The "SEASON" begins.

Well, we have gone fron the dryest 6 months, (Nov thru April,) and the wettest May, both records, into the 2009 Hurricane season, without even the bat of an eye for a break. And already, a depression has been watched, but well off the coast, very far north, and headed for the cold upper Atlantic, but hey--an early start.

Forecast over the weekend is for a 'normal' season, what ever that is. Something like 11 named systems, 6 actual hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. But like living in tornado alley, who knows when, where, or if, one might come your way. I might have a different outlook if we lived on the shore, in the Keys, in a high-rise sticking up like a lightning rod, type of thing. So far, in 34 years, I have made it thru a number of hurricanes, several times living in a mobile home, which requires evacuation, and have survived quite well. It becomes a practiced exercise, closing awnings, installing shutters, tying down loose items that might fly away, and then waiting it out, and picking up afterwards as needed. I have to say that I am glad not to have been in the mobile during or after Francis, Jeanne, and Wilma, as it did suffer some little damage during those storms. Not the structure itself, as close as I could tell, but the large awnings and screen porch took a big hit, several times. Actually, the mobile park did quite well, as the homes were built to good specifications, but carports, porches, and roof-overs did not do as well.

Our house has done quite well during the storms that have hit close by, or over the top. (Wilma did a direct hit on Palm Beach County, but we really had no damage.) Of course, there has been some fence repair done, but that has been minor. We did lose a small amount of soffit and fascia cover, mainly because the TV cable got whipped around by the neighbors tree, and got ripped out of the fascia, but $65 worth of material and an afternoons works fixed that. One feature of not having power is having the daily menu decided by whatever has begun to thaw in the freezer, and then figuring out how to fix it, on the gas grill. This time,
I do have a small generator, and it should handle the refrigerator, a fan, a light or two, and possibly the TV, at least on a rotational basis. If the food stays cold, we can handle the rest of things. Or should I add if the roof stays in place, and the food stays cold.

We have elimenated a couple of trees that were a threat, so that is less of a problem. I actually got to experience Wilma, as she came thru during the day. Usually, they seem to hit during the night, and I sleep thru them--just the way it has worked out, I guess. Carol stays awake and worrys enough for both of us, so I figure I might as well get my rest. And the season begins---running thru the end of November. Ah well.