As time passes there is less emphasis on the news out of Punta Gorda, but I know there are still many needs unmet.

Charlie, if you have access to a computer, email me with any supplies you may need. I have some weekdays off for the next few weeks and can run whatever you need over to you.

Eddie

Hello Everyone...........I'm fine, but my neighborhood is pretty trashed! Thanks for all your posts, emails and thoughts. I sent Gary Diamond a email about my storm............

Hello Gary.......................Thanks for the email. Kittycat is fine. My 2 outside cats are fine too. One of them didn't show up until 2 days after the storm. My neighborhood is still in the dark. It was the worst hit area of the storm. I suppose I am lucky. I am still living in my home. Others on my street were totally wiped out. 10 days after the storm my place is still a mess. Working for the county has kept me there restoring water and sewer thru out our service area. I put a tarp over the rook, plastic over the broken windows, and used a rake to get the leaves and sticks out of the living room! The place is habitable............I pretend I'm camping. I've had a generator since last Thursday. That has made things much more tolerable. I had my DSL internet once last Thursday, and now again tonight. Maybe this time it will stay working. It was great to see and read the posts and emails sent to me. Thank everyone for keeping me in their thoughts! Fortunately my PSR3000 wasn't hurt by any of this. I enjoy it so much more now playing it when I can stay awake. I keep going everyday...........but I am tired, getting grouchy, and wish things would happen faster. My insurance company hasn't come yet, I called them last Tuesday. At least FEMA came thru and deposited some money in my account today. They really are great and have come a long way since Hurricane Andrew. My attitude is staying mostly positive. I see the future............I see my house and this county being rebuilt better and stronger than before. Now it's Charley vs Charley................and I'm gonna have the last say!!! Thanks. -charley

Bill, I live in N Ft Myers (I play keyboard at All Souls Episcopal Church at the corner of 41 and Pine Island Road).

If there's anything I can do for you or your neighbors let me know.

------------------
Graham

Charley ... glad to hear you and the cats are ok ... Hang tough friend ... you'll get through this ...
t.

I just saw on TV news that another HUGE Huricane Frances a catagory [3] 135 mph winds is heading slowly toward Florida's East coast this time......I hope not.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/fc?cid=34&tmpl=fc&in=World&cat=Hurricanes_and_Tropical_Storms

Yup...and it is very worrisome. Home Depot and Lowe's are already getting crowded. If this things comes ashore at category 3 or above, we will be evacuating.
Eddie

Charlie,

I posted your most recent email on the Synthzone and PSR Tutorial the night I recived it. Glad to hear things are slowly turning around for you.

I'll try to call you later tonight.

Gary

Thanks to all here that have been thinking of me. I am fine and will be better off when this mess is gone...........even though it will take a while. Here we too are concerned about Frances!!
Gary D telephoned tonight. It was nice to hear his voice. It helps the spirit greatly to hear from the friends I have made here. It has been over 2 weeks since being hit by the hurricane. It is old news now..........this country being so huge......2 counties in Florida have had their lives turned upside down, yet the rest of the country is businness as usual. I think I would rather have Frances come back here and finish us off, than cause this misery and havoc somewhere else. Let's keep our fingers crossed it just stays out at sea! -charley

hi,
we live in a retirement mobile home
community in st.pete/tampa(actually largo).
we have learned from charley and we will
evacuate. it's crazy to try an ride this or any storm of this size. i'm packing my equipment and stuff and getting out. maybe tennesse. and its a labor day weekend. not
fun. but hey, it could be worse. we've been very lucky here. our prayers to those south of us.

I just saw on Fox TV that Hurricane Francis[cat4] is tracking toward Florida's East Coast reaching land Sunday Night approx 2AM.....be carfull out there!

Donny , wrong gender"Frances"

They closed Cape Kennedy operation in preperations for the Hurricane......
looks like a big one.I hope it makes a turn for the better. Florida delegates are leaving the RNC convention to go home ....scary stuff.
http://news.yahoo.com/fc?tmpl=fc&cid=34&in=World&cat=Hurricanes_and_Tropical_Storms




[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-01-2004).]

Most people are in shock here (in Fort Myers) having to go through it again. All prayers gratefully accepted!!!!!!

