Hello all. I was pleasantly surprised to get an private message from Spellbound inquiring about our status. You guys are too much; you all care about everyone and Spellbound, you are amazing, to compile the list and contact all you have not heard from. Thank you, you are a great person and I am sure Websleuths is very thankful to have you as a member.
I am so sorry I was negligent and didn't post an update. We were relatively unscathed, minus no power for seven days, which is so mild compared to what some have endured; whole islands just wiped and what are those people going to do? They are so unbelievably poor, what a total tragedy has happened in the area. I can't talk about it without crying, as I am sure so many of you do. It is heartbreaking.
My best friends in the world, born and raised in Marathon Key lost the entire bottom of their house, all that is left is four steel studs; furniture, appliances, beds, everything gone right down to the drywall. They don't know if it is salvageable. They have no insurance because it was costing them around $40,000 per year, and as they had no mortgage they were not forced to keep it. They were directly on the Ocean and the Ocean invited itself in. They also had about ten cottages on the property and they are all gone except two. At the worst of the storm, the ocean was breaking on their property and over in to the Gulf, across the street. I read this morning that 10,000 boats were lost or sunk; of which theirs was also. Most of these boats were used by families to make money, either fishing, sight seeing, etc. So not only are their houses gone, but their way of making a living is gone also. To me, it is catastrophic. I saw Homestead after Andrew, and my friends say this is so much worse; they are still doing search and recovery down their. It so breaks my heart. However, I know that things can be replaced and they are all alive and are putting their faith in God to help direct them. My husband and I hope to go down next week to see how we can help in any way. It scares me with all that water everywhere, but I can put my big girl panties on and do what it takes.
Just what is happening to our world, so many mass killings, horrific storms, devastating fires, maybe so many people forgot about God, that he is going to give us a show of what it can be like when he doesn't step in. This is my opinion only, and hope it is allowed. If not, mods, please delete this paragraph.
Anyway, may God bless all of you and all of your families and loved ones, and all of your fur babies. My little fur baby didn't know what to think, other than she knew it was very hot in our house. She faired well, though, thank God. Please everyone take care, we certainly never know what lurks around the next corner.
Thank you all at Websleuths for giving so much of yourselves, and caring for your fellow man. Sort of O/T but my husband and I had the police do a welfare check on very good local friends of ours; we got cut off on the phone as the storm started and didn't hear back for six days. We went to their house, and it was totally flooded around their house, and no sign of them although all cars were their. I kept calling and it appeared that the machine was taking messages, although it was not. Thankfully, the police went (and it about scared them to death - my friends, not the police) , and they were fine; no power, generator broke, no land line and no cell service, and no Internet. The very kind police allowed them to charge their phones and both the police and she called me immediately after the visit (and they went within ten minutes of my call). I was very impressed. However, on a side note, when I got out of our car, their was a huge snake swimming right next to me in all that water and he popped his head out to look at me, and I let out a scream they probably could have heard ten miles away, jumped back and landed right in a nest of fire ants trying to get out of the water. I have probably twelve swollen bites on my foot which are still swollen and pus filled. Not fun!!
Again, God bless all of you for being the caring and involved people that you are. I know my beloved Florida will recover and will be better than ever. Katsrfun
