Hurricane Harbor

A writer and a tropical muse. A funky Lubavitcher who enjoys watching the weather, hurricanes, listening to music while enjoying life with a sense of humor and trying to make sense of it all!

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Under the Weather

Short post to say there is no safe place to hide from Mother Nature or Father Whoever.

Floods in New Mexico
Earthquakes in California
Mt. St. Helens about to blow

see... not just a Florida problem?

Id worry these days if I lived on the New Madrid Fault...

Not feeling good, not up to posting or typing.. so hang in there til better days.

Watch the SW Carib for possible development in a few days. Somethings festering down there.

And.... be back soon when I'm not feeling under the weather.

Bobbi

Monday, September 27, 2004

Blame it on the high not the hurricanes!

Have read way too much discussion with people complaining about Hurricanes. It's not the hurricanes that are causing the problem but the High that is "DOING IT"

So..blame it on Rio, blame it on the moon, blame it on Virginia...
just don't blame it on cyclones.

Cyclones are what transfers heat from the equator to the artic regions just like cold fronts send it on down to the tropics. That is what makes this planet a beautiful blue and green spinning ball where we can all live.

IF not for Hurricanes...and cyclones do you have a clue what it would be like here?

Blame it on the high that won't let go and in October will steer more hurricanes and cyclones up towards the North and NNE and NE towards Floriday yet again.. that and the eventual cold fronts.

Not feeling very good today so keeping this short.

Storm was nothing in Dade compared to Frances which was spread out and we had much stronger winds. Not letting kids eat the Swiss Rolls til October lol. Daughter had her best friends over. Aren't I a nice mommy to a 17 year old girl? Kids waited for worse weather.

My laptop's cord died a devious death and have to go get a new one so not posting too much from home right now. My old computer doesnt do the web well but it does other stuff exceptionally well.

And.. Sukkos is coming so will be busy with more Jewish holidays.

Sing a song of sixpence and send me ideas cause really don't feel good and need to go off now.

Take care... enjoy the day. Have to go back to work and hopefully feel better.

chow for now.. bobbi

Thursday, September 23, 2004

Waiting For Bastardi (to update)

Waiting for Bastardi on Accuweather to update. Want to see what the pre-release publicity is on his updated Thursday forecast. Heard he brings Jeanne is as a Major... My question for Mr. Jim is...WHERE

Not happy with water vapor http://orca.rsmas.miami.edu/wximages/jet/1_05/anis.html
or what I call the big fat whale's ass.. water vapor :)

and.......see that high pressure has eaten North Carolina, moving down into South Carolina

Jeanne moving very slowly... see the eastern side of the high grabbing Karl's ass but don't see it paying much attention to Jeanne other then to sort of slide her a drop west... but eastern edge of the high which is eating the Carolina's for lunch is going to press down a bit on Jeanne's NW side which makes me wonder why everyone thinks she will move NW up into the coast and maybe scrape around as opposed to going more west or wnw and then west again and then what??

Worrying on why the Nogaps is stubborn.

So...waiting to see what Mr. Bastardi has to say and will temper that with others and what I think before I say where Jeanne goes.. watching.

As for Ivan.. what a guy... flirting with Hurricane status once again.

Later... going to lunch. Argentinian place I think.

Chow for Now, Bobbi

( i said it in highschool and ill say it again... looks better my way)

ps...will feel better when the NHC has high confidence in their forecast.

For Jim and my lurking brother Jay

Okay... took a break and stopped looping. Went for a walk. Thought a lot. Visible, Water Vapor or the IR which is best and WHY does the NOGAPS hate Florida? I thought on the various possibilities. Kept in mind what Jim always says regarding decisions of this kind.
Bought the black ankle straps with the really thin straps and real high heels which are very comfortable .. believe it or not. Those really pointy end pink high heels weren't that bad but well..in a strong gale who knows who I could hurt? And, it seems according to the NRL site we might be getting strong winds pretty darn soon so.

Did my hair this morning, got some new pink nail polish. Making a list of storm supplies "just in case" and got brand new black ankle straps.

What would I do without this board?
btw... visible on the Orca site is getting awesome.. Jeanne's beginning to look like a real dancing girl. Wonder if she got new shoes for the occaision too.
http://orca.rsmas.miami.edu/wx/satellite/index.html
go to goes 8 visible. We're both wearing pink today.

PS.. got 3 emails ...all think she *could* bobble wobble south before heading west towards Florida. All from people I respect A LOT. ???

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

IVAN REFORMS.... Back in the Gulf

Really historic day for Hurricane Trackers and I have so little to say. Probably said most of it to someone I'm friends with online earlier and in a letter to my brother. Been a long day. Then again... got better as the day wore on. Very excited when I saw them upgrade Ivan as Ivan.

How exciting is it to be able to be a part of history? And, this season is.. not just in the gruesome part with landfalls and high death toll but in sheer number and strength of the storms and now.. the imfamous tracks of Ivan reborn and a blend of Bonnie and Betsy (two of my more favorite storms).

I give credit where its due and NHC was right. By the parameters they used to christen Mitch 2 the same name and not use Nicole (same year..go figure) they were right to rename Ivan... Ivan again. Because so he is. And, if you don't believe me... well... if you'd see the loops that Norcross showed on Friday there would be no doubt. And... there was a definite twist on the radar BEFORE it hit Florida and dumped over six inches of rain on parts of Pt. St. Lucie and the Stuart area. Wasn't a "sort of twist" and it should have been upgraded THEN to TD at the least but no...we had to be SURE. IF the NHC was a guy looking for a girl they would be still looking for the perfect babe at 80...got to be SURE. Is anyone ever sure? Such is the beauty of youth...no money problems, no children to think of, no past wounds...your eyes meet... you fall in love, hopelessly and you never think twice. Those guys at the NHC (FIU group...not Virginia Key) need to know how to fall in love more, to report what they see and not wait for model confirmation and quick scat analysis and reports from... What did the old gang do way back in 64???

So...they were right with Ivan. It IS Ivan. Didn't come from any other system. Call a spade a spade and right now Ivan is the King of Spades.

Jeanne? She's doing what they said she would do and NOW they are calling her fickle??? Excuse me. They said she would loop. She looped...is still looping. She's just not following their plan exactly.

As for Avilla... Avila? Oh Lex Lixiom lol giggling, can't. Just can't. Laughing over private jokes. Smiling, can't say much more. Know he always liked a good ballet and imagine he is enjoying Jeanne's moves.

A song?

Someone wants to know my favorite beatle song.

Hey Jude gets you.
Eleanor Rigby is good but sad.. so good.
Help.
I want to hold your hand.
Yesterday.
Imagine... MY prom theme.

Think this should be some ode to the Bee Gees...
Maybe Staying Alive... think Ivan is a disco dancer... strutting his stuff across the Gulf..

Guess Ivan did what Cat Stevens cant do.. Get back into the country lol.
lol maybe we should go with Get Back Jojo??

Oh..we will see.

Think tomorrow morning the cone will be shifted to the left once more... again...

Will see.

Thanks to all my friends for putting up with me.

Smallville was good. Very good. Nice to see a father come back to life.. nice in the movies huh.
Wish ours could, huh?

What else? Nothing else.

Not much else to say that I haven't said so far today to someone.

Tired, talking to a friend and both wondering what the 5am will bring.

Nite.. Bobbi

Tuesday, September 21, 2004

Bobbi is bored today.... yawn

and a bit dizzy from watching fishy canes out in the middle of the ocean

beautiful.. but not very compelling

dreaming of places i could go and people i would go with if i could

hi Jay :) know you read this.. know you know who I mean

Lisa is small and hides in the safe shadow of big Karl.. her protector who seems to allow her to do whatever she wants however he is leaving.. zoom zoom and where does that leave little Lisa? Petite.. cute..sweet...dynamic and gutsy with big dreams but she is soooo small and hard to take seriously. Yeah yeah..I know she could stay low however think she prefers to go up higher.

Karl... gorgeous far away Cane going north to Greenland or England or some cold frigid land.

Soon to be Matthew.. I like THIS ONE. Reminds me of Drudge :) Makes you pay attention.

Jeanne.. my girl, out there trying to find a way to come back west but staring over at drop dead gorgeous Karl.

Ivan.. Ivan.. bring me home Ivan... coming home like some old Eagles song
Come on ...do Joey boy proud and give him a Texas Cane. Not Galveston cause Jay likes that in case he ever comes back from Greece...how bout Port Arthur??

Anyway.. back to work. No more play.
Wish someone would come play with me :(

Do NOT call the library again as I am going off the desk and tell me your name is KARL and you need a book by COX, Simon... you know "C O X" I don't think its funny after a LONG day even if it makes our statistics look better. Or was that Seaman Cox lol. Funny now, lucky you weren't here or I would have kicked you in your knees.

Bobbi
dizzy from watching canes and want to play today

Monday, September 20, 2004

Fast and Quick

In a mood yesterday and today. Good mood, uneasy mood, playful mood.. wanting mood.

Stood in a dust devil today at lunch. Leaves swirled around me and it felt magical.
Do you think I was energized by it? Hmmm ..don't know.

Read notes on chart for this season. Moon in Scorpio. Intense. Says completes in October.
Oh really?

Watching Ivan's bits and pieces move sw across Florida on the radar today.
Some say yes.. some say no.. just watching.

Jeanne spinning like a tropical storm caught in a dust devil.

Read a beautiful passage on Key West written by Ralph Monroe.

Will post again.

Watched 3 football games yesterday. THREE.. from 1pm til after the Dolphin Debacle I was in a trance.

Sox lost :(

How can I take Bastardi seriously when he has Morry's birthday (same year) and was born on went near Providence Rhode Island. Brrrrr... ewwww... issues there.

