Ivan Group Therapy

[graywarrior]

I'm having anxiety attacks cuz I live in Sarasota. Anyone want to caravan the fuck out of here?

[ewagner]

1. Two bits of good news

or, at least encouraging.......

1: The last hurricane (Frances) stirred the gulf of Mexico up pretty good...surface water was blown outward causing the cooler, deeper waters to mix with the top layer. Result: Water temp 82+/- degrees which is a little cooler than usual. A hurricane passing over those waters should weaken.

2: Currently there is a good amount of wind shear over the gulf area. That kind of shear isn't good for hurricanes to maintain strength......again, this should weaken Ivan./

All in all, there are some bright spots here.....

[FlaIndie]

2. and the bad news...

TWC is projecting it more and more to go over Florida.

Ugh.

[Quetzal]

3. I don't think any family in Florida prepared for a triple hurricane

Nobody in their wildest dreams could imagine such a horror.

[ornotna]

4. Latest projection has it running right up the middle of the state

Which would put Sarasota on the north and west side of the hurricane, that would weaken it considerably once it gets here. Hopefully.

[graywarrior]

5. Thanks for holding my hand

Someone told me today that they heard there are more domestic violence incidents here in Florida since the first hurricane. It is really tense here.

[The Backlash Cometh]

9. Hubby is getting a little short tempered.

I feel more traumatized now than I did when the hurricanes hit. Mainly because the world is not back in order. The economy was already bad in Florida, but now I wonder how businesses can continue when they had to spend money on hurricane supplies and lost income and customers due to bad weather. We spent far more money than we had and I don't see how we'll get reimbursed by FEMA because it was a lot of little things. You add to that the 1 and 2% deductibles on home insurance and I don't see our economy bouncing back to normal for at least another year or two because people now have to save what little money they have.

[onethatcares]

6. join the club,

Living in st pete we haven't been hit hard but I feel this one is coming on strong. I'm tired, I'm stressed, I want to take the fukking plywood off the windows and go back to normal. I'm glad we've had power thru the past two, I need a break from the rain. Sorry for the rant, I know others have it worse, I'm just tired. Peace

[SW FL Dem]

7. I would get the hell out of Dodge if I thought I

could get gas and not be stranded on the 75 like a sitting duck. I am so tired, but I can't sleep. The 11pm forecasts have shifted closer to the west coast. Tomorrow, we board up and decide what the heck we are going to do.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Stock up on ice. Fill the gas tank at least two days before it hits.

Buy cintronella candles, have extra pool screening handy for the windows and sliding door. (It will help block out mosquitos at night in case you lose electricity.) Keep in mind that if you lose power for a considerable amount of time, FEMA will reimburse you for the cost of a generator. I believe they were also liberal in reimbursing for chainsaws for anyone who bought them immediately after Charley. Also, freeze bottle water and gatorade. You'll have something cool to drink days after you lose power.

[graywarrior]

10. I've stopped watching the weather reports

It's too stressful. It's like waiting for a terror attack. Guess I'll go out and get the things I need to get ready. I rent a condo and the owner has done nothing in the way of preparing her property. Windows are not being boarded up, etc. and I got huge glass windows all around me.

Guess I'll be heading out to a shelter, if I can get my husband to go along. He's stubborn as hell and keeps telling me "it's only Friday, wait til Sunday before you start freaking out!" Right. Tell that to my stomach.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. There are basic supplies you need to start getting now, but

your husband is right. Don't start worrying until Sunday. And you are right. If it heads straight for you, get help from your neighbors to take your husband kicking and screaming to a shelter.

[iamjoy]

12. Here In Central Florida

We are lucky that these hurricanes have (for the most part) been more of an inconvenience than anything else. While part of me is anxious, there is another part that is like "whatever." A co-worker actually said, "bring it on" but in a very weary tone. Her roof is leaking from Charley and Frances.

I have decided that from now on if it is hurricane season, I am going to start thinking about filling up my tank if it gets below 3/4 of a tank and never let it get below half a tank. It's too crazy trying to fill up the days before (and possibly the days after) a storm.

Remember shelters are supposed to be a last resort, if you have friends or family, you should try to stay with them first, although who wants to be on the roads? A trip can take at least twice as long as normal.

I am a little worried about the insurance industry...if we get a triple whammy will they pull out of the state?

[graywarrior]

13. We're waiting til Sunday to decide about a shelter

We're up off University, but still close to the water and we're on the top floor of a condo with windows on 3 sides and no plywood. I'm concerned about trees and the roof ripping off.

Everyone else in our condo area is staying as of today. The Allstate emergency teams who are working in Punta Gorda are also staying in our development. One of them told me he is waiting to hear from his superiors about evacuating and should know tomorrow.

We're all crazy to stay, but crazy if we leave coz there's nowhere to go.

[ornotna]

14. I know you're trying to avoid the forcast......but (projection map)

Latest projection has it passing many miles to the west of us. We'll get some wind and rain but nothing to worry too much about. BUT.....this is just a projection, we still have to keep on our toes.