FL Panhandle DG's

me too darius. we sure didn't need any more rain! Before being a member here at dg, I was happy when the storms went somewhere else. Now I have friends scattered about, dotting the coastline, it makes it hard to be relieved when someone else gets it . Makes things a little more personal.

G'morning all. I've been hanging in pretty close with the cable weather chanel. I've got grand daughters in the FL keys, cousins in Ft. Myers, one daughter in Miami and another in Bartow. The one in Bartow has horses and chickens to take care of. She is more worried about the rain than the wind. The ground is already saturated, which makes her big trees more apt to blow down with less wind. She's just reaching the end of her certification for selling organic chickens and eggs so hopefully those chickens won't end up somewhere in Georgia! Now they're talking about Charlie going across the state, out to the Atlantic and making landfall again on the NC coast. My cousins there at Nags Head are still clearing out from the last one. My son is flying out of Houston TX at 6:45 PM today, hopeing to get into Miami between the storms. My last child (whew!) works for the Red Cross in Stuart, FL and is co-ordinating their disaster teams as they are dispatched to needed areas. It takes a lot of people to open and man their shelters. As you can tell, these storms are "up close and personal" to me.

All you DG's stay dry and safe. I think DRY is the operational word here!
Pati

Good morning all! Hey pati, you really are involved in this storm! I hope Charley fizzles out like Bonnie is.....
Lisa, it is usually you LA peeps in the path....we just thought ya'll needed a break!
Bonnie is breaking up as she hits land and will just be a little wind and prolly lots of rain. The only scarey part is the tornadoes that come with them sometimes. Looks like the center of Bonnie will hit Appalachicola which is east of most panhandle Dgers.

Cloudy right now. I'm not really worried,but Bill has been in panic mode for a couple of days. So far the dogs are calm however I'm sure that by the end of the day they will all 4 be attached to me. I love a parade! but my bathroom is too small for them and me...plus it's hard to pee with 4 dogs trying to get in my lap. LOL

We are already getting foremath rains... and we are a fair way north of Bonnie, just above the GA line.

Ginger...take pictures LOL

Darius, think hot coco with marshmallows...it won't stop the rain, but it's a great comfort for hunkering down. *grin* Also to go with the coco, try my families most favorite breakfast or before bedtime treat:

Put a square of SHARPEST Chedder cheese on a saltine cracker, top with a marshmallow and put it into the oven until the marshmallow melts and the cheese runs. The game is to try and eat it after it's cool enough not to burn your tongue, and before it cools enough to harden. It's the sweet and salt that is so wonderful!

Holding a good thought for ALL of you.
Pati

We've been upped to 35% that the eye will come w/i 65 nautical miles from us tomorrow. It's sunny as all get out right now, going to go and pull everything loose from the yard and put it in the garage, fill my tub (just in case) and Gary's gone to get bunches of water bottles filled for the water coler. It looks like it keeps heading more north than west as it goes along though..

Pati, I cannot get that recipe past my mind, let alone my tongue. Sounds dreadful!

Sounds so awful I'll probably have to try it next time I have some really sharp cheese, LOL.

We've had almost 2" of rain alraeady today and we sre several hundred miles north from Bonnie.

Glad to see many of you Floridians have checked in...hope all of you stay safe and dry!

Storm? what storm? We got more rain yesterday then today....and I have to water plants. Go figure! The sun is out and the sky is blue and the dogs are back to being normal dogs.

After reading this I can see why we haven't heard from BT etc......
CHARLEY GETTING A LITTLE STRONGER...HURRICANE WATCH EXTENDED
NORTHWARD ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM THE
DRY TORTUGAS TO THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE...AND FOR THE SOUTHWEST
FLORIDA COAST FROM EAST CAPE SABLE TO BONITA BEACH. THE WARNING
WILL LIKELY BE EXTENDED NORTHWARD LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

I'm glad your grandchildren have a bomb shelter to retreat to Pati!

Darius...trust me, you'll love it! *grin*

Scarlete, sounds like you're doing all the right things. I always have water on hand for the animals, don't drink it myself, because we have well water and if we lose electric the pump doesn't run!
Pati

No bathtub full, Pati? Of course, you are midway up the east coast so unless Charlie crosses FL you will be ok.

This is the latest off the NOAA site. They are giving Venice FL the highest probabilites of landfall. Of course, everything is up for grabs at this point. We'll see what happens when it clears Cuba.


HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES... 35 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM.

PS I don't have a bathtub!

LOLOL patishell!

Right now, my fav cousin is right in the path (High Springs, n. of Gainesville), and they just discovered a day or two ago the roof on their new home has some problems. What a mess that will be!

All in all, Bonnie looks like a lame duck.

Keeping fingers and toes crossed that everyone is safe and the storms don't do too much damage! (Y'all are in my thoughts and prayers!!!)

We just heard that we, in Pinellas County, are under mandatory evacuation by 6pm tonight. They are forecasting 4 feet of water in Oldsmar where I work. I have spent the morning taking pictures of the office for insurance purposes.
We will be busy getting electronics up off the floor. We sell Toshiba phone systems and have lots of inventory...
Sounds like they are really cranking up the warnings, opening shelters and closing schools!

Darius, we live just south of High Springs! Hope your cousin's roof is okay.

Doing the same here. Having to take this bugger a little more serious than I'd hoped.

We'll bug out of the house around 2:p.m. tomorrow, and head to the office with coolers, pillows, blankets, food, water, games, candles, flashlights, and enough cash to last a week or more.

Tonight, I have to get the outside secure, and clear off the porch. School has already been cancelled for tomorrow, and they've ordered an evactuation for low lying areas in Hillsborough county.

Will still have the Margueritas.

Wish us louck

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

Awww, Stacey.. what a bummer. DON't stay in that camper, LOL. Go to high ground somewhere. -Donut

Amaryllisgal, Thanks. They probably have good insurance, in case. I mostly worry because my favorite aunt lives with them... she's 91 and has had several strokes, although manages to hobble around with her walker... but her mind is still sharp.

Stacey, glad you checked in, where will you go? What about your family?

BT, that is a pain to have to do, that's what the margaritas are for!

Oh no we won't use the camper til after the storm and then only if necessary...
BT yes the news is really adamant that people take heed; that we will get high winds here no matter where Charley makes landfall.
Gosh I hope our big oak is sturdy since it stands over one end of our house!
350,000 people are being evaced from Pinellas County...wow...history in the making!~

Where will you go, Stacey? I have a cousin in High Springs who may have room... let me know asap so I can contact her

Just WHERE do they think 350,000 people can go??

Stacey you're welcome to "trailer" here....lots of yard room and critter friendly. Also that way your new trailer would stay safe.

Or, you could come on up here with the dogs... only about 8-9 hours, and I have a spare lakefront bedroom. But we'll likeky get lots of rain from both storms.

Thanks Darius, we should be fine at home...we're 12 miles inland and the house is up on a foundation. I'm more worried about the big limbs...
Hugs Donut!

Stacey, I have no idea about Charlie, as the forecasters don't either. Have you been thru a big storm? Do you know all to do? I worry about you.

I grew up with hurricanes but know many people in their path have NO idea... so many newcomers to FL.

Whoa! Does that mean you are ignoring the mandatory evacuation, Stacey?

Lutz isn't in a Mandatory evacuation area.

But, BT, she said We just heard that we, in Pinellas County, are under mandatory evacuation by 6pm tonight.

I've seen some big storms but nothing major...I have vague memories of Donna in 1960. I grew up on Clearwater Beach which is a barrier island and watched many a storm and high tides roll in. I've evaced 3 or 4 times in my life.
Home, thank God, is inland and not in a low area or under evac orders so I think we'll be fine. We are glued to the TV!
The forecast track right now shows the eye passing directly over us but we all know how that can change, especially since we have hours to go...

Okay, just stay safe. I don't have enough friends to lose one!

Floridian, I'm in Hillsborough, but soooooooooo close to you.. eek! I'm just pulling things in and trying to keep flying stuff "nailed down". My sister is in St Pete, so she's coming out here tonight.

Well, I'm saying prayers for all y'all in FL... who knows what Charlie will really do. Right now Cat. 2 and expected to increase.

Scarlete, I'm over in the Valrico are, not to far away. I'll get the house ready today and tomorrow morning, but we'll be getting out.

They've upgraded this thing again. Could be a bumpy ride.

My word! Now they are saying just Bonnie will bring 4" of rain all the way up the east coast to above NY city!

Lot of impact for a tropical storm. I hate to thinh what Charlie will add.

saying prayers for all those in the storms paths......

Please be safe!!!

Stacey, I cannot believe you are old enough to remember Hurricane Donna! That was 1960, LOL.