Now in these days of political stuff oozing all around us, I ask you, who you gonna believe? In my hearts of hearts I think Mr. Bush has the best handle on the terrorists. In my heart of hearts I believe John Kerry lies a bunch, hasn't the foggiest idea of national protection, and talks out of both sides of his mouth and his butt all at once.
OK, this isn't political.
What I really wanted to ask was, "Who you gonna believe?". This is storm related. The thing is, the weather people really screwed up with Charley, so now they are telling us that a category 4-5 hurricane is probably going to hit us before Labor Day. I say, "Yeah, right!".
Central Florida had her first major hurricane in 44 years 17 days ago and you say we'll probably have another by this weekend? I don't wanna!!!!!!!!!!! So, I choose not to believe you damned weatherpeople! So there!!!!! (I went to Winn Dixie at 7am today and got BATTERIES, little tiny jars of mayonnaise, cookies and ground coffee...I'll go back like Thursday and get bread, eggs, water and some other stuff.) I'm going to partially thaw one of those wonderful roast I got last week and make jerky and I'm freezing lots of containers of water. Bought charcoal and lighter today.
Today has been odd. Yesterday I went to my tire place because the wire on both of my front tires was showing and two different people at work mentioned it to me last week and I thought I'd better do something 'cause Mike certainly wasn't going to do anything. I called first and they said "come on in". I did. They then told me that they couldn't do my car because everyone came in and that I could leave the car over night or some such dumb thing. So, this morning I was there at 7am when they unlocked the door...reminded them about yesterday and got a free oil change and filter and $6 off of each tire!!!!
Then, I was due into work at 11am to be trained for something else...was there till 5pm and need to go back tomorrow morning at 7:30. Wow!
Tonight is the season premier of Fear Factor...10 minutes from not...gotta go, haven't even done supper yet.
Monday, August 30, 2004
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Birds and Things
In a funny was I'm going to miss the downed Brazilian Pepper when it's finally out of the yard. The canopy alone was 35+ feet (or close) in spread. It is now sticking up on its side and filling the back yard. Yesterday we spent several hours clearing it out. It isn't half done, but it's beginning to look hollow...cavelike. The birds are really enjoying the privacy this hollowing has given them. They really are putting on a show almost as if they have an amphitheatre (sp?). Many bluejays, many cardinals and tons of little birds of all sorts are using it. I heard the red hawks this morning. I'm glad they're back, I hope they're hungry and will make quick dinners of all of the rats. With the trees either bare or gone, they should have clear hunting. I hear that snakes are bad, but, knock wood, I haven't seen any, not even our black racers. The lizards seem to have had a major hatching. They are everywhere and in great abundance! Every size from tiny 1" newbees, to the 6" Grandaddys. Ants are bad, all of this rain has caused them to build high. I got in a bed of them yesterday, they got my ankles pretty good.
We still have the hole under the fence where the roots of the Brazilian Pepper lifted the fence when it fell into the yard. Shirley went through it a week (or so) ago and I've been a wreck when she goes out back with me. I always tell her that I don't want her by the fence and not to go down there and bless her heart, she really knows what I'm saying! She has been so good about it...I'm still a wreck!
After working in the yard in the heat yesterday I really didn't much feel like cooking last night. And, I really wasn't hungry, so we decided on catch as catch can. I had popcorn and butter pecan ice cream for my supper and enjoyed every mouthful!!!!!!!
As I've been writing this I've been listening to a thunderstorm go around us. We got a little rain and I'm sorta hoping that's it. The weather has been unusual this summer. Stormier, wetter and very hot. The concrete walk out front is green with mold or mildew or something. Having those trees gone could clear that up with a good dose of sunshine.
We still have the hole under the fence where the roots of the Brazilian Pepper lifted the fence when it fell into the yard. Shirley went through it a week (or so) ago and I've been a wreck when she goes out back with me. I always tell her that I don't want her by the fence and not to go down there and bless her heart, she really knows what I'm saying! She has been so good about it...I'm still a wreck!
After working in the yard in the heat yesterday I really didn't much feel like cooking last night. And, I really wasn't hungry, so we decided on catch as catch can. I had popcorn and butter pecan ice cream for my supper and enjoyed every mouthful!!!!!!!
As I've been writing this I've been listening to a thunderstorm go around us. We got a little rain and I'm sorta hoping that's it. The weather has been unusual this summer. Stormier, wetter and very hot. The concrete walk out front is green with mold or mildew or something. Having those trees gone could clear that up with a good dose of sunshine.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Perspective
It dawned on me this morning that there is nothing in the pictures of the storm damage that I took that actually show the size of things. So, this morning I took Shirley outside with me and tried to get her to sit under the downed pencil cactus in order to offer some perspective. You would have thought I was going to beat her...she cowered and crawled and cried...pitiful! I finally did get one shot of her half buried in the wet grass. To be such a brave little dog, she sure can be a baby!
Everything is covered in a thin layer of dirt outside (inside,too, but for a different reason). I know the storm left a film on everything, but the huge uprooted trees, all of the drying and dead vegetation and all of the giant trucks hauling all of this dead stuff around has really added to the covering of muck on everything. I toweled off my car in a rain storm the other afternoon and thought about tossing the towel when I was finished, it was nasty!
Just 2 weeks ago today our community awoke to unimaginable images of our world as we knew it. Now we have become used to dodging brush in the road and one lane roads. All of the green growing things that were uprooted or broken to pieces have become mainly brown, dead things, and we are used to that too. The majority of people have electricity, water, phone and internet service back. The grocery stores are still rather sparse in certain areas, but they are replenishing the shelves.
