Saturday, August 16, 2008

Furricane Fay


Sweeeeet!
Could be an interesting week here in the nosunshine state.
I've had an inch of rain already this morning ... it's ten AM as I write this. Yesterday I emptied the rain guage of 4 inches that had fallen in the last couple of days.
None of this is TS Fay related. The current storminess is just a product of a long line of Gulf Coast storms flowing over us off the Gulf of Florida.

We are pretty well stocked for this and other storms to come.
So, you won't see me in the lines at the store buying goods that I should have bought ahead of time.
I will clear out the gutters and retrench a few little drainage gullies that carry water off the driveway and into the pond, pick up some of the yard items that can blow in a strong wind, and refresh and refill the 60 gallon water barrels I keep just for this sort of thing.
(When the electricity goes off ... we have no water)

There's a full propane tank for the cooker and charcoal and oak stored dry for the grill, so we can still cook if we lose power. The very trees that surround (at a safe distance) and protect PFHQ by absorbing wind energy in a 'cane are also a threat to our power supply since the line snakes through a gauntlet of older oaks. A single big limb could put us off the grid and that could happen in even a minor storm like Fay appears to be.
We're ready.
Unfortunately for the county, super nurse may have popped her Achilles Tendon yesterday and she's battling some infection.
She's in charge of hurricane shelter staffing and management and is already stressing ... doubly so since she's injured and sick.

First week of school could be even more complicated than normal with Fay on the way.

"Furricane Fay"


Speaking of storms ... this little prepubescent feline certainly caused one last week when it popped into my food post and I happened to mention my lack of appreciation for their felinicty.

Who knew people really liked cats?

Well, here's the good news:

This kitten must know my gal Sara N. Dippity. After exhausting my known supply of cat lovers, and keeping the whiney thing around for 4 days longer than I expected, I found it a most spectacular home.


It was close though.
After several days, I still had not found a home for this cat.
My mercy knows limits, especially with the stray cats that irresponsible cat owners produce and dump, so reluctantly I loaded the Havahart trap into the trailer and headed out to the county animal shelter. It was a teacher planning day and I needed to check in at work before dropping the kitten at the shelter.

I parked directly in front of the school entrance, popped in to check in and let them know I was running a short errand, and headed back out the door.

Walking in front of me was perhaps the only coworker I had not cat propositioned that week.
I called to her and asked her if she would like a free kitten.

I knew this was hopeless, because the receptionist had been trying to give away 6 unplanned, unwanted kittens all month and SHE sees everyone.

To my surprise, not only was she interested, it was love at first sight and she took the kitten home to live on her miniature donkey hobby farm.

Sara strikes again!

I just thought y'all would like to know ... let's not start the whole dog/cat thang again.

It's all good.

29 comments:

robin andrea said...

That storm looks like it could be quite a soaker. Glad to hear you're as ready as can be.

Hope Mrs. FC recovers quickly. A popped Achilles Tendon does not sound like a good thing at all.

Cute kitty got a good home. Yay!

Anonymous said...

I, Rico Suave, feline proprietor of VitaminSea, do hearby serve you notice that the dog/cat thing is not over. And never will be over.

However, I am so glad you found a home for the little one. Plans are underway already to induct her into our union.

~carry on~

Anonymous said...

(ignoring Rico)

My best wishes to Mrs. FC. I hope she recovers quickly! That is awfully painful!!!

Anonymous said...

Well, I hope it doesn't rain cats and dogs, but I do hope your pond gets filled to its former glory.

Sandcastle Momma said...

Stop with the hurricane dance already FC! I know your pond needs water but we don't need no stinkin hurricane LOL

Hope Mrs. FC gets to feeling better soon. That sounds really painful. Cook her some good food and make her put her feet up. Hopefully she won't have too much work from Fay.

School starting and a hurricane coming - this week ought to be interesting.

Sharon said...

First, OWIE! the tendon thing hurts, I hope she heals quickly.

Second, I'll be needing your address, because you are much better prepared than I, so we'll need to come bunk with you for a few days. I trust there's room for six, seven if you count the dog?? ;o)

Third, did I ever tell you about the time I had to spend the night at Baptist Downtown for a sleep study? I was feeling a little down already, and not looking forward to it AT ALL when...a black cat ran out in front of me and it couldn't be avoided. I hit him, and of course that brought me to tears and I called my husband. These were his reassuring words "It'll be ok - it's not like you hit a DOG" ;o)

Anonymous said...


Yay for Furricane Fay!
Woohoo for kitties everywhere!


With that said, it looks like central Georgia is lined up for a heavy dose of tropical rain. We can always use it.

Freste said...

Cat/dog thing??????
What??????
This was a Hurricane post!

I ditto the sentiments for Mrs. FC. A quasi-functional mammal transporter sounds truly ouchful.

Cujos, er um, Kudos for your preparedness. We don't see many 'canes here but I admire the intelligence that goes with foreplanning like that.

Be safe.

C.L.J. said...

My sympathies on the tendon: hopefully, it's actually something else. I completely ruptured my Achille's tendon a number of years ago. It gave way like an old rubber band. I was down for several months. Better to break a bone than to pop a tendon.

I'm all set for a storm, too. Just need to top off my water jugs.

kathy a. said...

hope mrs. FC is feeling better!

that's wonderful, a new home for the sweet kitty.

Anonymous said...

