There are some basic things you should do to prepare for a Hurricane. You need plenty of bottled water. You need lots of batteries and flashlights. Make sure you have plenty of canned food and other shelf type food. Have on hand a radio that will run on batteries. Fill up your gas tanks. Fill your propane tank. If you have a pool, either throw all your pool furniture in it, or like Bob did, bungy cord everything together (our only hurricane injury was from the bungy cord snapping off and popping Bob in the jaw). Remove any objects from outside that could fly off causing damage. Send your husband to the store with a list of ingredients to make your own Hurricane.
Wait.
Watch T.V. to see how the course they have predicted for days is all of the sudden changing and they keep saying “Lakeland”.
These days you know almost exactly what time your town will be hit by the forceful winds. For us it was 6:30. We all went to an area in the hall with no windows, pretty much the center of our house. Andrew had gladly gathered every pillow from the house and our queen size futon and put them in the hall.
About this time, I was feeling the effects of my own homemade Hurricane. I decided to take a nap. Meanwhile, Bob filmed all of this, so one day I might watch to see what I missed.
After it was over, it was so dark outside, we couldn’t tell what damage there might be. We still had our power and phones, so we knew we were the lucky ones.
The next morning we walked through our neighborhood. There were branches and leaves of all sizes all over the place. But we can’t complain.
People in the next town are still without power and it’s been 2 weeks.
There was a spontaneous 2nd collection in Atlanta area churches today. Thinking of your pool furniture and Bob’s injury, I donated $20. Most people appeared to be giving $1.
You left out the best part about everybody bonding in the hall. What did you do with all of the stuff you bought? I’m glad you all did not have any real damage!
Love,
Mom
Nice use of “wait.” and “continue reading the journal entry”… I’m glad to hear you guys made it with minimal injury through the hurricane. And that you celebrated along the way!
I’m glad to hear they made it through okay too. I called down there while they were waiting in the hallway and they didn’t know what would happen yet. Bob had been outside filming but at this point the eyewall was nearly on top of them and he decided he should come in.
I figured I would call back the next day and make sure they were okay, but I forgot. So I was glad to see this post.