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Deborah Alexander (Rogers)

Mary Ann, Mike, and any others of our friends down South, hoping and praying that you will be safe and that your homes will fare well in the storm.  Mary Margaret, thank you for the lovely prayer you posted.  We should all be saying it for everyone down south.  I will share it with my family in Florida.  Fingers crossed, too!!

Julie Carpenter

Ditto to all comments above. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

David Mitchell

Mike

You have a pool?  I'll be right down. Traffic should be light coming your way. I'll bring my own inner tube.

and  Tim,

Silly me. I thought Weltschmertz was one of my favorite kosher deli sandwiches. Oh that's right, I think it was "Bludwurst". 

----

meanwhile --- Is it a "mandatory" evacuation or not?  Waiting till Saturday to decide. And to think, I just saw my daughter in Cincy when I came to Columbus. Won't she be surpised? 

Michael McLeod

You are welcome to the pool, Dave. But you will be sharing it with my patio furniture. One of the tricks you pick up down here: when the storms come, throw it all in the pool, where the wind can't get to it and toss it through your windows. Fish it out when the hurricane moves on.

John Maxwell

Michael McLeod

Thanks to all I will check it soon as I can but don't jump to conclusions if I don't.

I'm in a safe, solid home but it's almost a certainty this thing will knock out power, internet connection etc.

Joseph D. McCarthy

To all of our classmates, be safe, not sorry.  Mother Nature seems to be on a warpath.  I will keep all of you in my thoughts for a safe passage through hurricanes and wildfires.

Dave, just a short note, private note to you.  Really no one else is reading this.  During my short trip I visited White Castle five times; MCL Cafeteria about ten times, Cracker barrel seven times, Schmidt's at  least five times, Mitchell's (Columbus) Fish Market seven times, Bob Evans six times, and Yanni's six times.  In case someone hasn't tried Yanni's, it is worth the time.  Yanni's is a GREEK reastaurant one traffic light South off I-270 at Cleveland Ave. in a small strip mall on the left (East) side of Cleveland Behind "Sirens".

We leave around 8:00 A.M. for our drive back to California.  First stop, Ankeny, IA.  Next stop Laramie, WY.  Last stop Elko, NV.  Hopefully home by Tuesday evening.

It was fantadtic seeing so many of you at "Janie's".  Let's not wait for another year.

Joe

David Mitchell

Joe,

Turn around! Go back! You forgot the Chefonette!

(and Tommy's)

I hit the "Casa Blanco" myself twice in four days.

Michael McLeod

Here's the hurricane update from your class of '66 on the scene Florida correspondent:

If you have followed the news you have heard by now that the storm kept drifting further and further to the west. Bad news for the Gulf Coast, good news for Orlando. Nothing is certain but it looks now as though we will get strong winds, possible power outages, but no heavy damage. The westerly drift also saved Miami from what was looking like a devastating blow. I'll check in later but just wanted to thank everyone for the concern. I now hope for the best for Sarasota and Tampa -- it's much, much worse when a hurricane hits a coastal area than when it strikes here in Central Florida. 

Sheila McCarthy (Gardner)

Great reporting, Ace. Stay safe...

David Mitchell

Just a word about the weak side of Irma. Wind and some rain started a few hours ago. Local curfews going tinto effect. But we will be spared the brunt, and only get hard rain tonight and a Monday of hard rain and strong winds - nothing like the west side of Florida. 

Everybody here is staying, even though our local (SC and GA) Governors called for madatory evac. on some nearby local outer islands - Daufuskie, Hilton Head, Fripp, Tybee etc. Problem now is that they will be stuck in our local high schools and not allowed to return until at least Tuesday - and all kinda for nothing. But better to err on the safe side. They have to make that call early because if they wait, the traffic would be a mess. Mind you, these are places with only one road on and off. And Daufuskie is a ferry boat only - a small boat at that.

Oddly, I ate dinner last night with my friends in our lttle "Promenade" (new Bluffton downtwon) where alternate shops were borded up then our restaurant was open with a singer and guitarist on the patio. More boarded up on the other side, and then another restaurant serving drinks at their outdoor bar next to that. We all have gas and ice and batteries and food and Football on the TV.  Tomorrow I can sit on my porch and watch "white caps" on my normally calm May River (Jonny Mercer's inspiration for his song "Moon river". And take naps!

**** But my concern now is Tom McKeon in Tampa area, and isn't Frank in that area too? (and Linda Beckwith?) Tampa is looking to get hammered!  Wished Tom would have accepted my invite to come up for a visit. Hope he has made the right decision.

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Change subject --- watched the opening moment of the Browns team intro onto the field - CLEVELAND ROCKS!

Linda Weiner (Bennett)

There must be more current Georgians besides Donahue and me!

I don't intend to compare this to the disaster south of Georgia, but it goes to show how widespread the damage can be from one storm:  

"***Governor Deal expands State of Emergency to include all 159 counties***

September 10, 2017 
Acting on a recommendation from the state's Emergency Operations Command and ahead of heavy rains, strong wind and potential flooding from Hurricane Irma, Gov. Nathan Deal today expanded the emergency declaration to include an additional 65 counties. The state of emergency now includes all 159 counties in Georgia. State government will be closed Monday and Tuesday for all employees except essential personnel.

