Blogging the hurricane…
Blogging the hurricane…
When you live in Florida you expect that every so often there will be a hurricane. Kind of like blizzards in Minnesota where I grew up or earthquakes in California.
All day long TV has been blaring that the storm is coming, i.e. beware of Charlie, i.e. Charlie the Hurricane. Almost like the preachers you see on street corners wailing that the end is near and you need to repent.
About three this afternoon, I headed to bank to cash a check, as I drove by McDonalds, I noted all the tape on the windows, seconds later, and I realized my friendly local bank was closed. Having misplaced my ATM card a while back, I realized I was without cash, and the storm was coming.
A couple of drinks later, and some great conversation with my friends at Tertulia, I headed to dinner with my friend Guillo. We both laughed about the storm coming our way. We were both more interested in watching the Olympics. We both laughed about the media hype that precedes these types of events.
But I decided that heading home was a better plan. I got back just about the time that it was hitting.
A little time line…
9:00 P.M. wind and rain, maybe a little breeze.
9:10..lots of wind, and maybe a 30 mph breeze.
9:20…50 mph wind, getting wild!
9:40 80 mph wind and Oh, about 9 the power went out.
9:50 The building is rattling, trees moaning, world shaking.
10:00 P.M. Snapping sounds outside, could be power lines, who knows, no reason to go outside to check.
At times the wind was howling like a banshee! I thought about walking into the street to get the full force, but then decided maybe not! I remember as a kid I had the task of whapping the blankets or quilts on the line to sort of air them out. Every so often, it feels like the wind is striking the world with that kind of force.
It is really blowing, the trees outside are a bit sidewise. Every so often the howling of the wind gets very eerie…Across the way I can see what looks like candles. I wonder what it was like years ago when the buildings shook like the trees, or people were just outside, praying and waiting for the storm to pass.
The only glow now is from the ThinkPad! Thank you IBM for shedding a little light on the darkened room. I just remembered how you turn on the light on the keyboard.
I just checked the WiFi, none in sight! This notion that bloggers will recount local disaster seems to be a myth with no-way on the net. Maybe Starbucks in the morning, who knows?
As it came, the storm seems to be gone. Maybe it is just a band, as they say in the storm trade. Just walked outside, neighbors out, people in the street, lots of branches down, not a lot of
10:15 P.M. Winds are dying down, occasional gusts!
10:20 P.M. the world seems to be returning to some degree of normalcy!
10: 30 P.M. some rain, some wind, kind of boring. Just heard the sound a tree crashing, must have made it almost though the storm, but finally gave out.
10:35 P.M. Winds are back up, the eye of the storm must have passed, and now we are getting the back side, winds have kicked back up again. It is really blowing again, absolutely sizzling with force
10:40, Winds are howling, but not with the same kind of force as on the front side of the storm, but more than enough to catch your attention.
10:45 quieting down, a bit surreal, occasional gusts, I spoke to soon, serious gusts, maybe the whiplash effect.
Just checked the weather on my Treo, 73 and scattered rain, what an understatement. Found another weather site, and the red glow is moving to the NE. Watch out Daytona Beach, here it comes.
I can see the power company trucks driving down the street, looking for the blown transformer boxes. I hope them get them fixed.
I don’t have lights, radio or TV. And it is mighty black. The ThinkPad is working great! I need to get battery powered speakers for my iPod. The Gillmor Gang in the dark would be amusing.
Just checked my E-Mail on my Treo, got an E-Mail offering me the opportunity to be a Scottish “Laird” in exchange for $69.95 via PayPal. These folks don’t give up, I am sure the spammers don’t know I am in the eye of a hurricane.
Maybe sleep would be a good idea..
Get ready - there is another one already on the way w/similar path. We aren't even going to take down our steel hurricane shutters - they are heavy, sharp and since it looks like it will be near Cuba by Monday - what's the point!
Posted by: Sharon | August 14, 2004 at 09:21 AM