This morning our local weatherman told us about 2 new storms. One is a hurricane in the Caribbean moving NW and one is a Tropical thingy off of the coast of South Carolina and at last count was headed south and gaining strength. Wait, please!!!! We are just getting used to this that we have now, I don't know if we could handle much more!
Everything is covered in a thin layer of dirt outside (inside,too, but for a different reason). I know the storm left a film on everything, but the huge uprooted trees, all of the drying and dead vegetation and all of the giant trucks hauling all of this dead stuff around has really added to the covering of muck on everything. I toweled off my car in a rain storm the other afternoon and thought about tossing the towel when I was finished, it was nasty!
Just 2 weeks ago today our community awoke to unimaginable images of our world as we knew it. Now we have become used to dodging brush in the road and one lane roads. All of the green growing things that were uprooted or broken to pieces have become mainly brown, dead things, and we are used to that too. The majority of people have electricity, water, phone and internet service back. The grocery stores are still rather sparse in certain areas, but they are replenishing the shelves.
This morning our local weatherman told us about 2 new storms. One is a hurricane in the Caribbean moving NW and one is a Tropical thingy off of the coast of South Carolina and at last count was headed south and gaining strength. Wait, please!!!! We are just getting used to this that we have now, I don't know if we could handle much more!
Friday, August 27, 2004
Yesterday I decided I couldn't handle the mess in the yard any more, so I started with my clippers and just cut little stuff from the downed trees and put it in large yard bags...filled two bags and then had to quit in order to get ready for work. At this rate, I figure it'll take me close to 100 years to clear the yard, but at least it's action...the inaction going on around here has been driving me CRAZY!!!!!
When I got home night before last from work the large oak limb that was hanging over the front walk (which I had trimmed in order to reach the front door or walk into the front yard) was hanging all the way down touching the walk. (This limb is broken and hanging from a crook in the tree.) In order to get into the house I had to climb over and through the hanging mess...when I asked Mike about it he said he tried to pull it down, but it wouldn't come...so the s.o.b. just left it hanging there! He did cut it off before I left for work yesterday, but just left everything where it landed and it was still there when I got home last night, so I spent about half an hour dragging it to the fence and hoisting it over, I guess today I'll go out and drag it to the curb.
Haven't heard from Helen.
Work is fun (and it gets me out of the house and away from all of the mess). We're doing a study on pain relief. I commented to my supervisor the other night that I couldn't believe the things people will tell a perfect stranger on the phone, and he said "just be glad this study isn't on flatulence...they'll even tell you how it smells!".
Had seafood from my favorite seafood place, Boston's Fish House, last night. Was a good birthday dinner.
Think I'll get outside while it's still in the low 80's.
When I got home night before last from work the large oak limb that was hanging over the front walk (which I had trimmed in order to reach the front door or walk into the front yard) was hanging all the way down touching the walk. (This limb is broken and hanging from a crook in the tree.) In order to get into the house I had to climb over and through the hanging mess...when I asked Mike about it he said he tried to pull it down, but it wouldn't come...so the s.o.b. just left it hanging there! He did cut it off before I left for work yesterday, but just left everything where it landed and it was still there when I got home last night, so I spent about half an hour dragging it to the fence and hoisting it over, I guess today I'll go out and drag it to the curb.
Haven't heard from Helen.
Work is fun (and it gets me out of the house and away from all of the mess). We're doing a study on pain relief. I commented to my supervisor the other night that I couldn't believe the things people will tell a perfect stranger on the phone, and he said "just be glad this study isn't on flatulence...they'll even tell you how it smells!".
Had seafood from my favorite seafood place, Boston's Fish House, last night. Was a good birthday dinner.
Think I'll get outside while it's still in the low 80's.
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
The other shoe
I suppose it was going to happen anyway, but the air conditioner quit today. The people who service it came out...it's going to take $450.00+ to get it up and running again. The coils are so dirty that they gave up the ghost and will have to come out for a special cleaning. It's been 3 yrs since we last had them come out for service...just found that out today.
I'm not going in to work tonight, and here I've been all upset about not having work. But, I'm all upset, I'm hot, I have a headache and I feel very sick to my stomach and a pretty good storm is coming in. I want to crawl into a hole and hide.
I have a nice pot of vegetable beef soup on the stove. It smells good.
I'm not going in to work tonight, and here I've been all upset about not having work. But, I'm all upset, I'm hot, I have a headache and I feel very sick to my stomach and a pretty good storm is coming in. I want to crawl into a hole and hide.
I have a nice pot of vegetable beef soup on the stove. It smells good.
Monday, August 23, 2004
Thoughts
Not much new today...went back to Winn Dixie today. The road I couldn't use yesterday was open. It seems that the road was closed because the county was cutting a road through to a huge open field for the commercial dump trucks to take trees and debris...already the pile is unbelievably massive!
Picked up the three rolls of film that I dropped off yesterday. Caught some fairly good shots. We'll scan them and e-mail some. Got some good shots of the animals!
Got three more roasts at the "buy 1 get 2 free" sale. Am thinking about making some jerky.
Work tonight...since last Friday was pay day, I guess we'll be paid tonight. That's a good thing!
The Orlando area got over 8" of rain yesterday and 4" the day before. Boggy Creek Road is still under water in spots. I've always wanted a pond, but yesterday we had a moat! and, Jackie's yard across the street was completely submerged.
Later.
