This is my first ever post from a phone! A borrowed phone at that. I am unexpectedly incommunicado. I will be back early next week when we will discuss progress of the book. Which there is. Progress, I mean. Meanwhile, this post will keep the lights on.
“Ah’ll be bahk.”
By Jimmy Johnson
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154 responses to ““Ah’ll be bahk.””
Yes, I have evacuated with cats many times. They meow. All the way.
I own a set of beautiful near hurricane proof architectural drawings. In other words a custom designed plantation home designed site specific for a flood and hurricane area on sunken concrete pilings with engineering studies, steel frames, hurricane proof roof to 150 mph, raised off ground to clear floods, ground floor walls folded under first floor to let water go under house and debris wash under, true storm hurricane shutters and storm doors.
All based on core samplings of lot, known wind and water records of Galveston Bay storms, etc.
Materials were mainly like commercial builders use and meet in storm areas.
I could not find a builder who was interested because it took too long to build and higher skills then they had or hired.
Still have the plans. House is beautiful three story raised Mississippi plantation house. Could still be built today on coast. Southern Living would be happy to feature it should I win the lottery and build it.
@Jerry in FL
I grew up in a poured cement house in Florida, Tampa to be exact. It was built just after WWII (the big one). Building materials and many other commodities were scarce. These were often called “Portland” houses as they were build with portland cement. Both the interior, the exterior walls and the flat roof were all solid concrete. Believe me, hanging a picture was quite an ordeal, requiring a drill with a masonry bit.
In the early 60’s, hurricane Donna blew through town. The house sustained zero damage. In the early 80’s my folks sold the house to a contractor who razed it to build two houses on the lot. A bulldozer took it down in just a few hours. I never thought it would be that easy.
As the eye of Irma approaches the Tampa Bay area, I find myself longing for that house.
I wonder if the two houses built on the lot to replace the Portland house will survive this hurricane?
I bet not. The ones built in Houston do not and of course the neighborhoods flood. No one builds above water projected levels or to allow floods to go through ground level.
We’ve had some squalls but not too bad so far. Bob just emptied 4 1/4 inches from the rain gauge. Backyard has some big puddles, as usual, but the drains next door (lowest point on the block) are working well.
1960, Hurricane Donna – We were watching Miss America Pageant when the power went off.
2004, Hurricane Charley – We were watching Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Athens when the power went off.
2017, Hurricane Irma – What’s on TV when the worst is supposed to arrive? Miss America Pageant!
Do they still twirl batons and play the trumpet? One of my friends did one, other the other. Trumpet player got to play Malaguena on Ed Sullivan.
My roommate was worried about what she’d do if she made it as Miss Louisiana? I suggested milking a cow as no one had ever milked a cow on Ed Sullivan.
Laughed my head off at Miss Congeniality when she played the water glasses as talent.
I really wish that the Weather Channel would discontinue the Reporter out in the elements shot. That is why we have remote cameras. What happens when the reporter and/or cameraman get hit by flying debris and killed? For what? Ratings?
We watched briefly this morning, but watching the reporters getting blown every which way made me turn the channel. I am following it via the internet, praying for all of those who remain, especially the brave 1st responders. But they are in a safe place as the storm hits.
My wife’s friend in Jacksonville is in a shelter. Her husband lost his step-mother last night as she has been in hospice and they did not want to drive too far away.
Unless they’ve changed the rules, you can’t have live animals as part of your talent. Bob served as a judge for local pageants many years ago. (Long story that I’ll save for a time when I’m not thinking about battery conservation.)
Commenter on a local TV station FB page recommended checking there or local news websites for a more realistic sense of what’s going on. TWC and the network news do tend to focus on the horror stories.
I roomed with several “professional” beauty queens in college, was friends with others. It is a job and a talent just to be a competitor. Coaches, lessons, speech, beauty training in hair, makeup, dressing. At least it was before the dinosaurs were made extinct.
Miss those days.
