we lost power again so will write quickly as it keeps going off and on - winds howling now and rain slapping the windows - too early for a glass of wine but boy I will be ready at 6 - maybe 4:30 !!! Joanna

I got off as I heard sirens - fire trucks down the street but too wild to go outside - our phone rings with others checking in "do you have power?" we all live within 3 miles of each other and interesting how the power is off and on in different places for different lengths of time - no one wants to leave their homes to join together for dinner etc - too scary out there - J

I am off to the party, I will worry about everyone while I am away. Stay safe!!

Our only experience that we can relate are to the Earthquakes, having been through 2 major ones. I cannot imagine living through 72 plus hours straight of the fear. My best friend is in Boca and I have yet to hear from her and can't get through on the phone - cell or land.

Thank you for being brave and sharing your experiences with us. We are here praying for you!

Tony just reminded me that our house survived Dora (64?) while many others around us did not - our situation is no where close to that extreme - I do notice our neighbors behind us have lost many shingles from their roof and lots of metal or whatever wraps around edge of roof - and they live in Michigan! Tony is just now going stir crazy which is very good for him since he has been up since 4 AM - thank God we have power and this computer and air - Joanna Margo how is it down there?

We got hold of our neighbors earlier today. Evidently the pool screen just blew out in a spectacular manner. The tops of a few trees are gone but didn't appear to damage anyone's homes. To this I say "WheW!" if that's the extent of the damage. Cheers, Anne

Thank goodness Anne - you have to find humor in some of this situation - we just decided to open bottle of wine, I knew we had several bottles, thought they were in refrigerator - Tony yelled Oh No we have no wine - well some other words too - I went into kitchen and dug through and no wine - I had no explanation and thought well maybe I didn't buy several bottles and I am confused - he sheepisly came into the family room and said I just remembered I put them in the cooler on the porch -

And the important thing is, can he get to that cooler?

I just had a call from my friend in Callahan; they haven't had power for about 4 hours. They are hot, and they have no WATER because they have a WELL. I didn't know that. They have buckets of water they got out of their pool, and are going to the bathroom in groups. Her mother and step-father are there from Daytona, plus my friend, her husband and two teen-agers.

Well Joanna,

I was just about to suggest that it was past "wine time," but glad you've started! I suppose some moderation might be in order in case of reacting to an emergency, but I'd be tempted to Really enjoy myself considering the stress you all have been under! Hope conditions improve soon!!

Kathy you are right we have to be on our toes so will have to watch wine intake - old ancient oak tree uprooted about a mile down the street root ball over 12 ft tall - that is what I worry about and tornadoes - it has been a long day and sounds like we are in it for the night - thank goodness I have you all to chat with - Pam your friends in Callahan must be suffering with no air - I am afraid to say that for fear we will lose ours - so far an hour was the longest without power - friend called and said he has an egret in his backyard hanging on to a tree limb for dear life - bird hasn't moved in 5 hours - Joanna

Do all those reptiles go home after the storm? I'd never leave my house...

Marc, how come your area of FLA hasn't any snakes?

As bad as things are, at least I haven't heard of any lost lives. That's something to be thankful for. Think of the folks in Russia. That's true loss. Loss of life not things.

There are some stories so painful it is hard to watch them - my heart went out to the Russian people who experienced this cruel tragedy - talk about getting your priorities straight - we have NO problems down here - joanna

Throughout the world there are problems of different proportions. We all need to be reminded to focus on the monumental ones and let the small ones, of littler consequence, go.

Tragedies such as the one just experienced in Russia put so much into perspective in our lives. The tragedies sustained from Frances are strong and powerful, as well. No less of a tragedy in many cases, unfortunately.

Stuff can always be replaced. Human lives cannot.

Denise you so right - Tony and I have no problems but NOT the story for thousands in Florida - at times I wonder how the human spirit endures these events? Joanna

All true, but I know how scary all of this has been and still is for you! The worst tragedy always seems to be the one YOU are in the middle of!

Just checking in....I wrote a report a while ago but it got lost in the internet void.

We've had a dark and rainy afternoon but nothing like the things that Joanna and Marc have talked about.

We feel so lucky - three weeks ago Charlie passed south of our home, just 50 miles away - today Frances passed 60 miles north. We can not guess the reason nature is so random, we can only thank God that there was no serious damage here. Many others in Florida will need help with rebuilding.

Margo,

You and Tom have been blessed with so much! That's wonderful news!

Andi, we have snakes, just none congregated by my door. However, it looks like we have had an armadillo take up "permanent" residence by our front door. My research project for this week is to figure out how to get rid of armadillos as they are very destructive animals.

My magnolia that I thought was saved is now worse off than before. If this keeps up, we are not going to have any trees on our property.

Joanna, hang in there. The advantage of Charley was that the winds only lasted a couple of hours. This has been a long couple of days. Those root balls can be damaging when they are ripped up. A neighbor of my sister in law in Oviedo had the root ball rip out all of the plumbing to the house. They were forced out by the county as they had no indoor plumbing.

Marc...do you have broadband back yet?

Denise....we're really are greatful for our good fortune - thank you for your kind words.

It just started raining here again, much harder than anytime today - the eye wall must be out over the gulf now - they said the speed of the wind might pick up again but at least we're on the back side of the storm now.

Hope everyone has a safe night - preferrably with electricity!

Happy to hear from you Margo, and glad to hear yo u are seemingly OK! Keep us posted please!

Margo, no. Last time it took six days. There was quite a lot of people at Blockbuster after Charley. Hopefully they do better this time or I may switch to satellite.

My friend got her electricity (and water) back not too long after she called me, so all is well in
Callahan.