Picked up the three rolls of film that I dropped off yesterday. Caught some fairly good shots. We'll scan them and e-mail some. Got some good shots of the animals!
Got three more roasts at the "buy 1 get 2 free" sale. Am thinking about making some jerky.
Work tonight...since last Friday was pay day, I guess we'll be paid tonight. That's a good thing!
The Orlando area got over 8" of rain yesterday and 4" the day before. Boggy Creek Road is still under water in spots. I've always wanted a pond, but yesterday we had a moat! and, Jackie's yard across the street was completely submerged.
Later.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Cracked
I think the wall I've built around me is beginning to crack!
Helen called this morning. She was furious that she couldn't get through to her son to get the name of a "professional" tree trimmer he has used. She has nothing in her yard now, but does need to have a few things taken out at some point...nothing dangerous...no emergency. As soon as the storm was over both family and neighbors converged at Helens house and by the Sunday following the storm on Friday, her yard was cleared and mowed. Her entire conversation this AM was about wanting everything done now. I flipped finally and told her that she really was okay for now, but we're not. We need help...I've done what I can (but in the overall view of things, not much) and Mike can not do the clean up, even with my help. I probably should have done what I usually do and just grunted and listened. When I got off of the phone I cried...it's the first time since the storm hit.
The Winn Dixie that I usually use still isn't up and running...non perishables only and limited lights in the store. So, this morning, I deciced to go to another Winn Dixie that I pass on the way to work. I got about 3/4 of the way there and was turned back by the police. I doubled back and went in an entirely different way. Got there! Shelved were quite picked over, but I hit the jackpot in the meat dept with a couple of "buy one get two free" specials! It does feel better having food in the fridge and freezer!
I need to get off of the computer...thunderstorm moving in.
Helen called this morning. She was furious that she couldn't get through to her son to get the name of a "professional" tree trimmer he has used. She has nothing in her yard now, but does need to have a few things taken out at some point...nothing dangerous...no emergency. As soon as the storm was over both family and neighbors converged at Helens house and by the Sunday following the storm on Friday, her yard was cleared and mowed. Her entire conversation this AM was about wanting everything done now. I flipped finally and told her that she really was okay for now, but we're not. We need help...I've done what I can (but in the overall view of things, not much) and Mike can not do the clean up, even with my help. I probably should have done what I usually do and just grunted and listened. When I got off of the phone I cried...it's the first time since the storm hit.
The Winn Dixie that I usually use still isn't up and running...non perishables only and limited lights in the store. So, this morning, I deciced to go to another Winn Dixie that I pass on the way to work. I got about 3/4 of the way there and was turned back by the police. I doubled back and went in an entirely different way. Got there! Shelved were quite picked over, but I hit the jackpot in the meat dept with a couple of "buy one get two free" specials! It does feel better having food in the fridge and freezer!
I need to get off of the computer...thunderstorm moving in.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
Thursday is another day
I finally got the outdoor furniture out of the house, now I can vacuum. I still need to go to the grocery store and still nothing has changed in the yard.
On Mon I made a meatloaf with the thawed ground beef and the thawed sausage...just added onions and salt and pepper. Normally I add eggs and oatmeal and whatever else might be handy...not much was this time...and I usually cover it with ketchup which I'd already thrown out, so I topped it with Italian dressing wrapped it in heavy foil and cooked it on the charcoal grill. It turned out pretty good, a little dry. I put it in the cooler and then when the power came back it went into the fridge. Last night I chopped the meatloaf rather finely in the food processor and made spaghetti sauce...it was fantastic!
Lugged a bunch of bashed and broken stuff to the front curb (via the house) this morning. We have had regular garbage pick up! They haven't begun to pick up the storm debris yet.
The only day we were without mail service was Saturday.
The power keeps going off and on...I figure they are having to cut it off to join other grids in...sounds good to me. There are still over 100,000 people in Orange county without power!
A neighbor called me on her cell phone this morning. They lost phone service on Friday and still haven't gotten it back.
The birds are back in force and well as squirrels and rats. We had 2 good sized cat fish in the front ditch either Sun or Mon? Time has really changed and run together!
Still not sleeping well...went to sleep aroung midnight...up at 2:45 this am...dozed off around 5:00...got up for good at 5:45.
Things I wish I'd had for the storm and for afterwards: more batteries, more heavy duty foil, more yard trash bags, OFF, different food stuff (still thinking about this one), a group of young strong men (preferably armed with chain saws!)...other things I've thought of, but don't remember now.
On Mon I made a meatloaf with the thawed ground beef and the thawed sausage...just added onions and salt and pepper. Normally I add eggs and oatmeal and whatever else might be handy...not much was this time...and I usually cover it with ketchup which I'd already thrown out, so I topped it with Italian dressing wrapped it in heavy foil and cooked it on the charcoal grill. It turned out pretty good, a little dry. I put it in the cooler and then when the power came back it went into the fridge. Last night I chopped the meatloaf rather finely in the food processor and made spaghetti sauce...it was fantastic!
Lugged a bunch of bashed and broken stuff to the front curb (via the house) this morning. We have had regular garbage pick up! They haven't begun to pick up the storm debris yet.
The only day we were without mail service was Saturday.
The power keeps going off and on...I figure they are having to cut it off to join other grids in...sounds good to me. There are still over 100,000 people in Orange county without power!
A neighbor called me on her cell phone this morning. They lost phone service on Friday and still haven't gotten it back.
The birds are back in force and well as squirrels and rats. We had 2 good sized cat fish in the front ditch either Sun or Mon? Time has really changed and run together!