Amer. White Pelicans, Miss. R., from MN looking twd. WI.
https://explore.org/livecams/falcons/falcon-nest-cam
Miss America Pageant system was and may still be the largest provider of scholarships for women. While I haven’t always agreed with their image, I have no problem with anyone being rewarded for their talents and not everyone is or wants to be an athlete.
These women are not dumb. I have had two friends who were pro beauty contestants who were Miss Arkansas. It was ticket for both out of poverty and pulling a cotton sack picking cotton. That and sugar daddy sponsors, but the women paid high prices for those degrees.
One became a phD with a talk show, still stunningly beautiful.
A personal observation is it is hard work, lots of sacrifice and the glitz onstage is just that, glitz.
While I never competed, these were real friends who confided in me. I would never do it but that’ll more because I was too lazy to work that hard.
OK, here is a funny post from one of my friends about preparing his goat farm in Alabama for Irmas arrival. She changed direction again. And again.
It is funny. Read it if you like goats or Alabama or Auburn.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1867500086900437&id=100009213909954
Here’s preparation post by another good friend in South Carolina, even funnier. I will point out that Izy, owner of buttons, speaks several languages and several university degrees, a primate scientist. These are not local yokels doing hurricane prep.
In light of all the hype about people panicking these were two of my favorite hurricane stories.
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1803190599708214&id=100000518746522
Can’t see either story even logged if into FB.
We still have power, but the night is young. Once it goes, you may not hear a lot from me here. I’ll try to make brief posts on FB – Jackie can pass that on.
My bad but trust me, funny. I will pass on Facebook.
Got report out of Marathon, Fl in Keys. 50-60 people holed up in school, refuge of last resort. No food and everything in Marathon under water. Cops got to them and broke into cafeteria to obtain food. Sending rescue but told them they were going to be trapped several days.
Too much debris around Key West to send boats, several bridges on only high way in are under water or out.
Haven’t found report on Keys besides the one.
Yes, Steve, TWC is the Benny Hill Show of cable “news-and-weather” providers. I’m been complaining for years about the inanity of having on-air “talent” stand out in the rain and wind to report that it is raining and windy.
My wife and I returned about half an hour ago from stargazing up at Payson Lakes campground (elevation 8,000 feet). It was the first time since a Scout camp in the mid-1960s that I had seen the Milky Way. While trying to look at Saturn I accidentally saw a satellite and managed to follow it for about 20 seconds. I’m so grateful to have a wife who shares this passion!
8 o’clock and all is … not bad, considering. Water in backyard is down to a puddle. Palm trees got a good cleaning. Tree branches down where Bob usually parks on the street. Big tree down at end of block. That’s what we can see from the front porch. Still having some strong winds, so we won’t be going out much farther.
Not a lot of signal on the wifi puck so I won’t be posting much. Need to save the battery until we have sun to charge our chargers.
Civets or mongooses?
https://explore.org/livecams/african-wildlife/african-animal-lookout-camera
Mammal field guide we bought in Kenya lists sev. possible spp. of mongeese.
Brooke was afraid we wouldn’t notice the green stain the first time.
http://www.gocomics.com/9chickweedlane
Peace,
Trucker Ron
Look up International Space Station and look for the area where you can register your zip code and E-mail address. They will then send you an E-mail when the Space Station will be visible from your zip with time, inclination and how long visible. Really neat to watch it go overhead.
newseum.org can get you to any of many different newspaper sites. It is good for seeing and reading the local latest about whatever, including Irma. Sometimes, a lack of a paper can mean something, too. At the moment, there is no entry for Melbourne FL or for St. Augustine FL.
I have been following Irma with it each day, not only for my FL contacts, but also for a friend on the coast of SC. Looks as though said friend may be out of power and may possibly have a little water. Fortunately, the living areas of the mansion are above the ground by about 6 or 8 feet.
Anyone else see the film clip on the webnet a day ago in which a football team, with a third-and-goal from about the 10, fumbled? Both teams scurried after the elusive ovoid, which kept squirting away. Finally, the offensive team recovered, back at their own 7. Thus, they faced a fourth-and-goal from 93 yards away!! Alternate description would be 4th and 93.
You might not be amazed how few playbooks have any good ideas for such a situation….