Watching, writing later... love Vinnie Testerverde.. would love for him to have one good year. Great shape for us older kids huh? Either way... don't want to see him go down like Dan Fouts who I loved but had a losing team despite being good.

Read about guy on special teams for UM.. can we sign him NOW for Fins.. PLEASE!

Want JJ back! Yes Jay..I do :P

love you all
me, whoever I am today

Fast and Quick

In a mood yesterday and today. Good mood, uneasy mood, playful mood.. wanting mood.

Stood in a dust devil today at lunch. Leaves swirled around me and it felt magical.
Do you think I was energized by it? Hmmm ..don't know.

Read notes on chart for this season. Moon in Scorpio. Intense. Says completes in October.
Oh really?

Watching Ivan's bits and pieces move sw across Florida on the radar today.
Some say yes.. some say no.. just watching.

Jeanne spinning like a tropical storm caught in a dust devil.

Read a beautiful passage on Key West written by Ralph Monroe.

Will post again.

Watched 3 football games yesterday. THREE.. from 1pm til after the Dolphin Debacle I was in a trance.

Sox lost :(

How can I take Bastardi seriously when he has Morry's birthday (same year) and was born on went near Providence Rhode Island. Brrrrr... ewwww... issues there.

Watching, writing later... love Vinnie Testerverde.. would love for him to have one good year. Great shape for us older kids huh? Either way... don't want to see him go down like Dan Fouts who I loved but had a losing team despite being good.

Read about guy on special teams for UM.. can we sign him NOW for Fins.. PLEASE!

Want JJ back! Yes Jay..I do :P

love you all
me, whoever I am today

Sunday, September 19, 2004

Why I love Neil Frank

Because the man made me respect hurricanes beyond something that was just "fun" and a break in the boredom that is Miami weather for a child growing up.

You see... in Miami growing up not much happened. Okay so we had the Cuban Missle Crises and all took turns testing the stupid theory of 30 kids in a classroom learning to jump under their desks and stick their ass in the air and cover their ears (for the noise I guess) and shut out eyes tight (from the light of the blast) and pray that Fidel didn't really send his missles to Homestead and in doing so obliterate our Miami lives. Besides THAT.. nothing happened.

Except hurricanes. When a storm threatened the TV went live like some NASA space event or an election but it was Hurricane Time in Miami LIVE on air. Something was happening. People were shopping, worrying, banging away on hammers putting up shutters and worrying on various Caribbean storms or Cape Verde storms racing towards possible dates with disaster somewhere near Miami. Mostly they curved or swerved or raced away somewhere else and parents sighed a sigh of relief and kids thought "well that sucks" or whatever we thought back then. Hurricane Donna taught us older baby boomers that hurricanes meant school was closed, palm trees fell down and normal was put on hold and there was excitement in the air.

Along comes Neil Frank. The strange man with the strange hair cut and the dudley do right sense of he could have been a canadian mountie or coached the Dallas Cowboys but instead he chose meteorology as his profession and had taken up residence in Coral Gables at the Hurricane Center. And, he was serious about hurricanes. And, he warned everyone over and over about the dangers of storm surge.

Neil brought the dangers of hurricane home to a generation of children who thought hurricanes were simply a day off of school.

Yes, we still wanted them. We still sat mesmerized staring at Bob Weaver (the weatherman) informing us of Cleo or Betsy or Inez's progress as it made its way across Cuba or near Cuba or around Cuba but.....when Neil talked storm surge with the seriousness demeanor and examples of how a storm surge could wash over ALL of Miami and wipe us off the planet. We listened.

Okay.. he never said all of Miami could wash away but man those early grapics shown on TV were scary. And, we knew the landscape of our world could be rearranged by those wild storms. We weren't just afraid of the roof caving in, the windows blowing out or our favorite climbing palm tree falling down... we had something to focus on.. something tangible.

How could you not take serious something this serious, intense, passionate looking man said so seriously??

Yes we enjoyed the hurricanes of our youth. They were easier to enjoy.
People didn't pack up the Honda Civic with all of their belongings and try to drive north to Wyoming with their baby grand piano strapped to the roof. They didn't buy enough supplies to last them through Halloween and halfway into Christmas. They didn't buy a generator strong enough to keep electricity going at the Orange Bowl. We boarded up as best we could, stayed away from the windows in a hallway or in a sheltered part of the house, we listened to the raging roaring wind and wondered what was happening outside. We didn't use our laptop batteries and try to watch it on radar and water vapor imagery. And, when we were told to get off the barrier islands or away from the coast we were told WHY... not just told it was a precaution and that if you hurt yourself after the storm 911 wouldn't be able to get to you. We were more informed of the dangers, we were less sure of the track, we weren't sure what it looked like on multiple satellites and amazed to get a good radar image of the storm marching down Biscayne Blvd. We hid, we hunkered down and we waited for the storm to pass as our parents and parent's parents had before us .. especially us old timer southerners.

And... we never heard people bitching that they spent the retirement fund on twinkies and how stupid the hurricane center is to make us nuts. The adults I remember were thankful and appreciative that the monster storm spared their lives.

We believed what the Hurricane Center said... they were like God.
They had Neil Frank.
They had satellites and a big dish on the roof at the hurricane center.
We were proud they were here at UM, lord knows in those days we weren't real excited about the football team who tried hard to beat Wake Forest every year.

Neil Frank taught me about the dangers of a storm surge.

Years later when we watched the coverage of Hugo... we heard Neil Frank talking about storm surge.

We the children of that period in time will never sound surprised or shocked that a hurricane can wipe a town off the map.

Or a bridge. Great song stuck in my head yesterday. Leaving it here as a dedication the power of a storm surge and the way it took out a piece of I-10 and nope..I'm not surprised... storm surge can do that.

Nope.. not me. I remember Neil Frank. Patron saint of hurricane trackers still who are old enough to remember when he ran the National Hurricane Center.

We worried less on what those unpredictable paths those storms could take, heard less explanations and heard more information, advice and warnings on what do to if the big bad storm came our way. Personally I think that we could use a strong dose of that right now and less worrying on finite positions on a map, cones that change with every six hour discussion until the storm gets so close that there isn't much room to change the cone. Think we could use to hear that you have to get off the barrier island because it could wash away your house, your possessions and not to expect it to be there when you get back to the island.. not be told that there will be no emergency services such as 911 and fireman if you hurt yourself or your house catches fire... think they should be told their house WILL most likely wash away.

So...if you are driving to Alaska for the next storm threatening your coastal town.. remember to take your pictures and send those documents out of town because you won't find them when you return. Well...you might but I wouldn't want to count on it.

And... you might not have a bridge to cross when you get there.

"Bridge Over Troubled Waters"
When you're weary, feelin' small
When tears are in your eyes,
I will dry them all.
I'm on your side,
Oh, when times get rough
And friends just can't be found.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
When you're down and out, when you're on the street
When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you.
I'll take your part,
Oh when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will lay me down.
Sail on children, sail on by
Your time has come to shine, all their dreams are on their way
See how they shine,
Oh when you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled waters
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled waters,
I will ease your mind.
I'll ease your mind.


(ps... to my friend who sent me the CD with the song ....Love to see you smile)

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

Miami is Hurricane Land..

Miami is Hurricane Country. We live here expecting to possibly get hit by hurricanes in the late summer and early fall. It is in fact one of the only real weather seasons we get.

Summer begins to wane though temperatures stay up around the high 80s. As the school supplies get bought up grocers and discount department stores begin stocking shelves near the door with batteries, water, flashlights, disposable grills. Publix has started putting checkboards and chess sets there as well to remind people they may want to teach the children how to play something non-electrical when the electricity goes out and the batteries are depleted for the game boys. Don't worry...they will haul them out again for last minute Christmas presents again in December.

People wander through the market trying to look nonchalant as they grab three or four of the Channel 4 Hurricane Tracking Maps with Bryan Norcross smiling steadily on the cover. They confidently walk past the water stacked high in easy to hold Hurricane six gallons to the box containers and sneak back with a worried look...look around to make sure no one sees that they are half way to panic attack and slide the box with six neat gallons of Publix Spring water onto the bottom of the cart as casually as if it was a 40 pound bag of dry dog food.

Just another day in paradise in the summer of 2004.

Our football teams are named after the Hurricanes. Our roller coaters are built and named after Hurricanes.

We are indeed living in Hurricane land down here in Miami.

And, we are ready for the big blow or Jeanne which ever comes first.

My kitchen is so packed with food and water we could get trapped inside for a month and we'd probably gain weight.

I have produce for the Jewish Holidays starting tonight at sundown. Enough produce to make Black Cherry Chicken, Maple Honey Turkey, Cajun style sweet meatballs and enough vegetables to make any vegetarian happy they came to the table. We have enough canned food to weather the storm if it comes early on Rosh Hashonna. Doubtful but hey we southern jews like to be prepared in the tropics for anything that might happen. I even have diet cherry coke and fiji water.

Maybe I'll figure out a new recipe. Hurricane Honey Loaf???

We are ready.

We are waiting.

We wait every year not just this year.

We are still boarded up from Frances. No one is going through "THAT" again.. we are leaving them up til Christmas and Chanukah whichever comes first.

We are in full hurricane season mode of September Remember.
A motto that means much this particular year in Florida.

Our special prayer this year?

