BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 04:27 PM

a milder and moister summer than the southern U.S. has seen in decades?

Moister, maybe, but in Florida it has been hardly milder. In late May we were already having our 90+ deg. days and afternoon thunderstorms. That's several weeks earlier than usual. Our Summer has continued to be as hot as any in the past 25 years.

This year was forcast to be a heavier tropical storm year. The fact that 3 and maybe 4 have hit Florida, is mostly a coincidence. The storms form were conditions are right and they head in directions that are deterimined by low and high weather systems. This is an unusual year, but so is going on a winning streak in Blackjack.

That Florida has been hit so many times means that other places haven't been hit dramatically. The Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coast has been spared, as has the Yucatan, for the most part.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 04:40 PM

HURRICANE LOCAL STATEMENT...HURRICANE IVAN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KEY WEST FL
155 PM EDT THU SEP 9 2004

...MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL VISITORS AND NON-RESIDENTS...

...MANDATORY EVACUATION OF ALL RECREATIONAL VEHICLES...

...A MANDATORY EVACUATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR ALL RESIDENTS IN THE
FLORIDA KEYS AND FLAMINGO FRIDAY MORNING AT 700 AM...

...RESIDENTS THAT WISH TO LEAVE TODAY ARE ENCOURAGED TO DO SO...

...NEW INFORMATION SINCE LAST ISSUANCE...
THE STORM INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED.

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THIS STATEMENT IS SPECIFIC TO THE FLORIDA KEYS OF MONROE COUNTY.

...WATCHES AND WARNINGS...
NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS AT THIS
TIME. HOWEVER...REMEMBER THAT A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT SUSTAINED
WINDS OF 74 MPH OR GREATER AND DAMAGING STORM SURGE IS POSSIBLE
WITHIN 36 HOURS.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 200 PM...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IVAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE
14.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.0 WEST...ABOUT 930 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KEY
WEST...OR ABOUT 360 MILES SOUTHEAST OF JAMAICA. IVAN IS MOVING
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. IVAN IS A CATEGORY FIVE
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE...CAPABLE OF
CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS WERE NEAR 160 MPH...
WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE 923 MB...OR
27.26 INCHES.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: freda underhill
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 04:57 PM

from sydney, with jenny, i send my best wishes and hope that you all get the help you need to see through this one.

freda

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 05:06 PM

5PM 5 day forcast.


The current track shows the eye passing the coast of Florida by Tampa. But this storm is at least as large as Frances, which means that if it passes over 200 miles out into the Gulf, most of Florida will still get hit my hurricane force winds. Plus, the current track shows it heading straight into the Panhandle.

Winds are down to 150mph, but it's going through a cycle that is temporary. Kingston Jamaica will get hit with sustained winds of 150-165 mph.

Sorry about the several posts, but since I'm out of a job and it's currently raining outside, I ain't got nothing else to do.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 05:13 PM

Its projected path is awfully close to Yucatan if it decides to wobble a bit to the left. It looks like anywhere it hits it will do a lot of damage. The reports have been coming in from Grenada today, 90% of the homes damaged or destroyed.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 05:18 PM

Lou's Weather Watch - Florida

Above is an excellent page that gets the latest images and forecasts from NOAA and other agencies.

You know, the rumor is that Florida has finally hit on the way to discourage any more people moving to the state. Of course, they refuse to admit what it is...

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: CarolC
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 06:17 PM

Looks like Ivan might be heading straight toward us here in the southern part of the Alabama/Georgia border, unless it takes a swing toward the NE.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Bill D
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 06:23 PM

I wonder how they will use the storms to justify voting irregularities in a few weeks....

I am a woodturner/collector...Florida is the best place in the country for a wide variety of exotic timber. It looks like a ...ummmmm....windfall for guys like me. But I'd sure be happy to forego the 'extra' wood in favor of some dry, quiet days for you folks down there...

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 06:55 PM

Bill - most of the wood that has been created by the storms is in the process of being ground into chips so that it can be put into newly-created landfills and take up as little space as possible. If the wood you use is grown on public lands, I'm afraid that much of it will be destroyed.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 09 Sep 04 - 11:10 PM

11pm Thursday track keeps it passing directly to the west of Tampa - hitting Kingston, Havana, Key West, Tampa and the Big Bend region of Florida.

