'tis the season

Goodnight dear friend...it is very late for you! Pleasant dreams, and no one thinks you were insensitive but you!

Yokwe

Well, didn't make it back last night, my FIL was having one of his disoriented days and it took quite a lot of time to get him fed and settled for the night...

Christi, you are one of the last people on earth that I would think is insensitive! Hang in there kid, it seems you have a houseful too!

Shari, any news from John and Katie? Too early yet for our weather report on TV...

John if you have your "ears" on, I hope you feel all of our arms around you like a warm blanket. I am thinking of you and Katie constantly, it's awful when part of our family is in such danger.

Warmest Aloha, dear friends.

Jenny

Thank you both for your sweet comments. I, too, am concerned for our carriblue. Some of the reports this morning seem to have Dean vearing off a little. Unless the width of this thing narrows probably won't make any difference.

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you"

This was sent to me in an email this morning. How true it is.

Hi there kids!! What a great day to be alive!!! All the warmth and love bestowed on us from all of you, our neighbors, all helping each other...it is a genuine sense of community...the fighting for food, gasoline, diesel, propane has all subsided now....we have carried everything from outside in, the sound of plywood getting cut and nailed fills the air....running to work one more time to deal with a few cars that were left in front of the shop....they will be targets if not dealt with....will post again when we get back if possible.....YIKES!!! Here it comes!!!!

j

Janet, been trying to keep up with the predictions for Beaumont.....sort of sketchy right now.

Shari, just read they are asking for evacuation from Brownsville now. Have you heard from your folks? Strangely, Dallas is under a flash flood warning. Guess it is because we are still so saturated from the summer rains that any rain at all is too much. Of course, most of this is in low places that always flood and people with any sense can avoid it.

John, so glad to hear from you today. Praying that you will continue to have power and be safe.

Its still early for me, so I will say Good Morning! Fair weather, well met! Let us hope! I talked to my folks yesterday, and they have a plan. Not expected there for a couple of days though. John, I noticed MeanDean veered a little south last night, that is good from your location, yes? Every silly millimeter should mean that much less damage, more just wind and rain. Hah - "just"....but you know what I mean. Keep up the positive thoughts folks - we will blow out that blowhard yet!

I adore Mexico, and don't wish this storm on anyone! But the areas they are now predicting land fall are much less populated than in the Gulf. Easier to move them away from the danger area....

Stay safe and keep your toes dry to all my Texas family!

Yeah, beer o'clock in cayman...as done as done is ....satellite dish last thing...want to catch the last advisory....dont really need the bloody thing ....just look out the clear hurricane shutters and see for yourself....last word we have...tropical storm winds starting tonight...continuing to strengthen overnight...eye should pass around lunchtime tomorrow...about 60 miles off the South coast...Hurricane force winds felt 75 miles out ...going to be windy kids...predicting 12inches of rain....we are sandbagged up, caulked all the doors, shutters, etc....as good as we can get it....will leave DG's and yahoo up as long as we have power...no word on that front.....good luck to Cozumel and Campeche...you're next!!!

Katie has been singing that favorite ol' Christmas song all day...
" Oh there's no place like home for the Hurricane"

good mood and spirits here....

no, not those kind of spirits...we're beer drinkers!!

laughing now, cry later....

j

Good luck!! Keeping the good spirits up will help so it isn't quite as bad-for now anyways.

Jamaica is getting the first taste of Dean....just off the coast but they will still take a hit in certain places....this is a big storm not to be taken lightly....Jamaica is much larger than Cayman...we are on the big island and it's only 27 miles long....highest elevation here in Grand Cayman is 35 feet and that is measured at the landfill.....might have wet feet tomorrow....

thanks pepper23...maybe you can share your real name someday!!

j

"Raindrops stop dropping on my head...Just like the guy who's shed is two feet from the shore, cryin's not for me....those raindrops keep fallin......" Batten the hatches and pass the beer!

....because I'm freEeE.....nothin's worryin' meEeEE.........

Wish that were true. Been trying to follow the chat on
HYPERLINK@www.storm2k.org].......as Janet says very technical. Appears it will veer off and miss Galveston but they are still watching Brownsville. Shari, not fair that you should have special people just everywhere in harms way. At least.....if your parents leave now.....their physical safety is assured. Things loose their importance in the equation.

Hope you're still truckin', John.

Yep...my Mom said - stuff is just stuff! But I don't think they will leave for a day or so...they have been through this so many times.

