Hurry Back

Then we got called back to Florida. Really it's so different from earthquakes. I am amazed what strong enough winds are capable of.


This tree narrowly missed the room that I am staying in:


And this one fell in the backyard. You can see me standing in there somewheres.

I know I'm small but still- that tree was BIG.

We had no power the first day or so:

Yes, that place in the background is called "Badcock's" but we're not going to address poor marketing schemes here, this is about the hurricane.

Having no power was sort of like camping in a house. We took our cold showers and lit candles and went out to eat. The restaurant we chose is really popular with locals in Pensacola and has a tradition of stapling dollar bills with messages to the walls and ceiling:


And it was in through this medium that I discovered Floridians' secret inner feelings:


In the morning, we used the truck's built-in power outlet:

Dragged the extension cord through the garage:

Through the laundry room:

And into the kitchen for life's most important necessity:


We headed out to rustle up some gas and food and see what damage had been done.
Huge trees snapped in half:

Or fell over completely:


Some beautiful things didn't survive, but some ugly things did:

Looks like intolerance has the fortitude to withstand hurricanes.

McDonald's, however, didn't fare so well. I found this on the ground:


And then looked across the four-lane road to see where it came from:

Unfortunately I didn't find the O, it might have made a cool hat or something. If anyone finds a big O, call me and let me know.

Big Kmart took a hit:


And FEMA came in to provide assistance:



Individuals can apply at FEMA assistance center for aid, including emergency housing. This sometimes comes in the form of FEMA trailers:


This was one of the FEMA sites that has been here since the wake of hurricane Ivan last year which means they made it through Dennis unscathed. That's a relief because their sign out front doesn't inspire a sense of well-being and safety:


Some of the FEMA trailers didn't survive Dennis and people were relocated to hotels. North Florida still hadn't recovered fully from the wrath of Ivan last year, which was terrible. Hurricanes generally hit once every five years, so the four last year and then one already so early in the season has been frustrating at best, and devastating at worst. Some mobile homes were destroyed:

From the other side:


This gas station was brand new before Dennis hit:

You can see how they felt about it on their sign:


Many citizens who boarded up their homes and businesses used the opportunity to tell Dennis how they felt. This gas station had a sign reading "We stayed for Ivan, that was enough!!! We're gone for Dennis, it's too much":

And their business was indeed destroyed:


This citizen has strong feelings about something. I suspect it's in reference to looters, but some clarity is lost in the presentation.


With power out in so many areas and so much damage done, those businesses which were open hastily notified the public:

Even if they didn't look so good from the outside:


Luckily, the bowling alley was still open for blacklight bowling night so locals could blow off some steam in style:


Allstate Insurance should get a pluckiness award for being open:

Although I have to wonder how they will serve any clients over two feet tall.

On the other hand, there are still some bad feelings about State Farm left over from Ivan:


Some enterprising individuals sought to make a buck in the post-disaster economy:


You could also purchase a generator at special extra-high hurricane prices:


It's kind of sad but mostly funny that this RV is called "Four Winds":


Finally, crews came to restore power in our neighborhood:


Everyone in town chopped and stacked their fallen trees and debris by the side of the road for collection. Trucks and forklifts come by to carry it away:


To big collection areas where it is chipped into mulch:

The piles are like 30 feet high. Ivan yielded something like two and a half million tons of mulch. That's way more wood than a woodchuck would chuck if a woodchuck could chuck... oh, sorry. That was really bad.

Slowly, the community is pulling together after the crisis. Much of the power has now been restored and many of the gas stations are back in (at least partial) operation. The local grocery store now has fresh dairy products again. Even though parts of Pensacola still have a wafting aroma of broken sewer lines, you can tell things are moving forward.

And there has been some victory: