Bob's Blog

This picture freaked me out.  I don't know how I would react if lightning struck and this is what I saw.

 

I went to the weather channel website this morning just to see what the latest was for TS Gustav and this is what I found.  
Not looking too bad for Sun City Center and Centtral Florida Gulf Coast, although there was a warning that the storm track could vary.



One of the headlines said New Orleans was preparing for a possible Cat 3 hurricane.



It's still a few days out and we won't know for sure what it will do for sure til  at least sunday.

So, imagine my panic when I saw this.  Seems the weather folks just can't get enough going to put a panic into us.



If one doesn't get us, the other surely will.  Geez Loweez.  Hang onto your hats folks.

I can just imagine what a field day all the reporters will have with this.  I'm afraid to even turn the TV on when I get home.

I'm back from my trip to California, and I have a ton of pictures to share. 

My first and probably my favorite is of this tree I came upon at the top of San Jacinto Mountain in Palm Spring, CA.  Even though it's dead, I thought it was beautiful.  It has such character and such great lines.  It had to have been a beauty in it's day. 

So, what say you all?  It this a thing of Beauty or a Beast?

HOW TO CHANGE YOUR OIL

Men:

1.  Go to O'Reilly auto parts and write a check for 50 dollars for oil, filter, oil lift (AKA kitty litter), hand cleaner and scented tree.
2.   Discover that the used oil container is full. Instead of taking it back to O'Reilly to recycle, dump in hole in back yard.
3.  Open a beer and drink it.  
4.  Jack car up. Spend 30 minutes looking for jack stands.
5.  Find jack stands under kid's pedal car.
6.  In frustration, open another beer and drink it.
7.  Place drain pan under engine.
8.  Look for 9/16 box end wrench.
9.  Give up and use crescent wrench.
10. Unscrew drain plug.
11. Drop drain plug in pan of hot oil; get hot oil on you in process.
12. Clean up.
13. Have another beer while oil is draining.
14. Look for oil filter wrench.
15. Give up; poke oil filter with Phillips screwdriver and twist it off.
15. Beer.
16. Buddy shows up; finish case with him. Finish oil change tomorrow.
17. Next day, drag pan full of old oil out from underneath car.
18. Throw oil lift (AKA kitty litter) on oil spilled during step 18.
19. Beer. No, drank it all yesterday.
20. Walk to 7-11; buy beer.
21. Install new oil filter making sure to apply thin coat of clean oil to gasket first.
22. Dump first quart of fresh oil into engine.
23. Remember drain plug from step 11.
24. Hurry to find drain plug in drain pan.
25. Hurry to replace drain plug before the whole quart of fresh oil drains onto floor.
26. Slip with wrench and bang knuckles on frame.
27. Bang head on floor board in reaction.
28. Begin cussing fit.
29. Throw wrench.
30. Cuss for additional 10 minutes because wrench hit Miss December(1992) in the left boob.
31. Clean up; apply Band-Aid to knuckle.
32. Beer.
33. Beer.
34. Dump in additional 4 quarts of oil.
35. Beer.
36. Lower car from jack stands.
37. Accidentally crush one of the jack stands.
38. Move car back to apply more oil lift (AKA kitty litter) to fresh oil spilled during step 23.
39. Drive car.


Women:

1.  Pull up to Jiffy Lube when the mileage reaches 3000 since the last oil change.
2.  Drink a cup of coffee.
2.  15 minutes later, write a check and leave with a properly maintained vehicle.

Well, Here I sit, 2 days later still waiting on the effects of TS Fay.  

Originally this storm was set to come right up the west coast.

As it got closer it looked like it would run right up the center of the state.  The reports almost seemed like they were hoping it would strengthen.



After hitting land, they decided it looked like it might go over to the Atlantic, but then again, maybe not.  Now they seemed disappointed that it didn't amount to much more than a TS, although there was one report of a wind gust of 78 mph, which is Hurricane strength.  



Then it was decided it would do what they called a "boomerang".  What are we in Australia?  There was a bit of a glint that the storm was getting stronger than weaker.  Very unusual.



Currently, the storm is sitting off the Atlantic coast of Florida near Cape Canaveral.  Supposedly it is going to make that turn to the west yet.  Soon.  By tomorrow morning.

Maybe tomorrow afternoon, or not.  We'll see come tomorrow.  

We have been very lucky here in Sun City Center and the central west coast to have dodged the bullet once again. 

Hopefully, tomorrow afternoon my plane for California will take off from Tampa and I will be on my way before the storm threatens us again.

Maybe when I get back on Tuesday night, it will be heading back east again.

I know I make fun of the weather folks and the storm chasers, but I also know this has truly been one unpredictable storm.  My thoughts and prayers go out to those who suffered damage due to it.

A special thanks goes out to all those who expressed concerns for the residents of florida during this.

God Bless and stay safe.

I do watch Animal Planet occasionally and other Nature shows, so I know that this is possible.

I lost the email that accompanied these two pictures, so I don't remember exactly where in Florida this occurred.  A helicopter pilot flying overhead noticed the gator and snapped the pictures.  

I hope and pray I never run into this Gator when he's hungry.  

I received this email about snakes.  
My friend(?) obviously knows I have a huge fear of snakes.

The title of this particular email said :

This is EXACTLY why you never kill a black colored snake!!!!!!  

I should have known better.

Living in a very populated Tampa Bay, Florida area, we see our fair share of critters and snakes, so I did know what I was getting ready to look at, but not in my wildest dreams could I have guessed.  