Still not sleeping well...went to sleep aroung midnight...up at 2:45 this am...dozed off around 5:00...got up for good at 5:45.
Things I wish I'd had for the storm and for afterwards: more batteries, more heavy duty foil, more yard trash bags, OFF, different food stuff (still thinking about this one), a group of young strong men (preferably armed with chain saws!)...other things I've thought of, but don't remember now.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Friday the 13th storm and later
Friday night was really a fasten your seatbelt and hold on tight sorta night! Hurricane Charley paid us a visit.
Taft (our little 1 sq. mile community south of Orlando) was Charley's designated bulls eye and the eye of the storm passed directly over us. We had torrents of rain and winds of 105 mph. The sounds were so loud that the radio couldn't be heard even when the volume was on maximum.
Stice I stepped out onto the patio only to be blown back flat against the house. The air was filled with little bits of shredded green stuff that was sticking to EVERYTHING...windows, vehicles, people, fences, other plants...anything it encountered.
Our electricity went out while I was on the phone with Rosie (I think it was around 9:30pm, but I really don't know for sure, and at some point Prentice and mother both called, too.) Fortunately, I had an old phone with a coard that I plugged in, as the cordless doesn't work without power...we never lost phone service!
At one point during the storm I looked out of the kitchen window and could actually see the oak trees from the side of the house bowing down to the ground in the front yard.
Life in central Florida during the Dog Days of August without electricity definitely has its challenges! I try to always stay semi-prepared for this type of emergency with stocks of canned gooss, lanterns & oil, candles, first aid kit, manual can opener and that sort of stuff. On Thurs. before the storm hit I shopped for batteries for the radio, a can of ground coffee, a couple of ready-to-eat off the shelf chicken & pasta meals, bottled water, canned things that could be eaten from the can, a few more cans of cat food and I felt ready. However, on Thursday they were talking about Charley coming ashore in Tampa, in which case Orlando would only get outer bands.
Thursday was a wet day, we were getting some type of storm bands from Bonnie who had gone ashore in the panhandle and had sorta fizzled, but was still putting out pretty good rain & some wind. (We are also in our typical central Florida summer rainy season with daily afternoon thunderstorms. We are wet!).
Work called Thursday and said no work Thurs/Fri and to call in on Mon to see if there's work.
On Friday I gassed up my car, got a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. Then I spent the rest of the day doing whatever I could think of. I cleared everything I could lift plant & furniture wise from the back yard and porch. I put all of the potted plants on the ground either against the edge of the porch (it's just 10" or 12" from the ground) or against the house or down by the chain-link fence. The fence is against & under a row of Sweet Viburnum I started 11 years ago down the south side of the house, on the street. They have made a beautiful 15'-20' tall hedge and privacy screen and did pretty well during the storm. I put some of the furniture in the house along with my two favorite potted plants. By then we heard the path of the storm had shifted and we were now the focus of its eye.
So, I made a pot of chili, boiled a dozen eggs, made a gallon of tea and 1/2 gal of coffee. Filled a few emply water jugs, did the laundry and tried to relax...I took a shower and washed my hair.
And so I was prepared for the storm.
And storm it did!
We lost the big limbs off of the two oaks off the front stoop. These limbs are waist size...some are on the roof, some are down the side of the house, blocking not only access to the back yard, but all view out the livingroom windows and most of the light, and some are still hanging in the trees. Scary!
The only way we can get from the front yard to the back is through the house which is now filled with little green shredded stuff that's been blown or tracked in. I tried to sweep it & it doesn't sweep. I'll vacuum. The green stuff is still stuck on everything outside and the ground is covered with it...turns out this green stuff is torn & shredded leaves. Who woulda thunk it!
Never again will I talk myself out of buying more batteries, never again will I listen when someone says there's no need for charcoal or ice, never again will I make a pot of chili for a hurricane (it grew pretty, tall spikey white stuff in 2 days in this heat.).
So we were without power from Friday night to Monday night...temperature outside is running mid to high 90s to mid to high 70s...100percent humidity and little breeze coming into the house. It was cooler outside than inside because of the wind, but the mosquitoes are horrible and BIG...I wish for OFF!
Just sitting still created major sweat (sorry Mother) - drink water - drink water - drink water -
Sleeping is difficult. It's so hot. Didn't realize how much I depend on the AC & ceiling fans.
Our water remained uncontaminated and never went out...blessings show up in unexpected ways!
Saturday morning we found 2 small bag's of ice. Mike iced down his beer of course & I iced eggs, cheese, lunch meat and what ever else I could
Sunday we spent hours out in the traffic looking for ice...no traffic lights & everyone else in the world out doing the same thing...we found no ice. Took a cold shower and went to bed at 8pm.
Monday 7am Mike called around and found ice at a Publix down toward Osceola County. It took about an hour for me to get there & I was limited to six 7lb bags...that's actually not much. I iced down anything still cold from the freezer, not much, and reiced the things from the fridge. Sunday night I had emptied the stuff from the fridge like mayo, etc. for the garbage pick-up on Mon.
I didn't plan too well, I had only one blood pressure pill left after taking vitamins and pill on Monday and I didn't have any refills left. So, after getting the ice, I drove into Pine Castle to the walk-in clinic to get a new prescription, they were closed and said maybe Tues. It took 45 mins to go about 6 miles, traffic was heavy and no traffic signals...police and National Guard out directing traffic. Called work, no one there, got ans. mch.
