Hurricane Charley

“The price we pay for living in Paradise”, this is what the announcer said on Saturday after Hurricane Charley paid Florida a visit…
The price was high in Punta Gorda, Arcadia, Wauchula, Lake Wales and Kissimmee area.
Our brother, Dockie and wife Annie P. in Kissimme, had their daughter, Nancy and her family from Englewood/Sarasota area come to their home on Friday. Residents from our Tampa/St. Pete area evacuated to the Orlando area since the Tampa Bay coast was expected to be hit head on…
Our family lived in a mandatory evacuation zone so four different households of family went to our son, Chad’s, house in northern New Tampa. Two dogs in cages came as well….Along with one very active 3 yr. old, Joshua, and another 4 yr. old, Dillon.
Tracking the hurricane on TV and on the computer kept us alert…and praying….Lo and behold, around 3:00 p.m. we began to realize that something was happening which was causing the hurricane to change the course of prediction…realizing that we were ’out of danger’ so to speak, we sighed with relief and at 4:30 began to pack up to go back home….streets were deserted in Tampa…an eerie feeling of the aftermath.
Later I called Dockie’s house and spoke with Annie P. and they assured us that all was well at their house full of family…..
When the storm raged around their house later, they took refuge in a large downstairs closet. Hearing loud winds and much rain….they had no idea until morning that the top layer of their roof had been peeled off, trees uprooted, gazebos demolished and sinks from boat dock disappeared…..
No electricity, no phone service, intermitting cell phone service but family and friends came a running….Much of their neighborhood was the same.
Fortunately they had a generator for power equipment and refrigerator and freezer service….
On Saturday, Charlie and I drove over from Tampa, Sam and Sally from Okeechobee, Chris and his wonderful supplies and muscles, quickly set to work…getting almost all the roof temporarily covered….the rains came again….
Next day, Kurt and Melissa arrived (they lost a barn and car port covers) and the necessary supplies were acquired in order to finish the temporary cover.
Dockie and Annie P. were working to exhaustion each day and sleeping with anxiety at night. Yet they survived and weathered the mental and emotional storm……wonderfully….
Thank God for family and friends….in good times and bad.
For all of you who have called from everywhere….Yes, we are all right…
Thanks for your concern….and prayers… ...See Dockie & Ann pictures below...