Please, please let it be a small little fun Cat 1 that isn't strong enough to blow around all the debris still left behind by Frances. Don't let us lose power. If you have to take something..take the cable, we can do without The Weather Channel but not without Bryan Norcross and Bill Kamal. Don't let there be too much flooding. Wait until after the holidays and the Sabbath. Sunday works well .. just don't let it mess up the Dolphin game. Let the Hurricanes continue to win on the field and may they beat the Gators so that Miami can continue its reign in tropical football land. Let us go back to work on Monday and let the clean up not be too hard. Thank you for not letting us have to deal with Ivan. Help those who do recover soon. And, when they need to get away and have some extra money may they take their vacation down on South Beach. May all the rednecks who usually go to down Panana Beach know that when winter cometh we are still here in Miami. Of course unless Jeanne or the next storm gets a little stronger in which case. We bounce back fast. We are used to hurricanes. Otherwise our local football team would be called "The Blizzards".

Happy and Healthy New Year to all my friends.

Be careful with whatever weather catastrophe that is unleashed upon you where ever you live.

May you always be blessed with the weather you love the most!

Bobbi
as for songs.. Canes are Dynamite works for me. Will have to do a google search on that one and edit it in later.

Tuesday, September 14, 2004

Morning at the beach watching Ivan's calling card.

I went to the beach today. To stare at the earth and sky. To look out over the ocean and watch the waves pound the shore. Well.. Miami really doesn't have a "shore" Maine does as Sharon so often explains. But, we have the beach... the sand.. what we natives think of poetically as the seashore. And, we have fishing piers that reach our far beyond the beach where fisherman fish and spectators pay $1.00 to watch the fisherman fish and the surf pass by under your feet.
Sunny Isles Pier. Just north of Haulover Beach. End of the road for people in North Miami Beach.

Hangout of fisherman, kids playing hookey from school casting lines off the pier and people who just want to get away from the city and stand far out above the water a bit and feel the strong winds of a faraway Hurricane. The big deep end where they usually fish late into the night is closed and roped off. A victim of Frances. A few boards popped out and are missing. Ripped away by the bottom end of the storm surge from Frances. One only wonders what would be left in anything if Ivan was coming ashore in North Miami Beach.

It was wonderful. Truly, really wonderful. Nonstop wind and wild surging waters. Not waves cresting so much as tons of water rushing towards the shore, a sense of hugeness and grandeur pounding endlessly, nonstop towards the beach. Foamy white tops, storm green waters that are somewhere between shades of gray, green and a drop of beige swirling past the pier in one mass movement of water that traveled far to get here from the other part of Ivan that will go further up the Gulf of Mexico towards whatever city Ivan chooses to call his final landfall. This water swirled around the state of Florida to get here. Amazes me. Through the Straits of Florida, rushing into the Gulfstream to land in bits and pieces upon South Florida's shore.

Maybe Jeanne will follow in its wake. Don't know. I just know that the explosive quality of the water today was awessome ....as the waves broke just below where I stook on the pier about two thirds of the way out to the far end. When the water broke it was magical in intensity. There was a crashing, gnashing look to the water and from deep down water swirled back up again muddy colored water with bits and pieces of sand mixed in still so far out away from the shore... such was the power of that surf today. Vortexes bubbled to the surface and swirled in angry eddies and slowly mixed together with the rest of the water moving fast and heavy towards the distant beach. The part of the water closer to the beach was covered with a white foam as here and there a wave broke one more time before ending its journey towards land.

A surfer played at surfing but mostly his strong muscular body just rested upon the board as he let the current carry him further and further out looking for one good wave to ride. His white tee shirt was soaked and looked almost lavender like against his skin. For a man so strong he looked relaxed and calm as he road the board under waves that broke far from the shore and washed over him, so that he disapeered and then he reappeared again moving further and further away from the shore. I watched as he was eneveloped in the rushing, tumbling water as inferior waves broke about him and then turned flat and moved on past him on their way towards the beach. He tried a few waves but he didn't get very far surfing back on his board. Even in a stormy sea Miami waves aren't much to write home about I'm afraid but then we are known for bathing beauties sunning themselves on white washed sands, sunny beaches, models waiting for shoots to set up and South American Beauties walking hand in hand down our sunny beaches. Other beaches are known for surfers... so if he wants to surf along, ride lazily out on a current while waves wash over him enjoying the morning.. let him surf on looking for a wave, enjoying the morning. I did. He enriched mine. It was fun watching him.

The beauty of a storm far, far away raging so strong in the Gulf that you could feel its power on an Atlantic side beach waiting to see if Jeanne will show her face in a few days or if the beach will wait some more for the next storm to grace its sandy shore.

Frances felt kind.
Ivan doesn't.

Watch out where ever he travels. He is not kind.

Monday, September 13, 2004

The Trouble with Ivan and the models and the Water Vapor Loop

In this morning's 11am discussion by Stacey Stewart he brought up the issue of a problem developing on the water vapor imagery and some other synoptic features which do not correlate well with the models and show a developing problem in steering currents.

Just as every tv forecaster has let up his guard on the Florida problem of 2004 and begun to look west to a new landfall...

The front digs down.. develops a hook on it and tries desperately to catch Ivan. It may have seeing as the direction of movement was changed from wnw to NW officially. Will take a good six hours at least to see if this verifies.

But...if the front has caught Ivan.. he is not going to lounge around in the Central Gulf wistfully eyeing landfall in NOLA or Mississippi.

The flow across the gulf is now changing and it will pull far back to the right to towns that were given the impression this morning that they are no longer under the gun.

Hope I am wrong because I hate to see this get messier than it already has.

And, have seen many times that an earlier track the NHC made gets revisted towards the end run of the storm.

Watch the water vapor. If Stewart is doing it... you can too!

http://weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_wv_east_loop-12.html

Bobbi.. see you later alligators

Hurricane City Radio Broadcasts

Really kick ass weather reporting and discussion for those tropically inspired.

Last night's broadcast was fun to just sit back and listen to while watching Ivan move west north west forever.

Will post later.

Evac orders for KW lifted. Sure...this morning. Could have gone yesterday but nooooo I didn't have local ID. Am going to have to do something about that this year.

Back to work. No lyrics today lol have heard someone has been typing them away elsewhere. And, in a good mood but busy...got to run.

Beautiful storm to watch from a distance.

Had a wild reddish purple sunrise this morning in Miami. I'd bet we are going to get distant bands or little storms that fly off those distant bands later today.

Love you all..stay safe, keep those boards up.. figure that is what's keeping Ivan away from Florida.

Bobbi
Listen tonight if you want to hear people talk who love hurricanes and any kind of weather.

Sunday, September 12, 2004

Hurricane Brunch Party.. while Ivan moves westward

Just got home and settling in to the tv with the US OPEN on. Okay it wasn't Wimbledom it was the US Open. Switched channels to the football game.

Had a wonderful time with my Key West friends in a boarded up house which somehow made it feel like we were still in Key West having one of Stuart's incredible brunches. The man can make artwork out of a Lox Platter. Talking could be on the cover of Bon Appetite.

Big oval glass platter covered in a bed of spring lettuce mix
slivers of avocado and cucumber and thin slivers of scallions
cajun lox
tequilla lox
ginger lox
baked salmon
white fish
smoked cod
thin slices of red onion
unreal olives
key lime juice drizzled over the platter (from his tree in key west)
and sprinkled with capers

cheese platters
bagels
flavored coffee with yemenite/turkish seasoning
unreal

Very nice.
We sat around with TWC on a big screen TV, ongoing in the background.
The house in Surfside all boarded up for Ivan..
Couldn't look out the windows... sure felt like we were in Key West.
Funny but true...

They drove back.. I couldn't go because I don't have a Key West ID.. have to work on that one.
And...Greyhound Bus service has been suspended.
They drove back to Key West. Stuart went to Vegas for the holidays.. high holidays.
I came back to my nice tropical bedroom in North Miami Beach.. little small crystals of fine sand still on my ankles from playing in the waves this morning.

Feel like I got away. Far away as Ivan moved further away.

Gave my opinon on Ivan and it being safe enough to go back to Key West that if the Troopers would let me pass through and Greyhound was running I would have gone back with them and left my kids here for the night. Maybe later in the week.. or after the holidays.

How can you keep watching Ivan moving just north of west and keep hearing it will turn NW any moment. They have been saying that for two days now.

Told someone I was staying off the computer so that I don't write something I don't regret on busted forecasts.

My hair smells from the sea.
There was foam on the beach today.. something rarely seen in Miami.
The wind was blowing the salt spray against my lips and upon my cheeks as I sat a few feet from the ocean's edge on a lounge chair left out by one of the nice condos along the beach there. It is really one of the nicest stretches of beaches in the Miami area. Well kept up. Nice jogging path, friendly people. Pretty empty as there are few tourists and most of the winter people are living up north somewhere.

Sat on a bench for a bit under a sea grape tree looking out at the water before I left.
Very beautiful. Beautiful.. awesome.

There is no where on earth that you can find God better than at the beach or watching a painted sunset color a mountain canyon with colors ever changing as the shadows move fast across the hills or mountains. Nature.. there is no temple more beautiful. Some are... they have a grandeur, a sense of spirituality. Some old churches make me feel that way.. when you look around and think how many people have sat there praying to God in the pews you are sitting in. But..you can connect on a more individual level while sitting staring out at the ocean feeling the breeze on your face watching the sunlight glitter on the water.

Of course my brother Jay feels that way about listening to an old Janis Joplin song but well.. think he also feels that way about the water. Somewhere there is a trailor down in the Keys where he promises me one day we can retire. Sharon said to look for one but I know she won't go because........................its not really a beach. Only MAINE has beaches... real beaches. She HATES Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket (is that the same place) and she hates Miami Beaches because they aren't like the Maine Coastline beaches... sigh..................deep breath. Will see.

She can like Maine all she wants but she can move to Key West and have all the joys of New England architecture and bougenvilla interwoven in hibiscus bushes underneath a tropical moonlight scene smelling jamine and frangipangi 365 days a year.

How did I get off of Ivan..
He's moving WNW.... more west than wnw but lets not argue.

