Hi Phillis,
I understand why you are nervous. After Charley, Frances, et al hit here, we felt the same way everytime there was a new storm brewing. Even two years later I get "...a little uncomfortable" just as you say. I don't suppose any of us will ever lose that.
This one could be bad but I think it's a little too early to get seriously worried. According to the NOAA guys, where it hits Cuba will have a big impact on how strong the storm is when it hits the warm waters of the Gulf. Do you check out their site? I like the Forecast Discussion page because I feel like I'm getting the opinion of an expert.
Going into the worst part of the season all we can do is be prepared: have some cash/food/bugspray/alcohol/chocolate on hand and know the shelters that will take pets!
Keep posting, too. I know it helps to have people to talk to about it that understand!
Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Ernesto Forcast Discussion at NOAA/NHC

After going through Frances, Jeanne and Wilma I am defnitely a tad paranoid. The eye of Wilma passed right over us and I was terrified. They said the back side wasn't going to be that bad, but they lied. We did survive, although we did have damages and lost several pine trees. The terror fades slowly and I hope we are all spared bad storms this year.

FlowerLady

I was hoping I could get out of this season with no hurricanes. we'll probably get plywood soon. :( I just didn't want anything disturbing the brugs and 'nana's that we put in and not to mention we're going to Texas in a few weeks and I don't want to leave the cats if a storm is brewing.

Chanel 5- Steve weagle ( I don`t know where you are located) commented on why the back half was so bad.......seems that when it crossed over the shore and over open waters, it got " re-charge " again ! I know my dh and i were a little shocked .....it was like going thru jeanne again..........For those of you that went through charile (he barely missed us) I guess the lesson there is that you cant depend on the the weather people to know just when it is going to come ashore....it made its turn quickly..............:(

We will alway board up when one gets kinda close, even if we get laughed at !

D`Ann

Kate, thanks for that info. I do go to that site but I only look at the pictures. Reading does give so much more, thanks again. This year is different. Last year I was 100% prepared to stay but 0% prepared to go. If any of you remember me from last year we decided Sunday afternoon to leave and headed for Panama City Beach only because my brother was already there and had a room for us. All we had time to do was grab and go. Wellllll.....that won't happen again. I still do not want to leave, however I made reservations yesterday to head a little north just incase Ernesto decides to visit here. There is some relief in knowing that we have somewhere to go if we have to. I think it is still too early to know where he will decide to go. Remember last year - Friday morning going to work, Katrina going to Florida - Friday night, Katrina heading to somewhere between Florida and New Orleans. Saturday - Katrina heading to New Orleans. So D'Ann is right, a lot of times there are quick changes.
SO, I am now still 100% prepared to stay and also 100% prepared to go. I live across the Miss. River from New Orleans. We had a lot of wind damage in the area, some locations flooded but not the entire area like St. Bernard Parish. A few (30-50) miles west and Jefferson Parish would have almost entirely flooded.
This year I am ready.
Phillis in Marrero

I'm not prepared canned goods wise. We have our plywood stacked and marked for which windows and all we have to do is slip them on over the bolts in the window frames and fasten them on with their nuts. It's still a lot of work but is worth it if the winds do start to blow.

We though Frances and Jeanne were bad and we were on the eyewall for both. But Wilma was something else and a worse hurricane. I wasn't sure our little 50's cottage would survive, but it did.

We can worry and fret, and a lot of times our worrying and fretting is for nought. It doesn't hurt to be prepared as much as you can be. We do have a small generator after going without power for 13 days last year. Got it the 12th day of no power since they were saying it could possibly be another two weeks before power was restored. :-)

DH and I have lived here since the late 50's DH, 1960 myself. We have to go with the flow as far as the weather goes wherever we live. There are pros and cons to living anywhere.

May all be safe from the storms that come our way this year.

Sincerely ~ FlowerLady

Just got back from the store.....got all the water/ soup/ bird/dog food that we need.

Flowerlady, where are you located at ? I live 12 west of the jupiter inlet....... got the eye of Frances, and Wilma, but we werein the eyewall of jeanne the whole time. I must say charley really upset us........we were nowhere ready for that one to come across us. thank God it didn`t ! It turned to the east alot sooner than they said it would :( I guess if you have those inpact windows you can rest alittle easy, BUT WE DON`T (lol) I been wanting to get shutters but dh says he is okay putting up the plywood. I know he is a (young 51) and can still do it, but one day he wont be able to do it. I think it is time to start dropping those coins in the shutter piggie bank LOL
D`Ann

Thought I'd post a picture here of the shutter DH made for over our scullery's garden window for Wilma last year. (He had to make a box like structure for this window). Actually, DH made heart cutouts in all of our plywood shutters for a bit of light. It still makes me smile to think of his doing that. We recycle all the time and this shutter was an old painted one we found somewhere and was in our stash. Never know when you'll be able to use something you've found and stored away.

FlowerLady {{gwi:759047}}



"Be it ever so humble, there is no place like home." ~Payne~

I love the shutters andit's so perfect with you glass collection.

