...after the storm

Hello friends. First, thank you for sending prayers and kind thoughts our way as we prepared for Irma. We so appreciated all your comments.

Second, in view of the devastation in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Maria...I can barely bring myself to post about our experience with a Cat 2. I have been struggling to load these pics for a week. Finally, today our internet cooperated so I thought I'd go ahead and share our "week with Irma".

Mr. MW and I spent Saturday before the storm putting up the Fabric Shield and plywood on our windows. It was all ready to go...stored since the last hurricane in the attic. It is still is a big job. My husband worked two fourteen hour days making our house secure. The biggest worries for us...losing the roof...or having a tree come down on us.

front door

We were as prepared as possible...food, water, radio, battery powered candles and lanterns (real candles give off too much heat when you loose power).  By Sunday afternoon the winds and rain had picked up so we hunkered down in our sunroom. We have hurricane windows there and we also put up the Fabric Shield. 

Annie, sleeping late after a scary night. Those little seed l.e.d lights stayed on all day and night.

We lost power very early Sunday evening.  The three of us slept on the chaises where we usually watch tv. 

We left the back door...a hurricane proof door...uncovered for an exit and for light. 

Mr. MW put this little plant outside the backdoor...our canary in the coal mine.

It was still there and upright after the storm. It is in a corner and protected on three sides but we were still impressed that it was there the next morning!

It was a long and scary night. While Mr. MW and Annie slept, I listened as the wind howled and things hit the roof with a big boom. I also listened to the radio and was relieved when the storm moved on around 4:30 a.m.

We left my old Volvo outside against the garage door to prevent the door blowing in.

...across the street...

Bert and Ernie...our live oaks probably protected us...

...but there were many trees down in the neighborhood...

...on our block...

The oaks that came down were laurel oaks...not live oaks.

Within hours our neighbors were all out...old and young, kids, dogs...everybody helping everybody. We live on the best street with the best neighbors!!! A group of eight homes, we are a close knit bunch that look out for each other. By mid morning the street cleaner had made two passes and the trash trucks had made their usual Monday pick-ups. It was amazing! 

She was exhausted!

We went three full days without power. After a hurricane the humidity is gone...sucked up by the storm. Outside it was cool and breezy for a couple of days. Inside our temps held at 79...thanks to Bert and Ernie. The scariest part was the darkness and quiet at night. We had police come down the street in the middle of the night shining big lights that lit up the whole street. Good guys!

My husband's firm had no power all week so we had him home for five days. Annie loved it! He checked a lot off his honey-do list. He did have a few phone conferences. One conference with the Florida Bar brought us some bad news. We had a trip to Boston planned with our Bar family for early October. I had made reservations for our family to spend four nights in Colonial Williamsburg on the way up...then on to Boston for a few nights with the board. Our return trip home was on the auto train. I had booked a bedroom cabin...Annie loves sleeping on the train! The Executive Committee, including Mr. MW, decided we should change plans and keep the meeting in Florida. Many members were still without power in their homes and offices at the time of the call. With so much of the state hurting, our dollars are needed here. So, we will be going to Orlando instead of Boston. Annie is disappointed, but she keeps seeing the devastation of Puerto Rico on the tv and keeps saying,  "We were so lucky, Mommy." What a kid I have! I am always amazed at her empathy for those who suffer. And yes, we were very lucky. Our group will be making a contribution to help those who have not been so lucky.

So, we are back to normal. It took a while for the cable to get back even after the power was restored. 

We are grateful beyond words. The storm was a Cat 2 by the time it hit us. We were hit by the "clean side" of the storm. We are in a no flood, no evacuation zone. Our roof stayed on...our trees stayed upright. 

Once again, thank you all for your prayers and support...you're the best!

Today, all our supplies are once again packed up and in the attic...ready for the next one.

Enjoy the day,

Robyn

p.s. The time has finally come. Our beloved Volvo bit the dust. After many attempts to nurse her back to health we have decided to let her go.

Even that hard decision was met with folly. The tow truck carrying her to the great beyond broke down. Have you ever seen a tow truck getting towed by a tow truck? It was a long...hard good-bye.