BERIGAN Posted October 28, 2005 Author Report Posted October 28, 2005 (edited) hi y'all. we just got power back! wilma smashed us pretty good. fortunately our house survived with with what seems to be minor damage. our awning was blown away, our pool fence destroyed, a side door blown off and a lot of trees damaged. many people were less fortunate and over 750,000 people in dade county still do not have power. might be up to 4 weeks for some to get it! we were pretty well stocked with food, ice and water. i have not ventured out too far to conserve gas. for the few stations that have a generator and are pumping gas, gas lines are 20 blocks long!!! by the time you get to the front think how much gas you have used in line! anyway i missed you all and i hope my fellow so. floridians (dan, marty etc.) are ok! ← Evan, glad to here you are ok as well! I couldn't believe how hard the wind was blowing on the other side of the state, and the black side of the eye was worse than the front!!!! I also wonder why it has also become a non story, at least on TV..... Edited October 28, 2005 by BERIGAN Quote
MartyJazz Posted October 30, 2005 Report Posted October 30, 2005 Well, power was restored to my neighborhood in Palm Beach County today, 5-1/2 days after it disappeared on Monday, around 7:30 AM. Damage wasn't too bad, some roof tiles, a tree in front of my house bent 45 degrees or so that we straightened out today with the help of some rope and a neighbor's pickup truck. Back yard is a mess but all in all, can't complain. The weather subsequent to the hurricane was absolutely sensational all week, i.e., 70-75 degrees during the day, cool nights, no humidity, so we didn't swelter because of the lack of A/C. But no power ain't fun, e.g., cold showers all week. Will take a hot one tonight. Quote
Bright Moments Posted October 30, 2005 Report Posted October 30, 2005 glad to hear you made it ok marty! Quote
JSngry Posted October 30, 2005 Report Posted October 30, 2005 Glad you both made it! Anybody hear from Dan? I sent him an email earlier this week and still haven't heard back... Quote
MartyJazz Posted October 30, 2005 Report Posted October 30, 2005 My 84 year old father has been staying with us because his area in Delray Beach, 2 miles from Dan's place, has been without power and still is until I check this AM and hopefully find out otherwise. So Dan may still be out of luck. Get this, the southern half of Palm Beach County, where Dan, my father and I reside, has been "promised" that the latest date at which 100% of the residents will have power is November 22nd!!!! Quote
JSngry Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 Just heard from Dan, and he just now got power. He's ok, and will have some stories to tell. Quote
Dan Gould Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 (edited) Just heard from Dan, and he just now got power. He's ok, and will have some stories to tell. ← Indeed I do! First off, glad to see Evan and Marty are doing OK. I was wondering about Marty in particular when I heard that Boynton Beach had a confirmed wind gust of 119 MPH. Anyone hear from dsgtrane lately? Wilma was definitely one hellacious bitch. At one point, we were watching the glass in the sliding glass doors bow inward about 2-3 inches, and this was with hurricane shutters up. Very disconcerting and we ended up using a staple gun to secure an old comforter over the door, just in case the glass shattered. Thank heaven it didn't. When the storm was over we found: Two of the three trees we had completely destroyed, but on the positive side, we had a new tree in the backyard: Our neighbor's 80 foot pine tree had come crashing down, killing what was left of the mango tree. Total destruction of 2/3 of our fencing (you may recall that last year we lost one side of our fence - that survived but the rest came down this time.) Very minor shingle damage. After six days of back-breaking and skin-tanning labor, we finally completed the restoration of our "Security Perimeter" and were going to celebrate with a pizza when FP&L gave us something to really celebrate, power in the neighborhood. So we ended up going without power for about 12 hours shy of a full week. Fortunately we had taken advantage of the "hurricane tax holiday" in June to get a generator so we were able to keep our fridge and freezer contents alive. But we're also still on a "boil water" order so that was a pretty nasty thought when we were taking our cold showers. Now it will be a nasty thought when we take hot showers. Some pictures: First, a reminder of what our backyard used to look like: On the left is the star fruit tree which we removed about six months ago. On the right is the mango tree, picked apart by Wilma and shattered by the falling pine tree. In the rear is the lone surviving orange tree, which my wife thankfully had pruned significantly before hurricane season started. Here's the front yard with the destroyed pigeon plum tree: That's the downed pine tree in front, the surviving orange tree is in the rear: Looking from our backyard toward our neighbor: This picture of some of the fence damage gives you a good idea of some of the work we've had to do. After a couple of days I finally realized that I was missing the appropriate musical accompaniment for this back-breaking labor, and once I started listening, my mind started playing with the lyrics and so, it is with sincerest apologies to Nat Adderley and Oscar Brown, Jr., I give you The Wilma Song Breaking fence out here with my neighbors Breaking fence and killing some time Breaking fence out here with my neighbors Wilma committed the crime Hold it steady right there while I hit it Well I reckon that ought to get it been working been working Still got so terribly far to go Wilma committed the crime I’m payin’ Got tired of beating the hungry and poor Left my yard and house a shambles When ‘Cane Wilma crashed ashore Hold it steady right there while I hit it Well I reckon that ought to get it been working been working Still got so terribly far to go I heard FPL say “Four weeks no power. On a gas line you’re gonna go.” I heard FPL say “Four weeks no power.” I heard my woman scream "Lordy, no!" Hold it steady right there while I hit it Well I reckon that ought to get it been working been working I still got so terribly far to go Wanna see my jazz forum buddies Need to break this post off the ground Gonna lay down here where its shady Lord it sure is hot in the sun Hold it steady right there while I hit it Well I reckon that ought to get it been working been working Still got so terribly far to go Edited October 31, 2005 by Dan Gould Quote
Bright Moments Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 glad to hear that you are safe and sound dan!!! Quote
jazzbo Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 So glad to hear you are all safe! Quote
Big Wheel Posted October 31, 2005 Report Posted October 31, 2005 (edited) Yeah, I have a feeling my mom's back yard (in south Dade) looks like Dan's. We apparently lost one big loquat tree and also a medium-sized ficus (losing the ficus is a GOOD thing in my book--those things are nuisances). Fortunately the little lychee and longan trees that I spent hours putting in last summer were somehow spared. No power yet at my mom's or grandparents'; the grandparents decided to head to a motel for a couple of nights for the A/C. My mom is saying the damage is second only to Hurricane Andrew's. Edited October 31, 2005 by Big Wheel Quote
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