Hurricane Irma Sept 2019

Hurricane Irma Sept 2019

There is a remarkable amount of time between the onset of a predicted hurricane and its  eventual arrival.  Irma started to cause some concern early in the week and here we are on Saturday evening finally experiencing the first rainfall.  The following is the blow by blow of the our experience.  

Monday (Labor Day):  I got to play some tennis with Lee, Rich and John and we talked a bit about preparation with no real sense of anxiety as the beast  was brewing in the eastern Caribbean.  After work on Tuesday I decided to put the storm panels  on the windows.  The typical late afternoon rain did little to add to my total perspiration-saturation and they went up without much difficulty with some timely help from Nace.  

Nace has already done a ton of prep work, moving plants in pots and bringing all potential projectiles safely under control.  She has also been busy stocking our emergency supplies and preparing some MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat).  

Saturday Sept 10
Hurricane concerns are wind and rain/storm surge.  Thankfully we have a fairly new metal roof with reinforced corners.  We also replaced our Lanai pool screen enclosure exactly a year ago.  It is structurally much more substantial than our original enclosure and I feel pretty confident that it will withstand the wind.  Sadly, I had to take a box knife to the screens to prevent the wind taking the whole thing down wholesale.  Wet screen turns into canvas in 100 mph wind.  Thus the screen would make the whole structure a big obstacle to the gale and potentially pull the back of the house off in the process.

A generator and a transfer switch to direct power to the vitals (Fridge, some lights and the A/V system) is also part of our hurricane plan.  I put in a transfer switch back in 2006 when we moved here full time and survived working inside the electrical panel without electrocuting myself.  We bought a very nice generator in 2006 and it barely has 30 minutes of time on it for test runs.   I have always prepared it for storage and run it dry to keep the carb from gumming up.

Apparently that was not enough!  I dragged it out to the driveway on Wednesday, fueled it up and pulled the start cord.  Nothing.  50 pulls later and this very impressive Honda engine never even sputtered.  This was not part of my plan and two hours after pulling the carb off and reinstalling it, still nothing. I could squirt gas right into the cylinder and it purred like a kitten for a few seconds but I had no luck getting it to run on its own.  So we have lost a pretty key component of our preparation.  It would sure be nice not to have to deal with the loss of food and perhaps have a fan blowing on us when the A/C goes but that will have to wait for the next event.  Too late to take the generator for repair.  

We have moved everything possible under the area of the lanai within protection of our roll down shutters.  Grill and smoker must be preserved at all cost since that will likely be our mode of cooking for the duration of the power outage.  I have plenty of LP gas and a good supply of lump charcoal.  

The continuous news/weather coverage(hysteria) is getting to be annoying so we are spending the last few hours with electricity watching Netflix and college football.  Watching the first Steeler game of the season is looking doubtful since the hurricane should be well underway by midday Sunday.

Last night (Hurricane eve) we enjoyed a real treat with drinks and dinner at Joe and Julie's.  They are also looking after the mother of a friend (Marianne) who needed to evacuate from a beachfront condo.  Marianne, Ann, Galen, Nace and I enjoyed a great salad and Joe's incredible homemade pizza.  It was a great time and we left our Hurricane anxiety aside for a few hours.   

Nace and I continued to put the final touches on preparing our home for the worst and then took a walk around the neighborhood to get the last outdoor recreation for a while.  I expect things to look much different on our next walk around Longshore Lake.  I took my camera to document the current landscape.

Most of the local churches cancelled services for the weekend but our home parish St. John the Evangelist stayed open for the Saturday vigil Masses.  We went to the 5pm with Julie.   Fr. Paul was our presider and brought Rembrandt's The_Storm_on_the_Sea_of_Galilee 
to remind us to keep our eyes on Jesus in the midst of turbulent times.  Back home for a delicious dinner of salad and stuffed shells and another bottle of great red wine set free from my collection.


8:30 PM Saturday: The first real rain band on the leading edge of the storm has arrived.  Still not much to it, gusts of wind and heavy rain squalls. Thankfully we still have power.  Satellite TV coverage is in and out as expected with heavy rain but we can stream live local storm coverage from an iPad to Apple TV.    

Verizon sent a text earlier today advising that they were suspending any data plan limits in the area which is a nice gesture.  That will be the only option for internet and email when we loose power later in the storm.

The coffee pot is set to perk in the morning if we still have power with a back up option of the side burner on the grill we will avoid caffeine withdrawal in the morning.

5:05 AM Sunday: Slept well, for me, woke up about 4 am.  Power still on with sounds of gusts and rain but nothing remarkable.  I hurried the coffee, taking advantage of precious electricity. Nace had prepared a batch of muffin mix and I fired up the oven; instant aroma therapy.

Storm track has again moved west taking the center off shore. Good news,bad news.  A direct hit south of us would have taken some of the energy out of this taking it to Cat 3 upon arrival in Naples.  Staying offshore preserves a Cat 4 status with 130+ winds and significantly more rain and storm surge.  We are not in the riskiest surge zone but our already flooded lake will get a significant addition of water we could do without.  


A few weeks ago we had 14" of rain over a few days. No longterm residents could recall the lake being at this level.  Water has overtaken about 1/2 of our backyard.  I took a kayak photo tour to document the event.  

Here is the link to those photos: Longshore Lake Flood Survey Aug 2017.  

Sunday 7:36 AM:  After a few short losses of power the lights were officially out at 6:30 AM.  Battery backup on computers and A/V system allowed proper shutdown.  We maneuvered around with our limited battery lighting; my LED headlight for waking Jazz at night and my LED bike light.  These will be our only source of light for the duration of the power outage.  Go bags will be packed once it gets a little lighter outside.  We will put documents, valuables, computers, cameras and some dry clothes and shoes in the car in the garage to keep them dry and safe in the event our roof loses integrity. 

We started the official hunkering down with a prayer and affirmation of our love for each other and now we are officially in God’s capable hands. 

We moved some ice and our survival bean/farro salads into a big cooler and will try to stay out of the other freezer that is packed with food and ice.   Nace and I have always had an abundant pantry so hunger will not be an issue. 

60-100+ sustained winds, 130-140+ gusts are the latest prediction and we can see the palms in the back yard from our bedroom.  Most of our windows are covered with aluminum panels but we wisely chose the more expensive polycarbonate panels for the bedroom in back, guest bedroom in front, office on north side and kitchen on south side.  They are corrugated and less than clear optically but give us a 20/40 view sufficient to see the palm fronds turn into pony tails and the trunks swaying in the gusts. 

