Thanks for the update. Glad to hear everyone's alive and well. That's very generous of you to offer him a place to stay.
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Thanks for the update. Glad to hear everyone's alive and well. That's very generous of you to offer him a place to stay.
Thanks for all the well wishes people. I really appreciate it sooo much. I made it through but my home and shop sustained much damage. There are still two huge trees lying on my house and detached garage/shop. The shop has a whole in the roof about 24" in diameter. The day after the hurricane we has an additional 3 inches of rain and 3 more the next day, as jaeger stated. Before the second storm myself and some friends got a large tarp up over the shop. My house's south roof lost shingles all the way down to the wood. It is covered by plastic. My car ports have branches pilied up on them.
Right now I only have water (non drinkable). Even when electric is restored I have no phone or cable: the lines are lying on the ground. I do live on Pine Island in Bokeelia, which is the north end of the island. The eye passed over Bokeelia!! The Pineland Marina was crushed and I understand that pic has made world wide news along with Punta Gorda. The marina is two miles from my house. As a matter of fact, they are my customer. Punta Gorda is five miles away over the water from me.
http://www.pineislandchamber.org/images/map.jpg
The hurricane was like a 10 mile wide tornado. It passed over Caya Costa/Captiva through Bokeelia, across Charlotte Harbor and into Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte.
I had my ex's kids under cushions on the couch as it passed: it took around an hour and a half of the most intense winds you can imagine. I will never forget what I saw that day. I was paceing back and forth while I told the kids to stay put. Alas they were getting bored and I had to get serious with them without scaring them (they are 9,6,and 3...yeah, my ex is much younger than I). The kids up till that point thought it was a live action cartoon. The two youngest slept through the second half of it. Unbelievable.
Anyway, I am at one of my customers typing this up. The United Methodist Church in the center of the island, has power and dsl and being across from the Fire Dept has become a command center. The Salvation Army and Red Cross is here in Bokeelia as well as the National Guard.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif I may not have power for a week or so since they must restore power up the main road first and then go street by street. Power lines were strewn along streets and many poles were broken in half. I will keep in touch briefly every day at customer locations: thankfully many of them are still up and running because I need the jobs. I am really worried about the loss of income now. I contacted FEMA on Sunday. Although I have a generator now, I won't connect my pc to it, and besides I have no phone or cable. Last night I actually watched an old video and felt normal for the first time in days.
Power companies from most of the eastern states have come down and are helping FPL and LCEC. Even Texas (thanks Cleetehttps://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif). Police from the whole state are helping the area out as well. Two guys from ATlanta showed up at my house and are helping me clear all the smaller branches and gutters laying all about my yard. The two big trees are too big. They will need pros with heavy equipment. In the front of my home I had the tallest Royal Palm in the area and the tallest pine tree. The Palm has one frond left and the pine tree spit in half accross my road. Before that happened I litterally watched the fronds and branches blowing away one by one. Even two of my hurricane shutters blew off down the street and I ended up with only a couple broken windows.
Thanks for the thoughts, prayers, and/or well wishes folks: you don't know how much I appreciate it.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif
And, yes, Titchski offered me his home to stay at, as well as others whom I have known for a long time, but I prefer to stay home, even without ac/electric. My birds need me. Thanks bunches Titchski and Mrs Titchski. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif
I will probably be over there on Saturday though for the football match.
Thanks again everyone: I really miss you all.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif
A voice from the ruins! I am so glad you got through it. What were the estimated wind speeds? I saw in the news that as Charlie made landfall he was still churning up to 140 MPH, I presume that being that far out there you probably got the best Charlie had to offer!
I am glad to hear you’ll be back in business with your customers, that’s a hard thing when you’re self employed and your whole area gets nailed, you just don’t know what that’s going to bring to you financially! Stay positive, most every place will be insured, and they will need a lot of work, and won’t be afraid to spend the money from their settlements!
Well, as soon as you get yourself back in the swing of normal living we’ll all be here ready to argue and do whatever we can to get you banned again!!!!
Hurry back!
Ya_
Thanks for checking in Trip, glad to hear your ok! :thumbs:
Hope you have good insurance and don't have to worry so much about the financial part of putting your house back together, will at least provide one less worry!
Take care!
Glad to hear you're OK Trip, ditto what Y_K said.
Glad you are ok - things is just things at the end of the day - but insurance helps!
Wind speeds were said to be 145 mph: it made the Cat5 stage at the beginning of the destruction just west of my island on the outer islands of Captiva. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif From there it went through Bokeelia (where I live) onto Punta Gorda and then to Port Charlotte, when it turned north again on to Arcadia. Watching the coverage latst night I saw how the eye passed right over Bokeelia about three miles north of me. I wished I could have seen the eye.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ya_know
Working on generator power now (it costs $15/per day to run), I finally got to see all the tv coverage I missed. Last night, the local NBC/ABC affiliates (who teamed up on coverage) put out an hour long special "The Wrath of Charley". One newscaster remarked how Charley hit hardest on two counties: CHARlotte and LEE: Char-Lee and wondered if it was fate.
I still only have non-potable water: no electric/phone or cable. It may be a couple of weeks before the hardest hit areas get all essential services back.
Once I get film developed I'll post some pics hosted by my mate Titchski.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif
Thanks again for the well wishes. I miss WD.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif
Aww & we miss you too ... even Noo ! :kiss: That's most 'unmanly' so 'scuse me while I barf - :uke: ... :DQuote:
Originally Posted by TripleRLtd
So glad you are alive & well Trip & Titchski too :thumbs:, next time either of you do 'disaster planning' you'll have a whole new perspective !!!
I can feel teh love -ed.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gifQuote:
Originally Posted by confus-ed
I got power back now finally, but the phone and cable lines are lying on the ground behind my house, so, no telling about them, but they are saying a week or so. Damn, this is getting old real fast. No water for five days, no power for 12 days. Yesterday I felt so worn down I sort of crashed. I felt like that Brit marathoner who hit the proverbial "wall" at 21 miles. I slept most of the day, what with finally having a/c back. The emotions are draining. Since the hurricane I feel like I have been on an emotional roller coaster. Yesterday, I suppose, it was depression. FEMA came yesterday and inspected the house and I have had SBA apps mailed to me for Disaster loans and whatnot. I've had four jobs since the storm and two were volunteer jobs I did for nothing. Tomorrow I have three jobs, so, things should begin to get better.
You know what hurts the most about all of this? Well, perhaps I am feeling extra sensitive lately, but with all the freaking jobs I did for nothing over the years for so many people: those who "owe" me big time....well, guess who knows my cell number and guess who hasn't even called to check on me or offer any help whatsoever? MOST of those buggers!!! And, no, they had no damage to their homes and businesses, so it's not as if they are taking care of their own problems. Truly disappointing. Makes one wonder about being so "nice" and helpful in the future. One of them, especially, I considered my friend! Well, guess what surprise I have in store the next time he calls needing computer service?
Anywho, have to go and will check in again soon.
PS
Is the hurricane recovery even covered by the media anywhere anymore?
Good luck and do your best to keep your spirits up! We're here if ya need us! :thumbs:
Quote:
Originally Posted by TripleRLtd
No, that's old news. They've moved on to the olympics.
As for the friends, that's a shoddy way of finding out that they really aren't your friends but better sooner than later I s'pose. Keep your fingers crossed that they will soon encounter some malicious spyware, and don't forget to raise your hourly rate.
So can you feel 'teh air conditioning' yet ? & what about other 'essentials' like phone etc ?Quote:
Originally Posted by TripleRLtd
You've had a whole 5 days now .. so everything must be fixed ! :D - no seriously, how much/longer until its 'normal' again ? (you get storms pretty much every year ?)
There's givers & takers in the world my friend - shouldn't take a hurricane to make you realise that ! ;)Quote:
..You know what hurts the most about all of this?..hasn't even called to check on me or offer any help..MOST ..
Yeah, I do feel the a/c.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2006/04/1.gif Got electric back after 12 days: last tuesday. Still no phone or cable. The lines are lying on the ground in my back yard. They are starting to work the 'hood now, though, so I should be back by the end of the week. In the meantime, I use customer connections.
Indeed, we get storms from May through October. And even the daily rain storms are worse than most I had seen in NJ before I moved here. The two days after the hurricane we had bad ones, too. Three inches total rain each day. The first one got my shop (with the hole in the roof). The roof was covered with a tarp before the next day.
Now there is another BIG one out in the Atlantic that is heading for the east coast of Florida. https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif Should be here this coming weekend.
As for Pine Island, the National Guard has left, but the Salvation Army and Red Cross, as well as different police departments from across the state are still here. This week it is Plant City, somewhere up near jaeger in the Tampa area. Usually, we have two sheriff cars here, but since the storm there have been at least a couple dozen.
All in all, I still wouldn't trade my little island for anywhere else. But, lets see where this new one hits Florida.https://forums.windrivers.com/images.../2005/03/1.gif
Hey Trip, don't worry mate, just make sure you restock the booze cupboard and you'll be fine :thumbs:
If it makes you feel any better its Typhoon season too !
Typhoon Chaba lashes East Asia
http://www.guampdn.com/news/stories/...845-509324.jpg - this is it, 'visiting' Guam or nearly - Chaba misses Guam - earlier today.