Now there is a blog title to get attention. This morning I am thinking and very concerned will all those in Florida who are going too be impacted by Hurricane Irma.
Hurricane Irma headed towards Florida
The evacuation of Florida inhabitants is said to be the largest in U.S. history. This is one record we don't need to set. I'm hoping that this monster hurricane veers off to the ocean or gulf. However, watching the wall to wall news coverage this morning, that doesn't seem to be the path of the storm. Several years ago, when Hurricane Sandy blew through here, I was very worried. Here in southern Delaware we also live on a peninsula and only have one way out, Route One to the north. I didn't even want to think about being in the midst of that nightmarish traffic jam out. And where would I go? My brother in Pennsylvania who I am estranged from? Yeah, right. I would figure something out. We decided to ride out the storm. I wasn't sure whether to get my important documents out of the basement for fear of flooding or take them with me, and try to hold on to them through the hurricane winds. Thankfully, Hurricane Sandy took a slight turn and just missed us by fifty miles. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Here's hoping our country gets through this latest weather threat with minimal damage.
Hurricane Hazel was the first hurricane I experience first hand. Hurricane Hazel blew through Downingtown, Pennsylvania October 15, 1974, where I lived at that time as an 11 year dumb kid. I remember my Mother telling me not to go outside because the hurricane was too dangerous. Of course I went out. I was almost blown away. Scary! And at that time the wind gusts were only up to 67 mph but that was enough to make it very difficult for me to even get back into the second floor apartment where we lived at that time. That was enough thrill for me. The next hurricane of significance I can remember was Hurricane Floyd hit the Northeast in September of 1999. At that time I was working two jobs. During the day I worked at a bank in Downingtown. At the end of my day job at the bank I left for my nighttime job at the Hampton Inn for my shift from 4 pm to 11 pm. I knew Hurricane Floyd was blowing through Downingtown but I figured I could get to work. Oh how foolish I was. I left work in the driving rain and high powered wind. The bank where I worked in downtown Downingtown was next to the intersection of Route 282 and 30. Low point in Downingtown which was beginning to flood. I got out just in time. As I reached the next intersection of Route 30 and Route 113, low land again and road flooded. I went through some back roads, having to back up twice for low lying intersections. What to do? I decided to take another road which looped around Downingtown to get on the bypass. I thought I was all right until I hit the intersection at Exton. Another low lying intersection which was flooded. Hundreds of cars were backed up, not moving. Cars and tractor trailer trucks. No one was telling us anything to do. I saw some vehicles take a U-turn over the cement medial strip. I weight my options. Sit there and wait for the flood waters to reach me or take a chance of scraping the underside of my Subaru Forester and make that U-turn over the cement medial strip? I made the U-turn. As I was racing back on the bypass I saw water rushing towards the highway from the adjoining filed. All of a sudden I thought "Am I going to make it?" "Am I going to be one of those images on the nightly news of a flooded car bobbing in the water?" Whenever I saw those flooded cars I thought "How did that person ever let themselves get into that position?" Now I know, IT HAPPENS. Folks, I was seriously afraid that I WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT. I was about to become a statistic.
Hurricane Floyd flooding of roads - much like the roads I tried to get to work at the hotel
I speed up and managed to outrace the rushing water. I was back in Downingtown, where I started. I couldn't go home, my path there was blocked by a flooded intersection. Then I decided to go up a back way, through the Northwood neighborhood. Not the most efficient way to go to work but the Northwood development was on the side of a hill. I knew if I could get through that neighborhood I could get back to Rt. 113, also called "Cemetery Hill". Not because it was dangerous but because the Northwood Cemetery is located on the side of that hill, overlooking Downingtown which is in the valley below. As a matter of fact, I have two cemetery plots in Northwood, that's where Bill and I will be buried one day.
Downingtown in the valley below Northwood Cemetery - I took this picture from our plots - we'll have a nice view for our Final Resting Place
As I approached the back entrance to Northwood I saw telephone poles toppled, some leaning on trees and telephone lines, live power sparking as those lines danced on the rain swept road. WOW! Now I took a chance of being electrocuted. Folks, for one of the rare times in my life I thought "Am I going to make it? Will I survive this?" Again, I weighed my options and knew I couldn't go home so I took my chances and weaved my car through those snaking downed electrical line doing their pretty sparky dance on the rain glisten roads covered with wet green leaves. I made it through the Northwood neighborhood and came out to a deserted Route 113. There were no other cars around. Just me, a lot of rain and wind and an open road to the Hampton in three miles down Rt. 113 to the intersection of Rt. 113 and Rt. 100. A clear shot.
