Sunday, August 22, 2004

8/22/04 finally back online!

Sunday, August 22, 2004
finally back online!

I am finally back into AOL and J-Land. I survived Charley, but lost my internet access in cable and phone. I never did lose the power, but my next door neighbors had a transformer get hit by a limb and were without power for 7 days. Also the neighborhood across the street from me, was without power for 6 days. My mom and dad lost their power for 24 hours, and lost 1/3 of a huge oak tree that fell onto the backyard neighbors houses. Thank God no one was hurt. Their tree was a baby when my parents brought me home from the hospital. (Yes, my parents still live in the home I was born and raised in.)

The wind and rain after my last post was horrendous! Not sure how high exactly, but you could feel the air suck out of the house when it blew. I lost the power on and off and the cable at that point and decided it was time to sit in the hall. When it finally slowed down at 11:30 or so, I went to bed. The power had come back on but no phone or cable. At my house, I lost a tree up front when a pine snapped in half and fell in the driveway and had to be cut up and removed by my nephews and brother/law. My biggest problem is the oak tree in the back yard. It split and 1/2 is headed for the house and the other for the back yard. Here are some pictures of the damage. You can see the line of sky poking thru the tree (it used to be solid green leaves) and now you can barely see the house and deck in front of it. The limbs were never that low before this. If it should fall, it will fall onto the house and cover it.





My brother/law, nephew's and niece all came over on Saturday and Sunday after the huricane, and cut down the pine in front, picked up the many limbs and trash that had come down, and then on Sunday, chained the oak tree together. They first pulled the chain tight with a winch, then cut off 3 or 4 of the heaviest branches on the house side, which allowed the tree to actually pick itself back up, then they had to re-tighten the chain again.

I haven't gotten anyone out to take the tree down yet. I have had 2 estimates so far, one of $2,000.00 and the other of $2,700.00. Needless to say these are quite high, and with the insurance not covering the removal unless it hits the house, I am hoping to get someone who is fair. Prior to the hurricane, I was told the cost of removal was around $800.00. Needless to say there is a lot of price gouging going on here now.


I haven't been able to get online because of loss of cable and phone connection. When I finally got that repaired, my computer decided to take a dump. Friday I finally ended up re-formating the hard drive and reinstalling everything. I have lost all my bookmarks for my journals, and most of everything else. I repeatedly tried to reinstall Norton Anti-Virus with my system crashing and freezing each and every time. I finally got all of Norton removed today, and downloaded Zone Alarm with Anti-Virus on it. It went on smoothly, and everything seems to be working ok tonight. I am sorry that I missed the ball and the closing ceremonies for the Anniversary Celebration! But I was with you ALL in spirit. And to think, I looked so good in my red silk dress! You all should have seen me. Uncle Owl was disappointed he did not get to attend his first ball! Maybe next year. :o)

It will take me a while to get back up to speed, but I look forward to getting around to the journals and checking out what has been happening. I thank each and everyone of you who have commented or sent email to check on me, and kept me and mine in their thoughts and prayers. S is fine, with no damage to the nursing facility she is at. She said she slept thru everything, and couldn't believe all the damage that was being reported.

G'nite J-Land, you have been missed!

lab2401 at 11:56:00 PM EDT Link to this entry
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