It's really dark in a boarded up house..

A lot of people have expressed concern about us, not that we are really any different than millions of Floridians tonight, but thought we would post a note regarding our status.

We got all our windows boarded up today, we're pretty much ready, although a couple more small things to do. We are not in any danger from rising water, or water at all, unless we lose a roof, which hopefully won't happen. We have plenty of food and water, charcoal, gas in the car, money, phones charged, ice, etc. We are in Polk County, in the center of the state, so we won't get a direct hit here, although the latest guidance shows the closest point of approach at about 60 miles, around 2 AM Monday. Selfishly, we hope she slows down so that we can at least enjoy a couple of football games tomorrow before the electric goes out and real life, post Irma, sets in. I have some serious junk food set up to eat watching the games tomorrow, hoping we still have electric through at least the early games.

We are in the middle of nowhere and all electric lines are above ground, so we very much think we WILL lose electric and expect that it may be out for quite some time afterward, as the power outages in Florida are expected to be massive. We do NOT have generator, as our generator would not start. Perhaps we can get it fixed after the storm passes, but I don't know on that.

I honestly don't think we are in any PHYSICAL danger at all, although I am not looking forward to being without power.

We will try to keep JD (ruralcarrier) updated on our status, so if you haven't heard from us, try to contact him.

The servers are NOT here, they are in Virginia, so they should not be affected at all.

So, TAKE CARE, all our fellow Floridians, and anyone else still in this b*tch's path. Stuff can be replaced. People can't.. Florida shall prevail..

Please take care. Hope to not to be cut off from you.

And your version of serious junk food ( recipes)? So I can copy.

Then there is candles, rhum and romance in the storm.
Wasn't there as song about this?

Talk with you soon.

Wendell

Ah, serious junk food consists of chicken wings, mozzarella sticks and jalepeno poppers! All of which are straight out of the box, except for the chicken wings!

Have rum, yes, not sure I have any RHUM. Definitely lots of wine... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Stay safe.....everyone out there in this path!!

Ah, breakfast of champions.

And rhum de Cuba?

Wendell

Good to hear that you are prepared and hunkering down.

Do you have something to charge your cell phones? Solar or hand crank? Battery bank?

Sounds like you will eat gourmet tomorrow! You ARE ready for some football!

Please stay safe.

I am trying to make my mind up between the jalapenos and romance. BUT I have found dogs like Baileys.

Wendell

Did I mention romance??

Wendell

Have phone charger for the car..

I just hope we are able to see some games tomorrow. Gotta say, we watched the first half of the Patriots game and went to bed because we 'assumed' they would win, like always! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> Too bad I didn't stay up for the second half, to see them get pasted!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/circle.gif" alt="" />

Wendell-have to say, both of us are dead tired beat tonight. Neither of us has slept well in days..

Kind of unreal to think that the same hurricane will wreck SXM and Florida (as it relates to the Hills).

Of course no way to know about your cell phone towers either.

Hope you are able to ride out this unreal event OK.

Something I just saw. Put valuables or stuff you need dry in your dishwasher. It's waterproof. (Though I would turn off your water to it!!) and if you have a front loading clothes washer same thing.

Thanks for all you do for TravelTalk.
To all our family, friends and the folks on TTOL, please stay safe as 'Irma' continues her path into the U.S..
God speed.

They are really starting to roll thru now. Have already gotten 3 inches of rain based on the pool. So think that maybe the estimate of a foot of rain maybe low. After another 4 inches then will not be able to tell by the pool level as it will be over the top. <img src="http://65.246.19.145/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

But we will have plenty of water for the toilets anyway! <img src="http://65.246.19.145/forums/images/graemlins/Yikes.gif" alt="" />

Stay safe

11:30 AM update--We've done everything that we know to do. We're getting showers, getting the last load of dishes washed and last load of laundry done. So far all we have is lots of rain. We hope that we will have electric for a while yet. When I was talking about watching football games today, I forgot (somehow!!) that we have Direct TV and we get 'rain fade' and often are out of signal in just a garden variety thunderstorm. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" /> So, even if we have electric, we may well not have TV. At least I can read or whatever. Have plenty of food and water. Latest 11 am advisory has the closest point down to 60 miles, down from 80, but hopefully we'll be ok. There have already been several tornado warnings around, but no tornadoes that I am aware of.

As I said, if/when our electric goes off, we will try to keep JD updated of our status.

Take care stay safe, everyone in Florida and everywhere, in Irma's path!

Having grown up in Florida, that is what we did!

My family on Perdido Key did that during (Isabelle? can't recall) and the house flooded, cars lost, deck destroyed, but the things in the dishwasher were fine when they came back after evacuation.

Can you watch football??? Inquiring minds want to know.

Again be safe and hope you ride out the storm well.

W & D

So far the satellite dish is still receiving. Going offline now to hopefully think about something else for a while.

Good luck and stay safe guys. Just saw this the other day.

https://disastersafety.org/ibhs-news-releases/shut-the-doors-on-hurricane-irma/

Well, humn, Redskins screwed it up at the last minute, as always. What was the reason why I wanted to watch this?? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/duh.gif" alt="" />

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/2TRywcaNHMV

Carol - I'm an Iggles fan. The play you're referring could have gone either way. The replay has to show clear proof. If it had originally been called an incomplete pass, that call would have probably stood. Rematch should be interesting.

