Saturday September 13, 2008 - 8:40
What a night! This tree (far left, almost out of picture) split down the middle & fell toward my house, knocking down a second tree (both were neighbor's trees!). They both fell onto a tree that leans naturally over my house. Luckily (not so luckily, as I later found out from my insurance adjuster), the tree didn't fall onto or, more importantly, into my house!
THAT was the loud crash I heard but refused to go check on just over 3 hours ago! I thought it went through my roof & into the office (judging by the noise) but I was able to see from inside there was no tree or water penetration into my office!
Guess I can take ‘prune trees' off my spring to do list! WOW!!! There are as many trees & limbs on the ground as there are standing.
Wind still holding around 30mph w/gusts well in the 60's! There's been more rain this morning than all of last night...thought it's a little less sideways now than then!
Without power, I'm worried about when it gets HOT outside (and, inevitably, inside)!
Gas is still working so I can cook on the stove. I'm tired & hungry (already) and anxious to start the cleanup...it's like something burning inside me to get started! Ready to just get back to life! I'm tired of hunkering down!!
Took ‘after' photos of my house for insurance...only real damage is to the roof, which is pretty old anyway.
Called to report downed lines (not supposed to call for outages, they can see that, only downed lines) and insurance claims.
9:00pm
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG DAY!!
Storm was bad until around noon. Removed boards from windows. Moved all limbs from front to street.
City guy was out with a backhoe clearing limbs from the street. We were both out before it even stopped raining. Very surprised to see each other...we both looked up & noticed each other...paused and stared for a second (like if you were to see a Leprechaun riding a unicycle). What is it about those things that make you stop & stare (unicycles)...or is it just me?
I don't mind gathering the big, heavy limbs...it's the mid-sized "not quite small enough to mow but not big enough to waste the effort bending over to pick up" limbs that I can't stand! Just grab and go with the big ones! You've got to gather a big 10x10 area (or more) just to make it worth the trip on those little guys.
Still need to gather limbs from the back yard(s). Not as many smaller ones, mostly the biggies I like!
Should start sawing removing tree from the rental property tomorrow morning around 8am. I'm already BEAT...hope I can get some GOOD sleep in this heat!
Mom has fridge hooked up to generator so I loaded up fridge & freezer contents & dropped off at her house. We grilled ribeyes (gotta love these hard times)!!
Gonna need my "A" computer by Monday! I plan to have this storm behind me and be back in the swing of things asap (next week?)! I was in a good rhythm before the power went off (yes, I worked until Mother Nature made me quit!) and I'm hoping to jump right back into that productive mode...can't lose that mental groove. That being said, after the physical & emotional stress of preparing for, riding out and recovering from a direct hit (category 2 or not), I'll need to take a day off for ME and come back then ready to rock ‘n roll! I think I'll take a trip...gotta love being self-employed!
Need to prevent further damage to the interior of the rental property by removing the tree from the roof & covering it with a tarp before it starts raining again!
Thunderstorms are expected Monday (that's bad news for a lot of people) but a cold front follows (that's VERY good news). This is our first cold front of the year, a month early to boot! Couldn't come at a better time with nearly 2 million people lacking power (heat + humidity + no power = BAD ADDITUDES)! You have to love this Gulf Coast weather...you see, we have a seriously committed (choose whichever meaning you desire) love-hate relationship with Mother Nature! Sometimes it works out in our favor (even if we did just get slammed with a 16' storm surge and 130mph winds!!).
Left a message for insurance company so I'll probably have to call again Monday...they more than likely don't have power either.
Hoping to have a contractor started on the rental property by Monday. It may be tough to get any work done. With so much work needed, anyone who can swing a hammer's going to be booked solid for the next year. For the moment, there are way too many people that will pay 2 & 3 times what the work's worth just to get it done so a contractor knows he can jack up prices for the next few months and still stay busy...getting paid more than usual! I'd just assume hold out until the work's reasonable again...or do it myself, if I can't find anyone.
The tenant's going to need to move back in as soon as the power's back on, so I hope to have it done by then.
Another long day tomorrow. Then I should probably take a day off, physically, if I have the opportunity.
These pictures of my homes are nowhere near the damage sustained by countless others in the immediate and surrounding areas. Tomorrow's entry (from Sunday, 9/14) offers surreal visions of a natural disaster. I was VERY lucky with what you see above!
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