Glad to hear you have things worked out, Patrick. Good luck to you and your mom. You are a good son.

Tandoori Girl - I hate to be bothersome, but here's my sister's situation: her section of Safety Harbor is to evacuate only for a category 5. However, she's surrounded by huge trees and at least half of her condo is windows. On top of that, she's concerned that traffic won't allow her to leave at the last minute (or the bridge will be closed). Do those things alter your decision advising her to wait?

Patrick, all my best to you and your mom. She might make a friend of one of the dogs and be soothed by its company. My neighbor in NY had a golden retriever that would go around to nursing homes and the ladies would sit and quietly pet the dog for hours if they were allowed to..
I hope all of this preparation is for nothing, that this damn storm blows somewhere else!

Patrick- I have gotten a lot of benefit from your posts and I just wanted to say, good luck with the situation with your Mom. She's awfully lucky to have a son who will take such great care of her. She must be frightened with partial blindness, having to leave her home and all of the other worries. Take care and I'll be wishing all of the best thoughts to you and yours. Threehearts

LilMisFoodie: Are you originally from Buffalo? Hamburg is actually south of Buffalo in the "snow belt." 9 out of 10 times when you hear about some terrible snow storm in Buffalo, it's really in Hamburg. They could have 3 feet and the city might only have 5 inches, but because it's a suburb, they refer to it as Buffalo on the news!

Jayne111...yeah, I choose to live in Buffalo. So I guess I won't complain when I can't get out of my driveway for three days!!! (I got the humor....it was a pretty funny remark)!

Take care of yourself and your family!

Scarlett-One of my dogs is a certified therapy dog and we go around to nursing homes. I am always amazed at the number of people who just sit there and no one visits or cares...Patrick-Bless you.

Buckeyemom, that is so great that you do elderly therapy with your pooch!

My husband is the VP on the board for our local elderly home and it never ceases to amaze us how much family is nearby (on an 8-square mile island you're not far), and never visit.

Maybe we should try to get our JRT into that type of thing, along with us.

Susan, I think your sister should do whatever makes her feel safest. It is a difficult thing for a woman with two children to decide what to do in the face of a Cat. 4 or 5 hurricane. And my prayers and good wishes are with her.

I think anyone who lives through this hurricane season in Florida should officially become an honorary citizen. A true Floridian. Maybe a prototype for Carl Hiassen's novels.

-- uh I don't make the rules, btw.

Good morning all.

Well, after just hearing "Weather on the Nines" it looks like Ivan is still determined to wreak havoc on us. And then of course they go on to explain that damn cone again--okay, we GET "the cone". Basically, we just have to wait and see what happens when it passes Cuba--wait and see if we're screwed that is. Once it passes Cuba it's too late to go anywhere but your interior bathroom.

Patrick, I'm so glad to hear everything worked out with your mom. Your experience has been a real eye opener for me. I think we might be looking at something for my MIL in the near future and I had no idea it was so complicated. You can only hope they pay as much attention to their residents as they do the red tape. And yes, I did remember the six dogs and it made me LOL again!

Since my daughter's coach was determined they were going to that volleyball tournament in Orlando, DH and I drove over to watch. Because of the gas lines here today I was hesitant because it's such a hot commodity but heck, after Cuba there's no time to drive out anyway. When we got off at our exit on the interstate I made him stop for gas immediately. All that was left was premium and he did not want to pay the extra TWENTY CENTS a gallon. Long story short, he grudginly agreed to fill up--of course I had to refuse to get back into the car until he did. I then had the extreme pleasure of pointing out that every gas station between the interstate and our house (about 10) had the gas nozzles covered up with those bags they use when the tanks are drive. When will they evey learn that we are ALWAYS right?! I believe that there is no gas in Manatee county except for the Citgo at SR 64 and I-75. Jeb--you lied to us!!

We're attending a wedding this evening on Anna Maria. I do believe I am going to stop receiving wedding invitations. So far, I've had weddings to go to during Charley, Frances and now Ivan (the Ivan wedding was postponed to tonight because of Frances). So FL neighbors, if your child is marrying someone you don't like during hurricane season, just invite me--that will take care of that!

Everyone take care.

Buffalo Girl: I lived in Hamburg when I was in high school. The amount of snow we got was amazing. I was young and I loved it. Sometimes our driveway (very long) would be plowed 3 times in one night.

I have evacuated to Orlando. I think we may just stay here. We are at the JW Marriott which is a lovely hotel that shares its site with the Ritz Carlton. I've got my spa appointment at the Ritz spa already. Just, FYI, for anyone considering evacuating, this hotel is accepting pets with a $75 cleaning fee. We did not get our usual upgrade as those are on upper floors and they are keeping pets on the lower floors. The hotel is full of pets. We saw about 15 dogs this a.m and many were at the entrance last night. Thank you Marriott. I had made arrangements in Orlando with a kennel but was very happy when Marriott said to bring them with. Kitty was freaked at first but now has a lovely view of the pool and lake and seems happy.

I hope that everyone stays safe and cool. I brought my 300 batteries and little fans with me just in case.

BTW, yesterday the drive from Fort Myers to Orlando via I-75 took over 6 hrs. Traffic was at a standstill around Tampa Bay.

