posted August 13, 2004 06:08 PM              

Remember, the power may go out, but I'll be in touch. Don't start a food fight if I do not return right away...

posted August 13, 2004 10:29 PM              

Jwhop must have evacuated, or he'd be right in here, spreading the news. Stay safe, Jwhop

You too, Everlong

posted August 14, 2004 12:16 AM            

The county I live in ended the evacuation and let us back on the barrier islands, so I came home.

We hardly had any wind and almost no rain but Charley tore the middle of the state up.

Hope everyone is OK. There have been 2 deaths reported but from auto accidents, not from direct hurricane, wind, flood etc.

Thanks for all your well wishes.

posted August 14, 2004 08:18 PM              

South Carolina emergency management official Joe Farmer said the storm made landfall at Georgetown, S.C. at about 11 a.m. EDT Saturday but there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries.

At 5 p.m. EDT, Charley was located at latitude 36.0 north, longitude 77.0 west or about 75 miles south-southwest of Norfolk, Va. It was headed north-northeast at 30 mph but had been downgraded to a tropical storm with 70 mph winds.

Charley made its first landfall Friday at Captiva Island, Fla., roaring ashore as a Category 4 hurricane with 145 mph winds that devastated several towns and cities including Punta Gorda, Fla.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement reported five confirmed deaths from the storm. Gov. Jeb Bush said a death count was far from complete because of all the destruction.

Meanwhile, two other tropical storms developed while Charley traveled north from Florida.

Tropical storm Danielle was centered at 5 p.m. at latitude 13.7 north, longitude 27.7 west or about 300 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. It was moving west at 15 mph with strengthening 65 mph winds.

Tropical storm Earl formed with winds of 40 mph at latitude 10.8 north, longitude 54.5 west or about 375 miles east-southeast of Barbados. It was traveling west-northwest at 23 miles an hour.

posted August 15, 2004 10:50 PM              

What a ride man - I've got some stuff to tell you...

But most important right now, I finally got my electric turned on tonight Sunday, at about 9:10pm. I think it's one day too late for the food in my fridge & freezer.

My roof didn't fly off - but had some damage and will write more later. I need to eat something and enjoy the air conditioner for a while while I collaspe.

Thank you so much for all your well wishes. There always good news and bad news in all of this. Be right back and thank you again!! I'm on my phone modem for now.

posted August 16, 2004 06:42 AM              

God, this really sucks, what happened, it's horrible. You know, to say the least.

posted August 16, 2004 06:50 AM              

Thanks-

I just woke up for a snack and will get back into it later. Hopefully my TV and cable modem will be working soon.

Know what you mean about not knowing if someone is OK. I am, but when I said this was a different breed of hurricane, I was right. Yes, I was literally thinking "this is the end - I'm going to die" several times.

My electric is back so I can recharge my digital camera battery and take photos of damage in daylight, then begin the cleanup process.

Tropical Depression Earl will probably be affecting us. Let's see what happens. I'm leaving my plywood out for now, just in case.

Love you all too - thanks !!

posted August 16, 2004 05:56 PM              

Many thousands still without electricty or even running water. Those who have water may still need to boil, or just use bottled.

Still huge shortages of gas, ice, water - people standing in line for hours and losing their tempers, not to mention, MANY traffic signals are not working in major sections all over Orlando, so ONE CAR ACCIDENT AFTER ANOTHER, especially at night or if raining, when you don't even know you're crossing an intersection.

It's like, they survived the hurricane, and get killed trying to get a bag of ice...

I still can't see TV, still using phone modem for Internet.

I'm still just exhausted and so thankful for being one of those with a/c working. Me and my buddy Capt'n Spunky are still getting some nice rest in a cool house.

I still have a lot of cleaning up of debris and branches. Just didn't want to do much until my a/c was working again. Lot's of people out there are passing out from heat exhaustion trying to do too much, and having heart troubles. People are still told to stay off roads unless absolutely necessary. Those emergency people have enough to worry about.

Also took photos of any damage.

I'm still not going to drive around out there, and the pizza place will be delivering here soon, they just got their electric on and food deliveries getting to them.

Heard on the radio people are going to any mall that is open to actually take naps in the a/c!! Also to get hot meals in the food court.

There's many traffic delays on the big highways and turnpike from people going back home or trying to get away. Public here is fuming over some toll booths OPENING UP TODAY although people are trying to take care of the immediate needs and families, causing even more traffic delays.

None of the roofs in my neighborhood had ANY damage, which is a HUGE relief and gives me peace of mind you can't beleive. These homes built better than the newer ones in Kendall area in South Florida (Miami) where lots lost their roofs from Andrew. So grateful for that. I'd say a solidly built roof is priority!!! We had all these HUGE HUGE HUGE trees completely uprooted around here!! But our roofs had no damage. Big time grateful for that.

God bless and thanks again.