I know we have many Florida friends on Caedes. It's my hope that maybe they will check in with us here and let us know how they are doing? This hurricane is going sooooo slow and continues to pummel non-stop hours on end with the rains and winds. The pictures are most scary and we haven't seen the worst of the damage (from TV that is) by any means yet. I, and I'm sure most of the rest of us send our best wishes and concerns to all in it's path. Please heed all warnings, stay safe, and let us know how you are just as soon as it's possible for you to do so. Others in the path as well though we aren't sure where it's headed just yet.

Yes, thank you for posting this. I do not live in Florida but what is happening there is just tragic. We have a girl in my class who lives in Florida who came up here to stay with her cousin or something and we were talking about the hurricanes in class and she started to cry. I felt sooo bad. ...I just hope everything turns out ok. Best Wishes. ..and we can only pray.

Thanks for your concern B.J. and Sean! I'm in Central Florida and have just returned to work this morning after the hurricane. Actually it's still a bit gusty out there but the worst is past. Luckily my house sustained no damage, but the winds howled like no tomorrow and I'm not sure if it will ever stop raining! I think the worst part now will be going without electricity (thank god for the internet at work!). You don't know how much you take it for granted until it's gone! We were very lucky in Central Florida that the storm weakened so much before coming ashore. My thoughts go out to those on the East Coast....I know they got it much worse than we did.

Glad to hear it Rebecca. We do have a couple of people on that coast, from the looks of the footage on the weather channel it could be some time before they can get the power supply rebuilt. We all hope that inconvenience is all you have. Some might be busy with other things.

I am back, we got power back at 7pm tonight (9-7-04), we had minimal damage on our property, none to the house, mostly some tree branches down in the yard. There were several trees down in the neighborhood but luckily none fell on any houses. I haven't had the chance survey the damage on the beach yet, I have been busy with the clean-up.

Thanks for your concern. I spent the time waiting out the storm by catching up on my reading. :c)

Welcome back to you both Tom and Rebecca. News is also okay from Torque (Josh). ;) Thank you for posting here. Schools are now closed here in Western North Carolina and evacuations have begun along several rivers. We will be fine throughout. Just a flooded basement we were prepared for and a generator on standby. Rolling that big jar of pennies is also a great way to pass the time and keep some common cents about you! ;)-

Sorry to hear that you are being affected by the storms, stay safe, stay well.

Seems to me the authorities in Florida are just asking for trouble. I may be wrong but it doesn't seem they have any decent preventative measures or building codes in place to cope with this kind of emergency. I used to live in a tropical cyclone area and all the houses were constructed to be virtually cyclone proof; we all knew the procedures to prepare for the cyclone season and when the warnings were broadcast what procedures to take, ie removing all loose materials/furniture etc from outside, fitting cyclone screens and so on. After Darwin I think the government learned their lesson; but it seems that in Florida none of these procedures are in place. Granted the population is much higher, but with the huge expense of the cleanups and damage (not to mention the risk to human life) I would have thought it would be worth their while to be a bit more prepared. Or are the news broadcasts just giving me the wrong impression of the situation?

When I initially typed this, I had no idea how far up the Eastern part of the US this hurricane would effect folks. Sam, this is the third one in a row with a 4th (Ivan) threatening right behind it already forcing evacuations in the Florida Keys. Frances did not move quickly as compared to most hurricanes and that meant non-stop pounding of winds and rain for hours and days on end. On top of what was already saturated, this made the real threats: flooding, loss of power, collapse of both land and structures, and contaminated water supplies. We are suffering that all the way up the Eastern portion of the US now. Surrounding us here in the mountains that also means mudslides and caved in roads. Many here are suffering horribly and we only got the tropical storm end of it. Very little anyone can do against Mother Nature when she is that stubborn! Yes I agree, some buildings are shotty and there are way too many trailers there, but as with anywhere, you have people who cannot afford much else. Given the Governor is the President's brother, Florida is in pretty good shape for getting relief and aide as quickly as possible. I've never heard of a government that couldn't improve so I am sure you are right there, but there will always be a certain powerlessness against the force of nature no matter what's in place. As with Charley, even the highest technologies and preparations could not keep people safe. The hurricane went completely off track and hit the unexpected, unprepared, and unevacuated. ;( As you stated it took Darwin to teach. Sometimes and sadly it takes catastrophies to quicken change though often no one knows what those changes need to be ahead of time. Most definately news shows the worst rather than the best. I would love to see NASA figure out a way to disperse these things. I guess I've watched too many movies. ;0

Well, the way Ivan is headed, I might be offline again for a couple of days next week.
I am just glad I am no longer living in the Fla. Keys, it looks like those islands are going to get hit hard.

I hear you there! I just can't believe we may be facing yet another storm! We haven't even removed the boards from our windows from Frances yet. So I guess we'll just leave them up unitl we know for sure about Ivan.....*sigh* I think this must be one for the record books.

I just found this post. Thank you everyone for your concern and thanks BJ for posting an update for me. I weathered the storm fairly well here in Gainesville. My parents and other family didn't have as much luck with their places in South Florida, suffering damage and still out of power as of yesterday. Luckily they're all just fine though. I'm sure all of my fellow Floridians are keeping an eye on Ivan. If it comes in from the gulf just north of Tampa as a category 5 like they predicted I don't think there will be much left to speak of in Gainesville so I could be taking off to the north any day now. Please be safe everyone.

Ohhhhhhhh shoot!!! I started this post on the day I should have been a secret birdie instead. Darn it Josh, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I'm a bad birdie. So sorry I missed. I hope you've made it last a week or so. That way I won't feel so belated with my wishes. lol

secret birdie?

Uhm, yes. With all this hurricane stuff I completely forgot Josh's birthday and to pm some others about it. ;(

I see. You were going to do your 'happy birthday, mr president' routine. What can I say?

Never mind.

Thank you very much BJ :). I actually forgot my birthday in the midst of the storm until someone reminded me. I am trying to stretch the party out as long as I can ;)

lol. and Happy Birthday Josh. We sure are glad to have on board the Caedes family. ..by the way BJ, how did you know it was Josh's birthday?

Thanks Sean :)

Sorry a bit late, but happy birthday Josh. And all the best for al the people in Florida.

Thank you Joost!

Well, better late than never hehe. Happy 22nd if you updated or 23rd if not updated in your profile;-) Take care Josh!

Thank you Darryl. It was my 22nd, this post reminded me to update my age in my profile :)

Josh,

How many grey hairs do have now? LOL!

LOL That was good man!

Only a few ;)