Hampton Inn, Lionville, PA - where I was working when hurricane Floyd hit Pennsylvania in 1999
I arrived at the Hampton Inn. Just as I went in the back door the power went out at the Inn. Oh great. The hotel lobby was full of travelers who exited the near by Pennsylvania Turnpike exit for shelter in our hotel. I was the most senior person at the hotel. The other front desk agents didn't know what to do because the computers were down. They looked to me, The Old Guy, what to do. I said "Well, what did hotels do before computers? They checked in guest manually."
Some of my co-workers at the Hampton Inn 1999
My co-workers didn't understand. I took the printed lists of guests who were due in the hotel. I told my fellow workers as the guests checked in, cross off their name from the list and write in the room number. We had regular keys we handed out in place of those credit card keys. I stayed overnight at the hotel. We got through the night, including many "guests" who didn't have rooms (we were full). Those guests slept in the lobby free of charge from the hotel. We got through the hurricane without any casualties. A lot of inconvenience but no casualties although I experienced some very close calls. Fast forward to the spring and I was thanked for my "extraordinary service" by being selected "Best Guest Service Representative" for the quarter. I was embarrassed because I was only doing what I considered my job. But I was thankful because it's always nice to be recognized and thanked. Being "thanked" in today's society is something I have rarely experienced. I've come to accept not being thanked over the years but the fact is it is rare to hear a "thank you." My "thank you" was an all expense paid trip to Disney World ("I'm going to Disney World!") for two. A check for $500 for "incidentals". A plaque that was presented to me by the Vice President of the Hilton Hotels at the Expo Center in Disney World.
Me with Mickey Mouse and my Aunt Mabel at Disney World 2001
So there you go folks, these are my Hurricane Memories. Again, I'm very lucky. I got a "prize" for my hurricane experience. For thousands, they lose everything including lives. My heart is with them today as three hurricanes threaten Florida.
Satellite image of Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean
We await Frankenstorm. The wind is picking up, the rain is spotty but coming. It is inevitable, this is the:
END OF TIMES!
I am SOOO tired of the latest STORM OF THE CENTURY warnings.
Our governor has issued a mandatory evacuation for everyone here living in coastal Delaware who lives within 3/4 mile of a body of water. Here at Casa Tipton-Kelly we're TWO MILES from the water. We are exempt!
My first inclination is not to evacuate but if we did live right next to the ocean I guess I would evacuate. Just like the shower scene in "Psycho", I will never get those images out of my mind of those people in New Orleans stranded on the rooftops of their homes after the levees broke. OMG! NOT ME!
New York City mayor Bloomberg on on TV now giving a status report on New York's preparation for Hurricane Sandy, aka "Frankenstorm." Gee, I guess he's taking time off from issuing orders on 7-11 Big Gulp container size restrictions.
Looking out my home office window here as I type this Sunday morning blog I see where the rain has begun. Ah yes, here we go again.
Bill and I have filled buckets of water just in case our electric goes out so we can flush our toilets. I just got of FaceTime with Dr. Spo who lives in Arizona. I had to explain to him why the need for water - TO FLUSH THE TOILETS WHEN THE ELECTRIC GOES OUT. Of course my friend Dr. Spo just had to show me his sunny, blue skies. Thanks Dr. Spo!
So here's the deal, I'm supposed to go to work tomorrow. We have an event scheduled, a fund raiser for Governor Markel. I assume that fund raiser is off. I talked to Robert, my fellow front desk person at the hotel. He's staying at the hotel overnight with his cat. He said he would take my shift and I could take his shift later on in the week. Sounds good to me!
We do what we have to do here folks. I just hope our power doesn't go out. If it does, this may be the last blog posting you get from me for a while, especially since there are many predictions of being without power for A WEEK!
This is really getting old folks, real old.
This just in, Mitt Romney PROMISED that if he's elected president there will be no more Frankenstorms!
Consider this, in the last two weeks I've experienced an earthquake, a hurricane and the results of my second blood test came back and yes, my PSA score is still over the top.