We have a battery powered weather radio to keep in touch with the news/weather but it is basically just monotony and I keep it turned off. 

Sunday 8:30 AM: Well just when we were starting to get used to life without power, the lights in the kitchen came on.  I had tripped most of the breakers to the house to protect from power instability issues.  I reset everything necessary to make some breakfast.  We are in a lull in the action so I am going to check the emergency exit gate in our security wall across the street.  It is normally chained and locked but should be left open during an emergency to allow another access point to the community for fire and EMS.  

Took Jazz out for a quick constitutional, cleared the storm drain and confirmed the gate is unlocked.  This will come in handy with trees down, I will only need to chainsaw a short distance to get to Logan Blvd for a possible escape.

Sunday 10:30 AM: We enjoyed a few hours of electricity with frequent momentary drops but we are again without power.  We took advantage of the light and packed some work duds and a few casual clothes, our toiletries and shoes to store in the car in the garage.  This way we will have some dry clothing to wear in the aftermath if the roof comes off.   
Jazz has her things packed as well with a kennel in the car which has animated her for the moment as she senses we are going on vacation and she wants to remind us that we should not leave without her. 

Before the power left us this time, we lost internet.  Amazingly our DirecTV continued to provide a signal with a few interruptions due to the opacity of the heavier rain.  Looking grim for seeing our beloved Steelers at 1pm but who knows.  Our Terry Bradshaw signed football has returned to its position of honor by the TV so we will at least be at the game in spirit. 

Last check showed the center of the storm clearing Key West and we are ~100 miles away so we have about 5-6 hours for things to ramp up and then another 5-6 for it to spin down.   So by midnight we will start life after Irma.

Sunday 12 Noon:  Now we are getting some wind and horizontal rain.  I heard some kind of motor outside and had to investigate.  We can only get in and out from the garage access door at this point so I have a rain jacket ready in the garage.  I peeked outside the door and it seemed tame enough to take a look at the storm drain which was again full of vegetation.  Once that was cleared I did a walk around the house.  Lots of standing water in the landscaping, the lake is approaching the half way point of the last flood from two weeks ago but otherwise the house and roof are intact.  I estimate wind is only 50-60 with a few 80+ blasts at present.  

We are going to warm up some leftovers from last night on the grill side burner and finish off the wine from last night. 

Using my iPhone as a WiFi hot spot to send this message out. 

1:00 PM Sunday:  We just took our first official poop in a hurricane.  Jazz, not me!  Notable uptick in the steady gale.  We are now down to our little portable weather radio for outside info.  The local TV station is simulcast on all of the local FM stations so we are getting current reporting.  Landfall has now happened around Everglades City/Chocholoskee and on the way to Marco and Naples.  It appears to be moving faster now but making land will start to burn off a little energy.    We are high and dry so far. 

2:00 PM Sunday:  Just returned from another outdoor adventure.  Rain gear is pretty useless as the wind pushed water right through my Goretex jacket.  I wrapped up my trusty Fuji in a garbage bag and headed to the lanai for some better video without the blur of the window protection. 

I have to give great praise to Ralph and Chris at AlumiTech for our new pool screen structure and the panels that cover the extended roof and side.  Using a stationary reference point I detect not so much as a wiggle in the superstructure. 

We have confirmed 100+ gusts right now and the current update is notable for downgrade to Cat 3; very good news.  We are still an hour or so away from the center of the storm passing, now tracking to the west.  Not ideal for rain and flooding but we should survive with our roof intact.  I removed a few bushels of debris from the storm drains again but the street is covered with vegetation so this activity is proving futile. 

I am not a fan of the locally revered “live oak” and we have hundreds of them in the neighborhood.  Under normal circumstances they are a continuous cause of useless biomass but now we are compounding the problem with our precious lake by filling it up with more of this crap.  These things belong on a prairie somewhere in the middle of an everglades hammock, not in suburbia.  In contrast, our palms have shed little debris. 

4:00 Sunday: The north end of the eye has arrived!  130+ winds now.  I just got back inside a few minutes ago.  I dug out my old golf rain suit and I can confirm that you cannot stay dry on the golf course in a hurricane, even with Gortex.  I got tired of pulling the debris out of the storm drain by hand so I fetched a rake and cleared another three or four bushels of junk, again 99 % shredded oak. 

The pool cage has suffered a bit of damage.  One of the diagonal corner braces popped a few screws and one end is hanging down.  None of the vertical structure is moving but the intact ballistic screen that makes up our “picture window” was acting like a giant sail and I could see the 12”x30' horizontal beam bending in the center with every big gust.  Back to the garage for the box knife and I sacrificed the last of our brand new screen.  Once the eye moves north of us we should see a drop in the rain on the southern half of the storm.  Then we will get to see what happens when the wind changes direction from north east to south west.  While on my last nature tour I did see a few trees split in two and the entire neighborhood is continuing  to pile up with vegetation.  We are about 30 minutes away from the center of the storm and about 5 hours from being out of the worst of this.

6:30 Sunday:  Well if you have been bored up to now, this should wake you up.  About an hour ago the eye arrived.  Winds dropped to a soft summer breeze and I suited up for my next nature experience.  After soaking three sets of clothes even with full rain gear I opted for swim trunks, which will be my first choice going forward.  I was able to take the camera out for a quick survey and the photos will be remarkable.  Stepping out of the garage side door I stepped into 2” of rain flooding the sidewalk and by the time I reached the high center of the street I was in water up to my knees.  My neighbor Carlo had also come out and we both took a rake to the storm drains which was a good way to work up an appetite but otherwise futile.  The water was going nowhere.  I also spotted a pretty serious backup of water in my south side roof gutter so I climbed up and pulled more of the dastardly oak leaves out of the opening of the down spout. 

I also managed to recover a few of Nace’s wayward bromeliads that were floating down the street, now a river.  My beloved spouse also decided to join in the experience and wisely opted for a bathing suit under a rain slicker.  I carried Jazz to the remaining dry area of the back yard and she got down to business and happily returned to the house.

We got a good look at our immediate area and it was not good.  The loss of vegetation is meaningless, long term, as stuff grows great down here and I remember the tour post Wilma in 2005.  The landscape changes, then a month later you hardly notice. 

So far our house is intact from the assault from the northeast but we have some protection with a wall and tall trees in the front of the house.  The back faces west and now we are getting pounded by the back half of the storm.   The pool has 1’ swells as I glance out back.

