Rete

So glad to hear that the great squirrel hunter and his wife fared well.

Sis' gated community in Ft. Myers had the electric restored about 1/2 hour ago.

Sis doesn't have internet or cable as yet, at least that is what their neighbors are telling her, but now have electricity. They left here a few minutes ago but instead of heading back to Ft. Myers they are going to Nola for a few days. Figured since they were so close they would take advantage of the trip with a little extra recreational adventures.

Pictures of their two story home and the grounds so no house damage and minimal landscaping damage. Just lost one screen from the lanai which they had removed the rubber gasket from to allow the wind to go through without damaging the framework and a few branches down from trees around them. No flood either.

Glad you fared well, Limey.

zzrmark

Still no cable (and therefore no home internet), folks on FPL just a few miles from here still have no leccy and FPL reckon it could be out until 21st September. Gas stations a bit hit and miss for gas supply.

anotherlimey

First injury caused indirectly by Irma's actions..... I sliced my leg with a machete cutting up a fallen branch. I'm now at the urgent care.

I broke a basic boy scout rule for cutting wood up. Never put your foot on the log you're cutting, or something like that.

The machete bounced off the wood and hit my leg.

What an idiot.

carcajou

There was a report out of the Keys that said 1/4 of all houses there had been destroyed and 100% of the houses had at least some damage. It hit the Keys as a mid-level 4, not as a 5 or even a strong 4.

Mainland Florida dodged the bullet of a lifetime. Irma did not re-strengthen to predicted levels and hit as a much weaker storm than anticipated. Thankfully today we are talking about clearing out fallen branches and not where to source a million RVs.

Though Irma did not hit the mainland as the catastrophic hurricane it was predicted to be, The State of Florida did an excellent job communicating information and organising an evacuation of all relevant locations. Florida is the third-most populous state in the country, with a population larger than many European countries, and that is not an easy feat. We bash government for always getting it wrong so they deserve to be praised for getting it right.

RICH

After the dust has settled for me at least, a few thoughts.
The words of the authorities tend to sound alarmist, but they have the best intentions. They should be heeded.
I decided to stay, based partly on my experience that the forecast path changes at the last minute. I had serious concerns that I had made a life threatening bad decision a day out, and half a day out was too late.
In the aftermath of the bullet I dodged, 25% of my 20 coworkers have no power for 4 days, may be back friday. Wow internet is still down in most of the county. 10% of traffic lights are out on my commute of 8 miles _2/20 odd. Supermarket I went to tonight has no water bread, lunch meat. No known eta. Another lost power and has no frozen/ chilled goods. All trashed.
I have more, but phone typing and tired!

zzrmark

Agreed, Rick Scott is politically as far removed from my political views as Florida is from Saturn but credit given where due, his swift action before the storm made things on the ground much easier. Imagine the situation we'd be in now if Chris Christie were our governor...

The major drawback to the whole affair is that people were promised a Cat 5 hurricane and, whilst a considerable amount of damage was done in localised areas, many will only remember Irma as a Cat 5 and that they lived through it with nothing more than a bit of debris in the yard to show for it. Next time they'll be wondering why they should evacuate to shelters, board their homes, etc when a 'Cat 5' comes a blowin'.

zzrmark

Forgot to say... yay, cable/home internet up and running again. Now all I've got to do is clear the yard and fix the carport then I can pretend nothing ever happened and go back to whinging about top loading washing machines and 20th century banking practices.

moneypenny20

Definitely an idiot. However as long as the leg is still attached and will work again as it should, all is not lost. Learn from this my friend.

Jerseygirl

Ouch! That sounds nasty.

anotherlimey

Diagnosis is an open fracture.... sent to ER.

The second injury will be to my credit card.

moneypenny20

Ok so apologies for my previous vaguely unsympathetic post!

RICH

Ouch. I am planning to resurrect the chainsaw in my shed for the last 6 years. Watch this space.

Jerseygirl

Ouch and double ouch.

anotherlimey

Lol, I'm more annoyed at myself than anything.

petitefrancaise

ouch!