Last year we had hurricane-force straightline winds (in excess of 100 mph) for about an hour or so. The damage was devastating; there are still homes here that haven't been totally repaired. I can't imagine having it for hours on end.

Pam, I'm with you on that. Since I live at the ocean, I've been in many hurricanes, but never one that was moving so slowly. Sounds like our Florida friends have escaped with more minor annoyances, rather than real damage. But I hope Marc's magnolia will survive. I love magnolias!

Olivia...I love magnolia as well - I did several watercolors last spring - they have such beautiful flowers!

I am glad everyone seems to be hanging in!

Poor Marc, I know dial-up must be driving you nuts! Let's just hope your cable company isn't as bad as mine :(
I had no idea that there are armadillos in Florida?? :eek: You people in the sunshine state have some whack critters, those palmetto bugs are weird enough!

Margo, love your watercolor!

Margo,

Your watercolor is very lovely!

Glad to hear everyone's safe.

Margo, your magnolias are beautiful!

Margo - that's gorgeous! Glad to hear that everybody's hanging in there!

Masaki

The watercolor is lovely.

I thought armadillos were only in Texas and were these flat things in highways..no idea they were so destructive. I guess they are the groundhogs of the south.

Seems everyone is safe and getting back to normal?

Good morning....if only we could say things were normal.

Last night after we thought the worst was over, we lost power - it just came back on. We are now having winds stronger than anything we had on Sunday and there are tornado warnings all around us.

Yesterday the water was literally drawn out of Tampa Bay - people were walking across what is normally water - this morning it's flooding with tidal surge. The backlash of the storm is amazing.

Most Floridians are now saying enough already but one announcer just said that the real problem might be if the east coast residents go home today or tomorrow they may be asked to leave again within 36 hours if Ivan's course is directed towards the state.

I've only lived here for 17 years but never have we seen anything like the last 3 weeks. Can't wait for November 1st - THE END OF HURRICANE SEASON!

ps...first thing I did when the power came on - made the coffee! Maybe I'm having a caffine moment!

Margo, Marc et al: glad to hear you hanging in there. I don't know how you handle two hurricanes in a row....with a third one lurking nearby. (Although I like the wine/caffeine thing that Margo has going.) Looks like most of Florida will be without power for days. Remember - the biggest dangers may be outside. Please, please,please be careful!

Just read in this mornings paper the Ocean Grill in Vero Beach is gone! Our family has been eating there for years, birthday and anniversary celebrations. This made me sad.
Sister in Melbourne is out of touch, no phones so I hope all is well.
I am sick of hearing the name "Frances"

I finally spoke to my friend in Boca. Her house fared okay but she is without power. Her parents also in Boca, have power and no damage at all. All the trees in her subdivision (Broken Sound) seem damaged - some to the point of having pulled up the sidewalks. Debris is everywhere. She (who moved to get away from our Earthquakes) said there is so much devastation. We are all counting our blessings that everyone is okay. Things can be replaced.

The sun is out!!!! First sight of it in several days, still very windy. Thank God we are all okay, I cannot imagine the people on the southwest coast and inland. They have to be at wit's end. The cities in our area were very well prepared, the evacuations, etc. Most city officials went over to Punta Gorda afterwards and learned of all the mistakes that were made. Everyone was more aware and better prepared this time.
Okay now IVAN. Approaching Barbados tomorrow. Supposedly a front will keep it away from us all :(

Kimmi....our skies are starting to lighten now too!

Glad you're OK!

We are all learning alot about hurricanes - someone on TV suggested we sit down right away and make a list of the things we used, and the things we wish we would have had on hand - I told Tom I want a LP generator - the kind that switches on as soon as the lights go out - he suggested moving north instead - always a sense of humor at our house.

Margo, I spoke too soon, now it's raining. This Frances is a little jokester :mad: Glad you made it through! John has been eyeing the Gentac system since Charley. That's the one at Home Depot that you just flip a switch and it runs EVERYTHING (most importantly, central AC). I told him maybe in our new home (that won't be built for another 8yrs or so). For now, just a little generator that will run a portable or window AC and alternately run the frig. They are nowhere to be found right now. We have the advantage of "moving in" to the PD, if necessary. But, I can't leave my two puppies alone. John suggest with our new home, buy the rolldown (Rolladen's) shutters. Push the button and GO!! We'll have to find a condo away from the east/gulf coast........maybe VEGAS :D :D :D

Glad everyone on the East coast and central Florida is ok! Lots of wind and some very heavy rain here in Venice. Worst of it was last night into early this am. Didn't lose power, thank heavens! Glad you got yours back, Margo.....

Joanna - my parents live in Ponte Vedra Beach and lost their power last night. Had not come back on when I spoke to my Mom around noon.....

Claudia

I cannot believe that the people in Florida are looking at yet another hurricane headed your way. This must be something like an occurence once in a century?? Our hopes and prayers go out to all of you ...

Masaki

We had plenty of rain and tornadoes today. We took mom in law back to her house this morning. The squalls were intense. Then, after no luck finding a restaurant with power to get lunch, we gave up and went home. I went to airport early; lines were out the door. Airport kept closing and reopening; primarily due to two tornadoe warnings very close to airport. I actually made it on an earlier flight (not all seats filled) and am in DC early, too. Atlanta airport was having pretty high winds due to the storm.

Has anyone heard from Betty? Indialantic got hit pretty hard.

Glad Frances is over. I'm not worried too much about Ivan. It seems more on a path to hit the Keys or just enter the gulf.

By the way, what should we call our greenbelt that has lost almost all of it's trees?