150 mph sustained winds (155+ is Cat. 5)

It has slowed down to 13mph which usually means it has more chance to strengthen.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Gern
Date: 10 Sep 04 - 03:59 PM

In case you're keeping score, this is the third straight major hurricane of the season on a forecast track headed straight for Tampa Bay. I'm eight feet above the bay right now, and it came right up to the top of our seawall during Frances. Current forecast suggests no such luck next week.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 10 Sep 04 - 06:48 PM

One day later and the track continues to forecast a hit on the west and central part of the state.

Here's wishing the poor of Jamaica make it through with their lives.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 02:04 AM

My brother moved from Milwaukee to Sarasota last year. He's going to evacuate for Ivan, the third time he'll have evacuated. He e-mailed me this morning, asking me to talk my dad into evacuating. Dad lives on the mainland close to the water, but in a protected area. He had to evacuate during the two previous storms - and ironically he went to my brother's house, which is about a mile inland.

So, what do you think? Does Dad need to leave Sarasota for this one?

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: JennyO
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 02:47 AM

It looks to me as if that part of the west coast can expect a pretty high storm surge, at the very least, and if I was on the west coast, I would be evacuating for sure, particularly because of the danger of flooding. But then, I come from a pretty quiet part of the world for weather - not used to this kind of thing. If I was anywhere in Florida, I'd be nervous. I think your dad should evacuate, Joe. I hope your brother can talk him into it.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 01:06 PM

While storm surge is serious - it is only a worry for those living on barrier islands or on the shore of the waterways between the islands and the mainland. That's why there is always mandatory evacuations for the islands. The storm surge is really just extra high waves - Florida builds homes within 50 - 100 feet of the ocean or gulf. 12-15 foot waves cross all that flat sand, rush up the sand dunes and hit the buildings. That's what destroys so many of the beachfront buildings. Those buildings on the inland side of the barrier islands have a good deal less damage. There, it is mostly wind damage.

I would say you dad should evactuate if he is:

in a mandatory evacuation area
in a mobile home
in an area already flooded
in a wood framed home older than 10 years
if his roof sustained any damage in the previous storms
if nearly all of his neighbors are getting out

Otherwise, he's probably ok - but hey, probably ain't a good enough assurance for me - there are shelters close to his home. Have him go there - they have generators, tv, hot food and nice people. He'll probably make new friends. Bring a deck of cards and candy.

The other thing to remember is that fire trucks and paramedics will not go out to nearly any 911 call if the wind is blowing over 40mph. If someone has a heart attack in the middle of the hurricane, they are really in truoble, but all shelters have nurses, paramedics to help anyone there.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 01:38 PM

I got word that Dad plans to stick it out in Sarasota. He doesn't get hysterical about these things, but he has everything all taken care of. The nursing home where my mother lives says he can stay there. He's a longtime member of the Power Squadron, and he can stay in their shelter and hang out with the guys if he likes. Or he can do like he did the previous two storms and go to the house that my brother evacuated.
So, I'm sure Dad will be OK.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Amergin
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 04:09 PM

The latest projection for ivan

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: GUEST,Harpy
Date: 11 Sep 04 - 06:34 PM

Well, I'm in Pensacola for the night but I'm going to BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES THIS WEEK. My State Farm insurance is not going to pay my claim because they raised the deductible to seven thousand dollars and wrote a clause in the policy that says if there is a hurricane watch anywhere in Florida no regular deductibles apply until 72 hours after the last hurricane warning. So I'm screwed if a bigger hurricane hits my house....harpy

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 12 Sep 04 - 01:28 AM

Okay, my fellow Floridians, take a break from worrying about Ivan and read this. No, it's not original humor, it was emailed from a friend in California but it's purty funny anyway.

------------

Hurricane Season in Florida

For those of you not living in Florida...this is what we look forward to each year.

You all should be aware of hurricane preparations, but in case you need a refresher course:

We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Atlantic Ocean and making two basic meteorological points.

(1) There is no need to panic.
(2) We could all be killed.

Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're
new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to
prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one." Based
on our insurance industry experiences, we recommend that you follow
this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at
least three days.
STEP 2: Put these supplies into your car.
STEP 3: Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Halloween.

Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this
sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida. We'll
start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE:

If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and
(2) It is located in Wisconsin

Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area
that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies
would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they
might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value
of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss.

