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Atlantic Hurricane Season 2005/2006

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subcultureofone

18:53 / 25.10.05

gainesville

Less searchable M0rd4nt

19:00 / 25.10.05

'Kinell, grant--I'm glad you're in one piece. Sorry about the porch ect.

14:57 / 26.10.05

Back at work again -- hopefully the generators here will hold out today better than yesterday.

(Wanna know what's worse than an office Xmas party? Sitting around in the dark for three hours with a select bunch of co-workers, going, "Well, do we know when they'll be up again? What do we do now? What do we do now?")

We got in touch with a friend in Tallahassee (posted here once or twice as "beerismymantra") who managed to find some generators for sale, so we might have some refrigeration in a couple days. The solar water heater blew some safety valve, but we got that capped temporarily (no more leaking on the roof, thankyouwife'sexhusband). Once the circulation pump for that gets plugged into a generator, we might even have hot water during the day.

Official word is still three to four weeks for most folks to be without power.

There's substantial debris around, but I haven't seen that much out and out building damage. Well, except anything made of aluminum. Gas stations tipped over, people lost storm shutters. And, y'know, porches.

On the other hand, I made tea this morning over an open fire with fallen wood from our yard. A MAN MAKES TEA WITH FIRE FROM WOOD.

Very.

17:24 / 26.10.05

A MAN MAKES TEA WITH FIRE FROM WOOD.
I nominate grant for Head Barbarian.

*

17:32 / 26.10.05

seco— I mean HEAR HEAR! GRANT SPEAKS STRONGEST TRUTH! THIS MAN IS OUR CHIEF!

...how was that?

subcultureofone

19:17 / 26.10.05

jonesville tractor supply also has generators

20:22 / 26.10.05

"thankyouwife'sexhusband"

I'm not the only one who read that the wrong way at first, right?

Man, you are STRONG, grant, you and your family. I'd be running round like a panicking weasel. Good luck, mate.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

20:25 / 26.10.05

Saveloy- no, you're not. But I admit I'm not the best yardstick for this type of thing.

22:05 / 26.10.05

grant, you are teh hero!!!1!! Glad only property was damaged and you're looking on the bright side.

Goodness Gracious Meme

22:16 / 26.10.05

No, you're not.

Really glad to hear you and yours are okay, in amidst all the sterss.

18:10 / 27.10.05

I am the current sexhusband.

There are concrete power poles not far from my street that are broken above the base, leaning over the road, held up by nothing more than tension wires and rebar.

We have a generator now, driven down from Tallahassee to Ocala to here (that's a trip of 10 hours on a good day). I have to figure it out once I get home from work. Then perhaps I'll be connected at home!

Ooo! The pretty box will tell its stories again!

I'm hanging around the office now, despite being dismissed for the day, hoping to score some gasoline.

I'm living in Road Warrior, only suburban.

01:16 / 28.10.05

A MAN BEHOLDS THE PLACE WHERE HIS PORCH ROOF ONCE STOOD.

A MAN MIGHT THEN LOOK UPON WHERE HIS PORCH NOW LIES.

BUT A MAN KNOWS NO SORROW, FOR HE HAS WOOD, AND CHILDREN TO CARRY WOOD!

AND AT NIGHT, THE GENERATOR BRINGS THE MAGIC BOX TO LIFE, SO THAT HE MAY TALK TO OTHERS IN THE WIDE WORLD!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

06:03 / 28.10.05

Did grant just say he had wood?

12:19 / 28.10.05

Dude, grant has a castle, with little gnomes on. And a slide!

13:56 / 28.10.05

Did grant just say he had wood?

Yes. And AND AT NIGHT, THE GENERATOR BRINGS THE MAGIC BOX TO LIFE.

13:59 / 28.10.05

Heh. Magic box.

He is Teh Sexhusband.

01:05 / 31.10.05

Still without power, although I have a huge stack of firewood and an even huger stack of wood for someone to take away in a big truck. There's still a curfew, although most streetlights are back on and the gas lines have mostly gone away.

They say Wilma did a remarkable thing -- she actually *gained strength* over the Everglades. It doesn't count as dry land, it counts as warm water, I guess. Strong Category 3 by the time she reached my house.

A friend of mine in Miami took some fun pictures over here. I like the ones where you can see the way the big gun moved. She's got some from Katrina on there too, if you're into disaster porn.

And yes. I am teh sexhusband. With gnomes.

12:09 / 31.10.05

grant! Was wondering how you fared battling Wilma. Glad to hear you and your family are okay.

We're w/o power as well, and our water is not fit for drinking. I've spent the last week hunting for water and ice, patching my roof, clearing brush, taking VERY cold showers and waving at the News 5 helicopter. Add on a six-month old with his first major cold and wifey and I are friggin' wiped out. On the plus side, wifey won her battle to take in the stray kitten that's been hanging around our house, so there's been a teeny ball of calico fluff keeping us somewhat entertained with her antics and keeping our dog and cat on their toes. Pics of kitty and Wilma's fury when I can manage it.

I'm at work today, natch, but at least there's A/C and coffee. I'd still rather be at home patching the last of the holes in my roof, tho.

Ooh BTW grant - Not sure what area you live in, but our section of Delray is rumored to be powered up by Thursday. Take that with a grain of salt, of course, but hearing that gave me hope and I thought it might help you too.

subculture - didn't know you were in FL. Stay safe out there.

Anyone heard from Alex Thoth? I thought he was in the Miami area.

