Phone service came back up this afternoon.  My DSL isn't back up yet, but my
old netcom account is still active.

The screen enclosure for my patio lost most of its screen in a previous
storm.  This one took most of the framework as well.  I now have an open air
bar.  No big deal, I had a contract before the storm for roofing the portion
that used to be covered by screen and for replacing all the framework and
screen.

The hatch of Jayna's Durango took a hit from something heavy.  It's
seriously dented and the rear window is shattered.  I got all the glass
particles up before closing the hatch and now have to start all over again.
The windshield on my car is cracked, but it's still drivable.  I'll worry
about getting it fixed after Jayna's is done.  The avocado in the back yard
split in two.  The remaining half may or may not survive.  It will be a
shame if that tree dies before we got our first avocado from it.  It looks
like the heart is broken out of 5 of the 6 coconut palms in the front yard.
We got some damage to the stainless bows that support the bimini tops on
both the 15 footer and the 32 footer.  It's no big deal.  I can make those
repairs myself.

We are under a boil water order and without power.  That's an interesting
combination for most.  FEMA f.cked up again.  Trucks with ice and water sat
in Palm Beach County for two days because nobody told them where to go.
Each of the advertised delivery points turned out not to be delivery points
at all, at least that's what people were told after a day and night of
waiting in lines.  The first supplies were delivered late last night.  One
bag of ice and one flat of bottled water per person.  The excuse, this time,
is that telephone communications aren't working well and the trucks didn't
have fuel to deliver supplies.  Now, I don't want to be too hard on people,
but somehow I think that both factors were reasonably predictable.

Unlike, apparently, everybody else, I was somewhat prepared.  The 50 gallons
of fuel I stocked for my generator was funny before the storm.  Nobody's
laughing now.  Thanks to the generator, the food in my refrigerator and
freezer is safe and my ice maker is cranking out ice as fast as it can.  So
far, I'm the only source of ice for most of my friends and neighbors.
Nobody, and I mean nobody, has any idea about food distribution.

Originally, all cell services except Sprint, went out late Monday.  Some are
back up, some aren't.  As I mentioned, my regular phone service came back up
a few minutes ago.  Power went out about 7:00 AM on Monday and is predicted
to remain out, for some residents, for as long as 6 weeks.  I don't have
that much fuel.  Fuel is my biggest problem right now.  Because the power is
out all over the place, gas stations can't pump gas.  The few that have
generators, also have lines miles long and are limiting customer purchases
to 20 bucks.  You don't get much gas for $20 these days.  If I don't get
power back first, I'll have to get in the lines too.  With a little luck,
the lines will have diminished a bit and I won't be so limited that my
generator burns more gas while I'm in line than I am allowed to purchase
when I'm through the line.

Speaking of gas and gas prices, a local gas station was selling gas for
$2.55 a gallon and making a profit.  As stated by the local news service, if
one can do it, others can too.  Their claims that their costs force higher
prices are, simply put, lies.  Jeb Bush still hasn't done a damned thing
about it.  Imagine that.  You'd think the Bush family was in bed with the
oil companies . . . oh yeah, they are.

So, all things told, we made out OK . . . so far.

Lee

Cool.

If you are in contact, tell him Ade and I were starting to worry.