The homes across the lake took the brunt of the first round and there are a lot of missing roof tiles including most of the ridge tiles.  Everyone has screens flopping and I am sure that our cage would be damaged if I had not taken out the screen and removed the doors.  One of the homes across the lake has a pool cage that is completely collapsed.  This is just what we can see from our backyard. 

Communication is currently suspended.  I have both phones charging in the car.  I will take a walk out there in a bit and try to link up with the outside world and post this update. 

Nace stated that we were fortunate to have the worst of this happen during the daylight but we are only 90 minutes from sunset and there is still about 4 more hours of this nonsense before we can start recovery. 

Back out in the car with both phones topped off for the night and a late after the hurricane eye post to the blog.  God blessed us with an intact roof and so far no water in the house.  Keep praying!

Monday 2:30 AM: I really thought we would have some relief from the wind by now but believe me it is still blowing.  Nowhere near the intensity of the peak of the storm which was reported at 142 mph.  The rear roll down hurricane shutters have been rattling all night with gusts every 7 or 8 seconds.  I think I slept a few hours but even with sound isolating ear protection it was hard to miss the first roar of this new wave of circulation.  I looked at the weather radio and wondered why it was not warning of an impending tornado because that is exactly how it sounded. 

I have prior cyclonic experience, once in the 60’s when visiting grandparents in Wisconsin and again in the 80’s when we lived in Hikes Point in Louisville.  The sound is unforgettable and unmistakable. 

We were hearing some thumps from the back of the house and after 30 minutes of rumination in bed I decided to do another environmental assessment.  Of course, we are in total darkness at this hour but I managed to find something appropriate to wear, put on my soaking wet Keen sandals and embarked on my first nighttime assessment. 

I was pleased to step onto a sidewalk that was not submerged as it was a few hours ago.  I proceeded to the back of the house and found the corner brace from the south end of the pool cage in the bottom of the pool.  This would explain the thump I heard a few minutes ago.  The remaining structure appears to be intact and still attached to the house.  The pool is full of leaf litter which will make taking a dip a bit less appealing when it gets back to 90 tomorrow. 

All of the measures to secure things outside appear to have been a success.  I continued up the north side of the house and more of the same; nothing out of place, no palm trees leaning on the house. 

Out front I was amazed to see the previously knee-deep water in the street was gone.  This was not expected and I have no idea where it went.  The “tide line” from the flooding came up to the garage door so we were literally just an inch away from taking water into the house.  God help us if it rains more this week! 

So, at first light we will grab the camera and take a drive around the neighborhood and hope to give some reports to our evacuated friends who are anxious about the condition of their homes.  Of course, nothing happens until I make my first pot of camp coffee. 

9-11-17 Monday: Today is the 47^th anniversary of Hurricane Donna which was the last direct hit in Naples.  Until now the local folklore was that hurricanes never hit Naples because God has a condo here.  Apparently He has relocated! 

It is 4:32 PM and this is the first opportunity to sit down since arising at 5 this AM, not that we actually slept but we did spend the night to remember in bed, not hunkered in a closet. 

First things first, I got a pot of coffee made by boiling water on the grill and pouring it over the grounds.  Delicious. 

Exaggeration about what we saw on our initial tour is not possible.  First the sheer tonnage of vegetation that was piled up in every yard and common area is mind boggling.   Trees are split, shredded, uprooted and those that withstood the wind are stripped of leaves.  Lots of palms leaning on houses and a few big shade trees found neighbors’ houses.  We picked our way through trees partially blocking the streets and were able to assess the condition of a few homes of our evacuee friends.  Ridge tiles on roofs were a common casualty and countless pool cages are either damaged or obliterated.  We saw houses with NO cage and found parts of cages in neighboring yards.  Our lake is now above my last documented flood level a few weeks ago and I am seriously worried about additional rain. 

We are blessed to have a completely intact roof and pool cage that suffered only a minor cosmetic wound. 

Nace and I raked vegetation out of the street and away from the storm drains and then set about the work around our own house.  She cleared a lot of debris from the yard while I took a ladder around the house and cleaned out the gutters.  I filled a lawn garbage bag over halfway with gutter contents and we don't even have a deciduous tree on our property.

We managed to crank open one of our rear storm shutters and we are enjoying a gusty day of refreshing wind out of the west blowing through the house.  I took down most of the storm protection from the windows so we can get some air inside via the screens.  It will still be somewhat uncomfortable for sleeping but the past mission trips to Jamaica still set the bar for lousy sleeping conditions. 

Generator update:  My neighbor Carl comes over this morning and lets me know he has a generator but was unable to siphon gas from either of his cars.  I, of course, have a strong position in gas with 20 gallons in storage tanks.  Thus a partnership is born.  His generator has a starter but the battery is dead.  I was able to connect it to one of his cars with jumper cables and we were in business.   We are taking two or three hour turns with it to cool down our freezers and top off the charge on devices.  We have not ventured out of the neighborhood but the word is there is NO gas anywhere today.  Hopefully things will get back to normal in a few days.

Among the findings of our first tour were new "water features" in front yards.  The local water company puts your copper main in a loop in the front yard, sticking up a few feet and vulnerable as hell.  We saw at least three of these impacted by falling trees which explained the weak water pressure in the house.  That appears to be remedied, as we were able to take a shower this afternoon with decent pressure.  No word on when we can drink the water. 

Among the many casualties of this event is our vacation planned in 9 days.  This has far reaching implications as we were to travel to New England with our great Louisville friends and Nace’s brother was going to take his vacation here and keep Jazzie company.   Clearly we could use a vacation but this is hardly the time with impending issues with contractors to get our place back in shape.  Brad would have little comfort here as the pool is out of commission until we get our screen cage restored.  We could be without power for weeks.

I hoped to break this news to everyone by phone but I have only been able to make one outgoing call since this started.  Text messages are hit and miss and God only knows how these blog posts are getting through by using my phone as a wifi hotspot. 

I suspect many have claimed over the years to be within the eye of a hurricane but we have undisputed proof per the NOAA website.  I have a screen shot of the NOAA site that I captured on my phone during the storm and it literally passed right over our little neighborhood and within 250 feet of our home.  The red line is the literal hurricane path and the house with the brown roof at 10 oclock from the "L" in Longshore is our place.

We are selfishly having a drink and appetizers on the lanai feeling blessed to have this experience and looking forward to getting our insignificant lives back.  Good to be alive and glad for the experience.   

Thanks to the many who have posted comments.  Some people smoke or drink for stress, I write.  This is not my best work by far, but considering the technical challenges it is as good as I can do. 

