Hurricane Matthew

Justin and I did everything we could to ready for the hurricane. We laid in food supplies to eat with or without refrigeration or the microwave. Water was stored up for flushing toilets in case we lost water. Plenty of soda was available for drinking. I had a first aid kit put together, baby wipes for washing up, insurance papers handy, legal documents in my custody, car gassed up in case we had to run for it, electronics charged or charging. My most precious things, besides Justin, moved away from the windows in case they blew out or in, and plastic over the windows for 'just in case'. The firemen who paid us a visit seemed to think we'd be okay here and that helped to calm me. Justin wasn't scared for his safety, nor was I. He felt, as I did, that we were better off staying here to protect and defend our belongings should something happen. I am glad we did stay. 

Borrowed photo taken of the hurricane off shore

 This photo was taken by someone else on the east beltway (9A) as the storm approached 

Hurricane Matthew is here! Taken through our patio door. I kept watch over the river as one of our 1st floor residents asked me to report if the water came over the bulkhead. There were waves doing so but never did the river rise to that height. Their belongings were safe!

Prayers were answered as the eye and strongest effects of Hurricane Matthew veered slightly east, away from the North FL coast. No direct hits, mercifully, but yet incredible damage occurred.  

This area lost power right after 2:00 pm on Friday. I was holed up in the back bedroom and Justin was across the hall in his room. The Brooklyn lantern would provide light and my phone entertained me with podcasts of the week's radio programs. At night I was comfortable with my iPad mini playing Seinfeld for me. I managed to sleep even though I'd been snoozing off and on all day. (I think Justin slipped something into my drink to knock me out!) In the morning, Justin came to wake me, saying he thought I would like to see this---Matthew was moving to the north. Good-bye and good riddance!! I was glad he woke me to see this. Justin was already busy taking down the plastic sheets and piling up the towels which protected our floors in the living room. NOT ONE DROP of water found its way into our home. NOT ONE DROP! Yes, I do believe in miracles. 

Justin fixed up this cooler with bagged ice Judy sent home with him and put it next to my bed. He said, "With a cooler of Diet Coke, your Draw Poker game, and Seinfeld, you are unstoppable!"  

We were notified that our power might not be restored until Tuesday afternoon so I asked Judy C. if she had room in her freezer for our meat. She cleaned off a shelf for us. Someone let me know via Facebook that Grumpy's was open, they had power!, so Justin and I loaded up the meat from the freezer in coolers and bags and took it to Judy's. We all went to lunch at Grumpy's which was crazy busy. One side of the train tracks had electricity, the Grumpy's side, but not the other. People were there at 5:30 in the morning for coffee!!!  I had my electronics charging at Judy's so we dropped Justin off at home and then Michael took Judy and me for a drive to survey the damage. Not nearly as bad as the storms of 2004, especially along the river, which is good. When we got back to Judy's, as I started to gather my electronics together my phone went off. Justin was trying to Facetime me to show me the ceiling fans going round and round. The power was back!!!  I was going to take the meat back home but Michael said he would bring it over after church tomorrow so the freezer would have a chance to catch up after being off 24 hours. He is so kind! 

As Justin and I sat in the dinette portion of the living room, the sun broke through and washed across the floor. We had just moved the furniture back into place (except for the wing chair in the back bedroom yet) and the glass items returned to the window. Loved to see the sun again, after days of the nor'easter which preceded the hurricane. Welcome back, sunshine!!

As Justin looked out at the river, there were manatees back in the basin. We guess they rode out the storm in the shelter of the marina areas, somewhat protected. 

My neighbor, Ellen, went to the Dollar Store to secure plastic and tape for covering her windows after hearing that I was doing that here. Her young houseguest had evacuated but thankfully Josh did come back to help her cover her windows and all her sliding glass doors, as she has a corner unit with more glass exposed. Ellen couldn't leave because of having 4 dogs in the house. She put her precious items in the master bathroom shower for safe keeping. I have glass, she has guitars! Eventually she was able to leave as a friend on Fleming Island said she should come and bring the dogs with her.  

It was Josh who told us that one of the local newscasters was crying on live TV, a man, begging people to evacuate. Of course, these TV stations cover a vast area, not necessarily only OP, but Josh took it to heart. I had to simply go on radio and TV silence because they were freaking me out. At all hours of the night the phone was going off with warnings and cautions. My family kept in regular contact, one sister calling twice, something which rarely happens. Yes, it could have been much worse, especially if Matthew hadn't veered east. I think my building survived nicely (as far as I know), Nancy W's place is okay, Bill and Nancy M. lost a tree and had two windows crack when they opened their front door (opposite side of the house from the windows!), but for the most part, good news! Praise be to God for sparing my home and perhaps, my sanity!