Get lots of rest...and see you when this all passes

Pretty surprised, but still have electric as of now. Lots of wind and rain..

ZCZC MIATCPAT1 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

BULLETIN
Hurricane Irma Intermediate Advisory Number 47A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL112017
800 PM EDT Sun Sep 10 2017

...IRMA MOVING NORTHWARD NEAR FT. MYERS...
...DANGEROUS STORM SURGES EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS ALONG
THE FLORIDA WEST COAST...


SUMMARY OF 800 PM EDT...0000 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...26.7N 81.7W
ABOUT 15 MI...25 KM ENE OF FT. MYERS FLORIDA
ABOUT 30 MI...50 KM SE OF PORT CHARLOTTE FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH...165 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 355 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...942 MB...27.82 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* South Santee River southward to Jupiter Inlet
* North Miami Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to the
Ochlockonee River
* Florida Keys
* Tampa Bay

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Fernandina Beach southward around the Florida peninsula to Indian
Pass
* Florida Keys
* Lake Okeechobee
* Florida Bay

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* North of Fernandina Beach to Edisto Beach

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* West of Indian Pass to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
* North of Fernandina Beach to South Santee River

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Bimini and Grand Bahama

A Storm Surge Warning means there is a danger of life-threatening
inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline,
during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations. For a
depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather
Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at
hurricanes.gov. This is a life-threatening situation. Persons
located within these areas should take all necessary actions to
protect life and property from rising water and the potential for
other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other
instructions from local officials.

Interests elsewhere in the southeastern United States should monitor
the progress of Irma.

For storm information specific to your area in the United States,
including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office. For storm information specific to your area outside the
United States, please monitor products issued by your national
meteorological service.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
At 800 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the center of Hurricane Irma was located
by NOAA Doppler radar near latitude 26.7 North, longitude 81.7 West.
Irma is moving toward the north near 14 mph (22 km/h), and a
north-northwestward motion with an increase in forward speed is
expected by tonight, with that motion continuing through Monday. On
the forecast track, the eye of Irma should move near or over the
west coast of the Florida Peninsula through Monday morning. Irma
should then move inland over northern Florida and southwestern
Georgia Monday afternoon.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 105 mph (165 km/h)
with higher gusts. Although weakening is forecast, Irma is expected
to remain a hurricane at least through Monday morning.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km) from
the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 220
miles (350 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 942 mb (27.82 inches).


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water is
expected to reach the following HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND if the peak
surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Cape Sable to Captiva...10 to 15 ft
Captiva to Ana Maria Island...6 to 10 ft
Card Sound Bridge through Cape Sable, including the Florida Keys...
5 to 10 ft
Anna Maria Island to Clearwater Beach, including Tampa Bay...
5 to 8 ft
North Miami Beach to Card Sound Bridge, including Biscayne Bay...
3 to 5 ft
South Santee River to Fernandina Beach...4 to 6 ft
Clearwater Beach to Ochlockonee River...4 to 6 ft
Fernandina Beach to Jupiter Inlet...3 to 5 ft
North of North Miami Beach to Jupiter Inlet...1 to 2 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of
onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and
destructive waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative
timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over
short distances. For information specific to your area, please see
products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast
office.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are continuing across portions of the
southern Florida peninsula. Winds affecting the upper floors of
high-rise buildings will be significantly stronger than those near
ground level. Tropical storm and hurricane conditions are expected
to spread northward across the remainder of the warning areas
through Monday. Tropical storm conditions are expected in portions
of the warning area in the Northwestern Bahamas this evening.

RAINFALL: Irma is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Wednesday:

Western Bahamas...Additional 2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.

The Florida Keys...Additional 3 to 6 inches with storm total amounts
from 15 to 20 inches, isolated 25 inches.

Western Florida peninsula...10 to 15 inches, isolated 20 inches.

Eastern Florida peninsula and southeast Georgia...8 to 12 inches,
isolated 16 inches.

The rest of Georgia, the eastern Florida Panhandle, southern and
western South Carolina, and western North Carolina...3 to 8 inches,
isolated 12 inches.

Southern Tennessee, northern Mississippi and much of Alabama...2 to
5 inches.

In all areas this rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.

TORNADOES: Tornadoes remain possible through tonight, mainly across
central and eastern portions of the Florida Peninsula and extreme
southeast Georgia.

THE EYE: Do not venture outside when the calm eye of the hurricane
passes over, as dangerous winds will return very quickly when the
eye moves away.

SURF: Swells generated by Irma are affecting the southeast coast of
the United States. These swells are likely to cause life-
threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult
products from your local weather office.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
Next complete advisory at 1100 PM EDT.

$$
Forecaster Berg

NNNN

Good to know you're OK, as are we in Sebastian. We made our BFFs, a 96 year young Pearl Harbor survivor and his younger wife (88) stay with us for 4 days/nights. They just went home today and we are exhausted after trying to keep up with them. Now to taking down the shutters. Stay well.