Nace and I will be eternally grateful for all the supportive thoughts and prayers. 

I plan to add some photos to this blog when we get our technology back so check back periodically.

Tuesday Sept 12:  6:00 AM:  I am on my second cup of coffee with some time to reflect and look ahead.  Last evening, we enjoyed the last fresh salad we will eat for a while, topped with grilled chicken breast.  The weather yesterday was typical for the day after a big storm.   It was breezy and the air was notably less humid.  By evening we were enjoying a feeling bordering on refreshing.   This morning we are back to the typical end of summer swelter and the weather report confirms we are going to be hot,90+, with a chance of rain.  I can confirm the rain as I woke to the sound of soft rain which meant moving the grill back under the covered area of the lanai to get water going for the morning brew.  

Coffee was the impetus for a new friendship spawned by this event as a new neighbor came by our house yesterday after spotting the generator, carrying her Trader Joe Honduran bean can, a coffee grinder and baggie.  She wanted to use the generator to grind a few days worth of coffee.  I totally get this- a critical part of my hurricane prep was pre-grinding a few days worth of beans.  

After dinner last night we enjoyed reclining under the cool night sky on our lanai and Nace noted the incredible number of stars in the sky.  Well after the sun had set we could still see a faint glow on the western horizon and the sky was full of stars.   Light pollution before the massive power outage prevents seeing much of the night sky.   We laid there enjoying this rare opportunity and nearly drifted off to sleep until the breeze subsided giving the mosquitos an opportunity to feast on us.  Off to the bedroom.   I had no problem falling asleep and got a solid 7 hours.

The other ironic observation of the day was the helicopters flying west and south of us.  Southwest Florida is currently a top news story, we are literally in the middle of it, yet we are unable to see what the rest of the country is seeing on the news.   We are still able to use our battery radio to know the local info but we are totally cut off from the rest of the world.  Not entirely a bad thing, just an observation.

We are blessed with extraordinary friends outside of the devastation of SWFL who have offered to come down and help.  As much as we look forward to embracing them, there is absolutely nothing that they could do to help.  The past week of preparation activity is now replaced with an unknown period of absolute helplessness.   We will pass our time today continuing to clean up our place and helping others in the neighborhood who did not get off as easily as we did.  With no power and very limited gasoline it makes no sense to attempt to do anything beyond maintain dignity and humanity. 

I would like to clean the pool out but with no screens and mountains of tree litter a decent wind makes that futile. 

We do seem to have decent water pressure again.  A water company truck was noted yesterday and I suspect that remedied the gushing water mains.  We are no longer listed in the boil water area but  will refrain from drinking tap water for a while.

Communication continues to be very frustrating.  Verizon is still king in this regard and amazingly I can get decent data but less reliable phone and text?

The lake continues to loom as a potential threat. 

I got a text from my service chief at the VA yesterday advising that the clinic will stay closed today.  I have not even considered going to work and would feel guilty spending the day in air conditioning while leaving Nace and Jazz here fending for themselves.  

I think we will start the day with a walk this morning to continue assessment of the conditions and get some reports on the status of the world outside the community and see where we can lend a hand.  Staying active during the day helps pass the time and enhances the possibility of sleep. 

Keep praying and love your neighbor! 

Tuesday Sept 12 3:00 PM: Another day of busywork is coming to an end.  Our neighborly generator/gas arrangement continues to keep our freezers functional and tops off our technology which I have now consolidated to a functional outlet in the kitchen. 

I started the day with a walking camera tour to take advantage of the great morning light.  The destruction of trees is staggering with the oaks and their ilk comprising the bulk of the mess.  Lots of palms laying down, some missing the homes by mere inches, some resting gently against homes with nary a cracked tile and a few beasts taking out large sections of real estate.  Many of these will be saved by returning them to vertical and staking them until the regain purchase with terra firma. 

I have photographed a number of trees with evidence of spiral trauma suggestive of a tornado within the hurricane and the worst of the damage is at the north perimeter of the property where a group of 80’ sycamores crashed down into utility lines.  

The clubhouse appears unscathed except for the usual trees down, one blocking the exit lane.  Tennis courts were properly prepared before the storm but there are truckloads of tree litter trapped within the fencing.

The continuous drone of generators is now supplanted by the songs of chain saws.  We are getting sporadic first person reports that Publix is back in business.  Gas is still a rare commodity and that is going to quiet the generators soon. 

Nace has been in the pool with the net fishing out the dreaded oak leaves and enjoying a simultaneous cool down.  Not much we can do about getting the water clear until we have some electricity to run the pool filter. 

Tuesday: 9:00 PM Sometime the best times you will ever remember are spontaneous get-togethers with friends.  Nothing like a natural disaster to bring out the best in humanity and tonight was one of those times.   Electricity and refrigeration are highly overrated.  Galen and Ann had chicken marinating, two potatoes, fresh rosemary and an onion and then next thing you know we are having a cookout.  Joe, Julie, Galen and Ann came over and we enjoyed a great meal, great wine topped off with great conversation over my homemade limacello, keeping cool with feet in the pool watching the sun set.

Not everyone had a great day today.   While out driving and charging cell phones Nace happened upon a neighbor in distress over her husband who was having some health difficulties.   Nace called EMS for her and another neighbor Pam was there to tend to the gentleman until help arrived. Later I noted another ambulance stopping just about the right distance for it to be our good neighbors Cliff and Shana.  Cliff is north of 90 and remarkable in his cognitive function but having some cardiac issues aggravated by this oppressive heat.  I jumped on my bike and confirmed that Cliff was being taken to the hospital.  I sent Shana off with him after confirming that I would look after their dog until she got back.   I returned twice to check on Kissie only to find that the leash had been moved; evidence that another neighbor was also coming by to look after her. 

Just heard from Shana that Cliff has some pulmonary edema but is OK and checked in at the hospital and she is back at home. 

Reports of restored civilization beyond our borders indicates that Publix is open.  There is also gas at some locations but the lines are long enough that you would need to fill up BEFORE getting in the cue or risk running out before getting to the pump.  I spent enough hours in gas lines during the Carter administration and spared myself that aggravation today.

Links to photos on SmugMug 
Irma Aftermath  
Irma Aftermath Lake Views

Wednesday Sept 13 8:16 PM: The sun has set on post Irma day three.  Nace and I are making the best of the warmest night thus far, dead calm still and stifling air well into the 80’s make for another lousy night for sleeping

Camp coffee and some Meyer lemon pound cake salvaged from the freezer got the day started.  We are in a weird limbo at this point, lots of things to do but no resources to make things happen. 