We got power back at 9pm Monday. It felt like years instead of days. Thank goodness for AC, ceiling fans and refrigerators! (Funny, but on some level getting the power back felt invasive.)
Tues. back to Pine Castle at noon...some traffic lights on, police or National Guard at others. It took a couple of hours, but got a new prescription. I'm so glad that I know a back route to Target from the clinic. Went there cot the prescription filled. Saw a lot of damage...roofs, fences & trees really were hit hard! Called work, got the owner who was really hit hard at home and had just gotten to the office to assess the damage there. He said no work Tues or Wed, maybe Thurs or Fri or Mon, he'll call. Washed out fridge and reloaded it!!!!!
Here it is Wednesday now and we've had 2 nights with AC...lot more comfortable with electricity back, but I'm still not sleeping. Need to grocery shop - don't know where - maybe the Publix down toward Osceola.
Many streets are still impassable here in the neighborhood and around all of Orlando and central Florida in general. Huge piles of trees and limbs line every road. Nothing has changed here in our yard. I've picked up what I could, but can't take anything out, neither of the back yard gates work and I can't get past the oaks down in the sideyard. Mike cut 1 limb about the size of my wrist on Monday and that's it. I keep asking what his plans are...non I guess.
This sure is long and doesn't even touch on what's really going on down here.
Perhaps I'll write more tomorrow now that we are back on line.
Taft (our little 1 sq. mile community south of Orlando) was Charley's designated bulls eye and the eye of the storm passed directly over us. We had torrents of rain and winds of 105 mph. The sounds were so loud that the radio couldn't be heard even when the volume was on maximum.
Stice I stepped out onto the patio only to be blown back flat against the house. The air was filled with little bits of shredded green stuff that was sticking to EVERYTHING...windows, vehicles, people, fences, other plants...anything it encountered.
Our electricity went out while I was on the phone with Rosie (I think it was around 9:30pm, but I really don't know for sure, and at some point Prentice and mother both called, too.) Fortunately, I had an old phone with a coard that I plugged in, as the cordless doesn't work without power...we never lost phone service!
At one point during the storm I looked out of the kitchen window and could actually see the oak trees from the side of the house bowing down to the ground in the front yard.
Life in central Florida during the Dog Days of August without electricity definitely has its challenges! I try to always stay semi-prepared for this type of emergency with stocks of canned gooss, lanterns & oil, candles, first aid kit, manual can opener and that sort of stuff. On Thurs. before the storm hit I shopped for batteries for the radio, a can of ground coffee, a couple of ready-to-eat off the shelf chicken & pasta meals, bottled water, canned things that could be eaten from the can, a few more cans of cat food and I felt ready. However, on Thursday they were talking about Charley coming ashore in Tampa, in which case Orlando would only get outer bands.
Thursday was a wet day, we were getting some type of storm bands from Bonnie who had gone ashore in the panhandle and had sorta fizzled, but was still putting out pretty good rain & some wind. (We are also in our typical central Florida summer rainy season with daily afternoon thunderstorms. We are wet!).
Work called Thursday and said no work Thurs/Fri and to call in on Mon to see if there's work.
On Friday I gassed up my car, got a carton of cigarettes and a lighter. Then I spent the rest of the day doing whatever I could think of. I cleared everything I could lift plant & furniture wise from the back yard and porch. I put all of the potted plants on the ground either against the edge of the porch (it's just 10" or 12" from the ground) or against the house or down by the chain-link fence. The fence is against & under a row of Sweet Viburnum I started 11 years ago down the south side of the house, on the street. They have made a beautiful 15'-20' tall hedge and privacy screen and did pretty well during the storm. I put some of the furniture in the house along with my two favorite potted plants. By then we heard the path of the storm had shifted and we were now the focus of its eye.
So, I made a pot of chili, boiled a dozen eggs, made a gallon of tea and 1/2 gal of coffee. Filled a few emply water jugs, did the laundry and tried to relax...I took a shower and washed my hair.
And so I was prepared for the storm.
And storm it did!
We lost the big limbs off of the two oaks off the front stoop. These limbs are waist size...some are on the roof, some are down the side of the house, blocking not only access to the back yard, but all view out the livingroom windows and most of the light, and some are still hanging in the trees. Scary!
The only way we can get from the front yard to the back is through the house which is now filled with little green shredded stuff that's been blown or tracked in. I tried to sweep it & it doesn't sweep. I'll vacuum. The green stuff is still stuck on everything outside and the ground is covered with it...turns out this green stuff is torn & shredded leaves. Who woulda thunk it!
Never again will I talk myself out of buying more batteries, never again will I listen when someone says there's no need for charcoal or ice, never again will I make a pot of chili for a hurricane (it grew pretty, tall spikey white stuff in 2 days in this heat.).
So we were without power from Friday night to Monday night...temperature outside is running mid to high 90s to mid to high 70s...100percent humidity and little breeze coming into the house. It was cooler outside than inside because of the wind, but the mosquitoes are horrible and BIG...I wish for OFF!
Just sitting still created major sweat (sorry Mother) - drink water - drink water - drink water -
Sleeping is difficult. It's so hot. Didn't realize how much I depend on the AC & ceiling fans.
Our water remained uncontaminated and never went out...blessings show up in unexpected ways!
Saturday morning we found 2 small bag's of ice. Mike iced down his beer of course & I iced eggs, cheese, lunch meat and what ever else I could
Sunday we spent hours out in the traffic looking for ice...no traffic lights & everyone else in the world out doing the same thing...we found no ice. Took a cold shower and went to bed at 8pm.