Following a briefing from officials and visit with emergency responders, Deal will hold a media avail tonight at the State Operations Center at 6 p.m."

Continued prayers for all in the havoc of Harvey and Irma.

Donna Kelley (Velazquez)

Be safe!!

Frank Ganley

Janie Albright (Blank)

Frank, that is good news!   Great you can house others.

Mike McLeod checked in via Dave Dunn. I copied am posting for him. 

"Hi Janie!!! I heard from Mike McLeod in Florida!!! He wanted to let me and everyone know that he's ok!!! His house shook last night and he had 150 mph winds. Could you post on FB and the Watterson page perhaps?? I am at work right now."

We have many other Florida classmates. I hope we get word on them soon. Tom and Tess, Al Standish, Blanche, Mikel Groezinger are a few that come to mind. I know there are more. If anyone gets word please post!  Prayers going out for everyone! 

Mary Ann Nolan (Thomas)

Linda, I think Dennis Winchester lives in Atlanta, I know he used to.

Mary Margaret Clark (Schultheis)

I received this email late this morning from Al Standish:

Hey Maggie-  your good thoughts and prayers worked well.  We're back home now with power and no flooding or damages!  No cable or wifi, but that's just a minor inconvenience compared to what might have happened.  I've been in touch with Goose and he had it a little rougher it sound like!  He lost a carport and lost power right away.  Tess is in LA visiting grandkids, so it's just Tom.  Good timing, Tess!!  Thanks again for your prayers and well wishes.      Al and Mo

Sent from my iPhone

David Mitchell

Just got my power and internet back on a few minutes ago. Althogh we did get a light dose, it was still fairly strong and I learned a lesson. This much smaller storm (than Matthew) came at us with different wind direction, and at high tide today. It did some real damage to our docks. The third dock to my left got ripped apart, and I have a tiny little dock off my front yard that got torn loose and floated away. Strange because when Matthew came last fall, it hit the other side of our river area and ripped out every dock for a bout 1/4 mile on the "town" side of the river, while leavig us untouched. Today, as we were all standing there watching these docks get  twisted and pounded, neighbors from "around the corner" of the river were showing us their videos of nearly calm water - less than 1/4 mile away - but facing a different direction. Still, this is nothing compared to our friends in Florida. 

Been texting Tom McKeon pretty regularly since Saturday and you have already heard he is okay (sorta).  He can give you his account when he is able. 

Thank God for all - could use a few more cowbells about now.

David Mitchell

I tried unsucesfully to reach Dennis Winchester week before last. Had to call older brother Jim's house (also in Atlanta) to get news of Carolyn (who is staying at her brother Jim's house). She responded again yesterday. Lots of first floor damage to her house. One of her sons lost whole house and all contents. Another son in Tampa is okay. She had more to say but I'm keeping it short. She said prayers appreciated.

Timothy Lavelle

Sitting here in the safety of the PNW, it is amazing to consider the grace under fire of my endangered classmates. I am looking upward, and sending Mom Nature my most grateful smile that as a crowd, WHS 66ers came off OK. Caroline's story (via Dave) of her child's loss of a house coupled with Tom's structural damage are very sad and sobering to be sure. But the thought of "what could have been" from the brother-sister act of Harvey and Irma leaves me looking for wood to knock on at every turn.

Good on ya Frank, for remembering to water the dog. Great to hear Al came out OK. Party on all you 6ers. Good luck in the massive clean-up and Mike, welcome to the "schmerz" when you try to get Dave and Frank and dog-knows who else outa your pool in weeks to come.

Last year there was a small forest fire down the road from us, and, being surrounded by a hilly wooded paradise, I got pretty nervous about fire danger. I can't imagine seeing an eight hundred pound gorilla of a storm like Irma on TV, headed right at my house like you folks in Fla, without the benefit of a full box of Depends.  Our Texas and Fla mates are my new heroes!

Timothy Lavelle

Apologize for the doouble entry but how about Linda Testa? Does anyone know how the Queen of Miami Beach faired thoughout this episode??

Janie Albright (Blank)

Saw this on Linda Testa's fb page

Janie Albright (Blank)

Also heard from Kathy Flanagan. They are fine. She said she thinks Mikel Groezinger evacuated from Tarpon Springs.   

FYI Linda Testa lives in Key West  

David Mitchell

This return, rescue, and cleanup effort in Florida could get uglier than the storm itself. This was a very orderly departure from Florida, but the return is never as well organized. We had this problem here after "Matthew" last fall. Everybody thinks they can go back all at once. 

I got a call from Fred Clem early this evening while I was at dinner. He was just chatting as he and his nephew (or cousin?) were approaching my area, heading south on I-95 to Florida (something he does every year at this time). I offered to meet them near the exit for a break as they went by, but they needed to keep going. They were doing about 5 to 10 miles and hour - and had been for hours. It started me thinking about it, and watching some of the local news has me a bit worried.

The highways going back south are jammed. Sections of I-75 are flooding. Power is still out in many places in Florida - and may be for days (re: Tom McKeon's last text today) - and food, supplies and rescue efforts are strained to the limit in some areas.

(not to mention the Carribean Islands - a total disaster!)

Hoping for the best!

David Mitchell

Just got an email from Fred. They made to their destination finally.