I took my coffee and jumped in the car with an empty 15 gallon gas container to try my luck at getting some gas for the generator.  This was my first excursion beyond the borders of our neighborhood.  I am now hardened to the immensity of the damage done in Longshore Lake and driving out into the rest of the world confirms that we are not alone.  There is only one traffic signal functioning at the Immokalee/I 75 intersection and it takes some getting used to the convention of stopping at six lane intersections and deciding when to proceed.  I prefer having a big semi next to me and staying alongside for protection. 

The familiar 7/11 a few blocks away was obviously out of business with the giant canopy covering 16 pumps toppled over.  That eliminates the customary closest place for gas.  Sam’s Club was the next destination but within a mile I could see that getting gas was going to shave years off my life.  There were lines in all directions of at least a mile with a patrol car trying to keep order as everyone in north Naples was trying to fuel up at the same time.  I kept on going and noted evidence of electricity west of Livingston Road.  I continued west to the Publix on Immokalee road and found a few people sitting around the entrance on folding chairs waiting for something to happen.  I decided to keep going. 

With no traffic signals I elected to return home via right turns so I headed north on 41, right on old 41 and right again on Bonita Beach Road.  Smooth sailing until Livingston where the road was covered with water.  Just before getting to I 75 the water got deep and I saw cars stranded in the outside lanes in waist high water.   Everyone moved toward the center of the road and I was able to navigate and jump on the interstate and head back home. 

So basically I wasted a trip and came home without gas or ice. 

Since it was still relatively cool I decided to take a kayak photo tour and see what everyone’s back yard looked like.  Not much better than the road journey.  A couple of things stood out.  Our lake is still way too high to withstand another soaker.  The overwhelming majority of damaged homes and pool cages occurred at homes with an eastern facing lanai.  It was a rarity to see back side damage on homes at any other orientation.  I also continued to document further evidence of tornadic activity with twisted large trees and pool cages. 

If you lined up 10 of the best lumberjacks and challenged them to drop a palm tree dead center on its neighboring palm so it would lean and stop its horizontal trajectory I am pretty sure the odds would be quite dismal.  I stopped taking pictures of palms resting perfectly on an adjacent palm after the first 20 minutes of the tour because it was so common.  I also noted many palms that fell toward homes or cages, looked like they came to rest in slow motion as they did not disturb their final resting place.  Apparently, palms can fall and nobody could hear them even if they were in the woods.  Of course, this was not always the case and there must be evil in the hearts of some palms that came down with a vengeance and wiped out everything in their path. 

I noted a significant number of neighbors who acquired boats over the weekend.  Most were probably surprised as they did not even have to buy them, they just appeared behind their homes overnight.  Some even came with docks attached.  Unfortunately some of the docks were on the water side of the boat making a dry entry impossible. 

I stopped to chat with our dear friend John Marks.  He and Annette weathered the storm without any roof or cage damage but did lose access to ½ of their circular drive blocked by a large tree.   Again if bandwidth allows I have added a new SmugMug link for photos from the kayak tour. 

The air is filled with a smell that is becoming sickening; the essence of vaporized plant juice.  Imagine what the air would smell like right after someone was ripped to shreds by a shotgun blast (I know too graphic).  That is the only way to describe the smell of vaporized vegetation that continues to linger. 

Cleanup has started in earnest today with the sound of more chain saws joining the chorus of generators.  We continue to see a few water utility trucks dealing with exposed water main breaks.  I have no idea if the boil restriction is still going. 

Florida Power and Light continues to hold to their prediction that we will have power by Sept 22  meaning 9 more days of this oppressive heat and humidity. 

I spent the afternoon doing something I would otherwise never made time for; cleaning out the garage.  I have scarcely made a dent and already filled two large bags with stuff I have not used and never will. 

We are also hearing some reports of looting in some of the nearby neighborhoods and I guess it was only a matter of time before the anarchy starts.   Hopefully our excellent local law enforcement will put that to a quick end. 

Cell service continues to be sub par.  I did make two outgoing calls today, both out of state via Verizon.  Our ATT and Sprint friends are not faring that well. 

Despite the hardships, we are still able to enjoy fellowship and break bread with good friends.  Tonight we grilled steaks, potatoes and enjoyed a fresh salad at Ann & Galen’s place with Joe and Julie.  The steaks were casualties of a freezer in an unoccupied home watched by Tami and Lee.  Omaha strips and filet mignon.  They were delicious and I hope to be able to thank the donor in person for this absolutely delightful treat in the midst of this surreal time. 

Off for a cool shower and some sleep.  See what tomorrow brings.

Photos from Longshore Lake: Post Irma Lake Views

Thursday Sept 14 4:10 PM  No plans for dinner this evening so I will take some time for an early update.  We continue to live without electricity, tap water is non potable and it is a bit hotter today than the past few days.  Right now the air is moving which is a blessing. 

After coffee and finishing off the last of the muffins we set about getting our front door roll down shutter open. It is 16 feet high and goes up and down easily when the power is on.  Our emergency shutter crank is only 4 feet long and at six feet soaking wet I am not going to make up the difference.  I do have a 10 foot step ladder and getting it into the house would be easy enough but unfortunately our small entry is packed with plants in ceramic pots.  So I have a 5 foot square space and only able to open the door into the space a few inches before being blocked by all the pots.  Luckily while over at Ann and Galen’s home last night we spotted a crank that was twice the length and I borrowed it this morning.  The front faces east so by the time I wedged myself into the space the temperature was about 125 degrees.  I had plenty of company; the pots had giant bromeliads with sawtooth edges and hypodermic tips and there were two cane toads riding out the storm that came with the plants.  I got myself in position and commenced cranking.  The first 50 turns were easy since all I was doing was taking up the slack and then pulling apart the slats in the comfort of shade.  Then things got tough trying to crank the full weight of this shutter.  Nace tried lifting and eventually it was high enough that I could get a shoulder under it.  The entire time I was being slashed and stabbed by all the plants.  The shutter remains at its final destination of 5’ for the duration of the power outage and two cane toads lost their miserable lives.  Two hours later all plants were safely returned to their destinations and Nace was happy. 