16:29 / 31.10.05

Hey! If you want a warm shower, give me a PM -- we've got a solar unit on the roof and a generator to circulate the hot water into the water heater collector tank. Or, do what my parents did -- go to a camp store and get a solar shower. Basically, it's a big black rubber bag of water that you leave out in the sun. Works great, cheap.(*)

I live up in West Palm, in an area where the streetlights have come back, but because an oak tree fell on the line leading from the poles into my house, I'm going to be generator-only for a good long while.

Alex Thoth does indeed live in Miami. I have no idea how he did.

(*) Cheaper: Friend of sister-in-law works at Good Sam hospital, created her own solar shower with enema bags she appropriated and stuck inside ordinary black garbage bags. Apparently, it works fine, too.

17:04 / 31.10.05

Thanks for the offer and the great tip. I'll have to look for one of those solar shower thingys. Failing that, you may just get a PM from me in the next day or two. I am STRONG, but Wifey's not big on the cold showers at all.

Shit. Sorry to hear about yr oak-stolen power. Glad you've got a generator tho. I just checked FPL's website to see if there were updates for my area. Seems the grid we're on IS working and the bucket trucks HAVE been swarming on our power lines since last Tuesday, so perhaps we will get power in the next few days as rumored. When we do, you and yours are welcome to come by.

Will PM Alex, tho he may be powerless as well.

18:12 / 31.10.05

BY THE POWER OF GRAYSKULL*!

I
HAVE
THE POWER!

Wifey just called to give me the good news. Hopefully, it stays on and this is not just some cruel tease. Steaks, veggies and cold beer await me at home. I am teh happy1!

*GRAYSKULL = Florida Power and Light

18:15 / 31.10.05

Alex Toth just contacted me and asked me to tell everyone he's ok, his house is damaged but he's fine. He hasn't had much power or computer access lately. He appreciates everyone's concern and will post when he gets more power/access.

18:21 / 31.10.05

Much appreciated, Finder.

18:33 / 31.10.05

Grant - I have heard stories of hurricanes gaining strength even after they've made landfall if they go over warm land. That happened with Camille.

Late to this thread, but just 3wanted to say glad you all are safe.

13:20 / 01.11.05

Today's scuttlebutt: if you got Nirvana {tm} bottled water from FEMA, don't drink it -- the supply got left out in the sun so long, the chemicals broke down and the bottles now contain algae that can make you ill.

I love informal knowledge.

Also: word-of-mouth has it that FPL is in a little trouble. Apparently they never stress-tested their new power poles, many of which snapped during the storm, which wasn't nearly as strong as a hurricane can get.

15:40 / 02.11.05

So many people are still in bad shape and I' am staying the fuck away from that entire side of the counrry. Now I just wonder how terrible this winter is going to be and if the gulf and Florida are going to see yet another this year?
Oh that's right...I am "CRAZY" and just "Wrong" so go ahead and dismiss anything I have to say, like everyone likes to do.

16:34 / 02.11.05

...so go ahead and dismiss anything I have to say, like everyone likes to do.

Can do, Murphy. Can do.

17:24 / 02.11.05

We don't want you on the Left Coast either. Shoo, shoo, g'wan git!

Lilly Nowhere Late

20:09 / 02.11.05

Hello Miami folks. Just wondering what your opinion of visitors to your area in the next few weeks would be. One of my employees is hell bent on her trip which is scheduled to begin from London to Miami/Ft.Lauderdale on November 17th. She's going for her brother's wedding and sunshine and to "experience thanksgiving". She cannot reach her relatives apart from intermitent text messages and cannot reach her friends at all. Seems like a good time to abandon the plans to me but perhaps I'm being pesimistic. Any opinions or advice to offer me to offer her?

22:27 / 02.11.05

bring gasoline.

----

No, seriously, she should have a fine time. I'm sure the hotels & malls are high on the list of places-to-fix (being central to our economy), and most folks already have electricity. Mine'll be more than a week, they say, but I'm near bottom of barrel.

The sun is the sun, and the beaches are the beaches. Traffic will likely be less pleasant than usual, so just avoid travel during rush hour.

Experience Thanksgiving? There's a thread on that elsewhere here. Is a host family taking her in or something?

22:29 / 02.11.05

Brother's wedding, right. OK. She'll have a great time.

Lilly Nowhere Late

05:44 / 03.11.05

Thanks for that. I really didn't want her to go off with me not knowing. She's a good earner you know!

Hope you all are fairing well and recovering. My mom in New Orleans says it's all great there now with everyone working together and being very community, etc. but she'd not do it again or wish it on anyone.

We're having gale force winds in London this morning and that's bad enough, so I just can't imagine except that I've done east coast(N.C.) hurricanes in my distant childhood past and have memories.
Ramble ramble. Good wishes that there are no more this year! Isn't season nearly over?

02:32 / 07.11.05

I know I'm a bit late but I haven't had power in two weeks. And let me tell you, living like a cast memeber of Lost isn't fun. Thanks, Finder, for passing along my message.

03:22 / 07.11.05

Did you punch Jack in the throat?

(glad you're okay!)

18:31 / 07.11.05

I'm likely to have power later this week. That's what the electrician said this morning. First, I have to do more chainsawing, to clear out the tree that fell on the wire. How'd your house fare, Mr. Thoth?

I'm looking at solar cells today. I want to get something that'll power a fridge that doesn't require gasoline.

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