Another hurricane..... sigh

[Andy Illes]

Ok Guys..... I am absolutely NEVER watching The Flintstones again!!!!!  

These stupid storms are like getting into a ring with Muhammed (nee Cassius) handcuffed... and yelling "Nyah, nyah, nyah... bettcha can't get me black boy!!"  Talk about one-two (three-four-five) punches!!!

Though I'm glad it looks like the folks along the Gulf coast are getting a free pass this time... I just can't afford enough booze to ride another one out.... sheesh!!!   Rodney, soon's you cash that $300 mill lottery ticket in your back pocket.... SEND A CARE PACKAGE IMMEDIATELY!!!!  Tequila, margarita mix, rum, cigars... you know... just storm essentials.

Took till August to get The Good Hands (around your throat) People to ante up for LAST year's fun... and even THAT took suing and beating 'em... but at least this time I'm here and don't have to worry about Ricardo telling any gonzo adjuster "Meester Eeles no heer.. he leev New York now"... sigh.  Just got the FEMA refugee horsies out last week, and now, we're having to truck my own and boarded ones up to Valdosta.... nobody seems to have a CLUE about exactly where this one's gonna hit... or even where... shaking my head.

Got Fred stocked up with munches, serviced.... ready to hit the road if it gets nasty.  Rasta... got any good stuff???  Conrad... got the little transistor and cap... looks like I'll have time to rig it, huh?

Ok folks.... time to Rock 'n Roll.  Ummmm... or maybe just sit and wait.

RODNEY... WHERE'S MY CARE PACKAGE ALREADY, DAMMIT!?!?!?!?

[Rodney]

It wern't me that won all that loot Andy durn it anyway. To be honest I didn't even buy a ticket. just didn't figure I'd that lucky 1 in 2 million or what ever the odds were.
Sorry you all on the other side of the country are getting delt such a rotten hand over and over and over... it's like watching a bad movie on the news but its real.
Take care and don't take any chances guys your in my thoughts

[Andy Illes]

Rodney.... reminds me of the story of the old Jewish guy that went to his synagogue week after week, month after month, year after year...... praying "Lord... PLEASE let me win the lottery."  After about a decade, he was in synagogue again praying to win, when the Lord's voice boomed down..... "Izzy... at least meet me half-way... buy a ticket"



Looks now like Wilma's gonna center-punch me again starting tonight or inna morning.... geeze.  Still can't figure out if Fred's gonna head N or S to get outta the way... probably N, but guess I'll know for sure later today.  Not daylight yet, can't see the sky, but probably just overcast..... not a leaf moving.... air feels heavy.... ominous.  Crickets, frogs are still noisy.... no clue what's coming.   Sorrta eerie.

[Conrad]

To quote Monty Python, "Run away, run away...!!!!!!"

I know it aint funny but boy you guyz sure have had a bad streak of weather problems.... God must be pissed at everyone. :shock:

[susan-y]

Andy, thank goodness Wilma sped up.  How did you fare?  Looked like the eye used Fred as a "visual reference" (bullseye) :shock:  for the eastern coast of Florida.  Hope you and yours are fine.  Sue

[Andy Illes]

Conrad.... you thought 12mpg was hard to swallow last year?!?  HAH!!!

Check THIS one!!  I filled Fred up Sun night.... Wilma knocked power out at 6:35, Mon AM, about an hour after the winds started kicking.... so I started Fred up to keep the coach battery charged.... he ran through the whole thing, until about 2 inna afternoon, when stuff calmed down.

Fred's IAS (Indicated Air Speed) hit 119 several times... hardly ever got under 65... over 90 most of it - that's 8 hours in all, Buddy.... and guess what?  Fred burned about a gallon!!!  So do the math and weep!!  Oh, and that's without headers, 900cfm carb or nitro!!!   So do I know how to tune a 360... or what!?   Heeeeeeeeeeeeeee

After the eye passed right over and the back wall hit, the winds were the worst.  Fred rocked & rolled... even picked up and slammed the RR a couple times.  I was sortta expected to see signs of frame buckling... but it did ok.  Worst damage was spilling my Margarita mix.... dammit!!!  I was sheltered from the SE by a building, where the 1st half came from, then pointed Fred to the SW for the 2nd half, so I never got hit hard broadside, lucky thing.  I kindda figured at least my hatches would blow off, but they stayed tight.

Like a moron, I thought the thing was gonna go to the north of me, so I headed down to a friend's place between Palm Beach and Jupiter... BIG mistake!!   Yep... Fred hadda have a homing device... and Wilma was tuned RIGHT to my frequency.... sigh.