This took most of the morning and we decided it was time to visit the outside world.  The plan was to find a place for lunch, take the empty 15 gal gas container and a big cooler and try to get gas, ice and a few food items.  Lunch was at Komoon Thai on Immokalee road.  They just reopened today and were very happy to have the business based on everyone including the kitchen staff coming by to thank us for coming in.  They have power, thus A/C and can cook but apologized profusely for the dinnerware which was a collection of disposables since they cannot wash dishes with the contaminated water.  Lunch was outstanding and we enjoyed a few moments of normal life.   We headed to Trader Joe’s just up the street.  Good news there were no massive crowds, bad news they were just getting stock out and had no ice so our options were limited. 

Next I fired up the Gas Buddy app on my phone and located a Marathon on Corkscrew Road that allegedly had gas,  so we headed there to fill our container.  That was also a success with a mere 30 minute wait, albeit in a white out, man-made dust storm created by some crazy mow and blow guy clearing the parking lot of the CVS next door.  I impolitely asked him to stop as everyone’s car was filing up with breath choking debris.  Back in the car I note the lady in line two cars ahead is struggling.  She has positioned herself pump right but fuel door left.  After moving her car twice I jumped out of the car to help speed this process along.  We got the car positioned just right for the very terminal tip of the pump hose to make the connection to the tank.  I pumped, she paid and we sent her off.  She lives in Bonita, house flooded by the Imperial River and her other car is full of water.   More guilt for my own self pity. 

The car and gas container all filled we were in search of some ice and a few staples.  We pulled into a Publix center which also had a Rick Johnson tire store.  We have been living on borrowed time with a nail in the rear tire so I inquired about a patch.  No problem and he wrote up the invoice ticket which was ZERO.  They were waiving fees for tire repairs during the aftermath.  I handed out some cash to the guys in the shop and we were off to Publix.  No Ice, no need for any groceries so we headed back to our local Publix and did score some water in jugs and some coffee cream that did not require refrigeration.  The Publix manager did say Ice may be available at 8AM tomorrow so we will try again.  Sadly, we purchased some ice tea at TJ’s that would have been incredible if only we had some ice.

Back at home we fired up the generator for our next shift.  We still have useful things in the freezer section and hope to enjoy them before the apocalypse. 

Tonight, we are grilling hot dogs.   Relax! These are part of the Omaha Steaks windfall and I am sure they will be fantastic with some sautéed onions paired with a nice Malbec.  The one department that we are not suffering is food.  This is problematic as I have my annual lab work scheduled for early tomorrow morning. 

We are hearing reports of power in communities very close by but the hard line from FPL is still Friday-NEXT WEEK! 

We have had generous offers to relocate but with a dog and a house on the verge of a mold overrun I am reluctant to close up and abandon.  Looting and sewage back up are the newest wrinkles, so best to stay put and ride this out.  

I woke up in a puddle this morning so I may give myself a splashing with DEET and sleep under the stars tonight. 

I am getting simultaneous text messages from Verizon that they are billing me $60 for my data usage and then another forgiving all data sins through Friday.  Called 611# while in the car today and the rep was practically in tears over my description of this event and I barely scratched the surface of the conditions here in North Naples.  He assured me that no charges were coming and I advised that we were very happy with our Verizon service compared to testimony from our friends with Sprint and ATT. 

Friday Sept 15 4:15 AM: Sleep conditions continue to be abysmal.  Working and just existing in the heat does provide a decent level of exhaustion.  A few glasses of wine with dinner is also helpful.  While marinating in my own juices this early AM I was jolted awake by something olfactory.  The distinct smell of raw sewage permeated the air.  We did have hot dogs, onions and beans for dinner last night but neither of us or even Jazz could take credit for this.  I put on something appropriate to wear in the middle of the night on the street and looked for the source but came up empty.  We do have a guest shower that has not been used so I ran a bit of water to fill up the drain trap but I think this is global not local in origin.

We also got another 1.3” of rain last night.  You might be impressed by my specifics but we did restore our weather station that towers over the lanai.  I took it down before the storm to preserve the data collection instrument that sits atop the pole.   The storm drains are once again choked with leaves.  Not sure it matters at this point since the water is still just a mere inch below street level.

Cranky from lack of sleep I feel the need to rant so bear with me.  Nace and I take care of our own landscaping.  Not a big deal, we are healthy and it provides good exercise and some satisfaction.  Our plant materials are collected in paper lawn bags.  During the epoch known as B.I. (Before Irma) we spent hours cleaning out the leaf litter collected under all of our plants and landscape beds.  We have NO canopy trees thanks to Hurricane Wilma and have not replaced them since we have plenty of canopy cover from the giant live oaks in the front of our bordering neighbors’ yards.  We also have a common area across the street that produces an incredible amount of plant litter and the prevailing east wind in the mornings also brings this to rest in our yard.    So, 85% of the leaf and plant matter that we haul out of our yard comes from beyond our borders.  It does not take a genius to see the problem.  The custom for commercial grounds maintenance employed by the great majority of residents is what I affectionately refer to as “mow and blow”.  Week after week it is the same pattern; swarms of lawn services ranging from corporate giants to Sanford and Sons descend on the community like locusts and we are serenaded by the sounds of mowers and blowers yet I rarely see a rake. 

These giant deciduous canopy trees belong on a prairie where their natural cycles of leaf drop are handled by the environment.   So, where does all this plant material end up.  Well aside from the 30 bags our so that we haul out of our property, the majority of it winds up in the lake.  Everyone agrees that our lake is a precious resource.  We spend lots of money in this community to maintain it yet continue to dump all this plant material in it every time a rain comes and floats the leaves back into the storm drains.   The eventual solution when this lake turns over is drain and dredge.  That will cost a lot of money and good luck trying to market your home during the year that process is underway. 

Now we are in the post Irma era and we need to get some sense about these canopy trees that have withstood the hurricane. 

After I get my blood drawn for annual lab work this morning I hope to find some ice at Publix.  Since many communities are getting back on line I hope that shortage will be improving over the next few days. 

Hopefully I will be less cranky after my coffee fast!

Friday Sept 15 6:37: Just when you think things cannot get any worse, they do.  

Of course the email reminder for Quest for my previously scheduled lab work was generated without consideration of the aftermath of Irma.  Nonetheless I headed to Quest, noted lights on in all the businesses in the same strip center but a sign posted on the door indicating they were not in operation.  No biggie, God only knows what my blood work would look like after five days of this craziness.  While I was in the neighborhood I headed to Publix and waited until 8 for them to open.  Before I even got in the store the manager came out to announce they have NO ice.  So far I have struck out twice this morning.  I decided to head home and break the bad news.  

