Storm Upgrade

It is in situations like this, a tropical storm, when you truly find out if you are indeed ready for emergencies. For the most part, we are ready.

I just filled another five gallon container of gas from our reserves for use in our generator. I keep our reserve gasoline in a fifty five gallon barrel in our backyard. (don't tell tell our fire marshal, please) I keep this drum on four columns of concrete blocks with the rear of the drum slightly raised. It has brass fittings for hinge and cover and spigot. The gasoline is treated and I do rotate it between our vehicles.

My generator fires on the first pull. It too is ready for service. We have ample stocks of food. Kerosene hurricane lamps and flashlights with fresh batteries.

I understand the storm has been upgraded and the weather service now predicts wind gust to seventy miles an hour. My main concern are our trees. We have  a LOT of trees. As a matter of fact I'm worried about my truck. It's too big to park alongside our car in the garage unless I move a ton of other equipment and small items out into the rain. If I leave it parked on our street it will sit under two huge pines - not good. If I park on our driveway it will be beneath a large very old Live Oak. No win.

Our street runs downhill towards the river. I can see the river from my front yard. In a few hours water will be as that river on our street, fast and deep. The crabs will move up the streams of water into our yard. The herons and egrets will follow. My neighbors dock will be under water. My other neighbors home which sits on a point of the cove will probably have their living room flooded.   

We are in the path. We will have a direct hit. I hope its nothing more than a bad thunderstorm. I, of course, only wish it a light storm as this will last for several days as it hits, stalls, and then makes a hard northern turn and then back to sea, where, it shall then gain strength and head north towards my lovely friend kymber's home.

Now, I must confess I've been caught with my pants down when it comes to my chainsaws. I own three and all are broke. I just haven't had time this year to have them repaired or replaced. If a tree is pushed over under these hard winds I'm in for a world of pain. I hate, using the word hate here, to ask for help. I have friends willing and able to jump in and help when I need them - but it just kills my soul to ask. I will purchase a new chainsaw as soon as possible. Which will be next week, after the storm.

Standby.

Stephen