I have heard that landfall is being considered far from the shores of Florida.

Remember someone online saying Mobile a while back. Some even said New Orleans. Heard someone say Texas. Am hoping at this point Stuart doesn't have to deal with him in Vegas lol.

Oh... what a mess we make when we try and second guess Cat 5 storms.

A little bored with Ivan. He is beautiful.

But... I want another storm.

A Cape Verde storm sliding slowly west north west at 16 mph towards a date with destiny.

No... I have not tired of tropical storms or hurricanes.

And, brunch and the beach was a delight

Going to listen to a beautiful CD that Steven in California sent me... a man with a beautiful view from his backyard that can see forever all across the San Bernadino Valley.. think I got that right. And, has very good taste in jazz... bad taste in certain friends lol :P and he can always make me smile.

Good to have friends.
Always good.

Looking for a good lover to round out my life and make it just perfect.

Love Bobbi

Correction.. and Ivan moves west.. I went to the beach today

Correction needed here though both sites are fine if you want to feel like you are an expatriot conch on the mainland and they can be your lifeline to the delightful world of insanity that is Key West politics.

It was the Citizen with the headline Turn, Turn, Turn but look them both up.

Once a long time ago I was a Key Club Sweetheart. We had a paper called the Keynoter so it always sticks in my mind first and the Citizen is well.. just for fluff and fun as is most of Duval Street.

So... try this when bored and you wish you lived in Key West

www.keywestcitizen.com

There you go..

Had a great morning. Got up early and went down to the beach. Sat over on some big beach chair by the water's edge in Surfside/Bal Harbor where the beach is beautiful and watched the waves roll in. You could feel something out there... very obvious. Not a pounding Cape Verde storm coming at you but normally we don't have waves that leave foam on the beach, these did and they had an urgency about them that you don't always find.

Watched a few pelicans far from their perch up in Sunny Isles and watched a few sandpipers. Thought how much they are alike and how different they are.
Pelicans watch... they sit a lot. They watch... They take flight, they show of...they dive down for a moment and snatch a fish that was happily swimming in the sea and take off again for their pole to watch some more. Sandpipers live.. they dance, they play, they run in and out of the waves, they walk the land, they flitter through the waves and take flight over the shore a bit and dance somemore. They like to get wet, they like to move restlessly about being part of the whole ebb and flow of life at the edge of the sea. They dig about in little pools of water down in Key West on South Beach looking for what treasures the waves have left behind at low tide. They are alive.. moving... having fun at the water's edge. Pelicans just sit there and watch... only to take flight to descend and snatch a fish and fly back to watch some more. They both live at the sea but they live so differently there can be no real bonding between the two. Except the pelican sits watching the sandpipers wondering what is they are doing running about as the waves slide in fast upon the sand. They haven't a clue. They don't have a need to FEEL and be one with the ocean like the sandpipers do.

Was beautiful. Refreshing. Relaxing. Wrote messages to God in on the sand hoping he and only he sees them and does something about it. For those passing by they will smile, wonder and keep on walking down the shore.

Having brunch at a friend's house here. He has a few other friends who drove up from Key West in the big Evacuation Party that was Hurricane Ivan. I'm about 4 blocks at the most from the ocean, maybe 3 and there are little backyard gardens here with trees filled with birds of all kind merrily singing away. Do they know something we don't? I heard a parrot or two earlier while walking back and wandering around a butterfly garden someone has at the streets edge. Some houses are boarded, most not. Think I would stay here in a hurricane, has a nice feel. Course not a big one but well.. do the big ones ever hit? Okay..Andrew... Charley...

Ivan??
Where are you going to Ivan?

You are ruining the NHC's fine season of tracking.. You haven't messed up the 5 day, you messed up the 2 day. Creepy Ivan. Told you all he'd be a pain in the ass.

Jay is in Greece ranting and raving in well written letters about the Fins loss yesterday and the booing of fans who booed instead of leaving. Well... they are unhappy fans. They didn't want to keep the coach. They were unhappy last year. No one seems to listen in management to them or care about them so why should the fans care? Tried to explain that this group of Dolphins have not much in common with the teams of yesterday. There is a stench of dead fish that smells worse that the dead fish Frances left on the beaches of Ft. Lauderdale. Dead, smelly and stinky. Ewwwwww. Yes I will watch them... don't have no one else to watch. I'll hope they get sold to someone who cares. Hope he moves to Alaska where he can hide his frozen butt off. I'll watch the Green Bay Packers like I always do. A few other teams. Yes the Titans are good but they looked like Pro players and Fins looked like Middle School players out there. No wonder Ricky Williams left. Couldn't stomach playing for DW and there wasn't enough pot in the world or money to get him to do it. Who knew? A man of integrity in his wierdness.

Going to loop some loops.

Sitting here in a house that I've sat in before with a different owner.

Can you imagine. In all the rental homes in Surfside Florida I have known two people who rented the same one. I can see it now when she lived here.. she who was friends with the funny but wierd friend of the screen writers... the guy who loved that stupid song.. Dont Worry Be Happy. Well.. con artists usually are and they were both con artists, flim flam people running around with the filming crowd and those types always land on their feet. Usually with someone else's money.

Maybe Yaffah should move here and they can rent it one day too.

Seems to go around the family doesn't it? Yaffah would love it. They could write and write and walk over to the water to call their crazy brother and tell them "YES IM SAFE HERE" and then realize that they had to go find a bathroom. Life aint easy when you're a girl. Sigh. Was fun :) Well they said to pray that one day they can live here and so I'll pray.. why not? We always pray for eachother.

Me and My Shadow.. great song. Poor Billy Rose always wishing he was first in Fanny's heart. But... he was in a way.. just there is nothing like falling in love at first site. Nothing. Nothing replaces it.. ever.. even if you fall in love slowly over time. It ain't the same.

Beautiful day in the neighborhood. Going to enjoy a nice brunch with a good friend and try not to think about lovers or hurricanes or names that rhyme with Ivan.

Happy Hurricane Free Sunday.. keep up the shutters, watch the storm and have a wonderful day.

Hey.. Red Sox won 9 to 0. Finally... just in time for the 2am.
Still waiting for my tee shirt in Surfside land..

Bobbi

AS WE WAIT FOR HURRICANE IVAN TO TURN... TURN ...TURN...

A long time ago in a land far, far away in the year 1995 or 1996 I first read posts online about hurricanes. Someone named SNONUT was posting kick ass forecasts better than any I had seen on the local news or from the NHC. And, someone named Pete who went by the screen name Ptravel was posting eye for eye with him. Keeping up to par with SNONUT's brillant forecasts. At times I would say that Pete was actually more on the money but SNONUT was more fun to read... more in your face at times and showing bits and pieces of wit and wisdom and an obvious love for the movie Risky Business.

So they had their running duel or dance or just good old fun of forecasting and posting online the most accurate forecasts. Two up north guys who seemed to be more concerned with the winter forecasting but a distant far away love of tropical weather. SNONUT's explanation was he had a company that had to be concerned with tropical weather because of his shipping line clients. Anyone can see how this is important.. anyone involved with the shipping line business can't just worry about New England Blizzards off of Nantucket but worried about storms named Nancy popping up in late November wiping some ship off the map. Ptravel was a travel consultant. You know..for all those "hit the road Jack" types who constantly need to know what whether to put the top down or fly off on a sailship.

That was then...this is now.

Headlines of the Keynoter yesterday from what I have heard was Turn, Turn, Turn. Great song. Some old boyfriend loved that song. Was it Morry or Ed? Don't remember... such is early onset of short term memory loss and my mind being elsewhere. Either way they both loved music. So... there is the most easy bridge here to the lyrics to the day. Turn, Turn, Turn... everyone is waiting for Ivan to turn.

Heard Norcross said tonight (straight from Sharon's play by play.. which is better than I am getting tonight on the Red Sox game I may add) that he seemed very upset, not a happy camper and until Ivan makes the turn.. and Ivan makes a real MOVE.. as in direction and speed... all bets are off in his mind. As I told at least a half a dozen people tonight while laying low and hiding from the world... "if the forecast is off on speed and intensity you have to figure that the whole track forecast is off as well" You can't be this off on forward motion. NHC has been saying, as have most forecasters, Ivan would move wnw to nw through Jamaica and continue on that track for three days at which time it would slow down and intensify before moving slowly across Cuba. Something about Ivan losing strength as he battled with Jamaica (a real mistaica there) and find his groove south of Cuba and explode and then suddenly move slowly over Cuba. Pick up some speed and regroup in the Straits and move towards Florida somewhat faster. Well... didn't happen that way. On www.flhurricane.com someone started a thread saying that until forward motion and speed is a certainity then ... waiting and made some nebulous comment on Mitch. Norcross did too.

So... as we wait for him to turn.. turn.. turn.. sing along with me and enjoy a page from www.keynoter.com

I think the track of Dennis 1981 btw is an interesting track.. if we are going to buy into the eventual sharp turn.

Still think IF he turns.. and doesn't slam into the Yucatan ...that it will be more NNE at landfall.. at least.

Will see... beautiful storm to watch it spin as you wait for it to turn, turn, turn.
Pete is responsible for Turn, Turn, Turn.. he was very spiritual in his way. Probably still is if he is still around.

See??? Haha.. I know who sings this song.. Peter. Again.
Then again you can sometimes fall in love with someone who simply doesn't care who sang the song.. just likes to listen and enjoy.
Bobbi

(Turn, Turn, Turn)
Pete SeegerCD: If I Had a Hammer: Songs of Hope & Struggle Words adapted from The Bible, Book of Ecclesiastes
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
To Everything (Turn, Turn, Turn)
There is a season (Turn, Turn, Turn)
And a time for every purpose, under Heaven
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time to love, a time to hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late


Friday, September 10, 2004

Watching Coverage of Ivan and how much I hate Wimbledom

I'm sorry. I am sure for tennis fans everywhere it is a big story. But at NOON in Miami with a Hurricane heading this way we want Bryan Norcross not Wimbledom. Put the tennis match in the bottom on a small screen and put Bryan on for an update. It was not pretty where I work today in the lunchroom.