I really hesitated to open this, but I'm a thrill seeker.  Oh what a thrill.  Now I really am scared.

Apparantly this is an Indigo Blue Snake and a Rattle Snake (somewhere in Texas - Thank God!).   The Rattler lost.

For those Florida Residents who don't already have a Hurricane Preparedness, I downloaded one from our local BayNews 9 station.  They've put together a excellent comprehensive kit and I wanted to share it with all who might be interested.

As Realtors we should probably make sure our out of state newcomers have a copy of this list.  It's quite extensive and I'm sure will be most helpful even to the most seasoned Hurricane Veteran.

Hurricane Kit
Flashlights and extra bulbs
Battery-operated radio
Fully charged battery-operated lanterns. Don't get candles and kerosene lanterns. They are fire hazards.  (I know this goes against the safety warning just given, but I would have these items handy just in case, and use extra caution should you need to use them)
Extra batteries
Matches
Clock (wind-up or battery-operated)
Plastic garbage bags
Working fire extinguishers
Scissors
Clean change of clothes, rain gear, sturdy swamp boots
An inexpensive rabbit-ears television antenna to use if cable goes out (can't help but wonder what we will do when rabbit-ears will no longer work)
I would add  - Recharge all rechargeable batteries and battery operated items.
Another Item I would add (I didn't see this listed anywhere) ~ keep a gas powered grill handy.  I know we used it to cook on when the power went out.

House Checklist
Gather supplies early
Store loose outdoor items
Anchor small sheds
Trim dead branches from trees and shrubs
Put chorine in pool - protect filter motor
Tape or board up windows
Fill gas tank of cars - park in safe place
Remove valuables (furniture and rugs) from the floor
Move furniture away from window - cover with plastic
Put important documents in waterproof container
Get extra cash (ATMs may lose power)
Keep tuned to Bay News 9 for the latest information (stay tuned to your local station)

Food and Water
Bottled water. Figure on a gallon of drinking water per person per day.
Shelf-package juice and milk boxes
Canned and powdered milk
Beverages (powdered or canned, fruit juices, instant coffee, tea)
Prepared foods (canned soups, beef, spaghetti, tuna, chicken, ham, corned beef hash, fruit cocktail, packaged pudding)
Canned vegetables and fruits
Dried fruits
Snacks (crackers, cookies, hard candy, nuts)
Snack spreads (peanut butter, cheese spreads, jelly)
Cereals
Raw vegetables
Sugar, salt, pepper
Bread
Dry and canned pet food
Right now, buy all the nonperishable foods you will need, put them in a box and leave them alone, except to rotate stock. Stock up on ice and pack coolers as early as possible. Freezing them ahead of time is less hassle than fighting for them at a store.
Before the storm, turn your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and drape blankets over them, but keep bottom vents clear. Then move perishables you'll use first into ice chests to limit opening of refrigerators.
Designate one cooler you will open regularly; fill that with drinks and less perishable items. Set aside other coolers for more perishable things such as meats and open them only rarely.
Crank up your ice maker, break out the ice cube trays or fill jugs with water, so you can be making and storing ice in your freezer or coolers around the clock.
Store cubes or small blocks of ice in sealed bags and containers so you can drink it after it melts.
Clean your bathtub out, then wash it with bleach. Rinse thoroughly. If possible, line it with plastic. Then fill it and as many clean bottles as you can with drinking water. Fill your toilet tank; you'll want it to flush after the storm.


Hardware
Hand tools - hammer, screwdrivers to use now, shovel and pickax for after the storm
Power screwdriver
4x8-foot sheets of plywood 5/8-inch to 1/2-inch thick to put over windows. Ask for exterior plywood.
1/4 machine screw sockets and screws
Plastic sheeting to cover furniture
Rope
Sturdy working gloves
Duct tape to waterproof items; masking tape isn't strong enough.
Canvas tarps
Nails. There are many kinds, so look over your home now and determine what you will need.

Medical Needs
Medic-alert tags
Insect-repellent sprays and candles
Feminine hygiene items
Sunscreen
Soap
First-aid kit and first-aid handbook
A supply of any prescription drugs
Extra over-the-counter medicine (for colds, allergies, cough)
Children's medicines
Aspirin
Bandages
Adhesive tape
Cotton-tipped swabs
Antiseptic solution
Sterile rolls, bandages
Ear drops
Thermometer
Tweezers
Needles
Disinfectant

Baby Needs
Disposable diapers, wipes
Formula, baby food
Diaper rash ointment, petroleum jelly
Baby medicines (pain, cold, cough)
Medicine dropper

Emergency Toilet
Small can with tight lid
Plastic bags for liners
Disinfectant or bleach
Deodorizer

Kitchen Supplies
Plastic to line bathtub to fill with water
Jugs or containers to store water
Water purification tablets (usually available only in drug stores), 2 percent tincture of iodine or ordinary household bleach, which contains hypochlorite as its only active ingredient - not bleach with soap, lemon or other additives.
Manual can opener
Bottle opener
Matches
Pocketknife - preferably Swiss Army style
Camp stove or other cooking device and plenty of fuel. Use canned fuel, not charcoal or gas
Disposable dishes
Ice chests or coolers
Paper plates, napkins, cutlery, cups
If you have special dietary needs, be sure to have these items handy

Items in red are some tips I added based on our last encounter with a TS/Hurricane.

Stay safe in the Hurricane Season.  

Tropical Storm Faye packing wholloping winds of almost 50 mph (gusts) is headed our way.  It's all over the news and internet.