We had lost power around 10:00 pm the night before but never lost water so were able to use the toilets. Justin had pulled a box of our Christmas candles (I think about two dozens or so) and I bought batteries to load into them. When we lost the power, Kerry got busy and placed these candles around the house, lighting the hallway and kitchen, etc. Justin taped the refrigerator door shut so we wouldn't accidentally open it, forgetting there is no power. I can't tell you how often I'd enter a room and reach for the switch. We had plenty of foods out on the counter for us to eat, no one was going hungry in my house!
The wind was wicked, far more than any experienced here before. Rain was being pushed under the sliding doors and when it got lighter out I could see it puddling. I got sheets out to lay down to soak up the water. Thankfully the windows and doors held during the fiercest times of the winds, with Kerry sitting in the river room during part of that, expecting the doors to blow in. In our building, no windows were broken though most had intrusion from under the sliding doors.
In the morning, Kerry went out to scout around and see what was happening. It came to her attention that Susan needed help, plus I believe the fire dept. came by and warned that a three foot surge was expected. Justin and she went do to help Susan and her son go to battle against the water that was accumulating in her river room, and looking to get into her rooms. They took the plywood Mitch brought to us plus our tarps downstairs and the two guys built a barrier wall to hold the river back. When Lori got up, she went down to help move Susan's stuff to higher ground, as Susan feared what the fire dept. told her. I sent out notices to neighbors that she needed help and some others went to help. Pretty soon pieces of artwork and other treasures were being hauled into my home by people I didn't even know. Love that!
Also, I had to sent out notices to the neighbors to stay off the sundeck because some of the roof tiles were breaking off and crashing down, narrowly missing my boy! Certainly that would kill a person or seriously injure anyone hit by those concrete tile. With no elevator, I had to stay upstairs so I helped in those ways. Kerry was back and forth so often, nothing but adrenalin for her!
After things calmed down a bit, Kerry was outside directing
traffic so folks didn't drive through the deepest water or get
a nail in their tire from all the wood floating in our parking
lot or in the garages. She got my keys and moved my car up
the hill further, suggested by the fire dept., so she parked it
on the grass up near the entrance to the property. Thankfully
that storm surge never came, so all the prep down on the first
floor was for naught. One man refused to obey and ended up
with a flat tire, having run over a board with nails in it. What
a mess!
On Tuesday, the original day they were scheduled to fly home,
Justin and I drove them to the airport. Kerry had been watching
the local news (she loves the news and weather stations) which
told about the flooding in Jacksonville so was concerned about
our drive to the airport. I don't think she understood how large
Jacksonville actually is and we saw little to no flooding as we
made our way there and back again. The flooding was downtown,
taking over shops and hotels along the river, a really big mess.
But we were good on the westside of that mess.
After Justin dropped me off, he took off to the farm to help his boss
rescue the equipment which was under water. We had gotten our
power back about 5:00 pm on Monday (the 11th) so had A/C and use of our
refrigerator with zero loss of food. His boss, on the other hand, was
yet without power and would be for almost a week due to the switch
for the community being under water! They were able to move the trucks and
equipment to higher ground, losing only one truck at that time.
Later the insurance company would total all the trucks but they were
able to save most of the equipment. I got busy here at home with
making phone calls to their clients, explaining the situation
the landscape business was facing. Almost all calls were left as messages, and
those with whom I spoke were sympathetic. Most people had branches and such
to remove before the yard could be done anyway but I was glad to be
a helper to him.
Thanking the Lord for saving our building, my windows, my nerves,
and for the limited loss to our building. We will need to repair our
bulkhead and certainly much cleanup in the lower units will occur. No
windows broke here or at The Club, which is simply amazing! Thanks be
to God for His mercy on us!
