Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Barb_FL]

Just checking in - we're in Tennessee for a month. I hope the storm turns out to sea and no one gets it. A lot could happen in the 5 days before its close.

Before we left on Sept 1, we put the remaining Lexan shutters up. The only difference between us being there for a hurricane and not is that when we are at home for a hurricane we always backed our cars up to the garage door and put pillows between the door and the fenders. Since the garage was our only way in/out of the house once the storm shutters were up we couldn't do that.

Will check back and monitor the storm from here.

Stay safe.

[ginger2778]

My husband ordered some from Amazon last night he got three of them they were very high intensity they were around $13 each.

Originally Posted by kayrobbins

Marsha I hope this thing turns and does not hit Florida at all. You never know with these storms. Last year Matthew was expected to cause so much rain in other parts of Florida but ended up here. They just finished rebuilding the sand dunes a few weeks ago and they think they could survive quiet a bit but the sea oats they planted won't.

Even though we are not suppose to get too much from Irma everyone is stocking up. Some stores are already out of water but I was able to get 5 cases. Since there ae only 2 houses on the electricity feed when I loose power it is always low priority to restore. I really don't like having a pool but it sure does come in handy for flushing commodes.

I bought some LED lanterns from Amazon last year that work great. They are bright enough to read by. They have them on sale as one of there daily deals for less than $20 often. I highly recommend these.
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01C5QSE...504626013&sr=1

[kurt]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Just checking in - we're in Tennessee for a month. I hope the storm turns out to sea and no one gets it. A lot could happen in the 5 days before its close.

Before we left on Sept 1, we put the remaining Lexan shutters up. The only difference between us being there for a hurricane and not is that when we are at home for a hurricane we always backed our cars up to the garage door and put pillows between the door and the fenders. Since the garage was our only way in/out of the house once the storm shutters were up we couldn't do that.

Will check back and monitor the storm from here.

Stay safe.

Just came back from Pa,was posting on the other regarding the Harvey flood.Now this,we are leaving again this time to Tampa/ Ocala.If it runs up east side hopefully run south to Everglades City,then back home maybe......It is big,1000miles across each way,no matter where you are.Hope for the best,the wind damage is the culprit for us,dangerous,killer,get out if possible.As ginger 2778 can attest,Huricane Andrew changed our whole landscape,whole lives.Then news flash another storm right behind it called JOSE.

[ginger2778]

Jose looks like it will curve east into the ocean. Hope so.

[MichelleInWASt]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

My husband ordered some from Amazon last night he got three of them they were very high intensity they were around $13 each.

I think you'll be very happy with them. I ordered a pack of three -- same lanterns under a different "brand name" a few months ago and was so impressed I ordered a couple more three-packs to give to friends.

My thoughts are with you and other online friends in FL. And TX. And goodness only knows where else. And the folks nearer the huge fires up here in my part of the country, as well.

[Merridiel]

Thought I'd check in. I live on the west coast of Florida, so I'll be fine if she continues on her current track. The Florida emergency radio network has been having regular livestreams on their Facebook page here, in case that helps anyone. People can ask questions in the comments and they answer what they can, while also giving all of the regular updates. Last I saw, she was still on track to head towards Miami and then up the east coast.

They said there's still a slim chance that she could go out to sea or enter the gulf. If she enters the gulf as a category 4 or 5, I'm outta here. My husband spoke to his uncle in Atlanta, he said we could bring our zoo along with us and stay with him. If she entered the gulf as a 3, I'm not sure what we'd do. But we're hoping we won't have to figure that out. (Not that we'd rather she hit someone else instead of us, of course. We'd rather she hit noone.)

I haven't started seeds for my fall garden yet. I intended to do it in August, but health problems have kept delaying that. I was about to start seeds this weekend, but I'm waiting til this passes. If I evacuate, my seed collection's coming with me.

[Zone9b]

My Pike Snap Beans are popping up. Maybe just in time to get blown away.

[efisakov]

I am worry about you, guys. Being watching Irma, it is too big to stay.