The highlight of the morning was breakfast at First Watch.  Great compliments to the people who are reviving local businesses despite all the obstacles.  No potable water means no coffee but the rest of the experience was fantastic.  I had a "works" omelet and Nace had eggs Benedict.  Fabulous service by a young lady who was undergoing all the sufferings of the rest of us but remained cheerful and unfazed by it.  

Next we were off to find ice and water and also some pool chemicals.  Sam's had water and pool salt but no ice.  Pinch a Penny was business as usual and very helpful in schooling me on keeping my pool from turning into a green quagmire.  

Back home we ran into our community maintenance man who dealt the final death blow to any chance of continuing to test our metal by staying put. Water, which is already undrinkable was at least useful for showers and cleaning dishes with a splash of bleach was now turned OFF because of the continued overload of the sanitary sewer.  (See previous post)  Too many people flushing and showering and no electricity to power the lift station has now overwhelmed the sewer system.  Now we know why we woke to the stench.

By a sheer act of God, our dear friends Rita and Bill returned from daily Mass this morning and experienced a miraculous answer to prayer as their power was ON!  The called us to share the news and invite us to ride out the night at their place.  

We had a day to kill so we worked to regain our status as lawn of the month.  Four hours of blowing, raking and mowing.  We did a few more restoration chores and I finished the afternoon back in the pool clearing more leaves and debris.  

Next we put some clothes and Jazz's travel bag together and headed over to Bill and Rita's looking forward to some much anticipated cooling off.  Good news, bad news again.  Bill greeted me with a bottle of the coldest water ever to cross my lips.  It almost hurt to drink it.  Rita, however had some disheartening news that their A/C decided to quit.  A call was in to the technician but imagine the demand with all these units coming back on line.  Bill thought it was likely a blockage of the condensation.  I got on a ladder and took a look at the air handler,  pulled out the float switch and water gushed out, confirming this was the dilemma.  Back outside I assessed the external end of the condensation drain line  which ended in a configuration resembling a pretzel.  I could not poke anything past all the elbows so while Bill was in the house I took a saw to the pipe and proceeded to probe with a wire shirt hanger. This produced at least a cup of muck and the flow was restored.  Crisis averted, we were back in business with air conditioner on! 

We have now showered, had a glass or three of wine and Bill is grilling the last of the Omaha bounty, four burgers. 

We are again blessed with a respite from this crazy week. Sleeping on cool sheets will be incredible.  I wish this were the case for so many others who continue to endure these oppressive conditions.  Cannot wait to see what tomorrow brings.

Saturday Sept 16 4:48 PM:  Refreshed by optimum sleeping conditions last night we arose to a great cup of pour over coffee with Rita and Bill before I took possession of the kitchen for some sausage and eggs.  Rita had Mass duty and Nace and I headed back over to the house to continue cleaning out our refrigerators.  Nace worked to salvage some homemade goodies that still maintained optimum temperature with heroic efforts of our shared generator.   Since Bill and Rita had tossed all their food the day before they now had ample room to store our stuff for a few days.  Despite some victories this week it is clear that we need to give up this battle as the cost of gas has now eclipsed the value of the food.  Besides, how may varieties of thai sweet and sour sauce are we going to use in our natural lifetime?   Nace took inventory, put our salvage in coolers and I proceeded to dismantle the main fridge and give it a very thorough cleaning with bleach and simple green.  I have to say it looked better than the day we bought it and the bleach smell overcame the whiffs of sewage that are still blowing in off the street.  Poor Rita and Bill have their two freezers packed to the point of bursting but we will enjoy a few days of prepared meals.  

We had a wheels up time of 2pm to depart the homestead and head back to our home away from home for showers and respective trips to Mass.  I went to our home parish, St John the Evangelist and Nace went with Bill and Rita to St. Agnes.  Guess which one has A/C?  Despite the heat StJEV was remarkably comfortable with a gulf breeze coming through all the open doors and it was a treat to spend a few moments with our pastor Fr. John before and after.  We had about 200 at this service and we were on our way out the door in 30 minutes.    

I found gas with minimal wait on the way home so topped off the tank and now have a few moments to reflect on the day before the St. Agnes contingent returns.  It was helpful to be among our great St. John's friends and swap stories of blessings and misery.  Nobody can go through this and not experience a change.  

There is no good news to report from Longshore Lake.  Power is still off with the hard line from FPL of Friday Sept 22 which is basically what they are saying about the entire state.  Water is on periodically but is still not fit for consumption.  If you are not already here, stay where you are until conditions improve.  


We did see some hopeful signs regarding the power.  An FPL boom truck was leaving when we arrived this morning and there were some crews sizing up the trees that have brought power-lines down to limbo level without snapping the poles or breaking the lines.  

Back to continue the bleach treatment to the remaining fridge tomorrow and then try to plan returning to work on Monday.  We threw some clothes in a bag this afternoon and as I got out of the shower it was clear that I forgot something vital; clean underwear.  I humbly asked our host if he could spare a pair which is really asking a lot of someone who has taken you in from the desperation of the third world.  Fit like a charm but I have no idea how I will return this favor!

Gotta go, everyone is home.  Happy hour and dinner await.

Thanks to all who have commented on this blog.  Not sure how much longer it will continue.  At some point I may even read it so that I can correct the spelling and poor sentence construction that is making my high school English teacher roll in her grave.  This is by far NOT my best work, you can peek at some of the other content on Blogger whenever you are in need of a cure for insomnia.  


Sunday September 17 3:00PM: We had a delightful dinner last night, knocked off another great prepared meal salvaged from our freezer and managed to stay up until 9pm.   Awake at 4 I pondered the day's activities and waited until 5 to sneak into the kitchen to make some coffee.  Nace and I declined brunch at Seasons 52 and gobbled down a few eggs before returning to the scene of the crime.  

On the way into our community we spotted Galen walking the dog and stopped for a chat.  He and Ann have continued to grind it out at their place.    

Late yesterday I managed to spill a quart of nasty, defrosted freezer juice all over the laundry floor and much of it managed to flow right under the dryer.  We let it really get ripe overnight and dug in this morning to deal with this  odiferous bomb.  Our laundry is just a bit larger than a British phone booth and pulling either appliance out affords minimal room to get behind them and do any kind of work.  I moved the dryer into the kitchen and begun the attack of the glop that has combined with a few years of the unmentionable stuff that loves to collect under a washer and dryer.  Restoring all of the connections required some Rubic's Cube planning but two hours later everything was back in place.

We finished cleaning out the second fridge that also resides in the laundry.  Just flip the switch and we are ready to restock with things we will be throwing out in a few more weeks as TS Maria is now lining up in the same path taken by Irma.

