Writing from Orlando
We live on a private lake near UCF. Couple of acres and lots of trees. Rain has been steady all day and now picking up quite strongly. Wind started really moving about 9 PM here as predicted by the models. I can’t believe we still have electric power. Must be all that solar and wind people have been talking about and forcing electric utilities to build.
We're supposed to get 12 inches over the next 24 hours but it could go to 18-24 inches if the storm slows down. 18 would be really bad and even threaten the house. Our dock is already underwater and we beached the boat yesterday. Right now the wind is about 105 miles an hour and it has dropped to Cat 2. I’m alone here now but four of my grandkids and their parents were here the last couple days moving everything from the yard and the lanai. Stored a couple hundred gallons of water, lots of battery-operated lights and even candles as backup. Like a dummy I gave my generator to one of my sons last year. Should have bought him one and kept mine. My wife is at our house in Las Vegas with another four grandkids. We have had five hurricanes since we bought the house here and she has been out of town for every single one. I told her I was going to start a hurricane forecasting business based on her travel schedule.
Since I am here alone, I decided to indulge myself in my favorite sandwich-- fried Spam, mayo and tomato with salt and vinegar chips and Michelob Dark. What my wife doesn’t know won’t hurt her. The other option was a Gentlemen's Club near I-4 but I don't like to drive in the rain.