I have special people all over the world! Somehing is always going on with someone....keeps me humble...."there, but for the grace of God..." Also gives me reason to keep on thinking positive thoughts. Can't let despair in,,,,did that once - never again!
And it always seems that the dearest and most special always live in the chinese curse....
"may you live in interesting times"....of course that lets us experience the joy of peace and boredom, which we might otherwise take for granted.

Yaddda yadda yadda - someone pull my plug! I'mm babbling again!

Bless your heart Chris - I knew you were concentrating! I just talked to John, he sounds real good - not scared - but ready. He respects this storm, so he's not taking any chances. He said that as soon as communications are back up - after - he will call so I can make a post on his behalf to his wonderful DG family. He is very touched by all the concern and love he feels from everyone on here. I am going to post this in "weather" as well. You guys are the greatest!

Hey all...have just a few hours to go...just got the word from a reliable source(government) that the water will be cut at 6:00 p.m. and the power at 10:00 p.m. CST. See, we have loads of time to have fun....no, we have things left to do but basically ready....filling the bathtubs now...and not for a bath either....See you guys shortly...hopping around the cinder blocks....

j and k

Here comes Peter Cottontail.....hoppin' down the bunny trail....hippity, hoppity......

Chrissy started this and then Shari.....have always been told that insanity is contagious.....but from the other side of the planet????

Hello dear friends.....it has been with a heavy heart... that after a few days away .....I come back and find this.....My heart feels so sore looking at your distress.....but then again so so soothed by the care and love ......beeping out there in cyberspace.Please tell me that when you awake and can let us know what has happened..... that you are all ok.The news down this way has been very scary.Please let know all is well.......God bless

I can see clearly now....the rain has gone.

All of the dark clouds have passed me by.............it's gonnna be a bright.... bright..... sun shiny day.....

Thanks Shari for sharing this thread elsewhere - we're all rooting for you guys for sure. Hang in there j and k - prayers surround you!!

Glad you are back Chrissy. So sorry for your personal loss. Think you must be on to something......a new tv show perhaps......give out a word.....come back with a song.....are you a music major by chance?

Looking at a rose just now that was almost dead from black spot due to the moonsoon spring and summer.....lost all its leaves and just was awful.....today the bloom is beautiful......some sort of metaphor in there...

Yes indeed...the rainbow after the storm, the rose after the rain.....Nature constantly renews herself....hmmmm might be another article in that....

Chrissy dear, you have been missed, and even more so because of a loss. But do not be downheartened by this thread....we are all pooling our good thoughts to the safety of all our dear ones in this monsters path,and not just here, but in Oklahoma and Tennesee as well.

Geraldo Rivera makes me crazy!!!! He is such a panic monger! I don't get a choice in the news that I can watch, and he is on now. Shouting about all the terrors to come, and the horrors that will follow. Anyone watching him would run for the hills, and mow down anyone in their way. Community, commraderie and mutual assistance are what is needed in all the places Nature is bombarding....not panic.

Had to come up and vent that...or I would have broken my tv.

Hugs to all!

Oh I feel terrible I thought that the danger had passed by now......haven't seen any tv only hearing it on the radio.....been tearing up Jamacia.....so I thought it had moved away from most of you .....flooding a bit here too.I have missed everyone ..........even though surrounded by family .....the beautiful folk in daves family are now "family" too....it has always been part of my instinct to count everyones fingers and toes (to make sure they are all still in one piece!) So now I await to hear that everyone is still in one piece!...I want to start counting all those fingers and toes.......please let us know when you are ok ......

cause ........We are family ....I've got all my sisters and me...........we are family..........
(((((HUG)))))...x x x

No Sweetie - don't feel terrible. We need you to feel good that you have joined us again....that you got to say goodbye to your dear one.....we need your happy tunes to keep us all thinking positive!

"Good, good, good....good vibrations!"

Love is in the air ....every sight and every sound.......love is in the air .....every where I look around......................and I don't know if I being foolish ....don't know if I'm being wise...but it's something that I can believe in.......and it's there when I look (at this site)..................Love is in the airrrrrrrr.....love is in the airrrrrrrrrr............
chrissy :)

Hi all ! Just got back from brunch with the family. Gave every one extra hugs today...its that kind of a day. So what is the latest? I loved the three part harmony of "Walk On" in the other thread. Supremes eat your heart out...we've got the DG3!! You go girls!!

Mike Barrcroft's post on storm Carib.com was particulary moving....the sunset, the birds, then the black. Best of luck to him!

Be safe all and hug someone tight!

Yokwe,
S

It looks like the Caymans so far will get the northern edge. Not the eye unless the path changes.

That's the 'dirty' side of the storm...still not good.

