Hurricane Matthew

Folks where I live are making trips to the grocery store, trying to get gas for generators, etc, cleaning up excess items in the yard and on porches. My husband got gas today for the generator and got it ready. He wanted to make sure it would run. The local Lowe's store is getting another shipment of generators tomorrow. We have talked about trying to get a whole house generator installed. It would be expensive, but really nice when we needed it. Our generator is large enough to run the wall switches and ceiling fans. So we can keep the refrigerator and freezer going. We use small appliances for cooking if we have to. Most of the time, our power comes back pretty quick, but in a hurricane it can be slow. During Irene, it really took awhile as there were lots of trees, etc, that had to be cleaned up. Four or five days with no power or hot water is rough. But our house is where there hasn't been flooding in over a hundred years. It floods in every direction up and down the road, in front and in back, but we are high and dry.

So folks o the eastern seaboard of the US are really watching this hurricane now.

Where are you located? I've lived for many years in hurricane territory, and always wondered about the hoarding at grocery stores - they call it the French toast warning- when everyone runs out for milk, eggs, and bread. I never was in a position where I couldn't get along for a few days without power. The worst was in an ice storm in Atlanta when we were without power for two and a half weeks. I put the baby in the family room and lit the fireplace. I cooked in the fireplace. We made it somehow.

DreamerRose said:

 
Where are you located? I've lived for many years in hurricane territory, and always wondered about the hoarding at grocery stores - they call it the French toast warning- when everyone runs out for milk, eggs, and bread. I never was in a position where I couldn't get along for a few days without power. The worst was in an ice storm in Atlanta when we were without power for two and a half weeks. I put the baby in the family room and lit the fireplace. I cooked in the fireplace. We made it somehow.

Click to expand...

I'm in NJ. We managed pretty good after Hurricane Sandy. No electricity for a week, it was cold and damp and depressing but, we too have a fireplace and luckily a gas stove and grill.  We ate fairly well. 

However, we planned extensively once we heard it was approaching. I didn't take it lightly.  Both of us lived in Florida for several years and knew the drill all too well.  Waiting until a day before it hits is a recipe for not having what you need on hand.  

BTW milk, bread and eggs goes a long way. As long as I can have milk for coffee, bread for sandwiches from canned tuna/chicken/hard boiled eggs I'm good to go.

I happen to be home tomorrow for a dental emergency (lucky me) so I'm using some of that time to stock up on basics and make sure the car is fueled up.  They are expecting up to 90 mph winds potentially in our state.  

The cats are covered already - I have enough food and litter to last months LOL.  

blueyedgirl5946 said:

Folks where I live are making trips to the grocery store, trying to get gas for generators, etc, cleaning up excess items in the yard and on porches. My husband got gas today for the generator and got it ready. He wanted to make sure it would run. The local Lowe's store is getting another shipment of generators tomorrow. We have talked about trying to get a whole house generator installed. It would be expensive, but really nice when we needed it. Our generator is large enough to run the wall switches and ceiling fans. So we can keep the refrigerator and freezer going. We use small appliances for cooking if we have to. Most of the time, our power comes back pretty quick, but in a hurricane it can be slow. During Irene, it really took awhile as there were lots of trees, etc, that had to be cleaned up. Four or five days with no power or hot water is rough. But our house is where there hasn't been flooding in over a hundred years. It floods in every direction up and down the road, in front and in back, but we are high and dry.

So folks o the eastern seaboard of the US are really watching this hurricane now.

Click to expand...

Having a generator would be a dream for us. I can't quite afford one nor do we have where to put it safely - I think it would be too close to the house no matter where we put it.

We're putting away the patio furniture also. I hate having to do it because once it's stored that's it for the season.  

Don't forget candles, everybody.

DreamerRose said:

Don't forget candles, everybody.

Click to expand...

We stay away from candles. Too unsafe. Especially with pets around.

There's lots of good LED lanterns available for not much money. And flashlights. Just always be sure to have enough of the right batteries for them and, test them before the storm hits.

The latest models show it veering away from here.

Many for those in its path!

AbbysMom said:

The latest models show it veering away from here.

Many

for those in its path!

Click to expand...

We saw that this morning; at this rate, we doubt we'll get any rain at all from Matthew. 

To those of you in Matthew's path, please be careful! 

We have a small generator; we'd love to have one that would take care of most of the house.

Wishing you all the best of luck with Matthew! 

I am on the coast of NC, in Wilmington. I am all too used to to theses storms too. I did the walmart run yesterday for a few things, & it was crazy there!  

I rent, so don't have a generator. Nor could I afford one, or have anywhere to put it  If I didn't have Sammy now, I'd probably go over to my parents house.

They have a generator, so that's nice if power goes out, to at least have the ceiling fans on.

Luckily it's cooled off a little bit though. It's 79 right now at 4:15 in the afternoon, & humidity has finally been down, so I've had  the windows open since last night. 

I made & am making still extra ice to just have a few small bags, incase I need them in the 'fridge. Hopefully I won't loose power, of if so, not for long. I do have natural gas, so I can still cook if I want to, but don't really want to heat it up in here. I'll probably also just turn the 'fridge & freezer temps down Friday night, or Saturday morning to keep it cooler, just incase!  As of now, it's supposed to come this way sometime Saturday.

First they said Saturday night, but it keeps changing, depending on the speed of the storm. It looks like we will probably just get a lot of rain, & strong winds. I hope that's all! 