[DonnaMarieNJ]

I'm repeating myself, but PLEASE STAY SAFE EVERYONE!

[Zone9b]

I am worry about you, guys. Being watching Irma, it is too big to stay.
I'm repeating myself, but PLEASE STAY SAFE EVERYONE!

Thanks for the kind thoughts.
I will be done boarding up in an hour. I only have 3 bay windows left.
Then it is for getting lots of mostly gardening materials in the garage or shed or tied down.
I've done this drill so many times, In some ways it easier, but those sheets of plywood don't get
any lighter as the years go by.
Larry

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Zone9b

I am worry about you, guys. Being watching Irma, it is too big to stay.
I'm repeating myself, but PLEASE STAY SAFE EVERYONE!

Thanks for the kind thoughts.
I will be done boarding up in an hour. I only have 3 bay windows left.
Then it is for getting lots of mostly gardening materials in the garage or shed or tied down.
I've done this drill so many times, In some ways it easier, but those sheets of plywood don't get
any lighter as the years go by.
Larry

We are going to bite the bullet and purchase storm accordion panels this "winter", the kind you just pull shut and fasten.

[Barb_FL]

Thinking of you all;

I've been in touch with two of our neighbors and both are staying. I think all the people with young kids already left. From what I am seeing from here the track looks unclear.

I'm really glad I don't have to make the decision to stay/leave. Our utilities are underground but the barrier island is <.75 mile wide. So many of my long term neighbors don't have home insurance anymore and we are the only ones I know on our block that also has flood insurance. With the sand, drainage has always been very good.

Marsha, I think you will love having those shutters. We have the Lexan ones but about 1/2 of them yellowed from the sun. I get a $1400 annual insurance break for having them on all windows/doors so they are about 75% paid for themselves. (they were $21K). We have a 10% deductible for hurricanes and the ins company makes everyone insure their house for an amount $200K more than it would sell for. Home insurance here is crazy and has been for years. That is why so
many without mortgages dropped it; I compromised with the 10% deductible.

Stay safe and keep posting on Sunday/Monday.

[Merridiel]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

We are going to bite the bullet and purchase storm accordion panels this "winter", the kind you just pull shut and fasten.

We're going to be pricing something for our windows, too. We'll also be pricing a new front door, we feel insecure with the sidelights on the one we have.

[kayrobbins]

It looks like all of us will be touched by Irma to some degree. I have all my fall tomatoes and greens hardened off and ready to plant out. I am so glad I still have them in trays and stick them inside during the storm.

On the local news report they were talking about keeping all of the interior doors closed during a storm to help protect the roof. I had never heard of that and did a google search to find out if it was true and it is. Just in case I am not the only one to know about this I wanted to share it with you. There is a lot of info but this one explains it simply.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/hom...Hurricane-Irma

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

Thinking of you all;

I've been in touch with two of our neighbors and both are staying. I think all the people with young kids already left. From what I am seeing from here the track looks unclear.

I'm really glad I don't have to make the decision to stay/leave. Our utilities are underground but the barrier island is <.75 mile wide. So many of my long term neighbors don't have home insurance anymore and we are the only ones I know on our block that also has flood insurance. With the sand, drainage has always been very good.

Marsha, I think you will love having those shutters. We have the Lexan ones but about 1/2 of them yellowed from the sun. I get a $1400 annual insurance break for having them on all windows/doors so they are about 75% paid for themselves. (they were $21K). We have a 10% deductible for hurricanes and the ins company makes everyone insure their house for an amount $200K more than it would sell for. Home insurance here is crazy and has been for years. That is why so
many without mortgages dropped it; I compromised with the 10% deductible.

Stay safe and keep posting on Sunday/Monday.

Thanks for the good wishes. Looking better on the forecast track now but not so good for my cousins in St.Petersburg. A 10% deductible for windstorm? Wow! That means an over $20,000 dollar deductible? How can that even be? We have a $5000 deduct. And that is considered a high deductible.