I am flying home from Rio de Janeiro, arriving Saturday morning at 04:44 in Miami, where I will jump in a car and head for Melbourne Beach just in front of Hurricane Jeanne.

 

The projected path seems to vary just above and below Melbourne Beach, as if we are the center of it's real interest.

 

I don't mean to seem paranoid, but these things seem to keep aiming for us.

 

Syndi is back in pack up our lives mode. She is filling the minivan up. I will do my best to secure the boat when I get there.

 

Updates to follow.

I woke up and checked on Frances, her center is now inland at Stuart about 40 miles south of Vero and 90 miles south of our home.  So we have reason to be hopeful.  Looking at the hurricane strength winds that are still reaching out 90 miles and more we realize there is every chance that we are going to find broken out windows and wind driven rain flooding at the house.  Power is out there, and it is just a matter of for how long. In the case of Charlie it took as much as three weeks.  But we expect week or less where we are located.

 

I do not want to turn on the TV and wake Syndi and Caity, so I am just checking it all out online.  We have not lost power at the hotel yet, and we should not feel any Hurricane force winds as it looks right now. Maybe I will catch another hours sleep now, and see what come with the sun.

 

 

Francis is a tease.  She sits off the coast of SE Florida, like a hot date waiting to press the doorbell. Unfortunately, as she sits on the Gulf Stream new energy is pumping into her slightly defalted purpose.  She could grow back into a Class Four Hurricane.  And if that happens and the slow pace of movement persists we are going to be in for the hammering of a lifetime.  Not knowing what way things will turn creates a terrifying state of mind. 

We are in Orlando in a very sturdy Residence Inn hotel near Disney.  Odd surroundings in which to await disaster.  The cats are both sleeping on the big bed. Moderate rain is coming down now. People have finallly cleared out of the pool area. We will keep this log going throughout the night.  As conditions unfold.  I am on my first beer.  Wish us luck!

I am leaving Europe early. Thursday heading for Orlando to meet up with Syndi and Caitlin.  The Melbourne Beaches are being evacuated starting 2:00PM Thursday so there is no way I can get to the house before the Hurricaine hits.  But at least I can be with Syndi and Caitlin when it does, and we can go back together to see what is left...

 

We will be staying in Orlando Thursday night at least, and watching which  way the storm goes.  Expected impact is Saturday morning. We will decide Friday to go North or South, and how far...

 

We can be reached on our mobiles. You can also send me email to my new mobile number starting with 321... and followed by @tmomail.net.

 

Love to all! We will protect what is most important first.

 

Here is a look at the monster herself...

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_astorm6+shtml/020253.shtml?