Our company's Miami office is closed for the next two days so we are working their clients as well as our's for the next two days.  I guess Haiti got hit hard.  They can't seem to catch a break.  They still have people in tents and makeshift shelters from the earthquake a few years ago.  The earthquake killed an estimated 200,000 people.

Everyone in Matthew's wake, please be safe!!!  

I will be thinking about all of your and saying prayers....

be careful everyone, and stay safe....((hugs))

sivyaleah said:

 
We stay away from candles. Too unsafe. Especially with pets around.

There's lots of good LED lanterns available for not much money. And flashlights. Just always be sure to have enough of the right batteries for them and, test them before the storm hits.

Click to expand...

Things you can also use, even though they won't give off much light--but you can use them to steer yourself around your house in the dark:

1. Bring in any solar lights from outdoors.

2. Glow-sticks; Wal-Mart tends to have more this time of year, for trick-or-treaters to use. They usually go on sale for 50% off after Halloween, so you can stock up. Just keep an eye on the expiration date.

3. Check out Dollar Tree: they currently have Halloween lanterns, and some sort of flashlight-looking things for kids (they may be solar lawn stakes). They always have battery-powered flameless candles. That's what I use in power outages, in conjunction with an emergency lantern. Even a flameless tea light candle in a jar lid or saucer can be handy, especially to calm small children who are afraid of the dark.

4. Don't forget, your cell phone has a flashlight feature--or even just the light from the screen. However, you may want to conserve its charge by not using it.

I will be thinking of those of you in Matthew's path, also, and hoping that you will be safe in the storm. If you evacuate, be safe then too. Prayers for everyone.

We're right in his path although I don't recall inviting the



We have to evacuate tomorrow. So does DD. They have to be out of the dorm no later than 7 PM tomorrow or they will put them in classrooms. I got us a room at a Days Inn in downtown Orlando. It's pet friendly. All 3 cats, the dog, DD and me. Sound like fun? I have a big enclosed playpen that the cats will have to go into. I'm afraid they will bolt if the door opens. The dog's crate will have to come too as she's a door darter.

Just finding a hotel room that is available and takes pets was really difficult. This is our first hurricane without DH. He always knew what to do.

Well, you won't be far from me.  I live on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.  The most recent models are showing LOTS of rain and LOTS of wind for us.  I'm sure my power will go out and I despise that.  I was actually thinking about packing everyone up and driving somewhere dry where there's sure to be electricity!  We'll see what the forecasters say tomorrow.  Anyway, be safe!

LavishSqualor said:

 
Well, you won't be far from me.  I live on Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.  The most recent models are showing LOTS of rain and LOTS of wind for us.  I'm sure my power will go out and I despise that.  I was actually thinking about packing everyone up and driving somewhere dry where there's sure to be electricity!  We'll see what the forecasters say tomorrow.  Anyway, be safe!

Click to expand...

Hotel availability all over the state are getting harder and harder to find.

Stay safe everyone! Ive been in and out of the cone of uncertainty. The way they think this storm is going to turn south eastward is odd. I'm wondering what it might do from there?! There is another tropical storm behind it sort of circling out over the ocean.

We both are well familiar with and remember the bad hurricanes from the 50's when I was a kid. Hurricane Hazel was a particularly bad one. I am glad they are saying it is projected to take a turn. It is supposed to be coming by the coast during Saturday and Sunday. I am sure we will get rain and wind and flooding. Our property won't flood. We have never left, but once that decision is made, the roads are not passable because of flooding. I hope it will stay in the ocean and not make a landfall anywhere on the coast.

I looked up strongest hurricanes https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1935_Labor_Day_hurricane    The Labor Day hurricane that hit Key West in the 30's tops a couple of lists.  Andrew and Camille are also on the list, I remember those two.  I was a kid in Kansas and we got days of drenching rains and of course flooding from Camille.  Katrina is on the lists but not as high as you would  think.  What made Katrina so bad was the parts of New Orleans actually being below sea level and the levies breaking.

Keeping you all in my thoughts. For those who are trying to escape=fly on a plane northward. Looks like New England will not get hit this time. It could still turn. I also second the nonuse of candles. Flash my angel kitty accidently knocked over a candle I had in a jar=not sure what happened and it was one of those smelly bright pink candles and it was a pain to get it off her fur-it was up on a table that she rarely got up on. maybe something startled her-so after that we gave away all our Yankee Candles and jar candles. I did find an LED lantern that takes 4 D batteries. It works quite well. I also bought some small propane cartridges for those table gas latterns and a camp stove. We had an ice storm a few years back. We used kerosene stove in the middle of the room with the furniture all pushed back against the various walls for fire proofing the room. One of us stayed up all night watching the heater.. We never slept with a gas heater on. It was a rough 4 days without power. It was around 20 at night and I was always afraid of frozen pipes-luckily we have city water/sewage so we ran the taps at a drip to prevent freezing. God I don't miss that kind of weather.

Everyone who is in the path you all need to leave NOW if you are leaving-otherwise the highways are going to be plenty clogged. And I am sure the hotels are full by now. Stay safe and make sure you have your name/number/pets name on the carriers incase something happens and you guys get separated from your pets carrier. I always fear these kinds of storms as there are a ton of people who poopoo the warnings and cause more trouble for the rescue people. So if you need to get out-do it now. living in your car a few days is better than being stranded in a flooded house with no potty/heat/ac etc. And the germs in the flood waters...just not worth it.