JBCoupe-1, Frances-0....

*First, let me say that we are extremely lucky being this far north, not to have suffered any truly devistating effects of the hurricane. So many people have lost so much more, and my prayers are with them. Although I was inconvenienced for a few days, I still have my home, my posessions, and most importantly, my family. For this, I am truly thankful....

After 4 days of sporatic electrical outages, constant rain and lukewarm food....I think it's over. Man, what a storm! While I had power, I was following the satellite images on the NOAA sight, and they were awesome. I actually saved one of them as my background.

We lost power on Saturday evening, and didn't get it back until 4 am on Tuesday....do you know how long that is in terms of not being able to vacuume? I have to say, by Monday I was getting the shakes, and refused to even look at the carpet as I walked along. Our house stayed reasonably comfortable, due in part to the shutters. Although, we did end up taking them down on Sunday, in the rain, as I just couldn't stand another day in "the hole". As Betsy said, it was like being in solitary confinement. So, drill in hand we went outside and removed the shutters. It was like a rebirth....everything in the house glowed with new life....actually, you really couldn't see much of anything, since it was raining and cloudy, but you get the idea.

I am so thankful that we had the generator. We would run it 4 hours at a time, with a 4-5 hour reprieve. We had it hooked up to the fridge and freezer, a light and my small tv....although dh didn't think the little tv was good enough, and ended up hooking up our regular tv and satellite system. I didn't think that was a good idea, as wee one would want to watch cartoons, and dh would want to watch some stupid car/truck movie....but it all worked out well. We ended up watching funny things, to raise spirits....

My parents fared better than we did....as they had electricity most of the time. They did have about a 6 hour stretch with no lights, and once it came on, it went off again for another 2 hours, but other than that, they did well. Of course, the electricity decided to go out just as my dad was lowering his new electric hospital bed....so he had to actually climb over the handrail to get out! Their house was spared any damage as well....which I am thankful for.

Yesterday morning at 4 am, the electricity finally came on....you wouldn't believe how happy I was. I immediately jumped out of bed and started vacuuming! I had most of the house cleaned when, horrors, the electric went out again! I couldn't believe it. I walked outside and there were all my neighbors, in their driveways on cell phones. Curse words were a-flyin at that point! "What the &*%$? We just got it back!" "I know, I was in the middle of *#^%@& cooking dinner!" I called dh and told him, so he stopped at Lowes on the way home, bought two new gas cans and filled them up. When he got home he said, "We are going to run this (#&^$ thing non-stop!" LOL....the first thing I did? Yes, you got it....I plugged my vacuume in and finished cleaning up! (Hey, we've all got priorities....)

My mom saved the day and made dinner for us. (Thank GOD, because we were getting sick of hot dogs and pop tarts!) We went over and surveyed some of the damage around town along the way. Surprisingly (and thankfully), there wasn't much. A few trees were down, a few shingles were tossed about, and we did see one houseboat that sunk. I felt sorry for the owners! All you could see was the roof sticking out of the water. Again, we came home to a dark house....around 4 am this morning (what is it with 4 am?) the electric went on....and hopefully it's here to stay this time.

Well, I think I will go brew a pot of coffee, and make some blueberry pancakes. Then, I'll take a nice hot shower, and blow dry my hair. After that, I'll do some wash, and maybe surf the web for a while....you gotta love electricity!

**I just want to say THANK YOU to all of those who sent e-mails, wondering if everything was okay with my family, and sending prayers our way. I truly believe it helped! I feel so blessed to have made such wonderful and caring friends here in j-land. You guys are the greatest! ((((hugs))))

 

It's raining it's pouring....

Well, so far, so good. All we have had is a lot of rain, and some wind gusts. It looks like a bad thunderstorm, minus the thunder. Our pool, however, is just full of pine needles and acorns. I hate to think of how long it's going to take to clean that sucker out. Of course, the southern part of the state is really getting hit with this slow moving storm, and my prayers go out to all those who are there. I've heard from Martha (Lifes2Odd), and they are getting the wind and rain, although she says it's starting to get a bit worse.  I haven't heard anything from Melissa but maybe Kara has. I hope she is okay!

