Florida roll calls

[ReNae Stueve]

I'm checking in and asking my fellow Floridians if they are safe and sound.

We had a hurricane/storm last night. As far in as Orlando where my home is, the winds were hitting 100MPH plus.

I faired well, just a few trees and shingles lighter than I was yesterday. How are the rest of you?

[Cynthia Daniel]

All is fine here. We didn't even get any good storms after taping all the windows and setting up my safe room. Very lucky here since we were due for a direct hit.

[Holly Snyder]

When we woke up at 5am Saturday and saw the latest predicted forecast it was headed right over our house. Although we didn't have to evacuate as we are in zone D (they evacuated zone A, B and C), we're only 1.8 miles from the water in Tampa Bay. Finally getting apprehensive, we headed to Lowe's (the first Lowe's we went to was sold out) to get plywood for our sliding glass doors and a few windows. As far as we could see, we were the only people in a few block vicinity to do any boarding/taping of windows, and were feeling a little silly about it. In the end however, we barely got any rain at all. The thing is, if it had hit as a strong Category 4 (originally it was to be barely a Cat. 3), none of us would have our roofs intact. Lesson learned? Although I don't know what anyone could have done at that point.

I feel for those people who ended up in the path of the hurricane. After talking to several neighbors with relatives and friends in the Punta Gorda area, I guess the damage is quite severe. Much more than the mobile home devastation the news was showing. Perhaps the news crews weren't being let in (or couldn't get in) to show the houses that were leveled.

ReNae - one would have never suspected the hurricane would hold together all the way through to Orlando. Incredible. Sorry to hear about the damage to your house.

Cynthia - you must have a house built after Andrew to have a safe room? Or did you add it in later? Good for you!

The power of mother nature can be mind boggling.

Holly

[Cynthia Daniel]

Holly,

No, not built after Andrew. It's a safe room in the sense that it's in the interior of the house with no windows and is downstairs. Basically, it's my dressing room / bathroom, but it's quite large. Big enought for at least 3-4 people to even lay down and get some sleep - if one could do that.

Actually, I was thinking of taking into the safe room my girlfriend's bottle of wine and her carrot cake that she left in my frig during her last visit. I rarely, rarely drink or eat sweets - but this seemed to be the occasion for it. If I were going to die, why not have some last moments of unguilty pleasure?

[Kimberly Dow]

Cynthia, after reading that post I want to go and take you out for a drink and desert. No death threat needed for me! (Of course, your hips are most likely smaller than mine

[Cynthia Daniel]

I guarantee you my hips are NOT smaller than yours. And, the hurricane is passed, so I can't use that as an excuse.

[Kimberly Dow]

Don't count on it! Where you rarely eat sweets - I live on them. If we ever meet in person at one of those portrait events we can share a bottle of wine and whine about our hips.

[Holly Snyder]

One needs brain food every once in a while. While that used to be the candy we would buy before study sessions in college, it's now upgraded to homemade cakes and the like to provide fuel for painting sessions and forum administration.

[ReNae Stueve]

9/3/04 Well, we are about 10 hours from the worst storm in like 100 years here in Florida. Let's all check in again as we can. In the mean time. My hope and prayers are with each and every one of us in the path of this storm.

My paints and brushes are in a safe place. (I guess) So I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

[Cynthia Daniel]

ReNae,

Aren't you close to Orlando? Or is that Winter Park? If so, you're in a worse place than me. Stay safe.

And, then we have to keep an eye out for Ivan that's already brewing in the Atlantic.