Irma — Thursday

Evacuations started Wednesday from Monroe County, FL. That is the county where the Keys are located. This is a picture of the cars someone took and posted on FB. I got the picture from a friend who it was sent to, and asked if I could use it to show my readers. This is what it looked like on I-75 northbound from south Florida to at least Ocala, which is north of Tampa and the Villages. A long distance, especially to not go anywhere or to go a mile an hour.

I know about that traffic. I have been there, done that, don’t want to do it again. People get in fender benders, cars overheat and run out of gas. People are scared, frustrated, and tempers flare when they really don’t want to. They want to help their fellow man, but this is panic time folks. And it’s real. And tempers flare. And plans get changed.

I have a friend who lives in south Florida who has a son who lives in Naples. Her son decided to take his family to North Carolina before the onset of traffic (he left Tuesday) and my friend was suppose to go there, too. Well, sometimes plans do not work according to what we want, and she, her husband and another son were in the car headed toward N.Carolina when there was a car problem. Now, they are huddled in a motel room in southern Georgia. No doubt, they needed to get out of south Florida, but I am sure they are more than frustrated.

I do see there is a plan in Florida. Yesterday it was mandatory evacuations for Monroe County and parts of south Florida. Today and tomorrow, Miami/Dade County and probably Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County and Palm Beach/Brevard County (I think that is the county). Then, there are other things happening — the cruise ships are in port NOW in both Port Canaveral and Port Everglades in Miami and leaving off passengers ahead of time. I believe I saw where the last plane leaves Miami on Friday. Those who can are bringing their boats in. Those who have those big boats, well, they can’t save them, they can’t get them out of the water because of their size and they can’t go north because they will be going with the hurricane, and they can’t go south because that is where the hurricane is, so… I can’t even imagine what Biscayne Bay in the Miami area will look like in a couple of days.

That is all on the east coast of Florida, and only up to Jupiter, Cocoa Beach (which is where Kennedy Space Center is located). Oh, they are closing KSC today, tying down what they can.

Now, for my side, the west side. Supposedly, we will not get the brunt of the storm (someone called it a wind event, and I almost peed my pants with that term — a wind event –) but we are preparing because really who knows what is really going to happen.

St. Petersburg and the beaches and the surrounding areas is Pinellas County, and Bradenton/Amelia Island is Manatee County. Guess what, there is a mandatory evacuation for those in Zone A, on the coast. Bascially, that is all of Pinellas County, but Bradenton has other zones. Amelia Island, not so lucky. Those evacuations have started or are going to start tomorrow morning.

I’m still staying…

I have a designated room that I plan to sit in. I don’t really want to see the wind; anyway, we are not to be by windows, and I say that even if they are hurricane windows — but I might open my drapes to snap one photo. Not up close though.

I have been out and about going about my regular life all week. What I have noticed is no batteries, anywhere. No water, anywhere (has anyone ever thought of tap water and water pitchers?), and gas is running low. The governor has even gone on tv and asked people to get only as much gas as they need so those who are leaving will have the gas. Yeah, right, I can see that happening. One lady in ceramics waited in line at Walmart for gas, and when she got close, the attendant came out with a sign, “out of gas”. Then she went to Racetrack. Same scenario. But she did find gas. Me, I had my gas last weekend.

The good news. There is none. But, the wind is now 175 mph instead of 185 mph. What I have learned is about the speed of the hurricane. When it is fast moving, as this one is, it comes in destroys everything, then leaves, but what it does do is not to have as big of surges as those who just hang around (which is what Harvey did to Houston). Good news, nah, just a hiccup in the storm of storms.

The bad news. It is suppose to hit Miami, Jupiter, then go up to Georgia (Savannah) and batter Georgia, South Carolina (I have a feeling Hilton Head is going to get hit again) and Charleston before going to North Carolina (that is Wilmington). In other words, the entire eastern coast is going to be hit. Other bad news. Jose. Not for us, but the Leeward Islands are going to get hit again. There won’t be anything left after these two storms.

Right now, I need to sign off, finish my laundry and start bringing in the furniture from outside. The rain is going to start tomorrow afternoon. But it usually rains every afternoon on the west side of Florida, but I think it will continue with this one. I guess I will see. I don’t need to go out for anything, but I think I might tomorrow morning, because it might be my last day out for a very long time.

What I am expecting. Lots of wind, rain, power outages (but I am really hoping not for long on this one) and simply getting through this. I am really looking forward to this, not because I want it, I want it to hurry up, come, and get out. If we have to have it, let’s get it over with…

Until tomorrow…say a prayer…