Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Hurricane Preparation


 Here's the latest tracking map from the National Hurricane Center and it's not changed a great deal since yesterday. 
We are going to get a storm. Possibly a category 3 storm although maybe "only" a category 2. This means that we'll be getting a lot of rain, some very high winds which often spin off tornadoes, flooding, and huge tidal surges. We don't have to worry about those here in Lloyd but the coast is going to be a mess. Not only will the storm be causing those, the moon is also full. 

Quite frankly, even a tropical storm has higher winds than I want to deal with. Here we are in an area that from overhead looks like a rain forest, and with the right factors in place, even the slower winds can cause significant damage to trees and buildings. I just told Glen that I really do not want to hear that rip and tear sound that a giant tree makes before a massive part of it falls to the ground. You hear that sound, wait for a few heartbeats and then feel the ground shake as you hear the tree coming down to earth. 

Rob Nucatola is not mincing words but he is being reassuring about the fact that Idalia is not going to squat over us unleashing its fury for a very long period of time. It appears to be a fairly fast moving storm. They have called for everyone in a county east of here to evacuate and for people in surrounding counties to do the same if they live in low-lying areas or trailers. 
That's a lot of people. 

So what did I do to get ready today? 
Well, I went to lunch with Jessie and was then going to go to a doctor's appointment with her. When we got to the office, we were informed that they were running an hour and a half late so Jessie took me back to my car at her place (which is right down the road from the hospital) and went back to see the doctor. I stopped by Lily's Publix, mainly because I wanted a Lily hug, and got a few things, none of them which we desperately need. Having a generator puts a whole new spin on things. But I had a few things on a list anyway and I got them and because a hurricane is coming, I bought a bag of chips and some cilantro to make guac with. 

Honest to god, I just couldn't think of anything else we might need. Lily said that a group of college girls came in and asked if they had flashlights. 
"Not any more," said Lily.
"Oh. Well, can you tell us where the canned tuna is?" She directed them to the aisle of the store where they could find the canned tuna. Let us hope that they have a manual can-opener. 

There's a train going by heading west. No doubt that'll be the last train traveling down those tracks for quite awhile. It sometimes takes weeks to clear the tracks of detritus. 

It's been quite a long time since we really got a big storm here. And hell, I'm looking out at the back yard thinking we should have put the outdoor chairs up and the trash cans should have been tucked away but we haven't done any of that. We pushed the front porch plants closer to the wall and there are some backyard plants that I brought in including my pretty culinary ginger plant, my new basil plant, and my sea grape. Everything else is going to have to root hog or die. 
I worry about the squirrels and birds and all the animals who do not burrow in the ground or deep inside hollow trees and even some of those are at risk of losing their shelters if the trees fall. 

I worry about my children and their safety. They are all born-and-raised-in-Florida and they know about hurricanes. I think they'll all be okay. And they know that if power goes out for a long time, they can come out here and stay afterwards because unless a tree falls on our generator, we should be set. Our friend Tom is coming to spend the night on our couch. He lives in the woods in a trailer of greatly advanced age and if it had ever had any stability, it no longer does. 

So I think we're all set. Or as set as can be. We're on Lloyd municipal water services so that shouldn't be a problem but I'll probably fill up the canning kettle and some other water-holding vessels just in case. 

I feel certain we'll be fine. There will be a lot to do to clean up afterwards. As I always say, "And the voice of the chainsaw was heard in the land," after a hurricane. Everyone's out trying to clear their driveways, get trees off their houses and cars.

Thank all of you so much who have commented, leaving me sweet and supportive messages. We'll be okay. If we have to move to the hallway underneath the stairs of this old, old house we will. We've got a full storey above us in case a tree does fall and truthfully, the wood and other materials this house was made of are about as strong and trustworthy as you can get. 

I'll report in tomorrow or as soon as possible. 

Don't be worrying. We'll be fine. 

Love...Ms. Moon


Probably the last zinnia bouquet of the summer. 



34 comments:

  1. Stay safe and dry. May you all be safe.

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    1. What about your house on Dog Island? Will it be ok?

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  2. I'll be thinking of you...and gosh yes secure those chairs and garbage cans!

