Here we go again?!!

It's hurricane season once again...not that it hasn't been hurricane season since May, but we have our first possibility of a storm that may be hitting us this week. When warnings were issued in past years, I just kinda smirked and thought, "Whatever" because nothing substantial ever happened...but then we had the infamous (at least in FL) 2004 hurricane season. We had 5 hurricanes that hit us that year, Charley, Jeanne, Ivan, Bonnie, and Frances......Awful! We got the most damage from Charley and Frances...debris everywhere, we lost our fence, neighbors had trees uprooted and worst of all (in my opinion) was no electricity for 5 days. 5 days+ no AC+ Florida in August= miserable!! You start off thinking, "oh it's not too bad, we'll be just fine", but by the 3rd and 4th day, you are a stark, raving mad woman with crazy hair, crazy eyes, crazy everything. I remember after Katrina hit New Orleans seeing a mom with a baby being interviewed the first day, she was chipper, all ready to go for this adventure. They found her 5 days later, and she was that aforementioned crazed woman. I remember thinking, "I know just what you're feeling sister!"

(do you see how Ivan and Jeanne actually left and then came back again?! WTF!!!)

The shortages are another thing that sucks...gas starts going before the storm hits because people stockpile for their cars, generators, and who knows what else. So the stations that still have gas after the storm have lines for miles. No big deal right?! Wrong! because of debris fields and the fact the ports where the gas come in are closed, gas deliveries may be a week or two out. Does your state ever have plywood shortages?! Florida does...everyone becomes a madman trying to get plywood to board up their windows...Florida looks pretty ugly preparing for a storm! And the big ticket item, GENERATORS...the neighborhood fills with the sound of constantly running motors from these God-sends!! But good luck finding these little beauties prior to or after a storm...We got our generator (finally) after Frances hit. The kids and I had escaped to Delaware. My sister flew into Orlando to come get us (isn't she awesome?!); she was probably one of 3 people flying into Orlando at that time!!! Up in Delaware, I started calling all around to find a generator to drive back down to Florida. The response at all the stores, "we are all out of generators" - Whaat?! "we've had to ship them all down to Florida". After pleading my case (using my seemingly permanent crazed-woman mannerisms) I tracked one down in Philadelphia. It was so worth it!! We actually wanted more hurricanes to hit so we could use that bad boy!!

Since our hurricane season from Hell, the local news goes ape shit if there is something brewing off the Canary Islands (yes, I now know where the hurricanes originate from, I know what NOAA stands for and I have their website as a "favorite" on my computer", I've gotten to know Jim Cantore from the weather channel and if he says something is coming, I believe it!!, I get the joke, "If Jim Cantore is reporting from your home town, you better leave"). So currently, we have Tropical Storm Fay (that's right tropical storm) that's right about at Cuba and our governor, has called a state of emergency for Florida...Huh?! It's not even scheduled to tickle the toes of Florida until Tuesday...but a state of emergency now?! Nothing like freaking out the natives!!! The news is eating it up...we have flashes underneath all programming letting us know the current statistics of the tropical storm. It is predicted we will feel the results of the storm on Wednesday...I always look forward to returning to my days as a mad woman; however, I do need a new fence :)



I'll leave you with a little joke that Cameron told me today that seems appropriate:

Knock, Knock

Who's there?

Wayne

Wayne Who?

Wayne, Wayne, go away!