Okay.. hoping Jamaica gets spared the devastation that has descended upon Grenada.

So many deaths from Ivan already. You have to "feel" that storms have their own personality and Ivan is not "kind" he is ugly and mean and deceptively beautiful on satellite imagery but a Killer Hurricane already.

I'd like to believe that he will make it to 82 but I fear he won't and he will surprise many with a hit on Florida a bit right of track. Maybe I'd rather see the Everglades rebuild naturally than watch people lose everything they have on either side of the state.

Watch the trends.. watch the consistent models.

I'll be back later.

Heard that there isn't a C or D battery to be found around town here since Frances. Told someone to go to the local mom and pop dollar stores and see if they have.. spread the money around. Publix still doesn't have eggs though their canned food was somewhat resupplied. By me we have the cans.. they ate like 2 cans of corn that is it. Just have to go to my local kosher market where crowds are less and buy cookies and crackers and a few other things.

Wish the city here would worry on all the trees down and debris and get it up off the streets.
Have heard they "can't" because garbage trucks are busy.. on order ... waiting for asplungh to fix trees near cable and FPL lines. So they are cutting more dead branches down littering the streets with them making for more flying debris IF we get this storm.

And... I want to be in Key West. I know sort of silly but I love Key West like you love a lover and would rather be there than here watching it blow away from LaConcha Cam live on TV.

And...have to take stock. Look around and see what may need to be done.. AGAIN.

People are punchy... silly... tired and exhausted from looking at TV screens with hurricanes swirling around on them.

My cousin sent me a picture of a model track with Ivan veering north and drawing a big F U hand sign in the Bahamas before slamming into the Tri-County area again. Knew it would be something like that..people at work loved it. Hurricane Humor.

So... that's it from Miami.. waiting to see if he takes the left or takes the right or can't make up his mind and shoots straight up the middle.

www.wxrisk.com is doing a great job of explaining models
www.wunderground.com updates faster than anyone..not sure how
www.tropicalupdate.com is easy to use
www.flhurricane.com gets better and better
and as always
Jim at www.hurricanecity.com is the best.. a real real person, as real as they get.

check out Snonut's reports on www.flhurricane.com and if you have the ability send them a small donation. Nice having a site that doesn't bog you down with commercials nor charge you a fee to log on.

Bobbi
going back to work
back to the computers
back to being asked 10 times a minute "so are we getting the storm" :)

Hurricane Ivan Approaches Jamaica

Hope somehow it misses.

I wonder what they are thinking... and if its the things I'm thinking or thought the night before Andrew.

Probably not.
The people of Jamaica are beautiful people who have a deep faith in God, the powers that be in the universe..goodness... wonders.. I work with a Jamaican girl.. I love her. She's a 7th Day Adventist. She has great warmth and faith and happiness. She has a big family back home. I pray for their safety. She remembers Gilbert though her family was fine then.. I hope they are this time.

I pray it misses... it could. A fast shift in the track.. can save so many lives and homes.

No reason I can't pray for a miracle.. is there? I'm allowed.

So I will.. pray it somehow lifts just enough north that it somehow misses it.
I know conventional thinking has been that it would miss if it does to the sw but I never believed that.

Not freaking here over Ivan yet.
I will make the decision to freak on Saturday night after Shabbos.. a tropical shabbos.

See where it is when it crosses Cuba.. where the air flow pattern is.. what condition and speed it is going.

Working too hard. Need a vacation but a paid one.
I don't want to go to work today. I'm forcing myself.
I want to do so many things...none of them sit and work where I think too much.

Stuart took me out last night to some chinese/sushi place. Ordered a big boat with lots of sushi and sashimmy lol however that spell that. Soup, fried ice cream.. my one chosen "break the diet for the storm" and get it over with... and be good today again. Been good, have to make choices sometimes. A good friend.. we talked about friends back home in Key West and his fish pond there and how he is worried about the fish. Got to love a man who is worried about creatures big and small. A good friend. Lots of good friends in my life. A few friends may come up from Key West for the evacuation.

:( I want to be in Key West. Like NOW.. this MORNING..if I knew someone with a small plane I would love to fly in for the day. Walk down Truman.. wander around til Simonton.. hang a left, walk towards Fleming.. get some yogurt in Faustos.. wander up and down Whitehead Street and bond with my great grandma a bit. Ask her what made her tick and who she really loved and what went through her brain living down their in the 1880s... Stare up at the house one last time maybe and pray its there when Ivan passes. Its set back more away from the street. Framed by a flamingly bright scarlett poincianna tree in May and June.. Has a long balcony and could face the wind more than Stuart's house which is lower and set in between buildings further inland. Worry a bit on the Temple but the Rabbi insists was built in the 60s with poured concrete and could withstand a hurricane but United is pretty close to the Ocean.. built up.. should be okay. Will be.. right?

So... here Ivan comes.. he makes his move.

Me..
What do I think?

I think he will go between wnw and nw.. beginning to move more nw.
I think he is very near a collapsing high that will hang in there just kinda sorta enough to keep some westerly component in his movement. Think he clips Jamaica (wish ful thinking?) and sits down south of Cuba ...north of Jamaica a bit watching the steering currents and waiting to see where to make his move.. wnw..nw... nw.. he will move north. Where.. Further to the east than west and I'm not a better but I would bet on that. If and when he makes that turn the orientation of the high moving in from the west... the trough... the way the high to its east is backing off makes me think the angle will be 7 to 1.. Not quite NNE .. maybe... not NE. I don't think so... one would have to really dig in and the other erode at the same time.. maybe 6:30 to 12:30 or 7 to 1.. somewhere.. just east of north. Depends on speed and when it happens and where.

Waiting to see..
Hoping that everyone is wrong and made a mistaica and Jamaica will be fine and dandy with a glancing blow from Ivan. I can hope for anything...right?

Later... if I don't run away today.

Bobbi Storm

Jamaica Mistaica
By: Jimmy Buffett
Some folks say that I've got the perfect life.
Three swell kids, lots of toys and a lovely wife.
I fly.
I sail.
I throw caution to the wind.
Drift like a stratus cloud above the caribbean.
But every now and then
The dragons come to call.
Just when you least expect it you'll be dodging cannon balls.
I've seen to much not to stay in touch with a world full of love and luck.
I've got a big suspicion 'bout ammunition.
I never forget to duck.
(Chorus)
Come back
Come back Back to Jamaica
Don't you know we made a big mistaica
We'd be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky
It was a beautiful day
The kind you want to toast
We were treetop flyin'
Movin' west along the coast
Then we landed in the water
Just about my favorite thrill
When some asshole started firin'
When we taxied to Negril
Just about to lose my temper
As I endeavored to explain
We had only come for chicken
We were not a ganja plane
Well you should have seen there faces
When they finally realized
We were not some coked up cowboys
Sportin' guns and alibies
(Chorus)
Come back
Come back Back to Jamaica
Don't you know we made a big mistaica
We'd be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky
They shot from the lighthouse
They shot from the highway
They shot from the top of the cliff
They'd all gone haywire
We're catchin' fire
And there wasn't even a spliff
Well the word got out
All over the island
Friends, strangers, they were all apologizin'
Some thought me crazy for bein' way to nice
But it's just another shitty day in paradise
Come back
Come back
Back to Jamaica
Don't you know we made a big mistaica
We'd be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you out of the sky
Come back Come back Back to Jamaica
Don't you know we made a big mistaica
We'd be so sad if you told us goodbye
And we promise not to shoot you,
promise not to shoot you,
Promise not to shoot you out of the sky














Thursday, September 09, 2004

Hurricane Ivan and the 1835 Hurricanes

Never say never because it just means that you don't remember when..
I've heard it said that NEVER has a Cape Verde storm hit South Florida from "that angle" as a defense that Ivan will go elsewhere.

Sorry Charley but... we just don't have an accurate record.
Our records only go out soooo far.
Our satellite archives only go back to the 1960s.

Many years before there was the year of 1835.. a year that goes down as the year from Hurricane Hell in Florida and throughout most of the Carribean.. Caribbean?? Hmmn
Well no matter how many R's or B's it had hurricanes.
People predicted natural disasters.

Halley's Comet in those days was taken as seriously as the National Hurricane Center for weather forecasting.

And..it was indeed..weather of the wierdest.

In 1835 a storm hit Miami from the South at what angle I'm not sure because its before any storms that Dr. Landsea has studied... before Unisys... maybe someday they will both get around to it.

It tore up the Mangroves on what is now Brickell Avenue and South Bayshore Drive.
It tore a whole through to make Bear Cut near Virginia Key where hurricane researchers study hurricanes. Maybe one day they will look out their window.. get inspired and study on the Great 1835 Hurricane and see if it's track is/was and will be similar to Hurricane Ivan.

Maybe.. Possibly.. maybe someday.

