Thank you, DUers! - Democratic Underground

AirmensMom

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Sat Oct-29-05 10:47 PM
Original message

Thank you, DUers!

We survived hurricane Wilma. Many of you stayed up with me all night Sunday night while I was afraid. My husband had boarded up the house and tied everything down, but he wasn't worried. For some reason, I was especially uneasy and couldn't sleep. Thank you to everyone who talked to me and helped me through it. It would definitely have been a lot harder without my DU friends.

The first part of the storm was relatively easy. We thought it would be the worst since it usually is. We went outside during the eye and didn't see any damage at all. Then came the second half and it was MUCH worse. Things were hitting the house. At one point, something hit the hurricane shutter very hard in the room where I was trying to hook up my laptop. It was a huge piece of solar panel from our neighbor's roof. I'm glad we had that hurricane panel on the window, or it would have come through the glass and hurt (or killed) me.

Boca doesn't look the same anymore. There are trees and power lines down. Many people lost their screen enclosures, including our neighbor behind us. We only got a few tears in our screens. Many roofs lost several tiles. We only lost about six. Cars are w/out windshields and back windows. The houses are all standing, just damaged. Our solar panels are still on the roof and we won't know if they're damaged until we're able to start the pool pump.

We lost electricity early in the morning on Monday and still do not have it back. It could be as early as tomorrow when we get it back, or as late as Nov. 22. The phone went out Monday afternoon and came back late this afternoon. The cell phones work some of the time.

We were as prepared as we could get. We had a freezer full of ice, plenty of food, and containers full of water. We do not have a generator, but it was almost impossible to get gas until yesterday. One of our neighbors let us hook up to his generator a few days ago, so we can keep the refrigerator (mostly cat food at this point) reasonably cold and the laptop charged.

The nearest distribution site for ice and water was 15 miles away. We decided to do with what we had since we didn't want to use up our gas ... first, in the line to get the ice, and then in another line trying to buy gas. You would think they could get it right by now.

We have not tried to call FEMA yet. That would have been an exercise in frustration using the cell phones. Perhaps we will call tomorrow or Monday. We really don't have much to claim, especially compared to our neighbors. We have been very fortunate.

Still, it is not easy living in the dark and taking cold showers. I don't know what we'll do about clean clothes once we run out, but I'm sure I can manage to hand wash some necessities.

The battery-powered TV is getting its first good work-out and does very well. We're on our 3rd set of D batteries and still holding strong. The TV never mentions our part of the world, though. This morning, they said that South FL is "getting back to normal." I guess we don't count ... why does that not surprise me?

I walked through the neighborhood and took a few pictures which I will post once I get more power and a faster connection. We will get through this. It's more of an inconvenience than "life and death" at this point. The stores are starting to open and we'll be able to buy gas if we don't mind spending half the day in line.

That's all I can think of. I'm tired from not sleeping and emotionally exhausted. There's something very sad about it all, even though we seem to have come out of it in very good shape. I feel like crying most of the time, but I have tried to concentrate on cleaning things up. Sometimes the distraction helps.

I really miss being able to spend more time with my DU friends. If I don't post for a while, it's because I can't get enough power or a connection. I am safe, though. I hope everyone else who was in harm's way is able to check in. I've noticed that we're still waiting for mexicoxpat and I hope the problem is one of power and/or internet connection.

Thank you for all the warm, golden thoughts, prayers, candles, and all the expressions of support. The experience would have been much more difficult without you.

:grouphug: