After nearly three weeks of feeling under the weather, I finally ventured out of the house for $4 movie ticket day. We decided to see Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, since that had been a take it or leave it kind of movie for us (until there were $4 tickets, that is!) We all really enjoyed it, and were glad to have seen it. After the movie, we headed out to Blaze pizza because Asa and I both had a BOGO coupon code. For $20 we all got our own pizzas! A budget outing for the four of us.
We decided to swing over to Costco to grab a couple of things: sour cream, bananas, milk... and it was REALLY busy. We thought maybe this is just what it's like on a normal Sunday (since we never go on the weekends), but as we we were walking in, everyone was coming out with the usual hurricane supplys: A lot of peanut butter, paper products, and water. Everyone had water! And I was like... 'ohh no. this isn't just weekend crowds. This is hurricane crowds!' I knew we were supposed to be keeping an eye on a disturbance south of Cuba, but it always surprises me how fast we go from 'no big deal, not in the cone, could be a depression' to 'HOLY CRAP THIS IS THE BIG ONE!' Luckily for me, I've lived her long enough that every summer I stock up on water, buying a case everytime I shop from June until August, and always keeping a hefty supply of paper products and shelf stable items. So, we didn't actually need anything. Still we grabbed a cart thinking it wouldn't be so bad to grab just a couple things. But as soon as we got in, we abandoned cart. The line went to the very back of the store. It was bananas. So we decided we didn't need anything that bad, and left, instead grabbing coffees and smoothies and heading home.
And, I realized at some point when we were in the movies they started dropping Hurricane warnings on us. And upping the category one to a possible cat 3 at landfall. So, not idea.
Monday Asa and I headed out to get those few items we wanted to get at Costco at our Publix. We were able to get in and out without too much trouble, but the usual suspects were running low: water and propane.
Still fairly prepared, but knowing now that we'd at least have to prepared the yard just in case it did hit us (we were still in the cone at this point), we decided to treat ourselves to some Bee Coffee to deal. And, Bee Coffee has celebrated their one year anniversary with an update to the menu! Instead of just one pop waffle, you can order a pop waffle BOX. Amazing.
We also knew there were a few more preps we had to make. Asa got the call the library was closing (apparently the staff help run the shelters that were opening), so there would be no chess club. We decided we should get some books in case of no electricity. Lucky for me, I didn't even have to find a book. Marina (our 'librarian' friend) has been putting stuff on hold for me, and then when it shows up I get a surprise and a book to read. I love it. But, we also had to get Ellie a stash of meds- in case it hit us and we couldn't get them for awhile. Our vet was scrambling to fill everyone's ahead of the storm and did an amazing job.
By now the cone was nudging west. I know enough with hurricanes to know that they tend to trend the same way, meaning a few more nudges west on a few more updates (everyone knows to check the 8, 11, 2, and 5 updates), we'd be safely out of the cone. The further the storm stay in the Gulf, the better for us. At one point they thought it'd only be a few miles off shore, and that would have been bad for us- more wind and such, but terrible for the coast due to storm surge. So, mandatory evacuations for the coast took effect. We almost had a few extra animals around here because one of the shelters around here needed hurricane fosters for all their animals, since the shelter is in an evacuation zone. But, they ended up placing all the animals, so I didn't feel obligated to drive the 40 minutes over to New Port Richey and back. But, I did feel the need to bring in everything I could from outside. Originally I was going to leave a lot of things, but then I started to look at things and thought 'I would be sad is this broke, or that flew away' so, everything ended up coming in.
Though, I did feel ok putting most things in the alcove, and not having to find a spot for everything inside (also it was a good excuse to clear the back porch to do the annual-after-summer-power-washing (it gets so gross over the summer with the rain, heat and humidity, there's no point cleaning it, because lets face it- nobody's sitting outside).
But the house in general is always out of place during these hurricane scares- just stuff everywhere.