Here are some tidbits I found online... something to think upon.
And..again to you know who for copying that page from the book from the library that is sitting on your desk and faxing a copy of it to me.. appreciate it greatly.
Best Wishes.. take care Bobbi :)
**************info below************

1835 – The Key West Inquirer had been publishing only a year when this undated hurricane swept through all the Keys onto the mainland. The lightship Florida at Carysfort was severely damaged, but repairable.

http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/docs/k/keys27.htm
The first hurricane of any intensity of which there is any record, occurred on the 15th, 16th and 17th of September A . D. 1835. The Enquirer, a newspaper published in Key West at that time, in describing it says: "We remember seeing sometime since the prognostications of an officer in the English army or navy who predicted that the visit of Halley's comet now expected, would cause the year 1835 to be remarkable for the frequency of gales and other atmospheric phenomena, and whether it may be considered a strange coincidence or not, we cannot say, but there has certainly been an undue number of severe storms, tornadoes, gales, etc., for the last few years."
In 1909 Halley's comet again visited us, and in 1909 and 1910 two of the severest hurricanes ever experienced, struck the island.
In the hurricane of 1835 the light-ship Florida, stationed near Carysfort Reef, was severely damaged, the wooden covering to her deck was partly demolished, her lanterns stove in, and her boats blown away. Twelve or fourteen large vessels were stranded on the reefs near Key West, and most of our wrecking vessels suffered much damage. An article from the pen of Mr. Stephen R. Mallory tells of the damage done to our home craft, and the courage which their masters and crews showed in the face of their losses. Ile says: "In considering the extent and violence of the late gale, the severest with which our coast was ever visited, we dwell with satisfaction upon the courage of our people for the preservation of lives and property. In the ordinary course of maritime pursuits the loss of all the masts of a vessel, her boats, anchors, cables, etc., is considered an event of some consequence, and generally claims most of the time and undivided attention of her crew to repair damages, but the rapidity and apparent ease with which much greater disasters were overcome by the wreckers, when upon their celerity depended the fate and property of the shipwrecked, offers us another proof of what man may accomplish when all his energies are brought into action, stimulated by powerful motives and under the guidance of sound judgment. One of the schooners was driven by a gale upon a bank, which, when the wind had somewhat abated, was left high and dry, but her persevering master with eleven men actually cut a canal two hundred yards long, and in twenty-four hours after it was commenced the ship was again at sea and obtained a cargo. Another one lost both her masts, all her anchors, cables, boats and rigging, but the conviction that he had nothing else to lose seems to have aroused her stout-hearted master to greater exertion, and with the aid of two small jury-masts, and an old gun for an anchor, he succeeded in reaching a wreck and relieving her of a large and valuable cargo. Such exertions Eire worthy of commendation, and verily they will meet with their reward."
At that time there were not over seven or eight hundred people in Key West. They had no telegraphic communication with the outside world, and the mails were about a month apart.
*****************
More info on 1835 Hurricane Season.. was the storm that came in from the south over the Keys originally the one that was referred to as the "severe gale" on 9/3 ? The storm could have traveled over Haiti or stalled out south of Cuba before moving slowly up over the Keys and north across Florida. Please note that in the above report it mentions the storm as being a slow moving storm.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~atgwgw/sketches/hurricane.html
***********************************
NOTE... if this is accurate there was a storm in Texas at the same time.. a set up meteorologically hard to explain but I imagine anything is possible. "1835 SEP 13 BRO 1 Center struck south of Brownsville. "
http://www.wxresearch.com/thurlist.htm
*****************************************
LA Hurricane?
My gosh there were hurricanes everywhere. Here they were worried about Halley's comet and they should have been worried about Halley's Hurricanes
1835
The only hurricane ever recorded in Los Angeles strikes on August 23, and obliterates the settlement there. "Proxy" evidence in tree rings and lake sediments also suggests 1835 was an El Niño year.
"http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elnino/reach/1835.html"
************************
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/larrylights/Florida/ponceinlet.htm
"The 1835 lighthouse was completed, the lamps installed and the keeper moved in, but the oil for the lamps never arrived. In October of 1835, a hurricane struck, severely undermining the 45 foot tall brick tower. Before repairs could be carried out, the Second Seminole War started in December of 1835. In an attack on the area, the Seminole Indians climbed the lighthouse, smashed all of the glass in the lantern, set fire to the wooden stairs and stole the lamp reflectors. In April, 1836, the never used tower fell into the ocean."
"John Rodman, Collector of Customs for St. Augustine, chose a site on a 12-foot high dune on the south side of the Inlet, and Winslow Lewis completed the forty-five foot tall brick tower by February, 1835, at a cost of $7,494, including the installation of 15 of his lamps with 16-inch silvered, parabolic reflectors. William H. Williams, a local pilot, captain, and son of a prominent local plantation owner, was selected as the lighthouse keeper, and he moved into the new keeper's quarters. However, oil for the lighthouse never arrived, and the lamps were never lit.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.ponceinlet.org/history-firstlighthouse.html
In October, 1835, a hurricane struck, washing away the keeper's quarters and undermining the foundations of the lighthouse enough to cause it to lean. Keeper Williams and his family abandoned the area and moved back to his father's plantation. In an attack by Seminole Indians on December 26, 1835, ignited the Second Seminole War in Florida. The Indians climbed the lighthouse, smashed all the glass in the lantern, set fire to the wooden stairs, and absconded with the lamp reflectors. The leader, Coácoochee, wore one as a headdress at the Battle of Dunlawton three weeks later. The Indians won the battle, and the entire area was abandoned. No one could come to repair the leaning lighthouse, and in April, 1836, it finally toppled into the sea. It would be more than 50 years before Mosquito Inlet would get another lighthouse.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/sju/hrcnhist.html
"1835, August 13 Crossed Puerto Rico in a ESE to WNW direction."
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
http://www.underseas.org/docs/ray-cooliemassacre.html
As part of the continuing history of the Hillsboro Lighthouse area, an interesting shipwreck, that set back the development of Broward County by about 50 years is in the surf zone about ¾ mile N of Hillsboro Inlet. She is the Gil Blas, a Spanish brig, wrecked in 1835, during a severe hurricane.
Loaded with sugar and cigars, she was headed north from Havana when the hurricane drove her into shallow water. The captain deployed his anchors and kept her from being broken up on the beach, but she was well and truly grounded.

Key West and Hurricane Ivan

Thoughts on a turbulent morning as we all seem to cast our fate to the wind..

Not sure which way the wind will blow though Miami weather radio says we will have 25 to 30 knot winds out of the SW on Sunday/Monday..

Love looking in strange places for weather info and hints on the inside line.

From Key West weather discussion. Just about says it all

http://flhurricane.com/cyclone/wxstatement.php?t=AFD&m=09&d=09&y=2004&l=EYW

"THE LATEST MODELS STILL SHOW AN ENVELOPE OF ERROR FROM WELL WEST OF THE KEYS TO A TRACK THROUGH THE BAHAMAS. NO CHANGES PLANNED AT THIS TIME...FOR EITHER THE WEEKEND OR THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST PERIOD AS THE CONFIDENCE LEVEL IS NOT VERY HIGH."

So...now what?

The storm goes north at some point and as the savoir front from hell races in...stronger and faster with every passing weather forecast. It must be reading the models. It will try and go NE or NNE.

I remember Charley. I remember well the track I saw in my mind. Up through the lower to middle keys... up across the mid part of the state or maybe in the Thousand Island area.. or even up across the Lake.. Thought on that before I went to bed last night. Lake Ohkochobeeee, Lake Michigan, Lake Woebegone... woke up to the new track that takes Ivan straight up the middle of the state.

Charley to the left.
Frances to the right.
Ivan wants to do it right up the middle.

Thought on my daughter today... things you don't know.. her great grandmother was Anne Frank's aunt. She's a Frank on her paternal, maternal side. Loved Omi.. she has Omi's smile and Anne Frank's gift for writing and passion. A sweet dark hair, big eyed jewish girl that Reverand Ron would love to have had as a girlfriend, a daughter or a wife. Pick any, choose any... he had this thing for dark hair, dark eyed jewish girls. Rivky is something else. Hope she gets to go places that Anne never did.. She's named for a Ruth tho.. Rivky not Ruthie.. same difference.

Had a Light N Fit Strawberry Carb Control smoothie for breakfast. Got to use them up fast before the storm. 4 grams of strawberry flavor. Should make someone in the K family giggle.

Leslie is on her way to Texas..

Sharon forgot me on her way to work upset about her phone. Does that sometimes.. hard to explain. Will someone please buy her house before its blown away.

I had all these thoughts this morning and now they are gone..poof... writing and inspiration is like that.

Maybe I just can't believe we are going to get this storm and it won't just Flora like move away from Florida fast... NE chug chug chug..

Great song.. song for the day..dedicated to the future track of Ivan

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU (Stealers Wheel)
Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me,
Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you.
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
And I'm wondering what it is I should do,
It's so hard to keep this smile from my face,
Losing control, yeah, I'm all over the place,
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please.... Please.....
Trying to make some sense of it all,
But I can see that it makes no sense at all,
Is it cool to go to sleep on the floor,
'Cause I don't think that I can take anymore
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right,
Here I am, stuck in the middle with you.
Well you started out with nothing,
And you're proud that you're a self made man,
And your friends, they all come crawlin,
Slap you on the back and say,
Please.... Please.....
Well I don't know why I came here tonight,
I got the feeling that something ain't right,
I'm so scared in case I fall off my chair,
And I'm wondering how I'll get down the stairs,
Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right, here I am,
Stuck in the middle with you,
Yes I'm stuck in the middle with you,
Stuck in the middle with you.

You watch the storm... go to www.hurricanecity.com or www.flhurricane.com and tell me where you think the storm will go.... Tell me something I don't know.

http://orca.rsmas.miami.edu/wximages/jet/1_05/anis.html

Hoping somehow it misses Jamaica.. Makes a Jamaica Mistaka like it did the ABC islands.

A model... https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/CGI/PUBLIC/wxmap_loop.cgi?area=ngp_troplant&prod=usf&dtg=2004090700

Take care.. talk later
Will try and write something definitive on my thoughts for the storm at lunch.
Right now I want to evacuate from North Miami Beach where downed tree limbs lie all over waiting to be flying missles during Ivan down to the safety and beauty of Old Key West.

