Jeanne...

[SuperSport]

And I just took my boards down. :rolleyes: Here we go again...

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ftp/graphics/AT11/refresh/AL1104W5%2BGIF/170313W5.gif

[My T]

Unfair! We already had our turn TWICE. Go away Jeanne.

Birds do NOT fly in hurricanes. Where DO they go?
Mine gets locked into the coop (garage) with a cover over her. She is used to it by now and does not squawk a bit.

I just hope that paradise does not take a thrashing on Sunday night. We are hardly cleaned up from the last two. And, the big event is only 6 days later - ouch! I don't even want to think about a rain date. We will fly on 10/2.

[TBNwidow]

Tom & Brian,
We must all think sooooooooooooo VERY, VERY POSITIVE. Light some candles tommorow at churh and lets all pray these DAM hurricanes leave everyone ALONE. Enough is enough !!!To many losses of life, to many homes and property destroyed. GO AWAY, JEANNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
REDNECK MOMMA & HER GUYS

[Joe Varey]

Why not have a hurricane its the weekend. Seems like every weekend we have had a hurricane. Man I've had enough already. :censored:

[MObird]

We have friends enroute to Disney World right now. Young couple, been looking forward to this trip for weeks.
They left here (SW MO) early this morning, due to get to Orlando tomorrow afternoon.
Can anyone report what the situation looks like in the Orlando area?

[TBNwidow]

The last we saw, it looks as if it will come ashore on Vero Beach ,SE of Orlando and will travel north, supposedly, and Orlando should be on the outskirts of it, but they will sure feel it, like us , with high winds and lots of rain. That is what they are predicting right now. But, who the heck really knows.
Claire

[BAY-B]

Most of you throughout the US have read about the terrible hurricanes we've been experiencing down here in Florida. The destruction, deaths and damage from wind and rain are only a part of the real problems that we've been experiencing. What you don't read about is the depression and stress that stroms such as CHARLEY, FRANCES, IVAN and JEANNE put us through. Each time there is a threat we have to bring in all the outside furniture, plants, chairs, bird feeders, wind chimes, ornaments etc. We have to board up the windows, put the hardtop on the T-Bird, shop for water, batteries, food (that we don't need) and stand in line for fuel for our cars and generators. Then (after spending the weekend preparing) we sit and wait for the rains to come and the winds to blow. Do we stay... so we leave. Are we safer than our friends who may need shelter with us... Then... if we're amongst the lucky ones, the winds die down and the rain stops. Now we have to assess the damage. We spend the next weekend cleaning up the down trees... replacing the blown down fences and raking the branch and leaf covered lawns. Only to start again the next weekend... repeating the process over and over and over and now over again. I for one can tell you that I'm tired. I'm anxious for the safety of my family and my property. I'm anxious for an end to the Hurricane season! In 21 years here on the Gulf Coast of Florida, this has been the worst. As bad as it is, as depressing as it may seem now, I can honestly say that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in this country. I've lived in Mass (Atlantic Coast) San Francisco (Pacific Coast) an Rocester, NY (Great Lakes). There is no perfect place. It's when a HOUSE becomes a HOME that you really that wherever you are, whatever the conditions... You truly belong right smack dab where you are and that place is what we (especially now in florida) call HOME. I wouldn't want to leave for anything... but I sure wouldn't mind a break lord!

[My T]

Karen
I am really surprised that your friends left on a trip to Orlando with all the publicity about the arrival of Hurricane Jeanne. In my opinion, that was not a very prudent decision no matter how long they have waited for this vacation. We are really in for it again. They just announced that the Orlando airport will close tomorrow at noon. No flights in or out till further notice. A couple of the counties to the East have already annouced that there will be NO school on Monday. The shelters are set to open tomorrow evening.

Also, the eastern coastal areas will be evacuated inland beginning early tomorrow morning (Saturday) which will mean a premium on any vacant hotel rooms, a shortage of gasoline and clogged roads. We will have very high winds and drenching rains for several hours as the storm approaches and then again as it leaves to the North. If it is anything like Charley or Frances, there will be extensive damage, several days without power and restricted driving due to fallen trees all over the area.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we will all be busy preparing once again for the worst, putting the plywood back up, getting sand bags ready, hunting for gasoline and ice, and removing all outdoor furniture and yard items. Bummer. We are so tired of it.

Do you know how many days your friends planned to stay here? I assume that they are driving and that may present problems with all the evacuees on the road. One announcer said that the attractions here will all be closed on Sunday and Monday depending on the amount of damage. If we have widespread power outages, then the restaurants will not be open.

