Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Wilma - 1, Fluffy Knitter Deb - 0

I'm posting this mainly to have a permanent record. Pumpkin and I are ok, Casa de FKD is not!

This morning at about 8 am, Wilma arrived at FKD with a vengence. The winds had been clocked at 120 miles per hour (category 3) and were howling like a freight train outside and rain that sounded like machine gun fire was pelting every window. The front wall of Wilma was to last about 90 minutes, the eye about an hour and the back wall another 90 minutes. She made lanndfall on the west coast of Florida and headed for Broward County with a spiteful gleam in her eye.

The winds were so brutal and frightening, Pumpkin and I retired to the safety of my walk-in closet. I brought my knitting for comfort, some Diet Coke for me and Greenies for the P-Man, a cell phone and a flashlight and we hunkered down to ride out the storm, thinking that all would be well by noon.

At about 8:30 I heard an enormous BOOM and my whole condo shook!! With trepidation I peeked out my bedroom door and to my shock and horror, saw that my front door had been blown right off its hinges and a giant, twisted hunk of metal was wending it's way over my threshold and right towards me!! I quickly shut the door and ran back into the closet.....

Suddenly, another huge BOOM....the pressure from the missing front door caused the huge sheet of glass that was in the the sliding glass door in the back of my condo to be sucked right out of door frame, sucking the vertical blinds out with it!!! And the wind and rain that was now ripping thru my HOME was almost strong enough to knock me off my feet! I grabbed on to my bedroom door and with Herculean effort slammed it closed and ran back to the relative safety of my closet where I could do nothing but shake and cry. I have never been so frightened in my entire life!! Poor Pumpkin was curled up in a firghtened ball way in the back of my closet. I know he was crying too!

At about 9:30 everything became eerily silent....the eye of the storm was passing over. I ventured from my "bunker" to see what damage had been done....OMG! I returned to my closet and my uncontrollable sobbing, as the raging wind and rain again began to batter my condo in resumed fury.

At about 11:45 am the winds began to slow and the pelting rain to taper. I has gained a modicum of composure by this point when I heard a male voice calling my name...my downstairs neighbor Alberto, had come to see if I had survived. I thought it was the voice of God.....

This is what I saw when I emerged....pics by Alberto. Click to see a larger view.


door from outside


door from inside


wood from door frame


giant metal roof piece


roof chunk in living room, flattened door behind it


living room


shattered glass curio cabinet


kitchen


kitchen 2


sliding glass door to balcony


back door with bowed out glass, verticals sucked thru

I have no power and my computer battery is about done. I have no front or back door so I can't leave, and I've had no word from Mom and Dad who live an hour north! What else don't I have? Well, that would be homeowner's insurance.....I'm a "starving" Grad student, remember? I do however have leaves everywhere, a completely saturated carpet and a melting fridge and freezer, torn screens on my porch and raisins scattered everywhere as they were sucked from my kitchen cabinets. The good news? I , and my condo association president I might add, do see this as clear culpability on the condo's part since the giant, flying metal thing that caused all this just happens to be big hunk-o-condo ROOF!! ( there were other peices hanging from tree branches and scattered around the property) Between the condo association's insurance and FEMA, we should be ok altho it will take a while and I'm not sure where I'll be staying or when I'll be able to post again but thanks for all your well wishes! Imagine if the P-Man and I didn't have those? ::::shudder::::

Oh, and knitting content? I actually turned the heel of a new sock thru my tears by flashlight, in my closet.

Hope to be back soon.... addendum: Bro in Sanfrancisco spoke to the 'rents, they are fine, no damage but no power.

44 comments:

Ada said...

Omg, this is making me cry. I'm glad that you and pumpkin are ok. I'll be thinking very positive thoughts for the both you.

Catherine said...

Good God. I'm glad you and your baby are okay. What a mess.

AmyP said...

I'm so glad that you're OK. I'd also sue the condo people - big time! Roofs are not supposed to do that.

Cathy said...

so glad you are in one piece. My prayers and well wishes continue to be with you.
Cathy

Suzanne said...

I am soooooooo glad you and pumpkin are ok. We had a "tropical depression" here in VA 2 years ago and it was the worst night of my life, I listened to the huge oaks falling around us all night long and just waited for one to hit the house and take us ALL OUT. Then we had 2 weeks w/no power.

I know the cleanup will not take that long. Take care of yourself--how's the stash? Do you have enough projects to work on so you don't go crazy?

Alison said...

I'm so glad you and Pumkin are all right! You are in my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

I have been worried to death about you!
I'm so sorry about your home. That is unreal, and if you need anything, ANYTHING, please let me know.
You and kitty need a hug.
Stay safe, and thanks for letting us know you're okay.

Karen said...

Wow, that is quite a mess! I am glad to read that you didn't get hurt though. My thoughts are with you also.

Pumpkinmama said...

How awful and terrifying for you, but I am glad you and P-man are safe. Take care and be safe.

Liz said...

I was so worried about you two! Glad you were able to "check in" so quickly.

The picture of you in a closet crying gets me teary eyed. I wish I could've been with you sweetie.

Anonymous said...

So glad you and Pumpkin are ok. Sorry about your condo. Let us know what happens.

Jes said...