SHUTTERS: Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows
and all the doors. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

-- Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them
yourself, they're cheap.
-- Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.
-- Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.
-- Hurricane-proof windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane
protection: They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand
hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska.

Hurricane Proofing your property:

As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like
barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc...
You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool
(if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.

EVACUATION ROUTE:

If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route
planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida," you live in a low-lying area). The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.

HURRICANE SUPPLIES:

If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM. In
addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

- 23 flashlights. At least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when
the power goes off, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.
- Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what
the bleach is for, but it's traditional, so GET some!)
- A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)
- A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask
anybody who went through Andrew; after the hurricane, there WILL be
irate alligators.)
- $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you
can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.

Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean.

Good luck, and remember:

It's great living in Paradise.

----------

You may now resume worrying.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Sep 04 - 01:40 AM

Harpgirl, that is NOT fair of the insurance company. There should be something you can do to make them pay! Here's hoping your hatches stay battened and you come through safely, with no more damage.

Bee-dubya-ell, funny!

Anyone had any contact with Banjer?

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 12 Sep 04 - 07:40 PM

Wonderful Bee-dubya-ell!

The first actually funny thing about hurricanes I've seen.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: JennyO
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 09:00 AM

I thought Amergin's link on 11 Sept, 4.09pm, was funny. If you haven't clicked on it yet, have a look.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 12:46 PM

That is funny!

Unfortunately, Ivan seems to be drawing a bead on Pensacola and my humble li'l cabin in th' woods is only about forty miles northwest of there. The good news is that the forecasters never get it right, so them saying that Pensacola is Ground Zero almost guarantees that it'll go somewhere else. But, just in case they're actually right this time, we're securing the place today and will make a stay-or-scram decision tomorrow when the probable landfall location is a little more precise. I've wanted to visit Mountainview, Arkansas for quite some time and this might just be the time to go.

This computer may be packed in the van soon and we may have no power for a while. So, if you don't hear from my sorry ass for a while, blame it on Ivan.

Bruce

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 01:19 PM

Say hi to Dale Rose if you go, Bruce. And Arkie lives at the foot of Dodd Mountain.

I have just been informed by my son that he may have to evacuate from UWF and he wants me to go get him. I just got back from there yesterday! This whole hurricane thing is driving me bat shit! I'm going to tell him to take the bus!

Stay safe, huh?
harp

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 01:26 PM

Well, I'm in Pensacola for the night but I'm going to BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES THIS WEEK. My State Farm insurance is not going to pay my claim because they raised the deductible to seven thousand dollars and wrote a clause in the policy that says if there is a hurricane watch anywhere in Florida no regular deductibles apply until 72 hours after the last hurricane warning. So I'm screwed if a bigger hurricane hits my house....harpy

It sounds like your state insurance commissioner is in the pocket of the big insurance companies. Perhaps if a large enough cluster of folks get burned, it will be enough to generate a class-action lawsuit against the company or the commisser's office (or both).

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 06:28 PM

I'm not taking down the plywood until Ivan passes central Florida, and not holding my breath.

If it does indeed hit the panhandle, I wish you all the best of luck.

We should try and have an end-of-hurricane-season meet-up somewhere. I don't have my own transportation but can always talk a friend into a (short) trip Maybe a meet-up in Gainesville or Ocala.

Any ideas?

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: katlaughing
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 10:17 PM

Here's a little more humour for you'all: Hurricane cartoons.

Stay safe!

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 13 Sep 04 - 10:42 PM

Now the contractor is charging me almost thirty percent more than his estimate! And he won't do the caulking and painting because " he doesn't really do that" and wants me to hire another set of people to do that! I withheld the extra thirty percent and demanded that he finish the job but now he'll probaably just send it to collections! Bah, humbug!

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 12:35 AM

Hold on Gulf Coast. Best of luck in the next few days.

Of course Jeanne may hit Florida too.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:27 AM

I lived in New Orleans in 1947, and the hurricane that hit there in Oct. of that year flooded low-lying areas badly...the latest news says that a category 4 storm might do irrereparible damage and kill thousands (front page of Washington Post, quoting Walter Maestri. an emergency manager for the city.) The levees are only designed for a category 3. Lets hope the man is being over dramatic, but if he is not, then one of the most vulnerable cities in the country has been living on borrowed time for many years.......