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  3. Be safe!❤️Ricki

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  4. Be safe!❤️ Ricki

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  5. Admit I'm fretting quite a bit way up here Ms. Mary. Staying on high alert waiting to hear how you and yours weather the oncoming horrible weather. We experience cyclonic blizzards, but that ain't nothing compared to hurricane season. Be safe, and boy howdy, get those cans and chairs in. X

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  6. Thinking about you and about my sister down in Clearwater. I have been checking the maps all day. Moving fast and not lingering like the last storm in that area did is a good thing.

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  7. thinking about you. Having come from tornado country, I understand this calm about storms but. Be safe.

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  8. I'll be thinking about you. It sounds as if you're as well off as you can be right now.

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  9. save Dorothy and her pals! I dunno- safe place- a cooler maybe?

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  10. Thinking about you every moment -- stay safe! And all your loved ones, too!

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  11. Stay alert and vigilant. Leave room for the kids and grands. I'll be thinking of you.

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  12. I hope you will be safe and without damage

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  13. Even though we’re visiting in Illinois for the summer, our neighborhood in Palmetto (40 miles south of Tampa) had mandatory evacuation today. Then we got word that Idalia is tracking further north than originally expected. So instead of 90 mph winds it could be 65. Either way, I’m watching The Weather Channel and hoping everyone gets through this safely. Be safe, Moons!

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  14. Keeping my fingers crossed for you and yours Mary but I think you'll be okay because you got your cilantro and your big bag of chips.

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  15. I am glad you have that generator. I hope for the best for you and the ones you love.

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  16. Ms. Moon,
    You & your entire family are on my thoughts.
    Be cool & stay safe!
    Monica

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  17. We're thinking of you Mary and hoping you're spared the worst of it. Make sure you have martini supplies to go with the guac!

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  18. Thinking of you and hoping you will all be safe.

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  19. We'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best for you & your family. It is a fast mover so that is some comfort. Best of luck!!

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  20. Good lordt, Mary Moon, here we go once again. That's some scary shit brewing out there. Hold on tight. My heart goes out to everyone in Florida. I'll be ready to donate when this thing passes. Wish I had more to offer. Sending love, Angie D

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  21. My gosh, I was watching the news and it said that with the spin on Idalia, there is the possibility that the storm might actually circle back and hit the coast twice. Yikes. Yikes. Be safe.

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  22. Hoping everyone in Florida stays safe. You're about as set as you can be; glad Tom is bunking with you tonight!

    Chris from Boise

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  23. Thinking of you in San Diego as I watch the news. May you and your family be safe and the storm pass quickly with minimal impact on your area.
    —Elaine

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  24. Beautiful zinnias! From the projections it seems you all should be fine, fingers crossed. I wouldn't want to live in Cedar Key right about now. I hope Dog Island is OK. Aren't you glad you haven't yet bought another waterfront house to worry about?!

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  25. Well, I am worrying about you and the family!! Hope that you will all be safe. It sounds very scary listening to the media about it. Glad that we don't have hurricanes here. The last fierce winds we had here was over 30 years ago ! My husband had been in London for the day, and the trains had to stop 5 miles short of our town, and he and a neighbour he had met on the train had to walk along the main road, climbing over fallen trees on the way! The roof blew off a wooden classroom at the primary school , though the kids got out just in time. I had to unexpectedly go in the car to get my 12 yr old who had missed the bus home, and drove under a huge fallen fir tree at one point.

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  26. "don't be worrying" she says. But we will, you know we will, until we hear from you again that it is all over and all of you are safe. Good idea to stock up extra water, just in case. Do you have a manual can opener? Over here under the equator a lot of canned foods have ring-pulls to open them.

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  27. Take care, Mary. I'll be watching storm updates all day today and hoping things are okay in Lloyd. Please let us know you're okay as soon as you can.

    I love your zinnias! I've been picking some last of the season bouquets of them, too.

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  28. Wednesday morning and it looks like you may have gotten more from Idalia then you really bargained for! I hope you and Glen and the kids are all ok.

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  29. Sending y'all so much love.

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  30. Thinking of you and your family. Xx

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  31. well, Idahlia is a cat 4 and it looks like it's headed straight for you. hunker down, be safe. those old houses are hard as rocks.

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  32. I've been off media most of the week. It's now Wednesday late afternoon your time. I'm thinking of you Moons and holding you close. XOXO N2

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