D#*~@# Ernesto !

[Irishlass]

:curse:

The Irish family has been waiting all summer for our annual trek to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We usually do this the first week of June, but due to the birth of the latest member of the family on May 8th, we decided on a fall trip this year. When we made this decision we talked about the chances of a hurricane, but we just kinda' thought...........what are the odds? Well, folks, Ernesto is threatening my "beach fix" and I'm not a happy camper. Mrs. Sillywilly and I have been on the 'puter and the phone all day trying too decide what we are going to do. My other daughter and her family are awaiting our decision and, as of now, we don't have one. We are supposed to leave in the morning, but we don't know where we are going. Plan B is a Smoky Mountain trip, but I can hear Mother Ocean calling and I'm not sure a monutain trip is going to pacify me. I talked to my granddaughter, Amanda, a while ago and she is so excited about seeing the crabs and playing on the beach............don't think that will happen in the Tennessee mountains. :( I think we will wait until morning to make the final decision. Mr. Irish and I may just get up in the morning and start driving South..........gotta' head that direction for either destination.
Mrs. Sillywilly and her sister can make the final decision and give us a call on our cell and let us know where we are going. Ain't life fun?

[Gabby]

I'm sorry!

I hope you'll find a place to go to satisfy that urge.

[tahitisweetie]

It is supposed to be gone by late Saturday at Outer Banks I believe, IL.

So if it is a week's trip, all but first day or two would be good. (Although I did do a quick 10-day forecast for the area and there are scattered shows each evening. I'd think those would be hit or miss -- not torrential downpours.)

[TigerLily]

It's supposed to be all the way up here by Saturday morning. If it's a week long trip, Irish, I doubt it would affect you much past Saturday.

[pocket]

Well shoot, IL. I wonder how the weather will be in NC after the storm goes through? How does that vary from the Gulf to the Atlantic. After Katrina, it was very hot in NO and Miss. After Rita, it was over 100 for several days in Texas. Not only that, we were swarmed with mosquitos.

[Sunburntbeatle]

I'm sorry the weather is giving you and yours "fits". I hope it works out for you.

[patchiepoopoo]

I'm sorry to hear this, but yes I think you need to think real hard on this since it is better to be safe than sorry with that weather.

[Virgo6]

Irish, I feel for you. My oldest daughter has been looking forward to a vacation all year also. Booked a cruise to Bermuda and left last Sunday from NYC. Her whole trip has been screwed up. She called Tues. and said that their itinerary was changed and they are now bypassing the Bahamas and some other private island and heading right to Bermuda. They might be able to port at Nassau first. Rain everyday except for alittle sun when they ported at FL on Tues. But you know what they are still having a great time.
Like others have mentioned, its suppose to be clear and sunny here on Sun. and we are further up the Eastern Seaboard than the Carolinas. We are getting the worse of it starting tomorrow afternoon. Play it by ear. All the rain should be out of that area and you might just have a nasty couple of days. Do you reservations somewhere? If you want let me know and I can have my SIL check on the weather. That is his job. He is the one that told my oldest exactly what to expect on her cruise.

[calpurnia]

Well, here they put us on two hour delay for school tomorrow. Ever since I have lived in NC, we have never had a real two hour delay...they always wind up canceling school all together. They canceled all after-school activities today as well. It's done nothing but rain, and not particularly hard rain. Last year they canceled school during one of these tropical storms and it didn't even rain. It's aggravating as heck. I know everyone here is headed to the beach for the Labor Day weekend, though there is some flooding in Wilmington already. I'd say go ahead and go for it, as long as you will be there past Saturday. It is true that it is better to be safe than sorry, but here in NC we aren't getting much more than a lot of rain. THe winds seem manageable as well.

[Virgo6]

They do the same thing Cal with snowstorms. The media hypes it all up and everyone runs out to get bread and milk (I don't know its a Long Island tradition which I do not participate in) and stock up on other supplies. They cancel school and we get a dusting. What is hard nowadays is that the majority of moms work outside the house and they take a day off also to be with the kids. Then the storm is nothing and the kids then have to lose one of their holiday days off. Or the opposite happens. They don't predict a big snowstorm and we get blasted. Our town has many hilly roads and its the ice that we have to watch out for.

[Slitter]

I hope you can get to the ocean, IL. From what these other folks say, it sounds promising even if you have to dawdle for a day or so before getting there. I trust your common sense.

[calpurnia]

Same thing here....I mean, you can't FIND a loaf of bread if there is a hurricane anywhere in the ocean! And they cancel school for even a chance of ice. Growing up in the midwest, I remember standing in a foot of snow waiting for the bus. But here, the threat of bad weather is enough to close down the town. I don't think it is a Long Island thing...I thought it was a southern thing, but maybe it is an east coast thing. Whatever, I think it is ridiculous.

