Hurricane Irma

Let me start by saying all is well with us and we feel extremely lucky. We are all safe (hubby, me, and mom) and our homes are intact. That's all we really prayed for.

Was it scary, uncomfortable, and inconvenient? Yes, definitely. But that's overshadowed by the relief we are feeling.

I should share that we live in Florida in the Tampa Bay area (more on that in a moment).

My employer closed our building on Friday so hubby and I spent both Friday and Saturday preparing the house. We shuttered the house, videotaped all of our belongings, moved about 75 plants (some in very large and heavy pots), moved patio furniture and yard art and bird feeders, bought nonperishables and lots of water, caught up laundry, filled up gas tanks, packed up clothing, valuables, and important documents to evacuate, got dog shots and records, etc. We were exaughsted as was a coworker that helped us.

We evacuated to my mom's house on Saturday night with our two rat terriers. It was hard leaving our home not knowing it if would be there when we returned. Although mom only lives about 17 miles away, she's much higher above sea level than us; more importantly, she is in what's called a non-evacuation zone. Our house is in level C (A to E rating scale).

Our next door neighbors were going to stay at our house because they didn't have shutters for their windows and got scared watching all the coverage (more about that later). On Saturday night, late, we got a call from them saying change of plans - they were on their way to Georgia to get away from the storm. But, there was a problem. They couldn't find a gas station open with gas and they needed gas to make it. We invited them, and the two cats, to come stay at my mom's condo which is a block building (neighbor and us both live in timber houses covered with stucco). They agreed ad came over on Sunday by noon (public officials said to get where you are going by noon Sunday). I should mention they have two cats and we have two dogs - dogs with a high prey drive.

We actually enjoyed our sequestered time by playing dominos, scattergories, eating, talking, etc. We looked outside a lot and at one point I decided to film the wind and caught a transformer blowing up! Needless to say, the power went out shortly after that. Until then we watched the hurricane coverage on just about every channel available!

The wind howled and shook glass but luckily mom had her windows replaced somewhat recently so they are hurricane rated. The scary one was her sliding glass door which was original to the 1979 building. We had lots of flashlights and candles so we were good without lights but the air conditioning was greatly missed. We had a little episode when one of our group had a asthma issue due to the heat and stuffiness)  and went to the hospital more to use their electric than receive treatment. I understand the drive there was also very scary with fallen tree branches and complete darkness. The good news is that my mother's house is about a block and a half from the emergency room. When they returned she slept in the air-conditioned car while we opened windows and cooled down the house.

We got antsy and when we started to see cars out we made a trip to our neighborhood to see how we faired. After passing fallen trees, damaged houses, and crashed fences, we were very relieved to find our homes standing unscathed. The only real damage was a section of fence between our houses had fallen. We joked about no more skinny dipping! There was a lot to be cleaned up but we were both happy to do that. 

We went back to my mom's and before dark the neighbors decided to head home - their cats weren't too happy in the strange environment. Jerry and I stayed another night not wanting to leave my mom alone too long when there was no electric for charging cell phones. So, today we got home and there was electricity! Apparently it came on while we were on our way home. Now mom is with us!

Things I noticed....very few things, or more correctly said very few areas, had open stores. Those that did were busy. Fast food restaurants had lines at the drive up you would not believe. Same with gas stations. At one station there was a police directing traffic because the road was being blocked by folks trying to get gas.

Second, the media had us scared to death. Worse, they had our friends and family scared. I kept getting phone calls and messages urging me to leave Florida because of what they were seeing. Apparently CNN believed we were really in deep do-do because they sent Anderson Cooper. It got almost comical as the hurricane moved away from Tampa and the news folks had to find something hurricane related to talk about.

Third, while I really do appreciate the concern, all the text messages caused my phone to run out of charge and no way to charge it.

Finally, I discovered that people don't understand how a hurricane works. People were asking if we had wind, etc. days before it actually happened. They start reporting it well before we have any effects.

