She's here.
It's amazingly loud and windy. The wind is coming from the south, so we can step out on the back patio and feel absolutely no wind, yet see and hear everything going by. The other side of the eye isn't going to be so agreeable.
It smells really good outside -- like a Christmas tree lot.
Looking at the radar, Wilma is coming straight in on Alligator Alley.
We're in the SW quadrant of the 75/595 intersection.
UPDATE
I'm across the lake at the in-laws, who have electricity. My father-in-law also has a gas-powered chain saw and is the man of the hour. The two trees in our front yard were on our cars and roof. Everybody's trees are on their cars and roofs right now.
I have to go cheer Mr. Cracker's and my father-in-law's tree-removal activities. It's not much of a job, but I have to do it.
UPDATE II
I'm visiting the in-laws again until curfew starts. Still no phone, no electricity, and there's a boil water order on. The trees knocked a couple of holes in our roof, but we were due for a new one anyways. At least it held. We were surprised, as it's a pre-Andrew roof.
I'm trying to catch up on the news now. We were expecting a Cat 1 here in Broward and got a Cat 3? I guess we'll find out if what Mark Twain said was true: "What's the longest winter in the world? You, me, and a ham."
Stay dry, safe and get ready to EAT!
Posted by: Carl in Atlanta at October 24, 2005 01:50 PMI remember the one time in Central Florida when one of many hurricanes passing through there was as of that date "the worst ever" and the eye came directly to our town, passed by and turned around and came back.
The non-forceful side of the storm affected house was calm and quiet and we had all the windows open (efforts to equate the pressure inside the structure, then we'd close those when the storm redirected and returned and we'd run to the other side of the house and open the other side's windows).
You're right about the air scent in Florida, too. In California -- no hurricane here but certainly now the afteraffects of rain from Wilma with some air scrubbing involved here, too -- it's always really, really great to be able to breathe the beautiful air after a storm. I just wish we didn't need hurricanes and outlying rain storms to be able to sense what fresh air is like.
Enjoy the Corn Beef Hash, beef jerky and soup (just guessing) and good luck contending with the ~cannibalism~...yours, theirs, ha. As long as Lily and Shiloh don't start staring too intensely, you're probably safe.
Posted by: -S- at October 24, 2005 03:46 PMLooking forward to reading your updates.
~;-D
I can't wait to hear what Lilly thought about this!
I hope the power isn't out too long.
Posted by: MaxedOutMama at October 24, 2005 04:38 PMGodspeed, Donnah.
I don't know if you're familiar with Quantum Catfish, but he's riffing off you (& the hurricane) today.
http://quantumcatfish.com/index.php/quantcat/post_wilma_appetites/
Posted by: Baron Bodissey at October 24, 2005 06:51 PMI wish you and your family well. You've the right attitude and it will take all of it, plus loads of humor, to get throught the next few days. I know you can do it.
Posted by: Mr. Right at October 24, 2005 07:13 PMKeeping you and your family in my prayers like every storm, Donnah. Stay safe and dry!
Posted by: kyer at October 24, 2005 08:18 PMWe didn't loose enough shingles to warrent a new roof but I am going to make the insurance company come out and look it over anyhow.
Payback for raising my Premium by $530.
Glad to hear you and the family and the pets are all okay. Of course, we knew you would be, but we just like to check in and make sure. Kinda like family, ya know?
Posted by: Trambo at October 24, 2005 10:51 PMThanks for the well-wishes, y'all. It's very much appreciated.
Posted by: Donnah at October 26, 2005 05:08 PM