[MommaMia]

The storm is getting closer by the minute but you would never know it by
looking outside.  Just a slight drizzle coming down now.  I know we are in
for worse (around 2 am)but it's so calm now....  Everybody is sleeping,
except me.  

  The camper has 20 gallons of fresh water, we have propane in
the camper for fridge, hot water, and stove and also have the gas grill.  I
cooked saucepan reheatable meals for 3 nights earlier today so I think we
are all set.... Oh, we have a 12 pack of cold beer and a 6 pack of Smirnoff
Ice so I think we are well prepared.

Will let you know how we fare in the morning.  Gotta go shut off the pool
pump now.  We are draining the pool down 6 inches to accommodate the 6 inch
rainfall we are expecting.  That way the pool won't overflow and surely
flood the back porch.
Hugs and fingers crossed~ Cindy

[vjm1639]

I thought about you and your family and all our other Florida members last night as we were watching the devistation in the more Southern areas. I hope you all are ok!! Let us all know as soon as you can. We're only supposed to get lots of rain and some strong (not hurricane force) winds from it later this evening.    Definitely NOT a camping weekend!

[MommaMia]

I thought about you and your family and all our other Florida members last night as we were watching the devistation in the more Southern areas. I hope you all are ok!! Let us all know as soon as you can. We're only supposed to get lots of rain and some strong (not hurricane force) winds from it later this evening.    Definitely NOT a camping weekend!

Good Morning!  Well, it looks like we lucked out!  The rain never even got to a hard downpour last night!  I was waiting and waiting for the storm to hit.  When I checked the news around 1:30 they showed the storm about to pass off the coast just south of us!  They said our county could still get some significant wind gusts within an hour.  Around 2 :15 it got a little blustery out for no more than 30  minutes.
 
On one hand, I am relieved that there wasn't any damage here and everyone is safe.  But on the other hand, I am a little let down!  I love thunderstorms and was actually  a bit excited about this storm but we have had regular afternoon thunderstorms that were worse than this!  I wouldn't have even called it a bad night last night.  But that's not to say that other areas of the state didn't get slammed.  Apparently in the SW there are many mobile homes destroyed with many people dead.
 
Hope everyone else is doing good.  Storm is headed north now so some of you folks are next.
 
Thanks for worrying over us.  The sun is out now and we are heading out to get a free basketball hoop from someone from Freecycle!

[mowalker]

Cindy,
 
You are so right we ducked out of that one really well.  The only damage so far was with Bonnie earlier in the week from a tornado and that was way up on the Northside of Jacksonville.  We have been really lucky here in this area since 1964 when Dora came through.
 
Actually some of the thunderstorms this summer have caused more damage here from winds and lightning.  The neighbor across the street had 2 pine trees hit in the same storm 2 weeks ago, those trees will be taken down soon.
 
We had a small hurricaine party last night with the neighbors and still have beer left.  
 
I, like you stayed up until the wee hours just waiting for something.  Now I have to unpack the extras that we packed and wait for the next storm or camping trip.
 
It was so funny at work yesterday, everyone was so envious since we camping folks are more than ready for storms as we already have flashlights, batteries, gas, food and water on hand.  As well we can leave on a moments notice.:p
 
Brenda
:usflag:

[Steve-o-bud]

Some very dear freinds of ours moved to Sanibel Island a few months ago. We have talked with them, they evacuated day before yesterday, and were going to try to make it back to their house today.

We've been worried sick, watching the news, etc. I realize that most of the time, the TV news makes everthing seem 10 times worse than it really is....so we try to keep everything in perspective.

We've been hearing reports that the damage in Lee County will be greater than 3 billion dollars, and that up to 250,000 homes could be affected.

In any case... we are hoping for the best for our freinds, and all those who have lost there homes and businesses.

[vjm1639]

Wow..so happy to hear all is well there for both of you (Cindy and Brenda!!)  Charley seems to have moved off to the East more than they were expecting for us too so all we are expected to get is a little rain.  Not even the strong winds anymore.  People right on the Potomac have to be concerned about some flooding because we've had soooooo much rain already but we're plenty high enough that isn't a concern of ours.  

Everyone stay safe!!!

[SkipP]

Wow..so happy to hear all is well there for both of you (Cindy and Brenda!!) Charley seems to have moved off to the East more than they were expecting for us too so all we are expected to get is a little rain. Not even the strong winds anymore. People right on the Potomac have to be concerned about some flooding because we've had soooooo much rain already but we're plenty high enough that isn't a concern of ours.
 
Everyone stay safe!!!

Didn't go out far enough to the east! Charley made landfall just below Myrtle Beach and hammered the south-facing Brunswick County, NC beaches pretty hard. We saw some minor damage here, just outside Wilmington, NC. I lost three trees, got a small, unwanted skylight in the roof and listened to the roar of a generator for about 12 hours. Amazingly, after the storm passed, the sun was out a half-hour later!

[SheBantam]

We were sorta bracing for at least a tropical storm...but it was the storm that ws not here too.

I was raised in St. Pete, Florida. We lived along Distan Ridge (along 49th street north, for the ones familiar with the town), we were at a lofty 52 feet above sea level.

Most of the members of our church lived in and around Pinellas Park and NE section of St. Pete. We would have hurricane parties (you can not call it a sleepover when there are about 30 people crowded in a 3 bedroom house). Our Italian friends would make all kind of italian goodies, there would be casseroles, cakes, pies and coolers filled with dry ice.  We never had a cat 3 hurricane, usually minimal ones that brushed by.  My heart goes out to the people in around Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte. I know the fear, but no the devistation. My prayers are with the folks in that area.

[vjm1639]

Oh Skip..that's awful!!! I'm so sorry to hear you all got hit that hard.  That is NOT how you want to get a skylight!  I pray that all goes well with getting everything repaired quickly for you!

[angelsmom10]

I was thinking about everyone in FL on Fri, but decided not to post since, I was sure everyone was too busy "battoning down the hatches"..

My boss's ex-wife lives on Venice Beach (on the island) and we called her Fri AM to see how things were and in the backround you could hear the fire/police with bull-horns announcing mandatory evacuation, but she was not leaving as she wanted to stay put because once it hit, they would not be allowed back to the island for quite a while.  Dumb, I know, but she has always been that way.  I can remember back about 15 years or so ago, Liberaci came here and she was going down to see him and couldn't find any parking spots, so she parked her car on the sidewalk... her comment was "they wouldn't dare tow a new cadilac" and guess whot.. they didn't... guess she's just lucky.
 
Any one know about how bad they got hit, I don't want to bother her or even know if the phone lines are up and working in that area yet.