I had backed Fred under a HUMONGOUS breadfruit tree (7-8' trunk, branches bigger around than Rodney spread a good 100-150'... probably 2-300 years old!!) and was getting pelted by the stupid things (If you don't know, breadfruit's like rock-hard, giant, 1 1/2' long, fat bolognas), so I moved 15' at about 6 AM.... was inna back, fixing another pot of coffee at 8:50... when I noticed the tree starting to lean in Ultra Slo Mo.... like a huge hand was just tipping it.  Power transformers were exploding all over the place, blue flashes like cameras at a ball game... practically daylight.  The roots (some a good foot in diameter!!) started popping and snapping outta the ground, RIGHT where Fred had been parked.  Top of the "root-ball" was about 10-12' off the ground!!!   I wouldda been pointing down onna those Cal-grade steep hills, had I not moved!!   Probably with a decent hole inna gas tank, at the VERY least!!

Went back to check on my place late Mon.... all my brand new fencing, barn and out buildings gone again!!  Except splintered this time.  Here I go with the Good Hands (around your throat) People again.  At least my horsies are ok.   Dunno why I went So, instead of following 'em N.  Oh well.

You guys wouldn't BELIEVE what the trailer/RV parks look like between Jupiter and here!!  Didn't see a single RV/MoHo upright!!  Copeley's RV Center (the guy who knows Irv Perch) looks like a used tire place.... all you can see facing up is Armor All'd rubber!!!!  Seems like everybody with a truck's out getting paid to haul scrap aluminum away.... then getting paid 25c a lb for it at scrap yards.... what am I doing sitting here, typing???   There's no power/phone/cell up home again, so I'm back down at my friend's.

Bottom line.... I've replaced the Margaria mix... all's well in FredVille.

Want some amazing tune-up tips Conrad?  
Or breadfruit?   :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Rodney]

Sure Glad to hear you and your animals are OK Andy.
you sure are getting the use out of Fred. But sure an't no vacation.
About the most excitement / Scare I have had in the past week was a trip to costco yesterday to the tune $$ of 372.00 only one case of beer and no Margirata mix {this time}  
Good luck with your insurance company Again :roll:
take care
Rodney

[Rastaman]

Hey Andy....sorry to hear you got some damage to your place but glad its not worse...I was down in the mother land (jamaica) just got back....if i was here you could of come my way...we would of tiped a few appeltons and watched the old storm go by...hey you know the fruits off that breadfruit tree  are good eating dont you...yeh mon :-0
rasta

[susan-y]

Glad you are ok Andy.  Better luck with your insurance people this time.  I sold my home in P'cola so I am out of the "watch the weather channel 24/7" crowd.  Okay I'll probably still watch it, but won't have my stomach in knots.. hated not knowing what was going on!!!  Pat Fred and tell him thanks for the shelter!

[Andy Illes]

Thanks for the wishes guys.  I took a bunch of pics after things cleared, and also a video clip right when the eye switched... you'll see why I decided it might be a good idea to aim Fred thattaway, lol.  Emailed 'em to Ray... maybe he'll post 'em.  Fred DID do good... got a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil for it.... that's Fred's prefered Appleton's flavor Rasta.   Perks his little lifters RIGHT up....

Rasta.. actually, I was ready to head up to Ocala, but onna the weather guys predicted it'd take a last minute hard turn north.... so I decided my buddy's place in Juno (next town N of North Palm Beach) would be perfect.   Right.  Guess where the eye centered???   Stupid weather guy!!

Sold my place to my neighbor yesterday, just don't wanna deal with it any more... so we're even, Susan.   About 3 doz workers, trucks of contractors, tradesmen, etc.. showed up this morning already with a bunch of equip... like an army!!  Debris is gone... over half the fence posts are already back up.... dozens of truckloads of shell-rock and gravel are graded, rolled, ready for forming to pour pads for new barns... the road's also rocked, graded, rolled... ready for paving.... amazing!!  They've done more in 7 hours than I got done the whole first year I owned it.... sigh.   Ok, I admit...  I'm impressed.  

Then again, it helps to have a few spare $mill laying around, huh?   lol

[Rodney]

Close call Andy :shock:
Now tell me again why you like to live in Florida? :?:

[Andy Illes]

Thanks for posting the pics Rodney (I only see the one though....  ya posting the other one, and video clip?)....

Why do I like it in Fla?   Ummmmmm.... oh... I know!!

It's the bikinis man..... the bikinis.... heeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Well.... the cigars,  Rum Runners & margaritas ain't bad either

[Andy Illes]

That root sticking inna air behind Fred's about a foot in diameter.... and RIGHT below where I was parked, before I moved when the storm started kicking.   My black tank was about full too... that alone made the move a good idea, lol.

Rodney's trying to figure out how to post the video clip.   Meanwhile, if anybody wants to see the wild ride.... email JawsiesClipper@Aol.com

PS... ya gotta have QuickTime viewer to see it (free download... just Google for it)