I'm up in NC and going to meet our charlie and his DW today!
Thanks for the concern with the hurricane danger last week. On Friday I ran into major rain bands driving over to Crystal River (west coast 90 miles above Tampa) for my brother's surprise birthday party. Nine members of my family were flying down from Pittsburgh and we were told to just gradually walk into the house my SIL had borrowed for the weekend and where Paul and SIL were at. I was driving over from the east coast and hadn't even reached Orlando when an accident closed down the ENTIRE I-4 westbound route--all three lanes; they made everyone exit which meant it took TWO hours to go FOUR MILES. I called my sister and asked if they were at "the house?" and she said yes. So I warned her about the accident delay and told her I was running 2 hours behind but that I go straight to "the house."
(Clever readers may suspect that the use of quote marks around "the house" is a sign of doom. You would be right.)
Two hours later, I was finally 3 miles from "the house" when the entire line of traffice in front of me stopped. When my little car got up to the front of the line, the Crystal River sheriff stooped down to asked if I lived in the area "'cause the water is rising..."
I pointed to the wrapped present and the wrapped caramel brownies and my 16 pages of directions (because I get lost EASILY) and told him I was going to the house my SIL borrowed for the big surprise party And with a truly concerned look on his face, he goes:
"Are you going there to rescue him?"
WHAT!
Mind you, this is now FOUR + hours that I've been trying to get to this party on the other side of the state. He finally let me pass with a worried look on his face where I drove through water-covered roads, pulled over and called my sister. I told her the police were getting ready to shut down the roads and maybe they should pack up all the guests and head back down to Paul's home in Tampa.
(long pause...)
Sarah: We ARE at Paul's house. Where are YOU?
Frustrated/tired/slightly panicked Marilyn: I'm in Crystal River, 3 miles from the party "house"!
Turns out my SIL had decided not to risk all the guest flying in from various states and sent out a FaceBook notification that party plans had reverted back to their Tampa house.
Only I don't do Facebook.
And my brother sent me email at work email but I wasn't logged on.
And my sister tried calling me, but had an old cellphone number BECAUSE I never use one.
SO....back out into the storm and now I'm driving south to Tampa where I finally got to the party 6.5 hours later. After hugging everyone, my SIL asked what I wanted to drink "Wine? Margarita? Beer? Water?"
I said YES.
The next morning I drove up to NC through more rain bands for the first hour, but then it was okay for the next eight hours.
I REALLY HAVE to learn how to teleport!
Also, I've put in an application to join the Cajun Navy so I can go out and rescue folks.
Thanks for the concern with the hurricane danger last week. On Friday I ran into major rain bands driving over to Crystal River (west coast 90 miles above Tampa) for my brother's surprise birthday party. Nine members of my family were flying down from Pittsburgh and we were told to just gradually walk into the house my SIL had borrowed for the weekend and where Paul and SIL were at. I was driving over from the east coast and hadn't even reached Orlando when an accident closed down the ENTIRE I-4 westbound route--all three lanes; they made everyone exit which meant it took TWO hours to go FOUR MILES. I called my sister and asked if they were at "the house?" and she said yes. So I warned her about the accident delay and told her I was running 2 hours behind but that I go straight to "the house."
(Clever readers may suspect that the use of quote marks around "the house" is a sign of doom. You would be right.)
Two hours later, I was finally 3 miles from "the house" when the entire line of traffice in front of me stopped. When my little car got up to the front of the line, the Crystal River sheriff stooped down to asked if I lived in the area "'cause the water is rising..."
I pointed to the wrapped present and the wrapped caramel brownies and my 16 pages of directions (because I get lost EASILY) and told him I was going to the house my SIL borrowed for the big surprise party And with a truly concerned look on his face, he goes:
"Are you going there to rescue him?"
WHAT!
Mind you, this is now FOUR + hours that I've been trying to get to this party on the other side of the state. He finally let me pass with a worried look on his face where I drove through water-covered roads, pulled over and called my sister. I told her the police were getting ready to shut down the roads and maybe they should pack up all the guests and head back down to Paul's home in Tampa.
(long pause...)
Sarah: We ARE at Paul's house. Where are YOU?
Frustrated/tired/slightly panicked Marilyn: I'm in Crystal River, 3 miles from the party "house"!
Turns out my SIL had decided not to risk all the guest flying in from various states and sent out a FaceBook notification that party plans had reverted back to their Tampa house.
Only I don't do Facebook.
And my brother sent me email at work email but I wasn't logged on.
And my sister tried calling me, but had an old cellphone number BECAUSE I never use one.
SO....back out into the storm and now I'm driving south to Tampa where I finally got to the party 6.5 hours later. After hugging everyone, my SIL asked what I wanted to drink "Wine? Margarita? Beer? Water?"
I said YES.
The next morning I drove up to NC through more rain bands for the first hour, but then it was okay for the next eight hours.
I REALLY HAVE to learn how to teleport!
Also, I've put in an application to join the Cajun Navy so I can go out and rescue folks.