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Banjer
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:40 PM

HI Folks!! I am high and dry!! We dodged the bullet on all three major ones so far...Charley went way to our south, although he was oiriginaly slated to come right into the mouth of Tampa Bay. Frances came in from the east and went through mid state quite a ways to our east...and of course Ivan..right up the Gulf...

We have received some rain...lost power for about 12 hours on Labor Day, but if that's the worst that happens to us...we can thank our lucky stars. There are many people that lost everything...I feel badly for them all!! I think Florida has had enough hurricanes for a while!

Kat Laughing sent me an e-mail asking me if I am well...Thanks for the concerns and prayers...

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: GUEST,Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 09:56 PM

I'm on an ATM in a hotel lobby in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It sucks. We are safe for now. Getting home to Pensacola will suck, I'm sure.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 11:13 PM

Have fun in that Sodom and Gomorahh, Bruce. Hot Springs is a lot of fun. Lots of bluegrass around there. Are you worried about your spread? Was the traffic bad? Nathan is evacuated from his dorm at UWF to the Commons building. I hope he is okay.

The winds are getting stronger here and there are dozens of tornados all around the coast. I'm praying another tree doesn't fall on my house. I used my property tax money to pay the contractor's bill....

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 11:21 PM

HeyaBanj! Thanks for checking in!

Bee-dubya-ell...glad you made it outta there.

Good luck to you, hg and to Nathan...

kat

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 11:23 PM

Bruce,

The area around Hot Springs is quite lovely--but of course, if you're a captive audience to the eastern hardwood forests and the limestone and quartz geologic features it might not hold the same appeal. My favorite place to buy quartz is from a fellow in Mt. Ida, about 30 miles west of Hot Springs. There are lots of places that sell crystals, but this guy owns a mine and has some uncommon types of crystals. I sent one of his "regular" nice ones to catsPHiddle a couple of years ago (for being such a charming Santa's Helper and running the Secret Santa program!)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: artbrooks
Date: 15 Sep 04 - 11:58 PM

My parents, who live in Navarre (Pensacola suburb, right on the water, sorta), have gone to Atlanta to stay with my sister. The last time they evacuated, at the last minute, they ended up on a friendly stranger's floor in northern Mississippi. At last report, Ivan was heading right into the mouth of Mobile Bay, and that is right down the road. Hold on to your hats, everybody.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 02:07 AM

It looks like we'll be on the outer edge of the hurricane pretty much the whole time, but what has me a bit jumpy right now is the tornado watch for the areas to the north and northeast of the main part of the storm. We're in a tornado watch area right now. If we can make it through that part, I think we'll be ok.

The good part of our lifestyle is that we are pretty self-contained. If power or water goes out, we have our own supply, and we won't be too inconvenienced. The down side is that we can blow away pretty easily if the winds are strong enough.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 10:53 AM

Instead of jack-stands to support the corners you need turnbuckles and anchors to tie yourselves down.

You would have to have tried outrunning it before now if you were going to move. Driving with a trailer in the high wind puts a different spin on the term "hell on wheels."

Good luck!

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 04:39 PM

I wish I could hear how my son is doing. He went with his dorm mates to the Commons building. Somehow, I know my son is okay but I am sorry he had to go through this less than a month after he left home for the first time in his almost 22 years.

Devastation in Pensacola. The I10 bridge east across Escambia bay is out. the bridge from Gulf Breeze to Pensacola Beach is out. The Navarre bridge is out. It is a terrible terrible thing.

At the end of my day talking with anxious people about hurricanes in addition to all their other troubles, I get to see if my house sustained any more damage during the day today while I was at work. The winds have been very strong all day and have just died down in the last hour...When I left this morning I could hear the trees cracking as the wind blew...It has been an unpleasant week in the land of flowers...

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 11:20 PM

...To top it off UWF is now closed for a week and I have to go get my son. His dorm is closed and the campus is blocked. He has a change of clothes and his books and the only alternative is to stay in a shelter for a week. I have to get to Pensacola through the roadblocks, the national guard, the looters, the flooding, the downed power lines, and the debris. There is no public transportation out of Pensacola and the trains aren't running. All the bridges are damaged and I10 is closed. So I have to go nearly to Alabama to get in from the north...It's been a shitty week...

