Hurricane Milton

We missed almost all the buildup for Hurricane Helene, which devastated Florida’s panhandle and North Carolina, still no phone service and electricity in many areas. And lies promulgated about FEMA, which slows down the search and rescue.

Now it’s our turn. Hurricane Milton is churning across the Gulf of Mexico, predicted to land as a Class 5 somewhere near Tampa Thursday, then head across the state.

We’ve brought in the porch chairs, picked up the few things in our yard, turned pots over, and dismantled Grant’s big plant tower, laying the levels on the porch. There isn’t a lot to do, and I will be thinking about what I can move on after the storm and what makes the list to be kept. Less is less.

For water, Grant filled 2 of our food safe 5 gallon buckets. If we need more than that, we will fill our water bottles and head to either Patten’s or Sally’s, depending on which is in better shape after the storm.

It is so unnerving not having any shutters. But I still claim Central Florida is a safe place to be. I think we are high enough to avoid any flooding.

Our neighbors had their driveway full of trash, junked cabinets and other stuff, as usual. It was there when we came home from our trip. Grant and I took a full sheet of 1/2” finished plywood. We left the plastic floor protector for an office chair. Most everything was chipboard. I was concerned it would end up in our yard. I’d already picked up paper and plastic that had blown over. The house seems to be in foreclosure, but there are people and cars around. I was hesitant to ask them to pick up their junk, and we weren’t feeling neighborly enough to offer help. Plus their garage is packed to the gills.

Perhaps my call to the head of Public Works did the trick. In any case, a small dumpster arrived this morning, and they cleared their driveway. 

Yesterday morning, Grant went to the store and had his first experience with hurricane shopping. There weren’t even any carts to be had. Fortunately, we are well stocked, so not a problem. Patten had mentioned cooking a pot roast. What a good idea. Delicious, and good leftovers.

In the afternoon, we returned to Publix for flu and our 8th covid shots. As usual, my arm hurts like the bejeezus. Grant has nothing. Why?

The shelves were getting pretty bare. I remembered I needed black gel icing for a Halloween cake I plan to bake this weekend. That was still in stock. No tuna, but you can decorate cakes.

Now, we are mostly just waiting. We will take down the bird feeders tomorrow and bring William inside. He can scratch at his plastic bin to his heart’s content. He’ll be in the garage, and I won’t hear him.