Sending prayers for Mrs. FC. Hope she is better soon. Please stop with all the hurricane charts and rader screens. I am prepared as well, but our museums are NOT!

threecollie said...

Best wishes and good thoughts to Mrs. FC. Hope she feels better soon.
And here's hoping the hurricane brings rain if you need it without leaving any unwanted problems behind.

Kathleen said...

Glad to hear that Sara came through again and the baby got a new home.

Hope Mrs. FC is feeling better. Ouch!!!

Anonymous said...

Maybe you should give the Mrs. a break and carry some weight around there! Glad your'e not the kind of person that would of just taken the kitten to the gator hole. Try to stay dry this week, looks like a wet one down your way. Dried up here for a week finaly, just cooler then usual. It was almost cold on the way back from class the other night. (Jeep being in summer dressout.)
Bro J

Dani said...

I hope you get to feelin' better Mrs. FC.

jojo said...

are we having a hurricanE? uhoh. i need to read the news or watch tv more...

i have a new kitten. There are useful things they do. I haven't seen mine do anything yet, but i'm sure there are SOME THINGS they do. really.

OH i know... They like to PLAY with baby mice. :) in the living room. and then when tired let them go.

R.Powers said...

To avoid too much repetition, let me say thank you for the well wishes to Mrs. FC.
She's still pretty miserable, but I'll let her know the blogosphere is wishing her well.


Robin,
I think this is one to enjoy and not stress over.

Rico,
How catlike of you!

Laura,
They are painful, she actually popped the other one about ten years ago in an adult soccer game.


Pablo,
That would be wonderful.


SCMomma,
I can't help doing the hurricane dance ... I've got happy feet!!

Sharon,
Yes, definitely bring the dog!

Susan,
You guys really need this dumping. I hope it stays on track.

Freste,
Thanks.
Will do on the safe thing.


C.I.J.,
Ouch. I agree after watching her heal up from the last popped tendon.
This is number two.

Kathy A,
A happy ending!

Bro J,
I can't picture cold at this time of the year.

Cathy S,
Uh oh.
Good luck!!

3C,
I would like a full pond out of this.


Kathleen,
One lucky kitten. It's a great family that took her.


Thanks Dani!!!

JoJo,
Yup, we've got one coming.
A useful cat? Imagine that.

Anonymous said...

I know, usually it's still on the warm to hot side driving at that time of night. But, the other night coming home, (35mi.drive) I was glad that I at least had long jeans on. I'm sure we still have more hot stuff in store before it's time to button up the jeep for winter.
Bro J

OldHorsetailSnake said...

That's beautiful, FC. Supersomespectacular, is what I say.

(PS: Reading the news reports, you are one of the few Fla/s who are ready for Fay. That, I suppose, is because you are smarter than the average bearskin.)

who wouda thunk it?? said...

I know what you mean.... when I hear the words, "do you know of anyone who would..." I am usually a half a block away and never hear if it is feline, canine, fish or fowl.
I have six dogs,a snake and a 70 lb Tortoise, and three fish tanks. so the answer is NO

Anonymous said...

Good luck to Mrs. FC, tell her to get well soon, and good luck with the storm.

We are supposed to have hurricane windows installed this week. Probably after the storm passes. Oh well...

Miz S said...

Aw, man. I left an intelligent and witty comment but it has been eaten by Blogger. The gist of it was pretty much stuff that everyone else already said, so I won't bother to try and recreate it. That's what I get for arriving at the party so late!

Doug Taron said...

I hope Mrs. FC is better soon. Good luck with the hurricane. Well done on finding a home for an incredibly cute kitty. (Tipping my hand here on my partisan position on the dog/cat thing)

Aunty Belle said...

Ah, FC, ya' always give me a wee giggle..furricane fay. I Ain't been able to develop no fondness fer felines either. Youse to be commended fer risin' above the urge to ditch it.

Happy to know youse prepared fer the season of 'canes. Reckon I figgered you'd be set fer it. Some years ago Uncle had a BIG ole tank buried in the north forty fer the gas grill. Thar's a generator, the first aid meds and water and such. But the thang is, I still ain't made duplicates or scanned CDs of family photos and the dear thangs that would pain us to lose.

Is ya excited fer the openin' of the school year? I love the smell of jes' sharpened pencils.

Hope Super Nurse is on the mend. My regards.

Aunty Belle said...

Wait wait!!

A donkey hobby farm? Whas' that? Is it jes' pets, like a pettin' zoo? or do donkey's have local work?

R.Powers said...

Bro J,
Enjoy your topless time.

Hoss,
Yes, I can usually win IQ contests with rugs.
:)

Who,
I hear ya!!
My pet plate is full too.

Kevin,
Just as well, you won't need them for this storm.

Miz S,
But I am always delighted when you show up!

Doug,
Thanks.
Listen, I photographed the most unusual (to me) nocturnal insect predation thang last night. Keep your eyes peeled for a post on it.

Aunty,
It's that dumb "No act of kindness is ever wasted" philosophy of mine.
Dang it!
Sounds like you and Uncle are ready.
Mostly ... that picture point is a good one.
As for the donkey farm, the lady got a pet one a few years ago and now she has a minibusiness with a whole herd of em.
Apparently they make wonderful pets.

Smilin-buddha said...

Wish I could be that excited.
Just in case shutters are going up.

R.Powers said...

Smilin B,
Good luck with it.

Lynn said...

what a difference a couple of days makes!! It looks like its taking a u-turn for us here in Lake county....