Re: Greetings from S. Florida

Well, the last year we lived in Northwestern New Jersey (lived there 27
years) our sewer pipe froze and for 6 weeks we had to use a chemical toilet
which had to be carried out and dumped (where the old outhouse used to be),
and we did run our shower out a pipe to the ground, since it was not sewage,
so we could shower.. One winter we had 5 weeks when it never went above
freezing. At times we couldn't get out our road for snow drifts, and I
could list a hundred more reasons why winter in NJ was worse than hurricanes
in Florida.

I have lived in Florida 19 years and there have been exactly 2 significant
hurricanes. It's no fun, but for me the consistently beautiful weather
makes it worth the risk. I can swim year-round which I could only do at the
Y in NJ (which was 28 miles away), and swimming keeps my arthritis
manageable.

The news on TV tends to blow the hurricane thing way out of control. This
year and last have been record breakers, but where I live last year none of
the hurricanes affected us, and most of the areas hit last year were
unaffected this year. There is no "safe" place to live, and you make your
choices based on personal preference, or where your job takes you. When my
husband retired this was my personal preference, and it still is. I could
not wait to get away from northern winters. Maybe if I were a bear and
could hibernate I'd reconsider returning to NJ as it was a good place to
live 8 or 9 months of the year.

I cannot understand why anyone would want to live in a cold northern
climate! We live in a sturdy house and we prepare. We are planning on
putting on a metal roof this time--which if properly installed should solve
the roof problems--the new barn metal roof we put on a few years ago had
absolutely no damage. We plan on building 2 stalls for our horses in that
barn that withstood a category 5 hurricane so they will be safer. We have 3
big windows that eventually we will put automatic shutters on because they
are too big to handle our homemade ones--but only one was broken in the
category 5 storm, and none in this one. The news picks out the worst things
to show. The truth is that if you build right and take the proper
preparations the hurricane just makes a mess to clean up! And I'd rather
clean up that mess in nice weather than shovel show in bad!

We learn from each storm, and are better prepared for the next. If we could
afford to make all the changes we would like to make in our structures we'd
tell the insurance companies to go fly a kite and leave us alone!

Barb C.
<bigapple2005@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1130905481.754019.17410@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Barbara Carlson wrote:
>> Insurance has become a big problem everywhere in Florida,
>> >>>>>>>>Things are a mess, but we're working on it and we're all fine,
>> >>>>>>>>but
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>oh.....I
>> >>>>>want a hot shower, not a cold bucked bath!!!!>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>I can sure identify with that one! After Charley it was almost a
>> >>>>>month
>> >>>>>on the generator ... heating water in pots just is not quite the
>> >>>>>same
>> >>>>>as turning on the tap that is for sure!
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>Hang in there ... hopefully they will get you set back to rights
>> >>>>>soon.
>> >>>>>I am really glad you had nothing more serious :) to contend with.
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>Nae
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>>--
>> >>>>>Nae
>
> I am sure the atmosphere is very beautiful in Florida, but I never
> understood the degree a person would withstand against the fury of
> Mother Nature. It seems like a big price to pay. The weather has
> beaten the crap out of Florida and the surrounding areas. What is the
> payoff?
>
> Do not misunderstand me, I'm glad it's coming back together for you--I
> guess I just don't understand the gamble against potential disaster.
> But again, I live in New York, so maybe I shouldn't talk. And even
> though I don't know you, I'm glad you're okay. I had an aunt/uncle who
> lived in New Orleans; they got out, but not without a huge loss.
>
> Good luck to you :)
>


.

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