The Next Step is in order now. I've called and made an appointment with a urologist. The earliest he can see me is October 21st. I hear that prostate cancer (if in fact I do have it) is a slow cancer (if you're going to get a cancer I guess that's the kind to get) so I guess I have TIME.
I offer no excuses nor apologies for writing about my newest medical challenge. One benefit that has come of me not being the Strong Silent Type (Gary Cooper I'm not) is that I'm finding out that several of my friends and relatives have gone through the same experience. They have all survived. The only relatives who haven't survived a cancer of which they should have gotten a test was my cousin Jeffrey and uncle Sam. They both died of colon cancer because they refused to get an colonoscopy. I've had four colonoscopies thank you. The most recent a few months ago and yes, I came out clean as a whistle (so to speak).
So life goes on. I'm concentrating on updating all my genealogy and cemetery information on the Internet lest I have a limited time left on this earth. Well, actually if you think about it we all have a limited time on this earth.
I may be jumping ahead of myself here but what I'm thinking about now is what kind of treatment do I want to get if I do have prostate cancer. The radioactive seeds and female hormone injections or fifteen weeks of radiation, five days a week (like my friend will be undergoing shortly). Of course I could have the whole prostate removed but you know WHAT THAT MEANS. Don't ask me to explain. Look it up.
One thing the earthquake and Hurricane Irene did was to take my mind off of my new Medical Adventure.
Oh yes, and now I am having trouble chewing on the right side of my mouth. I have a dental appointment next week that was already scheduled (teeth cleaning). I wouldn't be surprised if I needed root canal.
I feel like I'm falling apart. Watching a new season of "DWTS" will take my mind off of these negative thoughts swirling around in my head.
Just got back from a quick walking tour of my end of the neighborhood. Wayne, call the authorities! I stepped out of my house! Wayne (aka "The Cajun") is my friend who lives in Rehoboth who got his panties all twisted into a knot because I took a ride into Rehoboth Beach early yesterday morning BEFORE THE STORM and took some videos.
The winds have died down considerably but are still here and there is a light rain falling.
There wasn't too much damage in the neighborhood. My neighbor Barbara's cherry tree looks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa now after Irene's visit. My neighbors the Hughes' flowering plum tree has a big branch sheared off the bottom. It probably need to be trimmed anyway, Mother Nature took care of it for them.
At the end of the development, the large sand bed which I cross over into the neighboring Oyster Rocks development for my daily walk, is now covered with water. It is quite the lovely pond now. My neighbor Alan and his wife Reggie, who just sold their house because they wanted a "water view" down on Rehoboth Bay, now have there "water view" right here in our development. If you look closely at the video you can see wood ducks paddling at the far right end of the "pond."
I'm going to take it easy today. Update my Find a Grave account, Ancestry.com and check my Facebook and e-mails to see what is going on outside of my little universe here.
I am so thankful we didn't lose power. At least we haven't lost power...yet.
Hurricane Irene isn't expected to hit us here on the east coast of the Delmarva peninsula but as you can see by the video, her rains have already arrived. As I expected, the heavy rains are beating down my impatiens flowers. Oh well, it happens every summer. At least we enjoyed them for about a week after the summer long heat wave subsided about a week ago.
Look at the water that accumulates on the road out in front of our driveway, that's my worry. During just a regular rainstorm we have a small pond out there. I can't imagine what six hours or more of heavy rain will do to our little "pond" at the entrance to our driveway.
A friend just called from Pennsylvania. He told me he heard on the news there was a tornado warning for the Milton area of Sussex County. Oh wonderful, that's what we need now in addition to the oncoming tornado, possible floods and almost certain loss of power.
It's about time for my afternoon nap. I'm hoping when I wake up all this has passed our little niche on the east coast of southern Delaware.
And here I thought I was going to have a nice quiet weekend. The laugh is on me and about fifty million other residents of the Eastern seaboard who are in the path of Hurricane Irene.
The video I have posted I took a few hours ago of the steady stream of traffic going north on Route 1. Normally on a summer Friday morning such as this, the steady stream of traffic would be traveling SOUTH on Route 1. However, since governor Markel has declared a state of emergency and mandatory evacuation of Ocean City, Maryland; Rehoboth Beach, Bethaney Beach, Dewey Beach and Lewes, Delaware many are headed north.....to what? Dry land? I don't think so.