My office is open tomorrow; however, anyone without power or anyone who hasn't returned home from evacuating can take a vacation day instead of coming in. I'm going in with great dread because what I do revolves around a master schedule that has been disrupted by the loss of 3 business days.

In closing, we are supposed to be going n a cruise to Cuba 6 days. Currently out ship is being used for humanitarian purposes. The trip is not canceled but the destination may be changed if Cuba received too much damage.

Wedding, Birthday, & Office Party

Last weekend mom, Daisey & I traveled over to the east coast of Florida to perform the wedding of friends. I know these folks because a) they are Ratbone volunteers and foster home, and b) they are friends through the internet rat terrier social networking I belong to. This was my first time to meet and I married them! lol

What is better than a rat terrier on top of your wedding cake?

Widdle Kiara - love visiting a house full of rat terriers.

Their Nala Belle. Beautiful dog and I know the owner of the mother and siblings of this dog.

We returned on Sunday which was Mom's birthday so we made a side trip to the beach since she had never been to an Atlantic beach. Took her 75 years to get there! Whoops, did I just tell her age?

Daisey enjoyed the beach despite the wind, mist, and cold temp.

When we got back to Clearwater we then picked up Jerry & his mom and went to Bonefish Grill in St. Petersburg for mom's birthday dinner. Cake is from Publix and it was yummy!

Goofy photo of mom blowing out the candles - sorry mom. hee hee

Yesterday was work Christmas party and pot luck. I brought Paella. I even included a few Alaska scallops from my treasured stash!

Vacation Day One

We're officially on vacation!!!! First one since October of 2008 for Dad's 80th birthday and we went to Branson, Missouri and Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. Happy 82nd earth birthday and 1st heaven birthday Dad.

Here's two fools taking a photo on the most dangerous stretch of Interstate 4. Actually that road is SO much better than it was when we first moved to the Bay area in 2001. Lousy photo but it's a keeper because it's the start of our adventure!

We drove across the state and then went north at Daytona Beach. We were going to spend several hours there but there is this HUGE motorcycle ralley thing and we were told the beach road is jammed, that's it worse than a spring break, so we went on Interstate 95 until we got close to St. Augustine. That's where we went over to the A1A coastal road. First stop - The St. Augustine lighthouse.

I couldn't get it all in one photo. My foot was bothering me so I sent Jerry up alone to take photos from the top and I went into the museum across the lawn. For me, the lighthouse was plenty impressive from just the outside. It is huge. They had informational rooms inside and it was interesting to pick up the 30 pound bucket of oil that the lightkeeper would have had to drag up those stairs several times a day to keep the thing lit.

Jerr made it to the top! What a view....maybe I will go up a smaller lighthouse ;) Take a look at these stairs:

I couldn't believe how wide the base is. There is also a little house attached for the lightkeeper of olden days.

Here's us in front of the lightkeeper's front door which is the entrance to the information center and the dreaded stairs. Oh, and I got lots of sympathy for wearing my Tampa Bay Rays shirt - people kept saying to me "next year".

After the lighthouse it was on to St. Augustine proper and our B&B accomodations. They have these haunted tours around here at night, we say one on the way home from dinner, and I told Jerry i was afraid to go on it just in case our B&B is on the intinerary!

Photo of one side of the living room. I love, love, love the stained glass firelace screen.

Another side of the room. The third side of the room, yes there are three sides to this room, had a table with cookies on it and a sideboard with wine and iced tea! I knew I was "home" when I saw iced tea. (As they said in Steel Magnolias, "ice tea is the house wine of the south")

Our room. It has a queen bed and a little alcove with a day bed. There's a private bath with a whirlpool tub. Ohhhh, I kinda forgot about that tub till I just typed that. Humm..... this is now oging to be a very quick post, lol.

Love the pretty wallpaper in my favorite shade of blue and the bright and airyness of it. The floors are fabulous old pine.

The exit to one of the many porches and varandas. Stained glass again :)

Jerry is out smoking a cigar on this porch right now although it's now dark. Took this photo when we first got here. I was out there with him and we can hear people in the cemetery two doors down.

