Coffee anyone ?

[Baymule]

Hurricane Rita struck the Texas/Louisiana coast in September 2005. It triggered a mass evacuation in Houston, some 2 million people hit the roads. This was 3 weeks after Katrina hit New Orleans and the panic was on. From Houston to Livingston, normally a 2 hour drive, max, took 24 to 28 hours. People ran out of gas. People died in their cars from the heat. Cars broke down and were left on the side of the road. This was played out on every single road out of Houston, every small town was over run with scared desperate people. I was a Red Cross volunteer and spent nights in the elementary school near our home, and at church. We sheltered friends that lived in mobile homes in our brick home. I'd come home, grab a few hours of sleep and do it all over again. The school bus evacuations brought up this memory. The superintendent of High Island ISD came in the elementary school, out of gas, exhausted and no where to go. He was the last to leave his town, having used every school bus to get other people to safety. His own family were gone and safe. He was, to me, a hero. Now he was stranded. We had no facilities for this, evacuation was supposed to go past our town. He gratefully fell asleep on the gym floor. A Deputy came by to tell us a tanker of gasoline was going to be at a local station at 6 AM. I sent my daughter home to get the lawn mower gas can. At 4, I woke up the superintendent and took him outside. We put the 2 gallons of gas in his car and sent him to get in line at the gas station.

That evacuation was the first of its kind, it was studied to make future evacuations go smoother. It also made me decide to move out of the way of mass pandemonium and never be in the path of anything like that again. 10 years later we retired and moved to Lindale.

We were without power for 3 weeks, right in the middle of town. Outlying areas took longer. We had food and water, but got in the FEMA lines and took water and MRE's to friends that hadn't prepared. When the grocery stores close, there is nothing. When they reopen, there is still nothing. Everything in the cold cases has to be cleaned out, shelves are stripped bare. I can tell you, the atmosphere in a grocery store after it reopens is like being in church. Quiet, grateful, reverent, and respectful, concerned for others, asking how they made out after the storm. It is eerie.

Am I a prepper? Not in an end of the world scenario, but in a disaster way, yes. Know what is coming for you and be ready for it. If you never need it, you are blessed. If you do need it, you will be a lot better off.

 

[Mini Horses]

Just fed cats. It's COLD out there! Barely 50 and I'm back in to dress better for chores. Who brought this weather to my farm????? Can hardly wait for "winter". Brrrrrr

 

[Honeybee Hill]

Good morning-coffee going in-cup one of one...I may have to venture out of my hotel room if I want another.

We spent the weekend at Mohegan Sun casino, I loved it-it's just beautiful, with hawks flying outside the room, and the decor is amazing. Now we're at Foxwoods...and I'm not a fan. It's huge and inconvenient. Just going to get dinner last night was a crazy hassle. DH and I don't gamble, so we're really just here for his Native American Conference, and I think I'll take a hike in the Pequot trails while he's occupied. There's an entire Tanger Outlet mall here, but I don't see myself shopping just to shop. I'm not a shopper.

Hurricane Ian was so devastating, I had the weather channel on for days, just watching in horror. We're heading to Orlando next week, so I guess I'll see what Ian did to them-nowhere near what Ft Myers experienced. We got hit with Sandy back on October 30 2012. I remember it vividly-it was DS#2s 12th birthday. We lost power for 13 days, which really didn't affect us that much-we were always campers, and I do keep a pantry of food and water for events like that. Trees down, but compared to some we were truly lucky.

 

[Honeybee Hill]

I can't feel real bad for people who didn't follow the mandatory evacuation unless they physically couldn't leave. There was a lady on the news (via internet) whose husband had just been released from the hospital. I don't recall the condition but he was paralyzed. No way she could get him anywhere. Her I feel bad for, lots of trauma but they did make it through.

Mandatory apparently is not enforced thus it is merely a suggestion. I see no reason to go rescue people who "rode it out" when under mandatory evacuation orders; stay in your attic until the water goes down then vacate your now destroyed home. There were evacuation sites people could go to, not ideal comfy hotel living but safe. Use the people power to aid those who did evacuate and now have no home to return to.

And, frankly, I don't think people who live in areas known to flood or areas prone to fire should be able to get insurance at all. "Communal" insurance should be for "it COULD happen but isn't likely" to any specific individual or location.

Fort Myers and Sarasota have been affected by hurricanes or tropical storms about every 3 years.

Sorry, sometimes I am a hardass.

I agree. I'm one of those folks that is called when things go south and you're having the worst day of your life. I love doing it, but make no mistake-I'm going home at the end of the day. My children and pets need me too-those who were told to evacuate and could but didn't...we'll be along once getting there won't kill us.

I got a kick out of watching Jim Cantore get blown around in the hurricane. He's pretty smart, and very entertaining, making goofy cartoon sounds when he gets lifted up.

I feel terrible for the people that lost everything, and are now finding their homes and belongings destroyed.