Including my hammock in the living room, which is never too upsetting to me. I do like to sit in it and hang out. Especially because these hurricane scares always happen in September or later, when I haven't spent any time in hammock for the last few months because it's been too hot. (fun fact: I might just leave this here for awhile. It's early into active hurricane season, and I don't want to have to move it again).
One sure fire way to make sure it doesn't hurricane here: make enough space in the garage for a car to actually fit. Our garages here are always a bit of a mess since we lack basements or any real usable attic space. Getting a car in there can be tricky. I do always make sure to put the basketball hoop down too. But with all of that taken care of, I felt like I was prepared enough, meaning the hurricane would go around us.
But of course, this was the end of August so some of my free food was expiring. We made sure to grab my Moes burrito before I lost that one.
And while Publix stopped making hurricane cakes after Ian last year, there are still some hurricane specific things being sold around here.
We didn't mae it out to Keel Farms, but Asa did make some Hurricane Hooch.
By now, it was becoming pretty obvious the hurricane would stay out away from tampa and hit the Big Bend area. Still, the first of the rain bands were coming for us- so I dug out the thundershirts for the pups that needed them, and evacuated Delano from the back porch since he lives in a tortise designted flood zone (aka the back porch)
Of course, with it that far out, we did still need to watch the 'wobbles', yes that's a real thing- just look at the wobble tracker!
We decided to have a quick dinner, just in case of a power loss, and cozied in for an evening of rain and wind .
But overall, we had very little.
Which was a good thing, because now they were predicting a cat 4 at landfall (it would later be going through an eyewall shed when it hit, so that weakened it to a bit for a three), but while we got off lucky as can be, the coastline and the Big Bend area really did take it.
I think though, I've decided that you aren't lucky when a hurricane skirts by you. Most of us Floridians get by these storms scott free. You almost have to be the unlucky one to get hit. I say this because it's a better mentality for me to have going forward, when the next storm is coming for us- when we're in the cone days out. Never get too high or too low on those forecasts. Maybe some day it'll be Tampa's storm- but that hasn't happened in over 100 years. I could also go the rest of my lifetime without Tampa having 'their storm'.
The storm was about 125 miles off shore when it passed by our area, hardly any wind- though a decent amount of rain. Probably around 4-5 inches. We had some lakes and a river going between the houses out into the street. But, we needed rain so bad, even after all of that, we're still in a drought.
Hurricanes are something though. It's emotional exhausting, you have to prepare and move things as though you'll get hit even when you haven't been. You watch updates and everyone goes crazy for like three days. Then, you get one or two days of storms, and then it takes a few days to get everything back to normal and back in the right places. It's basically a week long event when everything you do is 'hurricane this, and hurricane that'. It's just rough, man. It's not that I want any of it to be for anything, I just wish it wasn't such an... event? Either way, I decided the day after the hurricane rolled though, I was just going to chill in my hammock. Everything can go back into place a day later. It's fine. But also, some things I'm just not into moving back until the active hurricane season is over.
In non hurricane news- I did make a pair of panda ears for a family friend. He's super into pandas and absolutely loved them.
Calib and Asa were Calib-ing and Asa-ing in my room late at night.
We did make a trip out to get a milkshake at Parksdale and my free PDQ meal for my birthday.
And it's finally Pumpkin Spice season, whooo hooo.
Hayden's been working on all of their math classes in a row (and Calib was working on Calc), so there were a lot of math lessons going on around here.
Oh, Trump got arrested and had a mug shot, so that was fun.
And there's been a lot of Stardew Valley games with Jake.
Asa and I scored the BEST deal on one of the big ships! Plus, I got my $100 on board credit from pop slots, so we're now looking forward to our second annual Holi-day-cation on Allure of the Seas!
Olivia is doing well, although she sent me this video of this crazy spider she nearly stepped on during a walk!! Not sure if this is like Arizona's version of lizards, but I was freaked out by it.
Ellie's been on a new diet, as we've been making her food- and she loves it. She keep licking her bowl into corners and then getting down on all fours to get every last bite.
And that's it, I leave you with cute Waterstraut pet pictures, as always.
Next up: September!!!! We made it, you guys!!!!