I am sorry to give you such a bleak picture of what the next few days have in store for us. It may not be as bad as some of the predictions, but in no case will we in Orlando escape the storm altogether. If you had asked me yesterday about this, I would have suggested that your friends remain in MO and come here at another time. I think that they will have several stories to tell about their trip to Orlando.

[MObird]

Tom, everyone tried to tell them not to go but they're young and determined to go anyway. Even if Disney World is open, which sounds unlikely, it'll probably be raining and windy at the least.
They were to be there for 10 days and meeting up with her parents who are driving in from Indiana. I have visions of them spending their holiday in a school cafeteria somewhere.
Kids!
Thanks for the info.

[SuperSport]

Here is the latest predictions for SUSTAINED winds...

http://images.ibsys.com/2004/0924/3758890.jpg

[taflocks]

sure am glad i live in california,where all we have to wory about is earthquakes,forest fires, and mudslides. i will take an earthquake over a hurricane any day.,

[My T]

All you birds who live in the high rent district - - - - that is Brooksville, The Villages, Spring Hill, (and I guess Dunedin).

It does not appear that you can escape this storm. Looks like you are in the path like the rest of us to the East. So, don't take chances. Be SAFE. Hope that Jeanne is kind to you and that you will sustain no injuries and limited damage to property.

Just dwell on pleasant thoughts of NEXT Saturday when you are in paradise enjoying some reprieve from all this stress.

[My T]

Floridians take cover. Hide from Jeanne. Be Safe!

All you who will be in paradise next Saturday for the cruise, we hope that tomorrow will not be too stressful for you. Looking over the registrations for the cruise, I see Cocoa Beach, Melbourne Beach, Orlando, Davie, Sarasota, Lake Mary, Lakeland as well as those mentioned above. You will all be safe and sound in a week and we will celebrate our conquest of the storm. The T Birds will fly again!

[MObird]

Are they actually letting tourists drive into Florida right now?

[My T]

Karen -

I don't see how they can stop them from crossing the border. However, if they try to drive to the coastal areas, they will be turned away since they are evacuating the residents today.

ALL the hotels here in the Central Area around Orlando are FULL - no vacancies anywhere. Some gas stations are OUT OF FUEL. If your friends don't already have confirmed reservations, they will sleep in their car tonight.

Most everyone from out of State is scrambling to LEAVE. Amazing that anyone would be trying to ARRIVE! I don't get it.

Tomorrow will be a day from hell. Most everything will be closed.

[MObird]

Tom, my friends have reservations at one of the Disney resorts. If they persist in pressing on then at least they'll have a place to stay.

[Dave123]

Well, just back form the LandFill. Made my 10th and LAST run of debris. Anything Jeanne puts down here, can stay right where it lands. I've had enough. If jeannie puts it there, Karl, Lisa, Matthew, and whatever can take it away. Next weekend I'm cruisin to Birds n Paradise, I'll sweep a path out of the garage, and drive arround everything else. I'm done!! Good Luck all, and see you on the 2nd. I'm Hunkering Down.

[Goldwing]

Ok here we sit. It's just after 7am have been at the office since 4am. So far a few rain bands with 40mph wind gust have moved across the county. We should start with 74mph + winds in about 2-3 hours. Most gas stations are closed or out of fuel and most stores will not open today. Then the clean up starts again.

[My T]

Just past 8 AM. The wind is fierce and steady with gusts that are very scary. It is amazing to me that we have not lost our power. The trees have even fewer leaves than before and are whipping around in the gusts. Hurricane force winds at the airport which is only a few miles from here.

The roads are deserted - police are enforcing the curfew. Everything (including all the attractions) is closed and will remain closed today. I can't imagine anyone wanting to go out in this weather but there are always some.

The rain has been heavy and that means that all the low areas will experience flooding before too long. I drained down my pool but apparently not enough as it is well up beyond the tile level now and we have several more hours of this yet to come.

I am concerned about all you who are to the West of us. As the storm moves across land towards Tampa and North of there, it does not seem to be losing much of its punch. So take care Dave, Paul, Larry, Ron, Bob, Rick, Joe, & Lynn and your spouses and families. Jeanne is headed your way. Be safe.

We will all have stories to tell on Saturday. See you then.

[rlstonejr]

only tropical storm force winds here and a little rain. nothing to worry about. lost cable for a short time but it is back in plenty of time for the bucs game. assume charlotte county is a-ok. I know that those north and east of here got hit for the 3rd time and many of you north of tampa are just now able to check out the damages. hope everyone is ok and can check in soon. SEE YOU ALL SATURDAY!

[BLUNBIRD]

Traveling down I-26 today through North and South Carolina, we experienced some impressive winds until we turned off on I-95. Then, the rain came and the winds calmed somewhat. But here on Hilton Head, it is very breezy and the seas are quite angry. Tomorrow is our day for excitement. 'Hope to post some pictures.