 

[Bruce]

I'd be happy with 50°F this morning

Some 2004-2009 Prius have HID headlights. DD2 had a headlight out a few weeks ago. I sent her a link to a web site to order a pair of bulbs, they are NOT cheap, not something you want to buy at Toyota. She said the headlight came back on. I told her to order the bulbs anyway. She had the car in for some work a few days later, she told them about the headlight being out but back on at the time. They found a loose connector but apparently hadn't checked the light to see if it was actually bad before they checked the connection because:

Those bulbs have a very specific pattern of failure before they totally die. They will go on for a while but go off. If you turn the light switch off then on, they will come back on, stay on for an indeterminate period, then go back off. This can continue for weeks. So she didn't order bulbs because it was "just a loose connection". The fact that we have had 4 versions of this car starting in 2004, that I have seen the behavior multiple times and replaced bulbs in all 4 of the cars at least once if not twice doesn't suggest to her that I know WTF I'm talking about.

Cop pulled her over last night to tell her she had a headlight out, verbal warning. DW suggested I take one of the bulbs from her 2006 since it isn't currently running. I was going to do that this morning but getting them out isn't easy, so little space for your hand in there. Not something I could do at 27°F without gloves and there isn't room for a gloved hand down in there. So I'll pull a bulb today but won't be putting it in DD2's car until Wednesday when she doesn't work because it is going to be even colder tomorrow morning.

I told her this morning to monitor the right side to see when the light goes out so she can turn the switch off then back on. She said she wouldn't be able to tell. She always has an excuse why she can't do something that can be done.

What are the odds she ordered bulbs last night? I am betting "not good". And, of course, if her car isn't having an immediate problem, she has no interest in doing anything at all. In fact, that tire she shredded a few weeks ago is still sitting in the back of her car because the snow tire is fine. No sense getting it replaced if it takes this much -><- effort.

 

[farmerjan]

Sometimes my DS is just as bad... except he orders and gets the parts, then they sit waiting for it to be convenient, and then when it is a NEED IT DONE NOW, it is at an inconvenient time or it is dark, or cold or raining.... I SOOOO GET IT @Bruce. Funny thing is, he spent so much time with my parents and my father was a stickler for maintenance and doing things NOW as opposed to putting it off... DS has gotten so much worse since being with this GF.... that is why I have a mechanic do my work now... And I have other vehicles to drive in the meantime... Makes you want to scream or literally hang them by their heels sometimes.

 

[Alaskan]

Yeah on the disasters.....

My mom grew up in Houston, and when buying a house was careful to make sure it was in a "good" spot. As in, it wouldn't flood.

So for the Houston evacuations they didn't evacuate. They did fine... water did get close, but did not get in the house.

My parents had enough food and water, so did fine without power for however many days that was.

With those disasters... it looks to me that often the problem is the people who START to shelter in place... then panic and try to get out. Nothing worse than moving about when water and wind is high.

We lived in Galveston for 4 or 5 years when I was a kid... my mom bought one of the houses that had survived the 1900 hurricane. She said, that should be safe... it was... we sheltered in place there too... and yeah... it is still standing.

But... you NEVER move about mid hurricane, and you have to prep. And... you have to pick a house in a good spot.

 

[Larsen Poultry Ranch]

And, frankly, I don't think people who live in areas known to flood or areas prone to fire should be able to get insurance at all. "Communal" insurance should be for "it COULD happen but isn't likely" to any specific individual or location.

California here, multiple family members had insurance elect not to renew fire insurance within the past few years (after Paradise fire year). And no other insurance company will provide fire insurance, so we have to use the very expensive fire insurance from the state. Insurance is required if you have a mortgage, so we are stuck paying out the nose because we don't live in the middle of a city where fire insurance is still offered.

If an area is "prone to" flooding or fire, they shouldn't build houses there in the first place. But with everything getting built up, those places seem to be the only areas left available to build. But also, who decides if the area is too dangerous to insure?

 

[SageHill]

CA here as well. Fires are more and more a fact of life here -- between hugging trees and fire-bugs there has been an increase in fires in the last 35 yrs. Yes, the insurance is through the roof. I can also attest to the change in building codes - having just built 2018-2019 we have no combustible surfaces on the exterior, exterior ventilation has ember proof screening, the house, garage and barn all have sprinkler systems installed (yes, required in all of them), required 100' defensible space around buildings, driveways must be large enough for fire trucks to turn around (for us rural folk - neighborhoods are different). The list goes on. We all do what we can. Many of the current houses are built to a 'shelter in place' standard. Having been through several fires and one evac, it's not something to take lightly. There is also the VERY REAL problem of looters as soon as an area is cordoned off. For those who do stay behind many have put out spot fires that would have otherwise taken out yet more buildings. We all have our own personal "get outa here" levels. I have a bolt cutter that stays in my van as that is the primary evac vehicle. There will more than likely be another in the new truck and trailer. I was going to stay mum on this - but since @Larsen Poultry Ranch is also in CA I figured I'd jump in.

 

[murphysranch]

I take evac warnings very seriously. Having been on Level one two times and Level 2 once, for fires in CA and then in Oregon, I'm always going to heed advice and be ready to run.

That said, if all He!! breaks loose politically, then I'm bugging in. But a fire? I'm outa there with all my important stuff.