Monday 7am Mike called around and found ice at a Publix down toward Osceola County. It took about an hour for me to get there & I was limited to six 7lb bags...that's actually not much. I iced down anything still cold from the freezer, not much, and reiced the things from the fridge. Sunday night I had emptied the stuff from the fridge like mayo, etc. for the garbage pick-up on Mon.
I didn't plan too well, I had only one blood pressure pill left after taking vitamins and pill on Monday and I didn't have any refills left. So, after getting the ice, I drove into Pine Castle to the walk-in clinic to get a new prescription, they were closed and said maybe Tues. It took 45 mins to go about 6 miles, traffic was heavy and no traffic signals...police and National Guard out directing traffic. Called work, no one there, got ans. mch.
We got power back at 9pm Monday. It felt like years instead of days. Thank goodness for AC, ceiling fans and refrigerators! (Funny, but on some level getting the power back felt invasive.)
Tues. back to Pine Castle at noon...some traffic lights on, police or National Guard at others. It took a couple of hours, but got a new prescription. I'm so glad that I know a back route to Target from the clinic. Went there cot the prescription filled. Saw a lot of damage...roofs, fences & trees really were hit hard! Called work, got the owner who was really hit hard at home and had just gotten to the office to assess the damage there. He said no work Tues or Wed, maybe Thurs or Fri or Mon, he'll call. Washed out fridge and reloaded it!!!!!
Here it is Wednesday now and we've had 2 nights with AC...lot more comfortable with electricity back, but I'm still not sleeping. Need to grocery shop - don't know where - maybe the Publix down toward Osceola.
Many streets are still impassable here in the neighborhood and around all of Orlando and central Florida in general. Huge piles of trees and limbs line every road. Nothing has changed here in our yard. I've picked up what I could, but can't take anything out, neither of the back yard gates work and I can't get past the oaks down in the sideyard. Mike cut 1 limb about the size of my wrist on Monday and that's it. I keep asking what his plans are...non I guess.
This sure is long and doesn't even touch on what's really going on down here.
Perhaps I'll write more tomorrow now that we are back on line.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Blond no more
Well, I've finally done it! I got rid of the brassy-blond look this morning...now I'm Sable...not a bad look for a change and it was cheap! I went to Big Lots yesterday for hurricane supplies and found good cheap hair dye, it's a little darker than I was looking for, but all of the boxes that had a blond of any sort were empty (still on the shelf however!)...so I opted for this & I think I can live with it!
Just got a call from work, we're not working tonight or tomorrow night because of the storm. Said to call Monday and see if we're working then...makes for a light pay check.
I've made a half-gallon of coffee and am in the process of making a gallon of tea and am boiling a dozen eggs. We could live on that for a while, even if the storm doesn't make it necessary that we exist on this, it's something we'll use anyway. Got batteries for the radio, more water and bologna (had to sing the Oscar Mayer song to spell it) and of course for a hurricane party, chips & salsa! Think I'll make a pan of brownies just in case.
gassed up the car, got cigarettes...can't think of anything else we can't live without for a few days. Now I need to start bringing in stuff/plants from outside.
Paul Harvey said that there's the possibility the two storms could combine! There's a Japanese name for that, but I don't remember what it is. That sure would be a mess!
Just got a call from work, we're not working tonight or tomorrow night because of the storm. Said to call Monday and see if we're working then...makes for a light pay check.
I've made a half-gallon of coffee and am in the process of making a gallon of tea and am boiling a dozen eggs. We could live on that for a while, even if the storm doesn't make it necessary that we exist on this, it's something we'll use anyway. Got batteries for the radio, more water and bologna (had to sing the Oscar Mayer song to spell it) and of course for a hurricane party, chips & salsa! Think I'll make a pan of brownies just in case.
gassed up the car, got cigarettes...can't think of anything else we can't live without for a few days. Now I need to start bringing in stuff/plants from outside.
Paul Harvey said that there's the possibility the two storms could combine! There's a Japanese name for that, but I don't remember what it is. That sure would be a mess!
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Well, I've always loved a good storm and it looks as if we're going to get a doozy come Friday. The projected path of Charlie as of 11am today puts it just to the west of Orlando around noon on Friday. The radio said that being on the eastern side of the hurricane is not the place we want to be...we'll get squalls & stuff! I went to Big Lots a while ago and stocked up on water and a few canned goods that can be eaten cold if we have to. I've got more candles than most candle shops and several lanterns & oil and we do have an emergency radio/light/fan. Plenty of cat food, too.
Yesterday was a day of fury! I went to get my tag renewed and found out that we didn't have car insurance and hadn't since April!!!!! The last thing I said to Mike before I left was "and everythings in order, we have insurance?". Sooooo, when I got home and told him about the insurance he hollered and yelled both at me and at the insurance company for not letting him know...he knew! Mush brain syndrome again! Anyhoo, he called the insurance company, made a phone payment and they sent new insurance cards via e-mail which he printed and gave me mine and off I went again to the tag office...I really guess it was my fault for not checking it out, but the insurance didn't become effective until today. I spent the entire morning yesterday at the tag office & ended up without a tag. I did get it today. There! I feel better now, venting helps!
Son called yesterday. I ache for him. I wish there were something I could do to help him through this rough time, but breaking up with someone is such a personal thing, and painful, especially when it isn't your idea.
Tonight will actually be my third night to work this week! Thank goodness! Starting next Tuesday I'm going to be trained to moderate some of the focus group sessions. They gave me paper work to bring home for "home work"...it's much more involved than I thought it'd be. Should be fun. I'll be getting home later than I do now.