We are slowly going crazy, being holed up in our little cave. I have done all of the hurricane ironing, and mopped the kitchen floor. I make hurricane eggs this morning, along with hurricane toast. Dh wants to go out and survey the area, so I think when Betsy gets out of the shower, we will venture out for a while. I am so sleepy! I think my body is confused as to what time it actually is. Sitting here at the computer you would think it's 9 pm!

Nothing much else going on here. I suppose our labor day will be filled with actual labor,  raking up the leaves and twigs and cleaning the pool. No picnics here this year. Wee one is absolutely driving me NUTS! She has been waiting for 2 hours to play the Sims, since Betsy was online. She gave me five minute updates the entire time...."Want to know how long Betsy has been online? I've been waiting exactly 1 hour and 33 minutes. I have watched 3 shows already, isn't it time for Betsy to get off the computer?" Aaaaahhhhhhhh!

I think I will go and get myself ready for our little outing. I'll take the camera in case there are any interesting hurricane pictures to share. For my Florida pals....keep safe! And for everyone else, enjoy your weekend!

A day at the beach....

Well, we are back from our trip to the beach. Seems everyone had the same idea....I haven't seen so many video cameras since I was at Best Buy....

It was a gorgeous day, although rather windy. We fought our way through the crowd, and set up our chairs. John and Betsy stayed behind to hold them down (literally), and wee one and I set out to test the waters. The waves were so big! And the water was like bathwater. I have to say, just standing in water to my knees, I was pulled down twice from the riptide. It was so strong! I kept a hand on wee one at all times after that. She and I waded out to our knees, and the waves coming in were to my shoulders. Usually it would only be barely slapping my thighs. It was quite amazing to stand there and feel the power of the ocean. It was exciting and scary and awe inspiring all at once.

There were LOTS of people there. A lot of vacationers....as they were the ones with the cameras, telling their kids not to go near the water. You could tell the locals, because we were sitting on chairs or blankets, reading, eating, swimming, etc. By the time we were ready to leave, the wind was pretty strong. You had to keep your eyes half shut or risk getting sand in them.

The hurricane has changed course enough that we are downgraded to a tropical storm. We could still get some good wind....but since we put up the shutters, we will probably get a sprinkle or two. Wee one told me that after going from hurricane to tropical storm, it will then become a tropical depression. Betsy asked what that was so I told her it's a storm on Prozac....she didn't laugh.

Well, dh is out getting some dinner, so that I don't have to cook. Now before you all say "awwww, that guy is one sweet man", let me just say I had to complain that no one was helping me, slam things around, and finally, TELL him that it would be nice if he would go get something....so, he is out getting hurricane hamburgers for the family. What a guy....

Here's hoping the storm passes quickly, and we can open up the cave!

It's coming.....

As you can see by the pictures, we have the shutters up. Yesterday when dh came home, we decided to try them out, as we have never had the chance to use them before. The previous owner had put in the tracks, and the shutters themselves were neatly piled in the garage. When we bought the house we nervously laughed, saying we'd probably never have to use them....wrong....

So, 40 minutes later, the whole house was done! It was amazingly easy. You just stick 'em in the track, and screw them in. However, the inside of my house now looks like a cave. I am going crazy! I didn't really think much about how it would affect our every day living. Even when "pc" mom mentioned that they went stir crazy the last time they put theirs up, I thought how weird....but now I know what she means! Thankfully we don't have the shutters on the sliding doors, and our kitchen has some sunlight. I believe I will be spending the bulk of my weekend in there. Betsy says the house looks like solitary confinement....I tend to agree....

After we finish hurricane-proofing the porch and backyard, we are going to go out to the beach. I really want to see the waves....they are supposed to be between 10 and 15 feet. I've been looking at the NOAA site all night and morning, and some of the satellite pictures are absolutely amazing. I would love to be a passenger in a recon plane, and see it all from above.

Well, dh is ready to start working again, so I must go and prepare. I'll post beach pics if we decide to go.... 

 

Audio entry

 

Hurricane Shopping!

Apu: Stand behind the flaming garbage cans. We'll be letting you into the store, seventy people at a time.
Kirk: Oh, let's just beat him up and take his stuff!
Apu: No no no, do not listen to that man. Remain calm. You will all have a chance to be gouged.

I'm so Board....-ing up my windows!

Already people are boarding up their windows. The guy down the street started this evening, after spending the day cutting plywood. There are a few others dh noticed on his way home. We only saw one house with plywood for Charley, and of course a few local businesses. This storm is so huge on the weather maps....I sure hope it decides to take a turn and go out to sea....