Hurricane Irene storm path up the east coast
Bill and I are going to tough it out here in Casa Tipton-Kelly, 2 miles east of the water. Yes, we are east of Route 1 which is a bad sign but we're not "on the water." Those who are "on the water" will probably be "under the water" come this Sunday. I feel bad for my neighbor Alan who is moved to a house right on Rehoboth Bay. Oh man, I stayed there once about five years ago and during a nor'easter the house I was housesitting in was SURROUNDED BY WATER! I called the gals who I was housesitting for (they were luxuriating in the mild climes of Florida that January) and expressed my concern that me and their cat would be up on the roof of the house if the water came up much further. They told me not to worry, "it always does that." They were right, the house wasn't flooded. By the way I was housesitting because the previous year their house was flooded but by a faulty washing machine hose. One thing good came out of that experience, I learned that while living "on the water" gives you nice views, there are downsides.
Delaware braces for unprecedented storm
So this morning Bill and I made a run to our friend's house in Milton and closed his attic windows. Six to twelve inches of rain are forecast. We stopped at Ace Hardware to get some batteries for our flashlights for when the power goes out and it WILL GO OUT. I have no doubt of that fact.
As you would guess I wasn't the only one with the idea to get fresh batteries. I got some but the selection was slim to none. There wasn't much comfort in the fact that I wasn't the only long faced customer in the store looking in vain to replace my weak and dead batteries.
Delaware Governor orders residents and tourists to evacuate - we're staying here
Once we got home Bill had me help him drag the generator out of the shed. We did have wheels on it but who knows where they are now. So here is the picture of two OLD MEN dragging a generator over about an acre of lawn to our garage. After a lot of huffing and puffing we got it there. I was worried about scaring the lawn. I shouldn't have worried, all the dragging did was pull up some more wire grass.
The next item on the Emergency Agenda was to gather all my important papers in case we have to Get Out Of Dodge ourselves. We don't plan to go anywhere. Where would we go? A shelter? I don't think so. Now I know why other folks are reluctant to leave their homes when disaster approaches. I'm telling you, this is scary man. Seriously, it is scary.
Looking ugly
Then I gathered up my old photo albums that I have in our FINISHED BASEMENT. Oh yes, it's all finished. Wall to wall Berber carpeting. With six to twelve inches of rain forecast to fall in a short period of time some of that wet stuff may find it's way into our basement even though we have a drainage system outside the door.
I'm getting depressed talking about all this. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep blogging about this impending disaster. I'll keep at it until the power goes out.
I was so hoping for a nice, quiet week to sitting at my computer and posting those six hundred or so pictures I took of graves to my Find a Grave account. I took those pictures this past Wednesday during our Pennsylvania Excursion. Originally we were going to go up to Pennsylvania this Sunday. Can you imagine? I don't like to drive in rain as it is, I've never driven in a hurricane and I don't intend to.
I hear this is a Once in a Hundred Years Hurricane that is about to hit the Delmarva peninsula (that's where we live folks). I was sort of hoping I would be long gone when the Big One hit. Looks like that's not going to happen.
Yes folks, I'm right in the path of the biggest hurricane to hit the Delmarva peninsula in decades. Oh joy. This is supposed to be the biggiest hurricane to hit the east coast since Hurricane Hazel in October of 1954, 57 years ago. I remember Hurricane Hazel. I was just a young lad of 11 years old but it scared the bejuses out of me. I was sort of hoping I wouldn't go through something like that again in my lifetime.
So here I sit at work, for once wishing I lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Most of the hotel guests have cancelled their reservations for the weekend or left early today. We have a few guests left in the hotel but as the one guest told me when I informed him of the dire situation approaching us this weekend, "Where am I going to go? We live in New York."
Ocean City, which is about 25 miles down the road, has a mandatory evacuation order. We, here on the east cost of Sussex County have a voluntary evacuation order. Bill and I are sticking it out in our house, which is on the east side of Route 1, two miles from the beach. We have a basement.
My last big Hurricane Experience was Hurricane Floyd in September of 1998. I was working at a hotel then too. Because of my extraordinary effort in getting to the hotel (The Hampton Inn in Lionville, PA) and keeping it running and the guests calmed (yes, I'm bragging) during that natural disaster the Hilton Hotel corporation awarded me a "Best Guest Service Representative" award which was a trip for two to Disneyworld for four days.
I hope this one passes us by, I've already been to Disneyworld.
Just got back from my daily morning walk on the boardwalk in Rehoboth.