Oh, Mike found out that his drivers license had been cancelled when the insurance was cancelled. He's been driving since April unlicensed! Not good.
Yesterday was a day of fury! I went to get my tag renewed and found out that we didn't have car insurance and hadn't since April!!!!! The last thing I said to Mike before I left was "and everythings in order, we have insurance?". Sooooo, when I got home and told him about the insurance he hollered and yelled both at me and at the insurance company for not letting him know...he knew! Mush brain syndrome again! Anyhoo, he called the insurance company, made a phone payment and they sent new insurance cards via e-mail which he printed and gave me mine and off I went again to the tag office...I really guess it was my fault for not checking it out, but the insurance didn't become effective until today. I spent the entire morning yesterday at the tag office & ended up without a tag. I did get it today. There! I feel better now, venting helps!
Son called yesterday. I ache for him. I wish there were something I could do to help him through this rough time, but breaking up with someone is such a personal thing, and painful, especially when it isn't your idea.
Tonight will actually be my third night to work this week! Thank goodness! Starting next Tuesday I'm going to be trained to moderate some of the focus group sessions. They gave me paper work to bring home for "home work"...it's much more involved than I thought it'd be. Should be fun. I'll be getting home later than I do now.
Oh, Mike found out that his drivers license had been cancelled when the insurance was cancelled. He's been driving since April unlicensed! Not good.
Friday, August 06, 2004
Spleen venting
I was at the office by 2:10 this afternoon to pick up a check and by damn it was locked up tighter than a drum! What a major disappointment, I had grocery store plans!
I did stop at the store (2 in fact) and get some fresh things...lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, lemons and limes, and fruit...bananas, peaches, oranges & a mango. Reads like two mighty tasty salads! There's a chicken in the 'frige that I'm going to do something to for supper tonight. Maybe something with garlic, limes and black pepper.
I saw Helen in her back yard this afternoon, dressed to kill in a long black dress, red boots and jewelry. She was cutting away at a hibiscus bush, that had gotten too tall for her, with a hack saw! This bush was probably 20+ feet tall and it's a puny 7-8 feet now. Helen is absolutely amazing!
Over & out.
I did stop at the store (2 in fact) and get some fresh things...lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, lemons and limes, and fruit...bananas, peaches, oranges & a mango. Reads like two mighty tasty salads! There's a chicken in the 'frige that I'm going to do something to for supper tonight. Maybe something with garlic, limes and black pepper.
I saw Helen in her back yard this afternoon, dressed to kill in a long black dress, red boots and jewelry. She was cutting away at a hibiscus bush, that had gotten too tall for her, with a hack saw! This bush was probably 20+ feet tall and it's a puny 7-8 feet now. Helen is absolutely amazing!
Over & out.
Thursday, August 05, 2004
Odds & ends
I am truly surprised that I am posting twice in one afternoon! But here goes!
I called work a little after 2:00 this afternoon & got a machine...left word inquiring about work. Stockton, the owner of the company & a very nice young man (has a 3 yr old son), called back around 2:30 to let me know that there's no work tonight or tomorrow night, but we would be starting a new study (for sure) on Monday. It would have been so much more pleasant if we all had known this when we left work Tuesday night! He did say that if I wanted to come in tomorrow after 2:00pm I could pick up a check...you can bet your sweet bippy that I'll be there!
I had the oddest little accident a few days ago. I was putting laundry away & I had 2 or 3 folded t-shirts that I was holding under my chin so I could use both hands to open the drawer and I whacked the stew out of my forehead when I bent down to open it! That about knocked the pea turkey out of me! I sat down for a couple of minutes and it's still a little sore today!
We'll have leftover meatloaf and salad tonight. I made a little salad last night with avocado, onion & cucumber that I dressed with a Vidalia Onion and Lime vinaigrette that's made with fresh lime juice added to store-bought Vidalia Onion salad dressing...I usually add a little garlic and a little black pepper and shake it all together in a jar. Yummy! I may slice a tomato and an avocado tonight 'cause I'd hate to loose them.
I'll probably not do this again today, but I sure can see how it could become habit forming! It's funny, keeping a journal never felt very compulsive to me...this does!
My world
I woke up with a sore throat this morning. Of course my first thought was "I can't possibly go to work this evening, I talk on the phone the entire time I'm there". Then my second thought was "I don't even know if there's work tonight"...there wasn't work last night. I really wouldn't mind this not working every night thing, but my entire day is on hold when I can't find out until 2:00 in the afternoon whether or not I'm going in. Oh well, it's much better than nothing and I do need to get out of the house!
When I went to the kitchen this morning there was a big spatter of blood on the counter. Everyone seems whole (including hubby), so I have a mystery!
My daughter pointed out that the title of my first (I think) posting shows my dyslexia in full bloom...It reads "Ramdon thoughts" instead of Random thoughts. Spell check is now my best friend, it does get a little picky however.
Yesterday Helen, 81 yr old neighbor, called and wanted to know if I could use 8 pounds of oatmeal. What in the world would I do with that? I already have 2 lbs and thanked her profusely but declined the offer. I did use 3/4 of a cup in the scrumptious meatloaf I made last night, but at 3/4 of a cup it would take YEARS to use 8 pounds!
I've begun packing up my craft/sewing room. This is no small feat! I'm trying to toss things as I go, but as soon as I get rid of something it seems I need it!!!!! I threw away all of my dryer lint a couple of weeks ago and now I need it for a quilting project that I have in mind. Rats!