Does anyone else remember a great thread of information we had going right after the 2003 hurricanes? It was posting after posting of really good information and advice. I think I printed it out but of course I can't find it now. And a search of the site doesn't go back that far.

Should we start a new "Hurricane Preparation - Best Practices" post and see if we can recreate it?

i am really nervous with moving down to south florida so close to the coast. once i go thru one i will be ok. the unknown is what is the scary part for me.

poor little plants...
cliff

Alright guygs, you finally did it! Because of all this talk it looks like Ernesto might have its eye set on Tampa and Central florida. I have been sending out good vibes, but you all did it. Sheesh just when things look good this happens. *teasing* I will head to Disney if it comes this way and let Disney provide my needs. Already have room booked at really cheap price due to being a cast member. *s* Will be safer there. Linda

i am about to start my psychotic superstitious list of things i have to do, aside from serious preparations LOL, today like bake a cake (also good to treat progress energy workers w/), clean the house top to bottom (nothing worse than 24 days w/o power and the house smells like a pet store lol), get all laundry & dishes done, make several casseroles & pasta salads ahead etc...i did all these things and more after charley, so in my mind LOL that's why francis and jeanne were far less damaging to us than charley LOL. nuts yeah but it worked well for me last yr :-)

we did clean away all the shrubs from around the windows incase we board up this a.m. DH is cleaning up the garage, his boat building hole lol, so we can get my car in there just in case, stocked up on dog food and treats today, checking gutters later today...off to target and publix ~ liz

Here is the link to past tips

Here is a link that might be useful: Past tips

Well, we still need to clean the garage so we can get to the generator!!! LOL...

I filled the car tank up and since I carpool I won't be using much of it this week. Will probably go tonight and get some gas cans done. As for plywood...we need to get a few at least. I wish my landlord would supply it.

One guy was already getting gas in gas cans when I was filling up and Target was putting water on the endcaps. Just, please go elsewhere Ernesto!

Linda - Thanks! That's the link I was searching for. This time I used the "clip this post" feature to bookmark it.
Kate

The stores here are already crowded with "storm-crazed" buyers. I admit, I now take these storms very seriously, and we are preparing today. With our bad luck, it will turn sharply and blast right over us:(.

Getting the steel panels out, neatening the yard, while hoping it fizzles out so I don't have to move all the container trees.

What to do with the chickens?? There are too many to bring indoors and the sheds will be too hot for them. The coop is very strong, with a metal roof, but I have visions of the poor birds being plastered against the fencing by high winds..

##@**^^^^##!!!! Just when everything was looking green and happy from the recent rains.

Hubby is off filling all the gas cans, just in case we have to run the generators.

I HATE hurricanes!!

Lisa

:( GC on your chickens. Last year we saw a few blue jays without feathers after the storm (not bald, but noticeably without some feathers).

Rain for a day or two would be ok. Just not horrid wind and such.

We got the garage in a workable manner and we know where the generator is now and the cords to it. Just need to get gas in gas cans.

Yippiee, I get to go through Ernesto it seems. Noaa, just keep moving it east like you were...let it go out to sea and over the bahamas...NOT here.

Yep, hurricane watch as of the 5am advisory.

Hi Phillis and the group,

"If any of you remember me from last year we decided Sunday afternoon to leave and headed for Panama City Beach only because my brother was already there and had a room for us. All we had time to do was grab and go."

I remember you. How are things for you now in New Orleans? From what I saw this morning on the weather forcast it looks like New Orleans may be spared, instead it looks like Florida is going to get it. Will have to keep a close eye on how strong it gets. Wish us luck.

Take care, DC

I am keeping my fingers crossed and saying lots of prayers - don't want it coming anyone's way, like Mistiaggie says - out to sea! We are in the middle of having a modular home put together - roof is being put together but not finished - no shingles yet, no siding, no ends yet - french doors not installed-

Do we sound ready? Luckily it is a business adventure, not our personal home but still.....scary!

Lisa I hope your dear chickens will be ok.

These dang storms definitely send the adrenaline racing. Sheesh!

We are hoping Ernesto breaks up over Cuba and we all just get a little rain and wind.

If that's not to be, may everyone be spared major happenings.

FlowerLady

Being pretty far up for most hurricanes works out reasonably well for us. The problem mostly being the amount of lower folks moving up to get away. Wish we couldfind a way to make more room for escape for all in harms way.
Our house is a 1945 off grade small cute thing (under 900 sq ft). I used to always envision that scene from the wizard of oz with the tiny house twirlling around. Then I got blessed with a family across the street who pile up red brick pavers. I do mean PILE. They have stacks of loose bricks higher than their house and almost as wide. So now I figure they will all become flying objects which will pelt my home into oblivion. Of course all forms of nearby plant and/or animal life also.
Maybe if a go over and borrow a few thousand I can stack them inside to hold my house down? Okay, might as well get over it. We'll just keep on walking whatever comes.