Hello Dolly!

[myLoki]

Hey everyone! Well, hurricane season started a few weeks ago and I'm surprised its been relatively quiet so far. I guess I spoke to soon because Dolly is heading straight for us. Due to arrive on Wednesday evening. She should get here as a Cat. 1 so there isn't too much to worry about. I could use everyone's luck in hoping that it stays small and weak.

We've been battered by storms in the past and as they have it forcasted now we will be getting hit by the eye. (I live about 50 mi from the Gulf of Mexico). Of course, there is a lot of time for it to change course and I hope it does because I don't feel like evacuating the dogs and bunnies. The logistics are mindboggling. We'd definitely have to take more than one car. All the supplies we would need for a family of six, a Rottweiler, two Chihuahuas, two bunnies, and a hamster! Thank God my dad cut down that rotting tree in our front yard. It would probably have cracked with the first strong gale.


Anyway, I always say that any little bit helps so send us some luck!

t.

 

[Becca]

Oh gosh, Luckily where I live we don't have hurricanes and floods and other natural disasters.

Good luck to you and all those people in your area.

Becca

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Yikes, I hope not, please stay safe!

(Dolly, stay small and weak!)

 

[bat42072]

stay safe... I will keep you in my thoughts

 

[slavetoabunny]

Those of us in Florida send our best vibes for a small storm. Stay safe!

 

[Leaf]

I heard about it today on my way home. I may be wrong, but I thought I heard it could hit as early as Tuesday.

Keep safe!

 

[lalena2148]

Good luck and keep safe! After living in FL for 10 years, I these storms can be brutal. Sending luck.:magicwand:

You know what my hurricane survival kit included: brownies and rum. If I was going, I was going to go drunk and full of chocolate! LOL.

 

[mouse_chalk]

Eeek, good luck, and I hope you stay safe! :shock::hug:

Jen xx

 

[myLoki]

We ran around all day today getting supplies in case things get bad. I bought a travel crate for the bunnies because my grandma borrowed *cough**cough* stole the crate I had bought for them last year. haha! Anyway, we're pretty much set to hunker down or run should the need arise. It looks pretty weak right now even though we're getting the eye of the storm. The stores are ransacked. It was wierd because half the people that were talking were nervous and half of them were completely oblivious. My mom and I were talking about needing more batteries and about how we never think about batteries unless a hurricane is coming and the lady in line behind us says, "What? What hurricane?" My mom and I looked at each other like.... "really, lady?" She decided that she needed to do some more shopping. haha.

t.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

myLoki wrote:

My mom and I were talking about needing more batteries and about how we never think about batteries unless a hurricane is coming and the lady in line behind us says, "What? What hurricane?" My mom and I looked at each other like.... "really, lady?" She decided that she needed to do some more shopping. haha.

t.

LOL, serious? I'm sure you are! Wow, that's funny. What a crazee.:? Hello, it's been all over the news!:rollseyes

 

[lalena2148]

AngelnSnuffy wrote:

LOL, serious? I'm sure you are! Wow, that's funny. What a crazee.:? Hello, it's been all over the news!:rollseyes

But you know what's funny; when I lived in FL they really didn't talk too much about it on the news unless you turned on the weather channel. I mean, the day of it was all over the news, but otherwise if it was onlya Cat 1 or 2 it wasn't even really talked about.

If it stays a Cat 1, you'll be fine. My house in FL went through Charley which was a ...Cat 4? You'll probably get a lot of rain but other than that, the winds shouldn't be that bad. And the 'projected' path looks like it may even miss most of Texas. But you know how those projected paths are.

Hurricane Georges in 1998 it was projected that the eye was going to hit Venice, FL head on. That's where I went to highschool (which was on an island). So we got everything ready at school and they gave us 4 hurricane days off, as with the eye, they didn't know what shape the school would be in when the storm was over. The news was going crazy, people were gathering supplies like squirrels gathering nuts for the winter! So we waited...and it completely missed us. We got some rain, a little wind, but really nothing. There was a little shift in the path that would have suggested a turn to FL, but It decided to go north to Mississippi, Alabama, and the FL panhandle. So I don't even trust those paths anymore.

However, if there is one thing I learned from Charley, it's that nature can also be unpredictible. See that gif below? I livedin North Port, just to the left of Port Charlottle. The eye shifted just slightly South and that saved our homes and our lives. Our neighbors Punta Gorda weren't so lucky. It was scary. 2004 was a horrible year for storms.

So either way myLoki, I'm glad you're preparing. Better safe than sorry. And good luck with your pets. That's a lot of animals to be sheltered with!
Are you going to board up the windows?

 

[slavetoabunny]

lalena2148 wrote:

But you know what's funny; when I lived in FL they really didn't talk too much about it on the news unless you turned on the weather channel. I mean, the day of it was all over the news, but otherwise if it was onlya Cat 1 or 2 it wasn't even really talked about.

Nowadays the newscasters start getting excited when it is a tropical storm 1,500 miles away! They get so disappointed when it doesn't hit us.

 

[lalena2148]

slavetoabunny wrote:

lalena2148 wrote:

But you know what's funny; when I lived in FL they really didn't talk too much about it on the news unless you turned on the weather channel. I mean, the day of it was all over the news, but otherwise if it was onlya Cat 1 or 2 it wasn't even really talked about.

