Hunkering Down

I said I was going to start posting every other week, but I felt compelled to weigh in on the hurricane situation.

I have lived in Florida since 1980, so I have a bit of experience. I know that folks who have not experienced hurricanes often wonder why someone wouldn’t evacuate. Many Floridians, like me, have evacuated only to have the hurricane change directions. In my case, I evacuated to Orlando with my husband and golden retriever only to have the hurricane hit there. We found a hotel and prepared to hunker down when we got a knock on the door telling us to leave because dogs were not allowed. We rode out the hurricane in a parking lot. I vowed then that I would never evacuate again. With that said, we are about four miles from the river and at least seven from the ocean. We have gotten good at planning for the worst, hoping for the best, and hunkering down.

Also, we are in a good area that has never suffered a direct hit (on record). I’ve read that NASA actually chose our location because the Gulf Stream is about 30 miles offshore and hurricanes have time to dwindle, making our county less susceptible to extreme damage and direct hits. I choose to think that’s true, and I hope it continues to be even with the changes in weather we’ve been experiencing.

Hurricanes are scary. The sounds can be terrifying. We’ve been without power for two weeks with soaring heat. But, we have good neighbors and a great family. Often in our neighborhood one side of the block is without power and the other isn’t, so you’ll see extension cords run from house to house. We’ve shared cell phone chargers, food, water and ice with folks and have stored neighbors’ frozen goods in our freezer; we’ve been shown the same kindness.

The latest forecast predicts this hurricane may be a dangerous one. Coming on the heels of a monster like Helene, it has folks very nervous. I pray for the best for all in its path.

8 Responses

  1. K.K says:

    Good luck !!

  2. Rick says:

    It’s definitely an experience.

  3. Rick says:

    It’s unfortunate for the west coast, but hitting there first saves us a lot of destruction.

  4. Dana says:

    Hunker down & stay safe!

  5. joe says:

    well said