[Joe Varey]

Well C & I have made it though another one. Just some sticks and twiggs a heck of alot better then some on my street. One poor guy has not one but two trees in his house. We only lost power for about nine hours went in the garage and got our "NEW" generator out and was able to keep the fridge running watch the storm news on TV. We are at work right now and C is cleaning up the yard. Can't wait till next weekend really need a break from all this. Hope everyone faired as well or better. See you all on Saturday.

[joe166]

I just had a second knee surgery and I was on the roof of our two story house putting up shutters all day Saturday (my insurance loses a lot of it's coverage if I don't put up all my shutters when there is a Hurricane Warning in my area) and took most of the day. I got into the house at about 7pm, just in time to hear our resident expert on the local channel say "Well, here in South Florida we have dodged the bullet again, we will get nothing worse than we have already experienced." My wife and I just sat staring at the TV and she announced, "Why didn't they say this about 6 hours ago?"

No harm, no foul. One of my colleagues in Palm Beach County (north end) lost his power again and drove down to get my generator Sunday. They told him it might be three weeks or more before the power was restored and he was already going stir crazy from the last storm.

I feel really sorry for the people in the middle of the state. There is a limit to how much of this you can take. Andrew is still a fresh memory in Miami. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone that has been affected, but at my age carrying those heavy metal storm panels gets really really old. I am looking into roll up or accordion shutters after the season, along with a bigger generator so I can run my air conditioner. After all, I just sold my old, smaller one to someone who really needed it (except, in my usual manner, I let it go with the understanding that he would pay me whatever he thought it was worth when he got around to it as I don't know what a 4400 watt generator is going for now.)

[BAY-B]

Another bullet dodged... I guess! This is getting very old... 4th hurricane we had to prepare for this past weekend and belive me we're overly tired of it. We were fortunate however in that we didn't loose power, just cable tv and telephone. Aslo, the fence that I just replaced from hurrican Frances is now down again and that has to be straightened out... another weekend project. I can't wait until BIRDS IN PARADISE next Saturday. We definitely need a break for all this yard work, etc. See you next week in Orlando. An d JOE, if you haven't signed up you should... sounds like just the break you need too.

[SuperSport]

Well, we have survived once again, although the wind blew a garden hose reel off of the wall... which was attached to a hose bibb ajacent to our Master Bedroom... which broke the pipe in the wall... which flooded the Master bedroom, Master bath, and Family room. :mad: Also had some windblown water come in the exterior wall of our den... which has soaked those rugs. Power and phone was out for 13 hours. Mrs SuperSport is looking for a new WOOD floor. The carpet has to go in those three rooms, so she may get her wish. As of today the pipe is fixed, so the water is back on. Now to move everything out of those rooms and start ripping carpeting out. :damn:

As for My T Tom.... he has no power, but aside from that, he's OK. Since he can't get online, he wanted me to pass along his hopes that everyone wethered the storm well... especially the folks in Jeanne's path. I second that wish too!

Regardless, come HELL or HIGH WATER, The BIRDS WILL STILL FLY THIS SATURDAY!!!

[TBNwidow]

Brian,
We made it through with a lot of rain, terrible high winds, loss some branches..that is all, thank GOD. But it is getting very tiring.
I am so glad you, your family amd Tom are all okay. Our computer has been crazy, so I could not even e-mail to those who had power.
EVERYBODY, who reads this: PLEASE say a prayer for all of us Floridians, especially those who suffered the most and even people not in Fl who suffered from these storms, ( Ron & Sunny), and anyone else, , that JEANNE WAS THE LAST.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tell Tom, my thoughts are with him, you, & all the family.
Claire

[Goldwing]

Just got power back today :peaceblob . No damage to the house and just small limbs off some trees. But they can stay in the yard till next weekend
because I need to have a break........See ya this weekend :hail:

[My T]

It was a week from hell. I don't want to live through that again.
We will all feel better on Saturday morning when we gather for the cruise. Leave all your worries behind and plan to have a great time - we are all in need of a cleansing from stress. Our birds in a parade is just what we need!

[joe166]

I am sure that some of you in the more affected areas are much more familiar with prices for generators than we are in South Florida, so I wonder if you have any idea what a fair price for a 4400 watt (surge) 4000 watt (continuous) generator is. It is in almost perfect condition and runs great. 4 outlets, 2x120 and 2x240.

I haven't been able to compare prices since everyone in this area is out of stock. I think 400 to 500 is fair, but if you have an opinion, let me know please. I sure don't want to take advantage of anyone in dire need, but I gave it to a friend with the understanding that both of us would try to find out what a fair price might be.