Right now I'm listening to "Sinatra Style" on Radio AOL, and wee one is singing along. You really haven't heard anything until you hear your nine year old crooning along with Frank Sinatra!

I made a great dinner tonight. Homemade potato with bacon soup and garlic cheese biscuits. Oh man, it was so freaking good! Tasted like an autumn meal. The only thing that would have made it better would have been to walk outside to a 50 degree evening, with the smell of burning leaves in the air. Boy, do I miss that....Sometimes my heart actually aches with melancholy when I think about my life in Indiana....the traditions I had to leave behind with the weather and old friends. Yet, if I went back, things wouldn't be the same. My best friend has been gone for over 2 years now, other friends have moved on with their lives, people change, time goes on....

I've been having dreams about my dad too. I dream he is well, and can walk and talk and is happy. My childhood memories of him are so wonderful, as are my adult memories. He really was a spectacular father, husband and man. It's really hard to see someone so outgoing and full of life, wither away before your eyes. Whenever I hear this music, it reminds me of him. When we were kids, my mother was the queen of remodeling. She would always be wall papering, painting, cutting out a wall....and dad could be found pipe in mouth, cup of coffee in hand, and paint speckled glasses, listening to old time radio. Every Saturday in a 2 hour block on Chicagoland radio he would listen to Amos and Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, Glen Miller....he had the biggest homemade cassette collection of radio shows ever. The Mike Rapchack show on WGNradio....that was it! I remember when I would go to my piano lessons (from 2nd grade to senior year), he would sit outside in the car waiting for me, smoking his pipe and listening to old time radio. The only other thing he would listen to would be the Cubs games during baseball season....No matter what project mom would have for him, as long as he had his coffee, pipe and radio he was a happy worker. I suppose that is where I get my love of painting and working around the house.

Well, I'm off to iron, as wee one is pacing the floor, waiting to get her Sims fix. What would kids do without their computer games? LOL....

Here we go again....

This time the graphic is right on the money, as this is right about where hurricane Frances is supposed to hit land. I'm a bit nervous about this one, as they have already cancelled school for Friday, and moved the hs football game to Thursday. I knew this would happen as soon as I got all my rooms painted!

The news has already broken in about 100 times to let us know that it is "still on the projected course" and "be sure you have one gallon of water per person for two weeks." Ummmm, my house is only 2100 sq. feet. Just exactly where am I supposed to store all this water? The big news was the line at the Home Depot this morning. Apparently people are buying out generators as fast as they get them in. A load came in this morning around 7am, and people were in line by 5 am. They were actually handing out those little number tickets like you get at the deli, and it was first come, first serve. I went and got gas today; dh will get his tomorrow and by Friday we should know if we need to put the shutters up. I tell ya, this Florida living isn't all sunsets and beaches....I'm ready to go back to the cornfields of Indiana. Give me a good ol' twister to a hurricane any day!

In other news....I shampooed the carpet in the girls room and the hall today. It looks lovely. It's amazing how dirty carpet gets, even when you vacuume once or twice a day! Let me ask something....do you request that shoes be taken off when your kids friends come to visit? It's a standing rule in my house, but lately Betsy has gotten some flack about it. I ALWAYS take my shoes off in someones house. It's just the way I was raised. Also, let me ask what the take home rule is where you live. As long as I can remember, the rule goes like this....if Betsy is invited to a friend's house, I take her AND pick her up. If she has a friend over, they are responsible for the ride. I've run things this way for 11 years. For some reason, the parents here don't seem to get it. I have somehow become the designated taxi driver. There is one girl who I don't mind taking places, or giving a ride to due to a situation at home....but it's the ones with parents that are perfectly capeable of driving, yet choose to leave it to others that blows my mind. I thought this was common courtesy? And if Betsy gets a ride from someone, I always thank them....am I wrong?

I made pork roast and saurkraut for dinner. It was good. I also had peas and homemade cranberry sauce....mmmmmm. Wee one and I love that. I use the leftovers in a pie, and mix it with cherry pie filling. I think I'll pick up a can tomorrow when I go buy my hurrincane milk and, lest I forget, hurricane hostess snacks.

Okay, I've got to do bills and ironing. Later....