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 11:30 PM

Good luck to you, harpgirl. Sounds like you could use some. It's good he's got his books with him, though, and that he's safe.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: katlaughing
Date: 16 Sep 04 - 11:44 PM

{{{{{harpgirl}}}}}}

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 12:29 AM

Sounds like you need some old fashioned ferry service for a while around there!

Good luck in negotiating all of the obstacles.

Who'd have though that over a month later we're still asking if folks in Florida are okay after a hurricane?

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 01:09 AM

I don't know if the rest of the country (and world) has been watching, but Hurricane Jeanne is leaving the coast of Hispaniola and is heading on a general track to the east coast of Florida. Current projected track has it passing the coast and eventually hitting South Carolina, but there is still a good possibility that it will come on shore in Florida too.

Woo Hoo.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: SINSULL
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 05:50 PM

Maybe some good news for harpgirl: The New York Times reported that the State of Florida is looking into insurance practices regarding multiple deductible charges for damage caused by closely occurring hurricanes. In fact they are looking into insurance practices for home coverage in general.

Meantime, keep yourself safe. Your son can survive in a shelter for a few days if that is his only option.

SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Once Famous
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 05:52 PM

i hope it missed Florida.

The Cubs have a make-up double header on Monday with the Marlins.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Bill D
Date: 17 Sep 04 - 06:32 PM

The video from Pensacola is not pretty....I hope harpgirl can get close enough to effect the rescue....they are not letting people into some areas, and roads in Alabama are only marginally better.

And Jeanne is, for now, downgraded again...it may still pick up some steam and be a problem, but not likely with full Hurricane strength..

In the meantime, Ivan's leftovers are hitting us in Maryland and neighboring Virginia tonight....tornado and flood warnings everywhere..

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: harpgirl
Date: 18 Sep 04 - 09:31 AM

I've got my little 6'4" baby home! And boy, was he stinky from no shower for three days. He slept on couches when he did sleep in the Commons and the Red Cross fed the students. But he promises to help with my yard clean up this week.I just barely got the contractor to caulk and paint before we got the feeder bands from Ivan. But no more structural damage at my house, thank goodness!

I cried when I drove into the UWF campus. It was one of the most beautiful campuses I had ever seen. Now there are hundreds of broken trees everywhere, debris, and damaged buildings. School is closed for at least a week.It was an all day drive and of course no work for me Friday. But I'll recover from the schedule demolition of last week!   

I went all the way to Milton on I10. Then we were routed to 90. The 90 road had one lane open. The other lane, the lane towards the bay was covered with storm surge debris and broken asphalt where it had just crumbled. There were boats everywhere in the marshes around the top of the bay. Broken trees littered the expressway beginning at the west side of Okaloosa county. Highway signs and billboards were demolished. I passed National Guard and Army convoys, Baptist Convention disaster trucks, Salvation Army trucks, Red Cross disaster trucks and dozens and dozens of electric utility trucks and tree trimming trucks.

The roads in Pensacola were clogged with drivers trying to get home. There was no gas at all, all the way east to Bonifay and we nearly ran out of gas on the way home. There were no traffic lights, no electricity, and no water. Pensacola was a horrible horrible sight...the National Guard protects the malls, the police had the University cordoned off and they directed traffic at all the intersections.   

My heart just breaks for all the people who have sustained losses.

The storm surge did a great deal of damage and homes were just washed away on the barrier islands...

It will take a long time to recover from this storm. Thanks, mudcatters for all your comments and support. Not much upsets me, but this certainly did...Now let's pray for no more hurricanes this season...

I hope Bruce has a home to return to from Arkansas...Good luck BWL this one was really bad!

harp

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Blackcatter
Date: 18 Sep 04 - 09:50 AM

I went to buy gas last evening (in Orlando) for my boss's car and had to go to 6 gas stations before I found one with gas. Florida gets its gas from refineries in the Carribean and the spate of hurricanes have messed up the shipping so much that there are shortages everywhere.

I'm not complaining, mind you, but the gas issue is a good example of just how disruptive the hurricanes have been for the whole region.

Continued best wishes Harpgirl.

Subject: RE: BS: Florida Mudcatters - how are you?!
From: Teresa
Date: 20 Sep 04 - 08:43 PM

I'm crossing my fingers for everyone in the hurricane zones. My stepdad has relatives in fort Walton, near Pensacola, and he hasn't heard from them yet. :(

Everyone, take care, and may the weather stay fair.

T