I'm glad to hear that you're okay! I hope you get all the help that you need, and soon. Keep safe!
-Jes (new reader)

Anonymous said...

Deb - I'm so glad you're Ok! How terrifying!! I really can't believe you knitted through it and even turned a heel. You are dedicated knitter. We'll be thinking of you and hoping things are back to normal soon. Dorothy (Missouri Star)

Anonymous said...

Deb, so sorry to learn of your loss of your home and many possessions - but Thank God you and Pumpkin survived. I can't imagine how frightening that must have been. Chelle

Vicki said...

How terrible! I'm glad you're all ok though. And that eventually you'll be able to get everything straightened out with the insurance and all.

Anonymous said...

How horrible! Horrible! But thank goodness you weren't hurt! My mother lives in West Palm so I worry about her a lot as well. Hang in there and please keep us posted regarding your situation!

Kelly Harms Wimmer said...

Thank goodness you are okay and thank you so much for sharing your situation so we would all know how you and Pumpkin are doing! We are thinking of you.

Anonymous said...

Holy cow ! That's awful. A horrible situation to be on your own in. I'm so pleased that you are o.k.,and that things will be sorted out. Take good care of yourself and the P man.
Knit on.

xox

Agnes said...

I am just glad to read that you and Pumpkin are safe. Is there anything I can help? Don't hesitate to give me a shout if you think of anything.
Both of you are in my thought!

Anonymous said...

What a harrowing experience! So glad to hear that you and Pumpkin are okay. I can't imagine...

barbara said...

I don't know when you'll be able to read this, with the no power situation and all. I'm glad you and Pumpkin were safe in the closet. I would have been scared to death too. Hopefully, the Condo Association insurance and a FEMA loan can help put your condo back to normal soon! Keep knitting, I find it helps in a crisis. Better than hyperventiating anyway. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Anonymous said...

Omigosh. How terrifying. I'm so glad you both are ok.

Anonymous said...

Deb oh my goodness, what a frigtening ordeal. I was shaking just reading about it, I can't imagine what you and the P-man must have been through. I'm glad you two are alright though, so wise on your part to get into your closet. I hope the assistance you need gets there soon.

Anonymous said...

You poor thing! I hope everything works out ok on the insurance front. Big hug for you and Pumpkin

Jessica said...

That must have been really scary. Glad you and your family are okay. Good luck with the clean up.

Anonymous said...

oh---- wow--- can't we do something??? hows your stash? Can we have a stash bash... and rebuild your supply? please let us know---if there is any way we can help--- stash or otherwise--- ts in mi- ps thnx for your post on by blog the other day--- looking like kiri is winning over birch... so far!

Unknown said...

I was wondering how you were. Thanks for posting. How are you for yarn and needles? From your "Next" button on the Southern Knitters WebRing....

Anonymous said...

The important part is that you and P-man survived. The rest, though frustrating, can be taken care of. I'm just glad as hell you're ok.

The SIL is ok, some minor damage to their lanai, but that's about it. She said even the patio furniture didn't move much, but of course she's 3 hours north of you.

Let me know if a visit in 3 weeks is doable. I totally understand if it isn't.

Stay safe!

Anonymous said...

Glad to know that you, P-man and Pumpkin are ok!

Sharlene said...

So glad you made it through... though it does sound like a very frightening experience. Weird how some of the things in the living room--like the candle and the lamp--stayed in place while everything else was tossed about! Stay sane, and good luck on the repairs. I'll be thinking about you!

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about you a lot - I'm so glad you and P-Man are OK.

Leslie said...

I'm so very grateful that you and the P-man are safe. It will be a tough few weeks but you'll get through and appreciate what you have all the more. My prayers and thoughts (and those of many more) are with you. Please post from the Library or wherever, whenever you can, so we can continue to assure ourselves you are doing ok.

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness you're ok!!

Anonymous said...

So glad you're both okay! How very, very scary. Take care!

Colette said...

Thank God you are both all right - hope you are able to get things back to normal as soon as possible

Anonymous said...

Deb, gonna call you tonight. Don't know if you'll get this, but I'm calling nonetheless.

Chelsea said...

{{{{{Deb}}}}}

I am glad you and pumpkin are ok. I truly believe that things will work out for you as they should. Thank goodness you are ok!!!

Marguerite said...

Yikes Deb! What a scary time for you and the P-man.

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers as you work through the clean up and repair.

Anonymous said...

What a knitter! Even knits through a hurricane! (it probably helped you not lose your mind totally). So glad to hear that you and Pumpkin are okay. That's what's important!
Janet

Anonymous said...

It was good talking to you on the phone the last couple of nights. Who'd have thought you would still have that New York accent!

Stay safe, and call me if you need me. I'll call you Sunday.

Anonymous said...

Man Deb! I'm so glad that you are okay. What a frightening experience. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Ada said...

I'm glad you send me an email! Love you and i'm thinking about you every minute!!

Anonymous said...

I am so glad that you and your Pumpkin are unharmed. What a mess - poor Pman's perches and posts scattered all over too! I feel so bad for you. Keep us posted and let us know if there is anything that you need that we can help with.

Gail in NJ who is never moving to FL

Anonymous said...

Thank heaven that you and Pumpkin are safe. The damage is amazing. I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been!