Love Bobbi


Hurricane Ivan and Jamaica

It's like watching a picasso painting in constant fluctuating being repainted over and over again with every color enhanced water vapor loop which comes in anew and keeps painting a picture that isn't finished yet.

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/WATL/WV/20.jpg

There's one....soon there will be another. Isn't it beautiful? How can you not fall in love with God's own natural art?

Didn't post yesterday. Couldn't. The library had about 5 gazillion people rushing in to get new reading material before the next hurricane and suck up the libraries freezing air while its still there. What would I do if the library got blown away? Well... I can sub in Dade County Schools because so many teachers would leave town or just never make the drive down from Broward County where they all leave.

I could move to NY and move in with Dina in her Flatbush basement..spread the remaining kids around to their syblings up there and take a broadway holiday with my exhusband.

I could move to Key West and work as a waitress and a teacher and live in small but beautiful cramped, crowded apartment in Old Town. IF its left.

Oh... I can go back to Lubavitch..sign up and sign on for some wierd shalichos job somewhere at some city one of my many friends are in charge somewhere.... happy I am back.

Here is the new track..sent to me by Steve
Guess NHC and TWC don't agree. It's okay...no meteorologists agree. Think Bastardi has it making landfall in Shangchai. Have read Mobile, Galveston, Charleston and Maine.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200409_5day.html

So... where will it go?
Don't know for sure.
Don't have a good feeling.

My best girlfriend from highschool calls me last night (and I promise this is true) at midnight just after I finally fall asleep in dreamland.. She is leaving this morning for Texas to visit her sister for TWO WEEKS. She is not staying for Ivan. I told her all the things I didn't write online yesterday when I didn't blog anything. The new things in my life that she doesn't know about or where my messy mind is. I mean she's leaving saying goodbye like she doesn't expect Florida to be here. I may as well tell her the truth. Tell someone. And, she should.. she's legally blind and really not up to more tropical crap and wants to see her sister Liz.. I'd like to see her sister Liz. Sounded upset and annoyed "they" never agreed upon getting hurricane shutters. Didn't know what to say. Odds are it will miss her house? It's a long ways away when you toss an atomic bowling ball at Miami from SE of Jamaica.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200409_5day.html

Anyway...
I'll play with it today.
Spent too long reading well written letters from my brother Jay this morning to do more than read and decide what to print out later. Will think on Ivan later.

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/at200409_5day.html

Will wait for the 11am and see where its going then.

People at work want my attention, my opinion, my smile.. my good looks, charming personality and friendliness while they stand at the reference desk trying to go online, find things they couldn't find after being online and looking for literary criticism on the Brave New World this week.

Will write something later on my thoughts as to where it will go.

Sharon will be here any minute and I'm not dressed and don't have make up on and not sure where my shoes are.. well my ankle strap heels are at work in the drawer waiting for me to turn into lady librarian when I get there.. til then I'll be in my sandals..

Later, Bobbi
somewhere in all the mess of cleaning up Miami.. Southern Bell had time to shut off Sharon's phone. Really pathetic

Tuesday, September 07, 2004

Coastal Confessions and a License to Chill

Broke down and bought the CD...which is more than Ivan is going to break down and buy the forecast.

Didn't love it. Maybe my mood. Maybe the fact that anytime, anywhere, anyplace is a beautiful song and just a song or someone would have come out from behind their tree many years ago. Guess it means anytime, anyplace, anywhere but not anything. And.. very hard to ignore a Bill Withers song so will have to get past that in order to love this CD. Or it will simply be Sea of Heartbreak.

It's okay...you change your state of mind you change your mood and I will. Because I can think of other glasses to make me smile ... some people put them on to see better not to hide behind and that does make me smile... a lot.

Nice song.. Boats to Build.. and decided today I need a license to chill after all.. first day I am alone in my house w/o kids and kid's friends and kid's calling and five sets tuned to Frances coverage. Can lie here half naked, have the house to myself and listen to Jimmy and watch TWC which the men down the block have finally gotten back working. Thank you. Bless you. Tropical Update going to be on real soon.. see what they have to say about Ivan.

Nice songs.. still think its a nice CD to listen to with someone you love like I told someone. Jay would like it even though its country cause.. mentions Dadeland Mall.

Change the girls to boys and my boss aint a jerk.. I like her ...she's one cool lady.
will enjoy til i turn it off..i know when to come in out of the rain
bobbi
raining in miami...Frances blowing us a kiss goodbye...
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

License To ChillLyrics for Album: License to Chill
(with Kenny Chesney)
(Jimmy Buffett:)Work, work, work
Big pile of it and the boss is a jerk.
I just want to disappear
Wishin' I was somewhere other than here.
Livin' for the weekend,Jumpin' off the deep end,
With just enough money to buyA license to chill
And I believe I will
Let the rat race run, roll around in the sun until
Trouble turns funny, songs get sung
A little bit of money, the night's still young
Leave me alone I've got a license,
A license to chill

(Kenny Chesney:)Girls, girls, girls
Ain't nothin' like them in the whole wide world.
So damn smart and cute,
And it's amazing what they pass off as a bathing suit.
Winners and losers
Sailors and cruisers
We're all qualified, for a license to chill
And I believe I will

Let the rat race run, roll around in the sun
untilTrouble turns funny, songs get sung
A little bit of money, the night's still young
Leave me alone I've got a license,
A license to chill

(Jimmy And Kenny:)
License to chill
And I believe I will
Let the rat race run, roll around in the sun untilTrouble turns funny, songs get sung
One good song will last all night long
Leave me alone I've got a license,A license to chill
A license to chill

(Jimmy spoken:)Ramos go rent me a coupe deville
Hey KL, where's that barbecue grill
Head on down to Margaritaville
Have me a cheeseburger with a big pickle dill
Jesus, I sound kinda mentally ill
I guess
I better go turn on Dr Phil
********************

Better song.... beautiful song... dedicated by me to Kevin Costner..who can build me a boat anytime....
Boats to Build
It's time for a change
I'm tired of that same ol same
The same ol words the same ol lines
The same ol tricks and the same ol rhymes
Days precious days
Roll in and out like waves
I got boards to bend I got planks to nail
I got charts to make I got seas to sail
I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build
Sails are just like wings
The wind can make em sing
Songs of life songs of hope
Songs to keep your dreams afloat
I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build
Shores distant shores
There's where I'm headed for
Got the stars to guide my way
Sail into the light of day
I'm gonna build me a boat
With these two hands
It'll be a fair curve
From a noble plan
Let the chips fall where they will
Cause I've got boats to build

Hurricane Ivan going WEST bound .. but it may turn WNW.. really.

https://www.fnmoc.navy.mil/CGI/PUBLIC/wxmap_loop.cgi?area=ngp_troplant&prod=usf&dtg=2004090700

Can someone get this site to load?? lol

Okay.. post for today..here goes. Forgive the long post but its been a long labor day weekend and even I am a bit tired of tracking. Can think of a few things I would love to do today and none of them include work even though I had a five day vacation mostly without pay and need to work my butt off. Not to mention pay FPL who deserves their money as they are working hard to get people back online with power. Great job those men in their bucket trucks do.. have to tell you. There is dedication. Best picture I saw from Frances is some power line that snapped off and only the top of one poll was hanging..dangling in the breeze between two others .. looked like Cats Cradle sort of game.. Just hung there with only the T part left of the pole.


Hurricane Ivan
Has to be the most hyped storm so far this year. Should have been the H storm for all the hype.
It is about to crash into South America going due west but every model has it pulling north and turning into a cat five and heading straight to party in Key West/South Beach and what's left of Florida.

Jim at Hurricane City was one of the few to admit that a few waves this season died over South America while people everywhere kept cheering on bits and pieces of rainfall trying to resurrect them into Hurricanes further north. This was done so much that there argued with Unisys for days over naming Charley or Bonnie a seperate storm from the TD even though it got the right letter. Pissed with Unisys. Well I know how that goes. Jim was right... that wave back then did die over South America.

This is not to say I expect Ivan to die over South America. No..not really. I do think it will set back its travel plans a bit and do think it will take all of the Kings horses and all of the Kings men to put Ivan back together again.. IF ..it doesn't follow the WNW plan.

For example... the NHC track and the next days models are dependent upon it lifting WNW and not doing the hoochie koochie dance in Venezuela. They are probably right. But until I see it turn west north west I am not going to run around screaming at the kids to stop eating that last pack of Graham Crackers they didn't eat during Frances. We put cream cheese on chocolate graham crackers..was better than cheesecake.

So... will watch Ivan today. See what it does.

This is my motto in life these days. Believe what you see and not what people tell you, try to imply, insinuate or predict. Not interested in "someday" or predictions of "absolutely" or "you bet" when predicting the future. I am not a better.. or a gambler. Life isn't based upon a Magic 8 ball. I take chances sometimes... when I have a good reason or not much to lose. Somethings and some people are worth taking chances on. Something that takes 7 days or 7 years to verify are not. Anything past the 5 number is too far out there for me.. whether it verifies or doesn't its past my window on life. SNONUT taught me that one the hard way.

If my brother Jay is reading this... he owes me three cards? What is taking so long? Trying to bond with a picture of me at 16 or something... don't be like YKW.. come on already, gave you my thoughts earlier.

