Frances on the Way

We weathered Hurricane Charley not 3 weeks ago. Now we anxiously await Frances to make landfall and cause destruction in the same general area. This just isn’t a good summer. As with Charley, no matter where it hits, some members of our family will be affected. My SIL, who lives in Gainesville will be coming up for the weekend. We are trying to convince my MIL and FIL to come up as well, as their house isn’t safe at all, especially after the storm they had a week ago that threatened to collapse the ceiling after it blew away the tarps covering their delapadated roof. And I’m hoping my parents will come up, even though they have said they will be going to stay with my aunt near Tampa. We’re still uncertain what my aunt in port St. Lucie will do, but mom was going to try to get her to get out.

My husband’s cousin was all set to spend the weekend down there with her mom, since it’s a holiday, but she plans to exchange her tickets and her mom is coming up instead. At least she’s getting out.

My parents are getting ready…stocking up on water and supplies and dad is getting the generator ready for use. Fortunately they didn’t need it when Charley came through. By the time they got home from Texas a few days after it hit, power had already been restored. At least this time they are prepared for a power outage.

My biggest worry though is my in-laws. Their house has suffered so much already, I’m afraid of what Frances will do. If it follows the predictions, they could lose half of their house.

I know it’s still early since it’s only Wednesday and Frances isn’t expected to make landfall till Saturday, but Charley took such as unexpected turn, that you really can’t say for sure that it won’t hit before then. Of course it could turn out better than we all are expecting and that would be wonderful, but I have a feeling that no matter what, Frances will cause havoc in parts of Florida that are still trying to recover from Charley.