kids into a hallway nor would they fit.
 
Found a tree guy to cut the trees off the roof for a reasonable price I
think and found there is damage to my roof. :(  The storm window had to
be ordered and will in Friday.  $176.72 for a darn window!  I have two
estimates for roof repair so far.  One is saying I need a whole new
roof.  Besides the damage many shingles are loose and the new code won't
allow shingles any longer, so he says.... I'll definitely get more
estimates/opinions.  There are two storage sheds in back with extra
cages and ferret supplies.  There's three dents in one, (one dent from a
previous small branch falling) wide gaps under that roof and it literally
was twisted off center.  When I sloshed thru the mud yesterday to get a
rake, the mildew smell was horrible.  Moved everything out and took
pictures but realized I had no where to put everything so moved it all
back in.
 
Then the stress over Ivan but we were very lucky once again.  In making
room for friends and fur kids from the panhandle to come here, apparently
the field mice are tired of the flooding and rain.  50 lbs of ferret food
have been chewed into.  Yuk!!  No way will I feed it to the kids.
 
I had to smile at Chere's comment that the inside of her house looks like
a hurricane has hit it.  Here too!  I'm afraid to put hurricane supplies
away yet with Jeanne brewing closer to the states and aiming for the east
coast of FL at the moment.  They're predicting more strong hurricanes to
come this way for decades.
 
The constant stress has been just awful.  Worry over how to keep the kids
safe, worry over losing electricity with so many older/sick kids.  Worry
over moving so many out, what the stress will do to the old/sick ones and
making sure there's plenty of food, meds, litter and the so many little
things we use daily for them.  One young guy was surrendered two weeks
ago with congestive heart failure and have two more with heart problems
plus the typical adrenal/insulinoma kids, most 5 to 8 years old.  Two
boarders went home a couple of days ago, had 4 for a period of time when
the family lost power, 3 boarders may be here permanently, all are
adrenal and a couple have insulinoma, older kids.  I don't know how I
can handle 3 more sick kids!  I'm sick myself.
 
Until you have to do it, you don't even think of the things needed in
case of a power loss or having to evacuate.  You have to prepare to do
both because you just don't know where the hurricane may come in!  Some
items needed, sterno and a portable gas grill to warm soup, extra
medicines, food, litter, gallons of water, batteries, radio, flashlights,
foods for other pets if you have them, dry foods for you that doesn't
need cooking or refrigeration.  A cooler, ice.  Paper goods.  A hand
operated can opener!  Candles.  All the time you're preparing, running
for supplies, etc.  there's still the daily work/care/meds/laundry for
the kids that has to be done.  You have to anticipate needs for 5 days or
more while your heart is pounding with fear for your little ones and how
to make sure they're safe.  Some people think that forecasts saying the
storm will reach a particular area at an approximate time don't realize
winds and rains will start well before that time.  They're basically
talking about what time the eye of the storm will reach land.  For those
on the coastal areas, they will have the danger of a huge water surge
when the eye comes ashore and the very strongest winds.  Hurricanes
cannot be taken lightly.  I can only imagine the stress and devastation
so many in Fl have and are going through compared to what we have here
and my heart goes out to all of you.  Especially to those in the path of
Ivan which will reach land in a few hours.  This is the scariest yet.
[Posted in FML issue 4637]