As we left for dinner a horse-drawn carriage went by. This is the route and they seemed to be talking about this house - again, hopefully not as haunted!! I have a questioh though...do city horses smell different than country horses? These guys left a scent and when I was around country horses I didn't remember any lingering or unpleasant odors. Maybe these guys are just working and sweating.

The church down the street. Just walking to dinner. Everything in this historic area is walkable.

We ended up at 95 Cordova for dinner. What I was trying to photograph is the menus light up! I am such a country girl - never seen nor heard of that and I had to take a photo. Embarrassed Jerr. Hee hee.

My mahi-mahi. I just love fish and it was delicious. Also, our dinners inckluded key lime pie for dessert. Now time for that bath. See ya tomorrow!

Florida Snow

OK, not exactly frozen water but oak pollen has been "snowing"down on everything. These photos are from my driveway and I don't even have an oak tree! I cleaned the tree pollen sack debris off my car before I got the bright but late idea to photo. It was literally like brushing snow off the car except it wasn't cold, LOL. Bear in mind, I washed my car only 2 days prior to these photos.

I had to run the windshield wipers just to see through the pollen!

It even got inside the door hinge area

In addition to the pollen in the photo, you can see the grass smothered in oak leaves.

It's everywhere! Like someting from a horror movie!

My car is taupe in color. Looking through the window the hood is yellow-greenish. I could see it all over other cars too but the photos didn't really show it.

More Aunts with a Couple Cousins Thrown In

This is one of the first sights I saw this morning - my wierd Aunt Hellen wearing rollers. Like that wasn't traumatic enough, she also wore them when we went to Denny's for breakfast!


I thought this was a lovely photo of Aunt Ola Fay in the lobby of the hotel where we stayed last night.

FINALLY Aunt Joyce and Uncle Bob arrived today. Now all the sisters are together. Whew. Joyce and Kunkel Bob closed their business to attend. Thank you.


Here is a photo of my mom and all her sisters arranged by age. You can figure out which direction that age thing goes as I am staying out of it if you guess wrong! LOL (L to R: Ola frim Arkansas, my mom Velear from Florida, Aunt Joyce from Arkansas, Aunt Mary from Florida, and Aunt Hellen from Washington/New Mexico)

Aunt Mary & Uncle Larry's daughter Elizabeth and her son Seth. They came down from Georgia for this special event.

Aunt Mary & Uncle Larry's oldest daughter Rhonda and her daughter Rachel. Rhonda came from Arkansas and Rachel from Tenessee.

Back Online!

We've had some phone lines problems and I was without telephone or internet connection for a few days. Plus, my cell phone is dying (going to pick out a new one today) so I was really out of the communication loop; however, it was an eye-opening experience as to how dependant I have become on modern devices. I still have an Alaska bank so everything is done online, my school is online, my telephone book was in my malfunctioning cell, etc. Plus, I was stuck by Verizon saying nothing was wrong with their lines and it must be in my house. Turns out some switch was flipped at their central office. (I can assure you my switch was flipped as well!)

Had a great "girls night out" at Tijuana Flats with mom, Aunt Hellen, Erica, and Sarah. While we were eating and enjoying watching 2 year old Sarah, I thought about the fact that here sat 4 generations of our family: mom and her sister Hellen are one generation, I am the next generation, Erica is my first cousin once removed, and Sarah is my first cousin twice removed. Because my grandparents had such a big family, sometimes your cousins are closer in age than your siblings. For example, Mom & Hellen's sister Frances, who is Erica's grandmother, was 24 years older than Hellen. The photo is of Grandma & Grandpa Barnes the ancestors of all of us at the table last night.

Wow - my Florida family is growing. Cousin Erica & Sarah live closest in Largo, mohter-in-law Marge in Clearwater proper, my Mom about 10 miles away in Dunedin, Erica's sister Sonya in Lakeland, my Aunt Mary in Beverly Hills, and my Aunt Flossie & cousin Bill (Dad's side) and his family in Arcadia. Soon Erica's mom will be retiring and living at least part of her time here in Florida as well!