Nowadays the newscasters start getting excited when it is a tropical storm 1,500 miles away! They get so disappointed when it doesn't hit us.

LOL! I did see the occasional newscaster get excited about it when it was almost over by Africa! It was mostly the weather channel though. What side of FL do you live on?

Although I remember there was a lot of talk with Charley because it was going to be a Cat 2 if it hit by us. So the news would talk a little more about it. They said it wasn't going to hit...blah blah blah. Weather Channel too. Then it strengthened to a Cat 4 in the gulf and THEN they got serious. All of a sudden, the eye was going to hit North Port head on. And it went from a Cat 2 (not a huge deal)to a Cat 4 (a HUGE deal) in 3 hours with only 2 hours till landfall! We really had no time to prepare. Just duct tape the windows if they shattered, filled the tub with water and gathered out supplies at home. That was it.

 

[myLoki]

And the 'projected' path looks like it may even miss most of Texas. But you know how those projected paths are.

Yeah. Most of Texas is going to miss the brunt of the storm although I hope the Hill Country (central Texas) gets some rain because they're having a pretty bad drought. Unfortunately, I live inside that little blue circle on this map.

You're right though. We're going to be fine. I just don't want to regret not preparing later on. hehe. We're not boarding up windows. We have burglar bars all around the house and since it's just a Cat. 1 we're not too worried about projectiles. We live inside the city so we're pretty well protected on all sides. We're worried about flooding. Our side of the street just doesn't drain very well. I woke up at 6 am to go get ten bags of sand that the city is giving out. I was hella tired. haha. Not only did I get four hours of sleep but I had to help some elderly people parked next to us shovel sand into their bags. I live in a neighborhood full of elderly so when my dad gets home my whole family gets to go help them prepare their houses for the storm. yay...not. haha. They're nice folks so I don't mind helping, but man am I going to be tired. I still have to do laundry! I'm running out of clothes! lol.

t.

 

[slavetoabunny]

lalena2148 wrote:

What side of FL do you live on?

Although I remember there was a lot of talk with Charley because it was going to be a Cat 2 if it hit by us. So the news would talk a little more about it. They said it wasn't going to hit...blah blah blah. Weather Channel too. Then it strengthened to a Cat 4 in the gulf and THEN they got serious. All of a sudden, the eye was going to hit North Port head on. And it went from a Cat 2 (not a huge deal)to a Cat 4 (a HUGE deal) in 3 hours with only 2 hours till landfall! We really had no time to prepare. Just duct tape the windows if they shattered, filled the tub with water and gathered out supplies at home. That was it.

I am in the Daytona area. By the time Charlie got to us it was a Cat 1. That was my first hurricane....quickly followed by #2 and #3! I had just moved to Florida in June and I was ready to turn tail and go back to earthquake country.

 

[seniorcats]

slavetoabunny wrote:

lalena2148 wrote:

But you know what's funny; when I lived in FL they really didn't talk too much about it on the news unless you turned on the weather channel. I mean, the day of it was all over the news, but otherwise if it was onlya Cat 1 or 2 it wasn't even really talked about.

Nowadays the newscasters start getting excited when it is a tropical storm 1,500 miles away! They get so disappointed when it doesn't hit us.

Isn't that weird? It's almost like they want another Katrina to relieve the weather boredom.

 

[myLoki]

It's wierd how the animals can always tell. I don't know if they can sense the storm coming of they are feeding off our nerves. Loki is as chill as ever. Nothing can ruffle his fur. Lily, on the other hand, is flipping out! What should I do to make her feel more comfortable? The dogs are nervous. CJ, the rotty, is pacing back and forth in the back yard. Whisky, the Chi, is whinier than usual. Bailey, the puppy, is oblivious.

Freaky occurence: I don't know what these insects are called in english. In spanish, they're called "chicharras." They hang out in the trees and make this wierd noise that seems to go on forever. Well, they were going off like they do all summer and right before the winds changed, they stopped. It was SO EERIE! Just silence. It's like you don't really notice their call until they stop and then it's like something is missing in the background. Then "WHOOSH!" the winds started coming in. It's getting windy and it's mostly cloudy, but there's no rain yet.

t.

 

[bat42072]

like i said earlier stay safe.... you have been on my mind today... I will keep you in my thoughts until Dolly passes... prayers going out to you and everyone that Dolly is effecting

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Yep, it was the Weather Channel I was watching. Now they're saying tomorrow and Thurs and will be mostly rain as opposed to wind, but another 4 mph of wind, would be upgraded. Stay safe and keep us posted if you can! (I was thinking of you today while watching the weather channel.)

Rest of you in this area stay safe as well!

 

[myLoki]

UGH! I could NEVER live in Tornado Alley! I'm so terrified of tornados and guess what kind of watch we're under now?! TORNADO WATCH! I don't like it!:shock:

Poor Lily is still super nervous! I covered their cage with a blanket, but I think she is sensing my nervousness. I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight. Not with tornados under my bed waiting to pounce on me as soon as I step off my bed.

Here's some irony for you. The Tornado was my high school mascot. hehe.


t.