To anyone else reading this who is reading between the lines. Please stop the name game now unless you are trying to push me away because its not amusing me and it depresses me and I am out of Jack Daniels. As I am not a drinker this is a problem and want nothing to do with anything or anyone who has gone near Tennessee (sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings its a personal thing) I may have to go to Walgreens and lay out another 1.99 or .99 cents on a small bottle of something low in carbs. No I am not a big drinker ...obviously either. If you don't want to be yourself right now.. fine, fine, fine... go write something witty with a definitive ending that doesn't take 7 years to resolve and bore the audience to death. No one would have watched Message in a Bottle if they didn't like watching Kevin Costner stand around looking wistfully at his sailboat playing with its lines. And... no one would have watched Sleepless in Seattle if it didn't have the best sountrack in the world and women everywhere wanting to be Meg Ryan. Women who were thrilled to have her move up in the world from Billy Crystal to another cancer man Tom Hanks.

There is nothing beautiful or exciting about unrequited love or people too afraid to come out from behind a tree where they stand hiding (hope Frances didn't crash your tree btw) and there is nothing beautiful about two stupid people being too stupid to say something but travel cross America and watch eachother from across the street or down the block. It works for people afraid to take chances and sit in their secure world watching from a distance, wanting..wishing when they could have jumped out from behind the tree on Long Beach Blvd or San Antonio or Atlantic Avenue or from behind the carousel in Torrance Mall or a pair of dark glasses or mirrored glasses and funky hats and been honest. There is no movie big enough or long enough and I find Ryans Daughter the most depressing movie there is.. if you really want to see the love of your life pass by from a train bound for Siberia.. OH WHOOPEE ...you'd probably like. oh ooops ...meant Dr. Zhivago.. what was I thinking? Jay knows.. he read my diaries.

People want to see Happy Endings. They have depressing little lives that get tossed about by hurricanes and things beyond their control. They don't want to see people get on jet planes and travel to California to watch Tom Hanks from a far and decide he is seeing someone else and chicken out and get on their plane and travel all the way back to NY unless it has one good damn soundtrack in it. The soundtrack makes you happy and makes you want to hum along even if you think she's too good for Tom Hanks. Sorry Tom am sure you are cute and other cancer men love you but you are just an example here. Nothing personal. Thought you were cute dressed as a girl in Bosom Buddies but hey... I've seen another BIG man up close and personal dressed up as woman pretending to be woman for some unknown reason and may I say here..they are cuter than you!

Anyway........go finish your script ..or your life.. leave me alone unless you want to send me some small little cute bottle of Jack Daniels or no...the Coconut Rum. Heard Coconut helps weight loss and am sticking to my diet so coconut rum works. lol. No I don't weigh 500 pounds but if I did I am sure I would still be damn cute. Its about staying in control of your life and your eating.. thinking..etc.

When you are done with your new project I'll send you the Oklahoma novel..hows that? You can finish it. Ive decided I can't really bond to a place that doesnt have a good tree to lie down under and fall in love with a great epic hero.

And..........may I say here a great epic hero isn't afraid to look a girl in the eye or elsewhere that his eyes may wander to and not afraid to smile up and take a chance on reaching out for her because when you reach out for someone you have to OPEN YOUR HAND and let go of What you have in it and take a chance.

Those are the things I would gamble on... not gamble on what a girl will or wont do or whether Sharon and I head for the stationary section first or the home improvement section... and not whether I will or won't take some bait someone set out before my eyes. Or if I will or won't do Hard Copy...as Morry said.. why not? Life has to be pretty boring if you have to gamble on people. My father at least had Jai Alai.

To those of you still reading this.. its not tropical.. mind your own business. lol I said this was for YKW.

I'll tell you one thing about Sleepless in Seattle.. bet you anything that boy grows up to be a force to reckon with more than his daddy. Would have been better set in Key West but alliteration wouldn't have been as good. Such is writing. And, would have ended the movie at sunset somewhere on Mallory Square not the Empire State building but well.. probably America loves the Empire State building better...but then have they seen a Key West sunset?

And no one wanted to sing "Way down upon the Pee Dee River" except maybe my brother Jay.

For those of you who are still here and tropically inclined.
Ivan may or may not threaten Florida in five or six days.
I will worry on it when I see him make the turn.
I will look over OLD UNISYS charts and ... I will make a prediction.

For anyone keeping track..
I said Tampa was wrong for Charley and predicted he would go in further south around Naples maybe or Marco Island/Sanibel. I was very close.
More than a week before I said that if Frances doesnt take the 1893 path and go up into South Carolina and if it did take a Florida path it would hit between WPB and Melbourne. I was right.
Doing pretty good there on predictions even if I do say so myself. Wish I could predict no one gets creamed.
As for Ivan.. I'll give my thoughts tomorrow when we see what is left after he pulls out fast..
Til then.. its back to work for us working girls.
Chow for Now.. Bobbi

ps.... I was never into Come Back Little Sheba.. if I was into that period it would have been Lolita as no one is as good as Nabokov when it comes to prose and open thoughts. More into Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and women and men who aren't afraid to take a chance.

Win some.. you lose some? But you don't win them all if you don't have guts and let what you want slip away. And I do remember that your mother loved that movie but she wouldn't have loved the movie so much if she didn't love Cary Grant. Insanity runs in the whole family it is obvious, all sides, angles and lord only know what the nieces and nephews are like.
Bobbi...trying not to get upset over the poor state of the human condition and trying to give a damn about Ivan.

Monday, September 06, 2004

Frances gone away, Ivan coming soon

What's a girl to do?

Going Shopping :)

Seriously going out with my younger son and letting him spend his birthday money on something he can enjoy now before Ivan yanks it away.

You know that old saying?
Make hay while the sun shines?
Letting him get a game he can play while we still have electric.

Good kid. Likes Key West. Likes cars. Watches 'Smokey and the Bandit' when bored. And, now he's tracking hurricanes. No cable... he can't find NASCAR anywhere so... Going Shopping.

Keep him busy til the cable comes back on?
Keep me busy.

Let my Starbucks manager son treat me to some good starbucks coffee. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup Macchiado. See my almost daughter in law in her boutique. Hanging out. Having fun.
Rest my brain a bit before I think too much on Ivan. He's sooo far away.

Ridge building west in Frances departure. ULL to his WNW.
He's WNW bound into the Caribbean. Then..who knows.

In a mood to listen to Buffett but don't like the tape I had on. That Feeding Frenzy one that was taped live in Atlanta. Bothers me for some reason. Eats at me a bit. Hit the eject button so hard on my beautiful wooden old fashioned music box it zoomed across the room and into the closet where it belongs.

Not thinking on that or Ivan or anything else.

Knew a sweet Ivan once. History major. Cuban. Hmmmn

Anyway... Baby's goin shoppin...
Chow for now.. Bobbi
***************
JIMMY BUFFETT LYRICS
Baby's Gone Shopping
By: Jimmy Buffett
Baby's gone shoppin'
she's looking around
She's checkin' out the clothes on the boys in town
Pick up this drop off that
Stares at her pictures from the Fotomat
Oh she likes what she sees
But she's afraid of what she needs
She should be here with me
She should be here with me
But I don't make it easy, I'm no day at the beach
Just an old road dog gettin' harder to teach
Hang on this planet, hang on each twirl
Scatter my belongin's all over this world
I get more wrapped up each day
She's lookin' further away
She should be here with me
She should be here with me (horn solo)
I'm no good at conversation (No good)
I don't want a proclamation (Oh, no, no)
I just think that we could use
A little face-to-face communication
Ow! I've been thinkin', thinkin' this through
It's time to stop all this selfishness both me and you
I'll stop from here, you stop from there
We'll meet somewhere in the middle darlin'
I don't care
I don't want no more heartaches it's time to put on the brakes
She should be here with me
I don't want no more heartaches it's time to slam on 'em brakes
She should be here with me
Baby's gone shoppin', she should be here with me
No more bar hoppin', she should be here with me
Now, I don't know but I've been told
That city livin' is awfully cold
She should be right here, here with me (he should be...)
Brrrrrr... (...here with me)
Baby's gone shoppin', she should be here with me (he should be...) (...here with me)
No more bar, no more bar, no more bar hoppin' S
hould be here with me (he should be here with me)
She should be here with me
She should be here with me (he should be...) (...here with me)
No more bar, no more bar, no more bar hoppin'
Should be here with me (he should be here with me)
She should be here with me (gone shoppin')
Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-baby's gone shoppin' (gone shoppin')
Coda: She should be here with me
She should be here with me (gone shoppin', he should be...)
She should be here with me (he should be here with me)
She should be here with me (gone shoppin', he should be here!)


(figures theres a coda..)
rollin eyes :)

Sunday, September 05, 2004

Landscaping and Hurricanes "what to plant" and "what not to plant" Lesson learned

Watching the tv coverage and enjoying myself in case I lose electric later. Sharon just lost electric during the last feeder band. First time I heard thunder the whole storm.

Things I learned from Frances. How and what to plant near the house and what not to...

Keep those Royal Palms far from the house. One split a house in two in Broward County.

Ficus trees belong in parks... big great parks where the air roots can grow down and anchor the tree and lanscapers don't try to make them decorative plants.

Sea Grape...far from the house...nowhere near power lines than can go snap in the wind with the branches.

Black Olive belong elsewhere.

Gumbo Limbo are good. Royal Poinciannas are great...small little branches fly away and I do mean small edges of branches. Even a few bright orange flowers remain on trees.

That too is amazing.

Flowers look so delicate... and fragile...and beautiful. Yet then have this ability to hang on and stay on when big trees go snap in the night.

Ixora, poincianna, bougenvilla... even frangipangi. The little blossoms that look so fragile and delicate hang on when big massive hard trees go smack in the night and lie broken by their side... flowers remain.

Amazing really.

Have to go... teaching Zalmy who is ten how to track on a map with Ivan. He's watching Ivan. They all are...all the kids. No cable..can't watch the tropical update. Oh well..

Hope they get that massive ficus tree cleaned up before Ivan comes our way.