Glad to see all the hale and hearty check-ins. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, Buttercup.
We had two 60-foot pines removed last year. Not because we saw other trees coming down, just because they never looked very healthy and would have wrecked the entire house instead of just one room if they fell. I’m pretty sure the taller of the two would have taken out the vacation home across the street if it had been up for this storm. Also, I was sick of cleaning pine needles out of the gutters.
Glad to hear that!
Have you ever been run over by a cat 5 (or even 4) hurricane? I was 8 for my 1st, living in a concrete bunker kind of a house, as anyone who can afford it in the Caribbean does, it is absolutely terrifying. Your bunker can remain standing, if some ginormous tree doesn’t fall on it, and it doesn’t flood, but you’re still not coming out unscathed. I would not like to get caught in your usual Fla house.
Least someone has electric, im still waiting.
Some of the trees they need to remove are massive, and the water is messing with them being able to get the equipment in.
I am now in Jacksonville. And I got a call from Hubby. It was a terrible connection but he said he has all he needs. He said the grocery store opens for a few hours each day. There is still no water, power, fuel and very spotty cell service. Even so, it was good to hear his voice.
It looks like I will not be able to return home for a while. I was told to be prepared to start working here in Jacksonville on Monday. Doing what I do not know. I only have two sets of clothing and neither is really work attire. I do have money and we were given a letter by the CO allowing us to use all base facilities including the commissary and exchange. I guess I will go buy some clothes. I really would rather go home but not without power and water. It is bloody hot in Florida.
I know I will sleep better tonight. I was really worried and had started to have weird dreams when I did sleep. The mind goes to some funny and scary places when worried.
so glad you heard from hubby!
in other news i was very happy to see the footage of the key deer that survived the storm. i wonder where they hid out. there was a picture of very water logged parrots in the window of a hotel. and a roseate spoonbill turned up in new jersey, sending flocks of bird watchers absolutely cuckoo.
I am very happy for you. Congratulations!
:)
Yaay Buttercup!!
On a more mundane note I’m starting my unvacuation back to FL.
The various websites show heavier than normal southbound traffic on I-95, I-75, and the turnpike. But (at least from this distance) it doesn’t look like things are much slowed down. It’ll be a day or two before I get close to FL.
Fuel supplies along the interstates in GA & FL seem to have stabilized at near-normal.
Along about Sunday morning I’ll have to decide whether to go down I-75 & the turnpike through Orlando or take I-95 down from Jacksonville. I’ll ask for any Doper local reports as this gets ripe.
FWIW, I drove from Orlando to St. Pete and back this morning. I4 traffic was no worse than normal - in fact, it was probably slightly thinned out - and the parts of the Turnpike I could see weren’t busy at all.
The Upper Keys are open and Key West can start returning on Sunday. My address is in the Lower Keys so unless I get flown back I can’t get in yet. Still no power or water anyway. Hubby has two new generators on order and will be delivered eventually. I am ready to be home but not unless I can have a/c.
We have a generator that will support the electronics of a gas furnace. How large a generator do you need to run an air conditioner?
Bradenton check in. Just north of Sarasota, just south of Tampa Bay.
Our neighbor’s carport is folded up on their roof. I found our shed doors in another yard. We got through with minor damage and did not lose power.
We have mini split ductless systems so we can run a room with a 3000. We have a whole house giant one that runs on propane but there is no propane available right now. I guess he has ordered a couple of smaller gasoline ones. With the 3000 we cooled one room and alternated the fridge, washer, whatever. We lived without power for two weeks like that.
We have never been without water through all the hurricanes and tropical storms we have had in 26 years. The water is out now.
Oh f*** me, here we go again.
Sigh. Damn Chinese hoaxes.
Please God no. Just no. There are thousands of homes all over Florida with roof damage that people have not been able to tarp or repair yet. This would be the end for more homes.
The Leeways will be wiped out from the map with another one. 
I buy aquarium fish from a husband and wife company in the keys. They are alive, without electricity and somehow running their website. I hope their business survives and isn’t hit again.
I have friends that sell fish. A husband and wife team that live on my street. I wonder if it could be the same couple?
Fort Myers belatedly updating my post from the 14th:
So I have power and water at home as of Tuesday night but no/spotty cable and internet. Which is why I thought I was supposed to come in to the office thursday. But the office was closed for the whole week. But I was there so got a little work done. And I was able to finally post a sitrep to the family.
On going to a shelter: Was at an Elementary School, a newish building. Took four hours to get in even though I wasn’t too far back in line. It had power throughout everything including AC which was usually working pretty well. MANY cats and dogs which were almost always well behaved. Shelterees were also pretty good. folks were polite when not friendly. Shelter workers were generally very good but they were BUSY. Especially the custodial staff at the school. Those guys deserve a big hand for keeping things from going downhill. There were a few moments of officious authoritarian behavior from those in charge, but it never got too bad. They fed us three times in the day in a half I was there. Not great meals, but OK and free so no complaints. Folks also brought a lot of their own food. So no one went hungry as far as I could see. Boredom and worrying about after the storm was the worst part. That and sleeping in a room with couple of crying babies. I slept the second night in the hall on my bedroll.
Went home Monday morning and the situation is getting better. As of last Thursday Publix was busy but not too bad so I have food. The gas situation has largely returned to normal. There was no damage in my apartment complex but the trees are devastated. Mostly mahogany trees that shattered or fell over. Biking through residential neighborhoods makes me want to cry when I see the beautiful trees that have been destroyed. But the houses and other buildings are almost all undamaged. Mainly it’s commercial signs that seem to be destroyed. And road signs that have been pushed over.
Okay dudes sometime in the wee hours today I’ll be having bigger things to worry about than keeping up with the SDMB. If I can send some report during the buildup I will, otherwise if when I come back up for air and the grid is back on line there’s a Maria-specific thread I’ll look for it, or else be back here.
FEMA’s sure being given a good workout and it’s not even Fall yet…