LMF

Aww jayne, your post made me sadly smile. I'm sending you and ALL of my florida fodorite friends big cyber hugs, and ALL my heartfelt prayers and very best wishes. Hang in there and BE SAFE!

xoxoxo

Jayne, your post made me laugh. You know, that nervous, Jerry Sinfeld life's experiences kind of laugh.
So trying to figure out when to jump in the car and make our way over to my BIL's condo in Delray (even though he's still without power from Frances). This uncertainty as to which side of the State will be effected is difficult to handle. The timing is going to be nail biting. And now, the worry that we'll be half way across the State and run out of gas just adds to all the fun. You're right, Jeb said there was plenty of gas. What's happened with that?
My heart bleeds for those in Jamaica. I was listening to a radio broadcast from Jamaica last night and they were totally not prepared or had taken this storm seriously. Gangs of looters armed with machete's were roaming around and roofs were already coming off of houses even before it got really bad. How sad that the hurricane intensified just before it neared Jamaica.
This is surreal.

My hopes are a little higher this am after reading that Ivan wobbled (is his last name Kerry LOL) no no, don't slam me, it was a joke!!!
and that Ivan did not hit Jamaica the way it was forecast.
That gives Florida hope that it will go into the Gulf and skip us or at least only brush by.
Fingers Crossed Everybody!!

My positive kharma predictions are hopefully coming true.
Here's hoping for the best.
The devastation of Grenada is simply horrible.

LilMsFoodie, I wonder if you're at the Marriott where they took all the residents of my mom's home in Naples --Buena Vida? I never found out which Marriott in Orlando they were headed to. She's settled in with me and keeping me busy.

Everybody is freaking out in Tampa, and I don't know why. This storm isn't due to be in our neighborhood until Tuesday afternoon. There are lines at the gas stations, people flooding Publix, and I hear people are streaming out of town. Good. Let them go. This storm has knocked a lot of the humidity out of the air and I'm enjoying the weather. Last night poolside was just fabulous.

I feel like I've been gone a month, not just two days! It was bedlam at Red Cross' Charley HQ yesterday...the eye of the storm might be calmer! Volunteers still coming in, other volunteers wanting to evacuate from harm's way...flights being changed, hotels being changed, some just going inland wanting new hotels, some lost...some relatives who can't find their volunteer relative. Gads! Looooong day! Then, just when a procedure was announced and implemented...someone would change it. Give me the sanity of a hurricane! JK

The track looked a little better for us this morning, I agree Scarlett. Please, please, please let that hold! I feel just a bit easier than yesterday, although part of that may be that I'm sitting in the calm of my own house this morning rather than the hurricane swirling inside the Red Cross HQ!!

There was a joke circulating there yesterday. No one takes this lightly, but we all did need a bit of levity. Click on this link to see the latest Florida postcard. http://pages.prodigy.net/cmcdaniel/h...20Postcard.JPG

Patrick...I loved your dog story from Frances, that was such a funny picture, and Jayne...you sound like we all feel right now! We are SO OVER this. Yes, we've GOT the cone!! Got it first time around on the first storm. This is #3.

Hopefully this track will keep it off the coast and if there is a less populated area, perhaps the current track is it--or is this one headed straight for Tallahassee?

Gas is a SERIOUS issue here! I filled my little car before starting my Red Cross stint which entailed a 100 mile round trip drive each day. Last night in Sarasota the gas lines backed up onto the streets at the stations that had gas. I decided I could get back to St Pete with what I had and it was easier there, but still lines at every station. Fortunately I'm supposed to use Super Duper Atomic Gas in my car and if they were going to have anything, it was that octane.

I wonder when Joan was scheduled to get back from her trip? She must be frantic!

Now....we are supposed to fly out at 6:50 AM Wednesday. What are the odds we'll make it? If we have to cancel, (if it's still hanging around in the Gulf, or if has passed and we have damage we can't go) we'll lose $130 per ticket. This is why we never make plans during hurricane season...but this one was unavoidable. Will we get out? Is another storm forming and heading this way? Someone said there was another depression now. I honestly think there are a lot of people at the breaking point who will snap with another. Don't know how we could handle any more, emotionally!

It's easy, OO. Just chill. I guess my childhood in a disfunctional family is allowing me to put on blinders.

Now, back to my upholstery project.

I started reading this thread, but stopped after 20 or so responses. Let's keep God out of it. How about separation of Fodor's and religion!

Hopefully the Tampa Bay region will be spared, given the latest forecasts putting Ivan further west. Of course, I don't wish Ivan on the panhandle either ... can't it just fizzle out?!?

It is crazy around here - lines for gas are 15-20 cars long, if you can find a gas station that still has gas. The problem is that everyone thinks if they wait until the last minute, there will be no gas, so there's a huge rush on it now. They are probably right! My wagon gets 30+ miles to the gallon, and I've got 3/4 tank, so I'm fine. My husband's Jeep is a gas guzzler, so we went out last night at 10:30 and had to drive about 15 miles to find a station with gas, and waited in line for about 30 minutes to get gas, and all they had was premium.... That's OK, I feel better now that he's got a full tank. Lines for plywood at Lowes and Home Depot are easily 100+ people long. Seriously, that 100+ people in line for plywood both yesterday and today at the three stores we visited. With our bad backs, we can't do plywood ourselves. Once this season is over, we'll get plywood and then have some friends help us measure/cut and then put on the clips that make them easy to put on and off. Of course, if Ivan hits us, we'll be building a new house with the cool windows that withstand 160+ winds! I don't care how much they cost, it's worth it!

We are in Oldsmar, btw, right near Safety Harbour.