------------------
Graham

Hello...........After experiencing Hurricane Charley's wrath intimately 2 1/2 weeks ago Charlotte County Florida is in no shape to experience any more bad weather! Debris is piled up everywhere and surely won't be hauled away before Frances arrives. My roof and thousands of others have tarps on them and any winds over 25 mph will cause more water damage inside our homes. I'm still waiting for the Army Corps of Engineers to put a better tarp on my roof. I bought some plywood today to cover the windows which don't have any hurricane awnings on them anymore. The prep I did before Charley did help lessen the damage I have. I'm doing all I can but am having a hard time being optimistic about this weekend...........
Many people I know are leaving now and just don't want to be here if and when another hurricane tears us apart. I'm here for the duration. I'm a volunteer on my County's First-In Hurricane Team. Members from various county departments and law enforcement bunker down together during the storm in a county shelter. We are the first officials to report any damage and needs for state or federal help. I've been on this team since its inception after Hurricane Andrew in 1992. 12 years of training, 3 previous activations for storms that missed us, and now 2 actual storms in one season! Boy.....am I tired! Frances is a much larger storm than Charley was. It certainly looks like it is going to effect a whole lot of people. Please prepare the best you can is the only advise I can offer. Good luck. -charley

Charlie,

We are all praying for you and hope you can dodge the second bullet.

Gary

They're saying Frances is twice as big as Charlie and may hit by tomorrow (Friday). I hope you guys don't take any chances... head for the hills and good luck!

Now they're showing bumper to bumper evacuation traffic on I-95... this is getting scary!

4th Largest Hurricane to ever hit the USA!





[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-02-2004).]

Believe it or not there another Huirricane right behind Frances coming toward Florida Hurricane IVAN [Catagory 3] its one week away or so!
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040905/ap_on_re_us/frances_tropical_wea ther






[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-05-2004).]

Looks like the plywood stays up longer for a while.............maybe I'll just paint it!!!!
Dodged the bullet so far! -charley

Just got off the telephone with Eddie Btweengigs, it's a bit windy where he's staying and most of the restaurants are boarded up, but still open for business. The hurricane's eye passed directly over Stuart, FL which is where he lives. His condo is on the first floor, very well built and fairly high above sea level. Hopefully, everything is OK there. He says all the gas stations are still closed, there is essentially no gasoline available in Florida because of the mass evacuation, and he hopes to be able to head home in a few days. Naturally, he's also worried about the threat of the latest storms coming across the Atlantic and headed along the same trajectory.

Gary

Now it's a 4!

Strike Three?? You have to have a sense of humor to see the projected track for Ivan if you live in Florida...............Is anyone else getting a little tired of this?? I've been enjoying my PSR3000 during the last two storms, but I've noticed a lack of enthusiasm in my playing the past 3 weeks. I guess the stress is taking its toll on my enjoyment of ANYTHING! I think Frances affected everyone in Florida and is now wreaking havoc in other states. The whole state here looks like it needs a huge bandage.............It will take a long time to recover, but we will!! How about giving us all a chance though!!!!!!!! -charley

Charley,

I have family in Merritt Island by Melbourne and they decided to ride-out Frances when they saw the traffic on I-95 and A1A. Also, all the hotels were booked up to Georgia. They weathered the storm fairly well, but they are going stir crazy sitting in the house listening to the howling wind and pelting rain.

I think I may have company next week here in New York if Ivan decides to hit that area again.

Best of Luck
Regards,
Al

A Steeple in Coco Beach goes thru a roof!

We've hosted a lot of Florida evacuees here in Hilton Head, SC over Labor Day holiday, which helped offset the number of tourists who cancelled their vacations because of the approaching storm(s), so business has been moderately good. We're in a fairly protected area here but we've still been getting some rain and gusts up to 30mph resulting in minor flooding and some light tree damage - nothing like points south. One problem for Florida evacuees is where to stay when you have dogs/cats with you because many hotels won't allow pets - some people are living out of their cars because of that.

I guess many evacuees will be heading home now but they still have to deal with rain and wind on the way home because Francis is still churning over Georgia, the flood waters in several places in Florida has yet to receed, and yes there's another hurricane that could strike Florida again this coming weekend. What a mess! It's almost enough to make you want to move north... almost...

Eddie (Btweengigs) is headed back to Jupiter, and hopefully, all will be well at his condo. Hopefully, we'll all see Eddie and lots of other folks in Bosier City, LA in January.

Gary

Ivan is on the same track as Charley. I'm keeping my shutters on (N Ft Myers)!

------------------
Graham

I just want to thank those of you who sent emails and wished us luck. We got back tonight and found the condo to be in great shape. Not all here were so lucky. I talked to a couple of guys who stayed to ride it out. They said, "Never again".

To be sure, it was a major disaster here for many individuals, but not the massive destruction that the folks in Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte area experienced.

Special thanks to Gary for being my sounding board and for keeping track of us.

Eddie

Eddie... glad to hear all's well... now get back to work!

Glenn


[This message has been edited by GlennT (edited 09-08-2004).]

Believe it or not, the remains of Frances has reached us here on the North Coast (Northern Ohio). This afternoon will be my 1st gig loading and unloading in heavy downpour w no entrance port... Had to happen sooner or later!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=st...id=519&ncid=716







[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 09-09-2004).]