September 06th, 2017

Todays headlines. And it appears that we are about to have an unexpected visitor.  Irma. 

We have learned that in Florida, even if you aren't alarmists, which we are not, or doom-mongers, which we are also not, a wise person still pays close attention to any talk of hurricanes.  It's still too early to know the general neighborhood that this hurricane plans to make it's final destination but it is large enough to affect all of the state in some way regardless. It's looking like that is just a fact at this point. Okay.   So when I did my usual weekly grocery shop yesterday, I added a few items to my list that I wouldn't usually buy.  Some water maybe, a few things that don't require refrigeration or cooking to eat perhaps.  Nothing big.

When I arrived at the plaza that holds my local Publix, the parking lot of nearly full.  That surprised me.  This is off-season. I didn't know there were enough people left on the island to fill the parking lot.  Then I walked into the store.  There was not a single shopping cart left. Me oh my.  Back out into the parking lot I went to fetch a cart and then trundled back in.  All the way in this time.  It was an insane asylum.  Instead of people doing the usual up and down the aisles in a calm and orderly, logical fashion they were whipping back and forth across the store, on their cell phones the entire time, throwing things into their carts willy-nilly, crashing into endcaps and narrowly missing other shoppers.  I was both shocked and appalled.  Some people had more than one cart.  The first being entirely filled with water, the second loaded with food stuffs and toilet paper.  I didn't buy much. And of course, there wasn't much left to buy anyway unless you wanted fresh produce or frozen foods.  Long Lines at the register and still nobody wanted to help bag their own groceries but they got cranky about how long the lines were. Geez people. Breathe!

I've seen the same behavior in New England and in Colorado ahead of an anticipated blizzard. Bread aisles empty. Water aisles empty.  Gas stations with no more gasoline. Long lines and grouchy people.  Same thing just with palm trees and much warmer. I think the biggest difference here is that the same lines are also at the DIY stores.  People purchasing plywood to cover their windows. Hmmmm.  Well. Interesting.

Just a few mintues ago I got a phone call from a neighbor telling me to go to the city municipal building to get sand bags.  Apparently we are allowed 15 per household. So I suppose I ought to go see to that too.  Being a novice at all of this, I suppose we will learn as we go. And after it's all over we can say, next time we will do more of this and less of that.

There is a kind of a limit to what a person can do to prepare for this.  It's coming this way regardless of what we do.

Mostly what we will do is continue to pay attention, leave if they tell us to or we feel really uncomfortable about it all and keep our wits about us.  Are we worried?  There is no point in worrying. It serves no purpose at all.  We are, however, staying alert.  There is definitely a Hurricane Preparedness learning curve.  Lucky for us, we are fast learners and Tim is really good at thinking on his feet. I, on the other hand, while always calm, am a slower thinker an under-reactor.  We do not panic. It's just not who we are. But we are willing to learn and hope we will make the correct choices.

Wishing everyone in the entire state makes good choices.  Good Luck to us all as Irma comes to call.