Will close for now...tomorrow is another day!
When I went to the kitchen this morning there was a big spatter of blood on the counter. Everyone seems whole (including hubby), so I have a mystery!
My daughter pointed out that the title of my first (I think) posting shows my dyslexia in full bloom...It reads "Ramdon thoughts" instead of Random thoughts. Spell check is now my best friend, it does get a little picky however.
Yesterday Helen, 81 yr old neighbor, called and wanted to know if I could use 8 pounds of oatmeal. What in the world would I do with that? I already have 2 lbs and thanked her profusely but declined the offer. I did use 3/4 of a cup in the scrumptious meatloaf I made last night, but at 3/4 of a cup it would take YEARS to use 8 pounds!
I've begun packing up my craft/sewing room. This is no small feat! I'm trying to toss things as I go, but as soon as I get rid of something it seems I need it!!!!! I threw away all of my dryer lint a couple of weeks ago and now I need it for a quilting project that I have in mind. Rats!
Will close for now...tomorrow is another day!
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Another rainy day in Paradise
This time of year is always quite wet down here, but this year has seemed wetter than usual...of course in between storms the sun comes out in its great majesty to boil the soggy soil and create obnoxious humidity and a horrid musty odor that permeates the air.
This is another day of wait and call in to see if there is work to do tonight...hate that!
I made mashed potatoes (really good for a low-carb diet!) the other night...intentionally made a double (maybe triple) batch because we are quite fond of potato cakes the next day, but this time I decided to do something a little different with the "planned-overs". I added some minced onion, a couple of eggs, a little flour and a cup or so of 6-cheese grated Italian cheese. Then I pan seared a couple of salmon steaks. In a foil lined pan I made mounds of the potatoes and topped each with a salmon steak and then covered them with more of the potato mixture. I baked these in a 400 degree oven for apx. 40 mins. (they were golden brown). Talk about yummy!!! Tonight I'm going to use the remainder of the mashed potatoes in the middle of a meatloaf...should be quite good!
George (our elderly cat...16 yrs old) is really showing his age a lot. The hair on his tail has thinned to be almost rat-like in appearance and he no longer leaps the fences and other obstacles like he used to. He has sorta come to accept the kittens (they are both about a year and a half old now) and Shirley (puppy, also apx. a year and a half old) never bothered him much. I even caught him sharing his milk with Mercy the other day, I don't see it in the cards for him to share with Goodness however. Goodness wants to TOUCH George! He doesn't much care for that!
Will close for today...maybe again tomorrow.
This is another day of wait and call in to see if there is work to do tonight...hate that!
I made mashed potatoes (really good for a low-carb diet!) the other night...intentionally made a double (maybe triple) batch because we are quite fond of potato cakes the next day, but this time I decided to do something a little different with the "planned-overs". I added some minced onion, a couple of eggs, a little flour and a cup or so of 6-cheese grated Italian cheese. Then I pan seared a couple of salmon steaks. In a foil lined pan I made mounds of the potatoes and topped each with a salmon steak and then covered them with more of the potato mixture. I baked these in a 400 degree oven for apx. 40 mins. (they were golden brown). Talk about yummy!!! Tonight I'm going to use the remainder of the mashed potatoes in the middle of a meatloaf...should be quite good!
George (our elderly cat...16 yrs old) is really showing his age a lot. The hair on his tail has thinned to be almost rat-like in appearance and he no longer leaps the fences and other obstacles like he used to. He has sorta come to accept the kittens (they are both about a year and a half old now) and Shirley (puppy, also apx. a year and a half old) never bothered him much. I even caught him sharing his milk with Mercy the other day, I don't see it in the cards for him to share with Goodness however. Goodness wants to TOUCH George! He doesn't much care for that!
Will close for today...maybe again tomorrow.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Rain rain go away
All I wanted to do was go to the grocery store this morning...Little did I know that it would be such an adventure! When I left the store a storm had blown in sideways...The type of rain that has no regard for an umbrella...Of course the rain was blowing from the west and the drivers door of my car was facing west. When I opened the door of the car the rain actually splattered against the passenger window on the INSIDE!!!! I was soaked to my skin and all the way to my underwear and shoes (and I was already dressed for work!). So here I sit on the computer with wet hair and in my bum clothes and I need to leave for work in an hour!
Mother called this AM...She and her new hubby went on an art trip this past week end. She says she now has a newly found appreciation for the work of Salvador Dali! Imagine my surprise...Of course she says she wouldn't have anything of his hanging in HER house! She's a hoot!
Nothing much happening here. Got home from work last night and hubby had fixed beanie-weenies (from Scratch!!!) for supper...He added fresh garlic, onions and green peppers. It was actually quite good. However, the bottom of the plastic bear filled with honey was crushed. It seems he used it to crush the garlic. I do think this is a case of Mushy Brain Syndrome at work!
Mother called this AM...She and her new hubby went on an art trip this past week end. She says she now has a newly found appreciation for the work of Salvador Dali! Imagine my surprise...Of course she says she wouldn't have anything of his hanging in HER house! She's a hoot!
Nothing much happening here. Got home from work last night and hubby had fixed beanie-weenies (from Scratch!!!) for supper...He added fresh garlic, onions and green peppers. It was actually quite good. However, the bottom of the plastic bear filled with honey was crushed. It seems he used it to crush the garlic. I do think this is a case of Mushy Brain Syndrome at work!
Will close for now...Must do something to get presentable for work.
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