The winds are up and the waves ares swelling.
Here is my pictorial essay of Rehoboth waiting for hurricane Earl to blow through out little seaside resort here on the coast of southern Delaware.
Rehoboth Beach boardwalk at 6:30 this morning - all to myself
No hurricane propelled trash cans today
No breakfast with an ocean view this morning - hatches are battened down
Philly TV station awaits the wrath of Earl
"Lights, camera, action!"
"If I stand up here I can see over the beach grass"
My friend, Jonathan Seagull
"Let's get the Power Walk in before Earl hits" (is that the governor of Arizona?)
Washing the windows before Earl hits? What's wrong with this picture?
When you're vertically challenged, you stand on a bench
Earl may just blow him off this bench
The Camera Hog. You didn't think I would post this blog without a picture of me did you?
We're hunkered down here at home. The forecast is that the winds will pick up later this morning but we will miss the brunt of Hurricane Earl. Thank goodness.
Tomorrow and Sunday are forecast for the lows of 50's and highs of 70's. I'll take it!
Mom (in pink) with her sisters Grace (to the left with a cane) and Jeanette (to the right in a blue sweater.) This picture was taken in 2005 at Simpson Meadows in Downingtown, PA where Aunt Jeanette lives (she is now 92 years old.) Her sister Grace died a few years ago. I'm standing with my cousins Jackie (son of Grace) and Elaine (daughter of Elaine.) Jackie, Elaine and I have all been going through this experience with our mothers. Jackie's wife Arlene is to the far left in red. Even though this picture was taken in 2005, it doesn't seem that long ago. So much has changed since then.
The ocean was calm during my walk early this morning. Tomorrow may be another whole different story when Hurricane Earl roars up the east coast.
I always enjoy hearing the waves crash onto the beach during my walk on the boardwalk. I'm thinking tomorrow those waves are really going to be crashing on the beach. I hope I don't have any problem getting to Rehoboth to witness Mother Nature in all her fury. Pictures will be taken. Maybe even a video or two.
At the half way point on my walk, I took a break and called John. I wanted to know how Mom did last night. John answered his cell phone and said "Mom is right here. We're feeding her." He asked me to talk to her. He put his phone up to her ear and she said "Ronnie?" in a very tired and hoarse voice. Well, she still knows who I am. I told her I was on the boardwalk and asked her if she remembered those days when I used to bring her down to Lewes in 2006 when I was staying at the Dawsons while my house was under construction. John took the phone and said "Ronnie, she can't understand you. Don't say much, just agree with whatever she says." She said she was sending me a check for my birthday. My birthday is November 9th. I said "Thanks Mom!" She didn't say anything else and John took the phone back. I told him I would let him go so he and Barb could finish feeding Mom her breakfast.
Mom with Number #1 Son - already I'm a hog for the camera
I think back to all those times Mom was the only one with me when I was sick or in the hospital. She was there when I had my tonsils out at eight years old. She was there when I came out of anesthesia from a hernia operation. Man oh man. I remember that one, I felt like someone had cut my abdomen open with a knife. Well, actually they did.
She was there again when I was taken to the hospital by ambulance when I almost died from a staph infection from the hernia operation. She was the only family member who visited me in the contagion ward where I was quarantined for months. I never thought I would get out alive. I was in the sub-basement of the hospital. She had to get down on her knees talk to me through a screened window from the outside.
Me and Mom at my PA house 2001 - I'm so serious because Bill doesn't know how to operate the camera - I just got on his case - Mom was amused
She was there again when I was taken by the ambulance to the emergency room when I was passing a kidney stone. That time I thought I was really checking out for sure. I did not know what was the matter with me. I only know I wanted someone.....anyone to put me out of my misery.
I know I'm posting a lot about my Mom. Every day I think of another subject for my blog posting but I keep coming back to Mom. She has been so much a part of my life. To be honest, I always thought that I would go before she would so I wouldn't have to deal with her loss. And I always felt guilty for feeling that way.
I post on my blog the way I feel that day. I try to keep the negativity to a minimum. I'm a natural complainer but I know that's boring so I try to keep things upbeat. I consider myself a happy person by disposition. These days it is hard to keep this overwhelming sadness at bay.
I'm going to keep posting about Mom and pictures of her. Seeing these happier times helps.
Maybe my last picture of me with Mom - taken this past June at brother John's home in Greenville, SC