I wish I could view the link that Janet posted earlier in the thread. But when it loads I get the error sign so I can't view it in real time. Earlier I tried changing pages to refresh and it wouldn't load. I will try it again so I can see if I can get a better idea of what is going on.

Ok, it is working now a bit better. Kingston has damage already from what they are saying and they have heard reports of sustained winds of 138mph.

We're feeling the love...yeah...


a distant ship smokes on the horizon.....guess.....name of song is sorrow....

good luck kids..we are signing off until....water off and power going in 2 hours....we appreciate all the prayers and kind thoughts from all of you here in this wonderful family at Daves.....can't wait to catch up in a few days on the other side....

breeze picking up.....we are GOOD, no worries mon....what will be will be....hunkering down and yankin the cords...by all...look after each other...until then,

aurabest,
john, katie and spike!!

Love to you Man! Be well!!! ALLLLLLOOOOOOOOHHHHHHAAAA!!!

Melody....so good to see you here! Thank you. Hope you have had a chance to see some of the more up-beat threads....this one is sort of single minded in purpose. John will be back posting his most glorious pictures as soon as this pissed off cloud gets its issues released. You have just GOT to see those!

My heart holds your hands......God bless and keep you.

Hiya Christi! Had a busy day? How are the boys doin?

We are trying to find our goals in life and just how to go about accomplishing them. Mimi has always been here and she always will be. Have you read "The Purpose Driven Life"?
Sometimes our purposes just sort of choose us and it is not always our decision to accept it......we just have to. Bet Dave never, ever dreamed how far from gardening this could get. However, growing children has paralellel rows......takes lots of TLC, daily checking every bud, keeping the bugs at bay, fertilizing with all the right ingredients, providing just enough water yet not too much, carefully preparing the mulch, being thrilled for just being a part of the process. They are young men that have not yet "scaped".

Soon to be a mighty oak.

They are so lucky to have you. Hugs dear!

hey everyone...what a surprise to still have power this morning....dean has not reached it's closest point yet, around 11 thismorning, lots of wind but not hurricane force at all...not out of trouble yet but as of right now, we are all still intact....too dangerous to venture very far outside for pics...spike and i went out for a while and watched the bamboo bending towards the ground...plumies still there but leaves starting to disappear....very little rain so far, could change at any moment....just so thankful to still have power.......more when possible..


john and katie

John It's good to hear your voice this morning. I've been worried about you all night long. Will continue to pray for you all there as Dean heads toward the Yucatan.

Much love and many hugs to you all,
Janet


Just checked in on Storm2K and read this:

21 mph fwd speed at the 5 and 8am.....quite a good clip. Dean is in a hurry to get to the Yucatan and the track is great news for the Cayman's.

Looks like the coastal town of Majahual, south down the coast from Cancun and the Isle de Cozumel, is the current target for land fall. Area is called Costa Maya and appears to be sparsely populated with some eco hotels going up on the seaside. Good description of the area at
http://www.akumaltravel.com/rivmaya/beyond.htm

Was up in the middle of the night checking to see what had happened. Looks as though Jamaica got a pretty good hit. Many people world-wide watching and praying for the safety of those in harms way. It appears that Dean is going to go over mostly sparesly populated areas. Oh how thankful we will be should that turn out to be the case. Seeing your post today, John, gave me a boost......as if it didn't make you happy to be able to post.

Good morning, Janet. Today is looking better, yes?

Not stupid enough to think it will leave everyone unscathed just hopeful that it will not be as first predicted. Hey, John, how does this affect the sea life when the waters are churning.....do they just go deeper?

Today IS looking better for us. I just saw a link to a really cool NASA satellite movie. Amazing how sharp and clear the US is from way up there!

http://goes.gsfc.nasa.gov/goescolor/goeseast/hurricane2/movie_sml/latest.mov

Aloha!

I have been tracking Dean through the BBC news. Sorry I haven't mastered how to post a link....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/6952773.stm.

Quite a few locals writing in from the Caymans and Jamaica with blow by blow descriptions. Much easier for me to understand.

Jenny

Here we meet again....Winds still blowing 50-60 mph...curfew still in affect island wide....lots of folks ignoring it however....some trees down...shingles and other roof parts flying....we still have power as well as other parts of the island...all of this is great news...still no rain with dean...the backside coming tho,,,maybe getting some later...

My Oleanders are taking a beating. but everybody else is hanging on...the 2 small buds on my plumie is still there too...bananas, papayas, everyting good mon...

few reports on Jam now...a fair bit of damage on the coast....Cozumel, look out...looks like a bull's eye.....good luck to you and all affected by Dean...

john and katie