We're back under a Hurricane Watch and may have an eventful weekend. Naturally, Texas holds the record for the most hurricane hits in one season - four in 1886. They should hold on to the record, as they're a big, proud state and have earned it. We don't want to steal their thunder.
By now, Governor Bush must be getting misty when he eyes Chattahoochee on the map: "Rest, yes. Rest and rainbows. And butterflies."
UPDATE:
"... I feel like I'm Bill Murray in Ground Hog Day."
- Governor Bush
UPDATE II:
If this is Friday, it must mean that I gas up the car and buy hurricane supplies.
At 5:00 they'll go to Hurricane Warning. The gas lines were interesting, and neither Publix nor Walgreen would do cash-back on debit cards.
I have a pile of branches out front that I know Mr. Cracker will want us to bag and store in the garage when he comes home. They've been out there all week and haven't been picked up. The broken-in-two palm is still hanging in the air next to my house. They say the trash/landscaping people have been dealing with three-year's-worth of debris in the last month. In Lee County, they're burning trash 24/7.
Sadly, there's been quite a few people killed in their homes by fire because the firemen were hindered by hurricane shutters. Leave a couple of exits, y'all.
An employee directs cars lined up to buy gasoline at the Costco membership warehouse in Altamonte Springs, Fla., on Sept. 24, as residents prepare for Hurricane Jeanne.
UPDATE III:
Eye of the Storm has set aside his schoolwork nonsense and is back on track for a direct hit on some hurricane analysis blogging. I'm glad to hear it.
I get a hurricane day off tomorrow. Mandatory evacuation is in effect and the shelters are opening tonight.
For those of you out of station range, here's some live streaming Bryan "Hurricane" Norcross on your desktop. Finally, something on CBS worth watching.
Here's a quiz: What's wrong with this cartoon?
Putting up shutters on South Dixie Highway
Newspapers covering Jeanne: Palm Beach Post, Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald.
The officials in the town I live in here in Broward took time out their busy day to pass an ordinance that imposes a $250 fine for leaving your hurricane shutters up 10 days past a storm. I don't know where they've been the past six weeks.
Posted by floridacracker at September 24, 2004 08:33 AMWe got it pretty good from Ivan, even up here (though NOTHING like the panhandle and L.A.).
Why in the world would Fla go and name it's assylum after Georgia's once-prettiest river? Could y'all have put that place any closer to the border??? We've got enough problems up here having to play host to Atlanta!
Posted by: Carl in Atlanta at September 24, 2004 04:52 PMChecking in...
Posted by: Charles Fenwick at September 24, 2004 05:32 PMYay, Charles! Jeanne's got a wobbly eye. Will it wobble at me or not?
Posted by: Donnah at September 24, 2004 06:15 PMCarl, if you get a chance, rent the movie "Chattahoochee" with a young Gary Oldman. You never know he's British when he's in an American movie, but my goodness, he was a young unknown when he made this one and I thought he was from here, his accent was so good.
When Chattahoochee was founded, most of Florida's population was up that way.
When you think Chattahoochee you think "river", but we just think "nuthouse", which makes the Alan Jackson song kind of amusing.
My sympathy goes out to all of the crackers. It just seems unreal that Fl has been hit over and over. I slept through Ivan to find out I lived in the worst hit county in NC. I pray for all of the people in it's path that it is only worldly goods that are lost. We had 5 deaths- a couple who came from Pensacola for safety, a 3 year old boy, his unborn sibling and his grandmother. The boys mother is in critical condition. Take all precautions and be safe.
Posted by: Pat in NC at September 24, 2004 07:49 PMThank you, Pat.
Posted by: Donnah at September 25, 2004 11:42 AM