We are hungry, but pass on the few fast food establishments we see along the way. At first you can't tell they're open because of the darkness, but those lucky enough to have generators have dim lights inside and people lined out the doors. The drive-thru's have lines stretching around the building and to the street.
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
Idiots R Us!
We are up early and arrive home by 9:00 in the morning. We are disappointed that we still don't have power. We're not alone. I hear that we are among some 4-million doing without today. I begin to busy myself with the task at hand... cleaning out the refrigerator and freezer. It's been two days and none of it can be salvaged except the cheese and jar of mayonnaise we put in the cooler.By noon we are hot and tired and beginning to get on each other's nerves. I remind the girls that we are lucky to still have a roof over our heads. I get the look. You know the look if you have teenagers. They stare. Sometimes they raise an eyebrow, but mostly they stare at you like you are from another planet. We haven't seen many images from the aftermath of Frances, but I remind them of the images we saw after Charley of the elderly sitting in homes with a tarp for a roof and fanning themselves. The stare goes away as they remember.
We decide to go out to lunch. Anywhere with air conditioning will do. We are surprised at the number of people that are doing the same thing. Every fast food joint and restaurant is filled to capacity and I wonder out loud how long their supply of food will last without trucks being able to get through. Will people actually go hungry? Or will they simply be forced to eat the less desirable food they laid in for the storm.
As we turned down our block, we see a sprinkler system squirting water across a lawn. I comment, "What idiot is running their sprinklers today?!" We get closer and we find the idiots are us. Then as if on cue we all shout, "That means we have power!" My daughters hop and skip to the door and I, embarrassed to be the block idiot, rush to turn off the sprinklers.
Wednesday, September 8, 2004
Shortages
Many in our area are still without power. Power or not, it would be impossible to find gasoline. There is none. How will all those people that fled here from the East Coast get home?There are no perishables in the grocery stores. No milk for children. If you are like me, you have bread but no butter. I have electricity and I could cook... but I have nothing to cook because all our food spoiled. We are getting tired of peanut butter and crackers.
Some of the schools are open today. Some are still closed due to lack of power or they are still being used as shelters. I wonder if they have milk for the children? One daughter goes back to school. The oldest is sick and in bed. There is no doubt that the heat took its toll.
Patience is running thin and tempers are flaring. Many people are having to go back to work and school without showers, without being able to fix their hair (I hardly recognized the teller at the bank) and without knowing whether they'll have enough gas by the end of the week to even get there.
Thursday, September 9
Things Are Looking Up
Hurricane Ivan is lurking in the Caribbean. I decide mid-afternoon to venture out in search of supplies. The corner convenience store is empty of cars — none in front of the store or at the pump. Perhaps they are closed, but as I pull in to turn around, I notice there are no bags on the nozzles. Could it be they have gas? I park, get out of my car and before I can begin to pump the liquid gold, several cars dart in filling up every available pump. I wonder how long their supply will last.I also score at the grocery store. I buy milk, margarine and a frozen meal in a bag for dinner. Things are definitely looking up.
I saw humanity at its best today. I noticed traffic ahead of me was stopped in both directions. A convoy of electrical bucket trucks and tree trimming trucks were beginning to pull onto the roadway, having to make nearly a u-turn across two lanes of traffic. Although there were gaps between them that would have allowed cars with hurried drivers to dart in between, everyone stayed still. It was like a tribute to these hard working heroes.
Friday, September 10, 2004
Forecasting Uncertainty
Florida is again under a cloud of uncertainty. They started to evacuate the Florida Keys yesterday. Certainly more evacuations will be announced today. We're all weary. That is even more evident when you watch the television newscasters and meteorologists.Continue by clicking "Next" below.