We packed for the rest of the week including work duds for me since I am returning to the clinic on Monday.
   

I reviewed the start up process with Nace in the event power comes back while I am at work.  Then we departed for our comfy refuge with a quick Panera lunch and run to the grocery for lunch for a few days at work. 

On the way out Jim and Shirl Kelley happened to be driving by for their first tour since arriving from their summer retreat in Montana.  What a homecoming for them.  Their pool cage was demolished and they had a massive oak down in the front yard.

The first truly hopeful light at the end of the tunnel was a platoon of boom trucks and utility workers attacking the utility poles that are now approaching 45 degrees.  The current rumor is we will have lights on by Wednesday but I will believe it when I see it.  

We have had a shower and I am again reunited with my own underwear. Thanks to DirecTV NFL Ticket and Bill and Rita's Wi-Fi,  Nace and I are able to watch our beloved Steelers on an iPad.  

A week ago today we were hunkered down in the dark with a battery radio wondering what life after a hurricane would be like.  Now we know and we have to start thinking about another potential storm with FL in the crosshairs.  Time to start praying for the intercession of St. Medard, patron saint of stormy weather.  

Saint Medard, patron saint for protection against bad storms, we ask you to intercede for us during the storms of our lives as well as the storms in nature.

Protect our families and our homes.

 We pray for assistance for the victims of hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters.

 Loving God, send in more helpers, and multiply resources and supplies for the aid of those in need.

 You calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee; deliver us from the storms that are raging around us now.

 Saint Medard, pray for us!

Monday Sept 18 7:10 AM

POWER IS ON!  Just after dinner last night we got word that we had power restored in Longshore Lake.  Bill and I took off and gently brought power back to the A/C which took an excruciating 5 minutes to restart but was pumping cool air within a few more minutes.  Gradually I reset the rest of the breakers and found the garbage disposal was the only thing running.  Good thing we shut everything down at the breaker panel.  A dry disposal running for a few hours might have been an issue. 

I stopped briefly at Ann and Galen's, lights blazing everywhere but could not find them in the house.  Finally I saw some movement outside on their lanai.  We hugged and I decided not to ask why the heck they were not INSIDE as their house was already 20 degrees cooler than outside.  I hope to get an update on that in the future. 

We returned to our refuge for the night since it was going to be a process to return to the house and I needed to get some rest before returning to work today. 

I stopped briefly at the house on the way to work to do a status check and everything is fine thus far. 

Water continues to be an issue, which I confirmed by being the first caller to the local talk radio station this morning.  We are still on restricted use of water due to sewage issues so no washing clothes for a while.  We had the ice makers turned off prior to the storm and will continue to use bag ice until we can fully flush out the lines.  Not complaining but just reminding everyone that your ice made since the storm likely has some sewage mixed in. 

I would like to say it is good to be back at work but I feel guilty leaving Nace to the task of getting our home back in working order.  At least we have A/C.  We did a lot during the past week but there is much remaining to be done. 

We are definitely blessed to have our electricity back after 8 days, as there are still thousands without power and many in Bonita that cannot leave their homes due to flooding. 

Sunday Sept 24 7:18 PM

It is surreal to realize that two weeks have passed since hurricane Irma brought a path of destruction through our community and a large part of southwest Florida.  Things are NOT back to normal but we are adjusting to the new normal of life post Irma.  Driving still necessitates negotiation around mountains of storm debris collected on the edges of property and waiting for pick up.  There are still a significant number of people without power and many without a roof over their heads.  Blue tarps are appearing like mushrooms after a summer rain.

What is most impressive at this point is how much HAS been accomplished.  We are already taking for granted the comforts of electricity and air conditioning.  People are deliberate in their efforts to resume normal activities with a new appreciation.

In closing out this blog I thought about the things that I have learned as a result of first hand experience of a major hurricane:

·      The actual hurricane was exhilarating-We have no regrets about staying put

·      The aftermath was brutal-8 days without power, no water, sewer backups, noxious plant odor from mountains of dead plant material mixed with raw sewage, mold, etc.

·      Verizon is a pretty decent cell service provider, ATT and Sprint should be ashamed

o   Verizon phone and text coverage was sporadic for several days but we could receive calls and texts from out of state. 

o   Data service was actually more reliable than phone/text.  I was able to upload massive photo files to the SmugMug albums using my iphone as a WiFi hotspot

·      The extra cost of a metal roof proved to be a great investment-lower insurance cost and peace of mind-The corners of our roof were reinforced and the finished corners were certified for 150 mph wind.  Great Job Blackburn Roofing

·      Our year-old lanai cage structure was well engineered.  I removed the side doors and pulled spline from the bottom and sides of the vertical screen.  I left the screens hanging post hurricane providing a bit of discouragement for bugs and critters.  Of all the home improvements we have made in our 1998 era home this was by far the most satisfying-Thanks Kenny of Slusser Pools and Ralph of AlumiTech.

·      Rich Johnson Tire Center’s fixes flats for FREE in the aftermath of a hurricane

·      Longshore Lake has an emergency plan on its website BUT it is mostly a disclaimer about the fact that we should expect to be without electric, water, sewer etc.

o   The plan should be re-addressed with consideration of how the community and foundation actually functioned in the reality of a severe storm, especially communication

o   Future plans need to consider generator power for sanitary lift stations.  We can function normally without electricity but sewage and water outages are not conducive to long term survival after an event.  The county apparently controls the lift stations so some cooperation will be necessary to prevent repetition of this problem

·      I have a new threshold for the number of bugs floating in a glass of water that I will go ahead and drink

·      LED lights are unquestionably the best emergency lighting

·      Joe Bastardi knows weather – weatherbell.com

·      Generators are great when they work and they only work if you routinely run them

o   They need to be stored with gas stabilizer and run monthly, under load to keep them in top shape for the next event

·      A gas grill and side burner are a survival necessity.

·      Your refrigerator is useless even with a generator for storage beyond a day.  You can recharge your freezer with intermittent generator power which basically makes it an “icebox” Nothing that is not already frozen is going to freeze but you can keep vital items needing refrigeration in the company of your half frozen pot roast for many days.

o   It helps to have a photographic memory of the position of everything in a fridge without power to minimize the time it takes to whip open the door, pick your item and slam the door shut.

·      Storms and the damage they create are temporary inconveniences; friends however are invaluable and we are grateful our local friends and neighbors for their immense kindness and help.  Likewise, we are eternally grateful for the concern and prayers that poured out from all of our friends and family who endured this event vicariously.