[Virgo6]

Its the MEDIA HYPE Cal. They stir things up and worry the people especially the elderly. They call every snowstorm a Blizzard. Two of my daughters live upstate in the mountains and their roads are plowed right away and people handle the snow storms differently. Same in Maine where my parents and relatives are. Its not big deal. They plan ahead for the winter months. I should state that I won't drive in the snow, but then I am not 20 years old anymore either. As you age you are more aware of dangers. I go out on the roads when they are salted and plowed and its safe. My youngest daughter was stupid last winter and ended up down a gully. She went out on a dumb errand that could have waited until the roads were plowed. Hit a patch of ice and down she slid. Car was a mess and lucky for her a friend managed to get a truck and pulled her out of the gully. She was not hurt. I warn her all the time "Your life is more important than anything else when there is ice and snow". We lost the power during a hurricane and had a tree on top of our house. We couldn't shower or use blow dryers. We ate meals of crackers and cereal and whatever we could find. The best though was the local ice cream store had a sign up to come in for free ice cream because all their stock was melting with no power. A small treat during a bad time. Good luck Irish.

[frawniemae]

Ashamed to say I haven't really kept up with Ernesto since he decided to head east and miss us. I'm sorry he's messing up your vacation plans, Irish. Maybe you can salvage some beach time once he's through messing around. Good luck and my prayers are with all who have been and will be affected by Ernesto.

[TigerLily]

Off topic here - frawnie I'd just like to say - hubba hubba - to your avatar. That's a yummy picture of Mr Depp. All menacy/broody - yuum!!

[frawniemae]

Thanks TL! I love my Johhny!

[Irishlass]

We've taken a family vote and the results are in..................we will be having a Smoky Mountain vacation this year. Mrs. Sillywilly has secured a mountain cabin near Gatlinburg and we will be there for a week. I think we were lucky to find something on such short notice since this is Labor Day weekend.

Hopefully, the mountains will restore my spirit like the ocean usually does. I will enjoy the time with my family no matter where we are. I can't wait to have all three grandchildren together under one roof, should be fun. I only wish little Anzie and her parents could stay the whole week instead of just the weekend........oh, well, I'll take what I can get.

What finally made us decide to avoid the OBX wasn't the storm itself, but the flooding they are predicting. Hatteras Island is notorious for its lengthy power outages. All things considered, it just made sense to avoid that area this time around. There is always next year.

Note to Slitter..........I will try to take that photo you requested.

[Slitter]

I don't know if I should be glad or terrified! ;)

[An-g_BB]

Its the MEDIA HYPE Cal. They stir things up and worry the people especially the elderly. They call every snowstorm a Blizzard. ....


Virgo... one thing we learned about NC ~~ my parents lived a few years back in Grahm NC for about 6 yrs. (its close to Greensboro!) but us
being from IL... we are not afraid of snow...like you said, i too remember walking to school in drifts as high as my knees- WHAT FUN!!! hahah so the reactions in NC were always so odd to us.

In NC, they dont have snow plows nor do they stock much road salt. they DO have sand- but my mom would recount the backhoes and such trying to dump sand around... not effecient or good on snowy roads to navagate.

They would get the lil bit of snow and it was mayhem...and yeah they'd cancel school for the THOUGHT that it might snow! .....then realize, for the locals who dont know HOW to drive on snow driving is plain insanity!! (:lol2: ohh how she'd tell the funniest stories!!)

[Sunburntbeatle]

I'm glad you're all able to still get together.

[Fuel]

It going to be fun here, I'm sure there will be major flooding. We've gotten around 4 inches of rain this past week, and they are calling for 4-6 inches of rain by tomorrow afternoon. At least we do not live on a flood plain!


IL, that was probably a good decision. At least you will have everyone together.

[Virgo6]

Fuel, you keep the rain down there and let it miss us......ONLY KIDDING! hahaha
We are getting hit again this afternoon and all day tomorrow also. My husband just ran out and mowed the front lawn. It was getting high because of all the rain. A few weeks ago everything was browning out and dying and now its soaked. I am glad to have the flowers revived though.
We are pretty centrally located on the island and never get flooding though it did look as though we were in a river during the week. The rain water was heading up our driveway and we got some water in the basement. There is a lake a mile and a half from us but that never affects us. Its the poor people on either the North or South shores that get all the damage.
I did hear Central PA was going to get tons of rain. Stock up on reading material and try not to go anywhere. Upstate where two of my daughters live gets flood warnings all the time. One had to take the long way home from work Mon or Tues because of roads flooding out.
Glad Irish did make that decision. They did say the Carolinas should have a decent weekend at least that is what I heard on the Weather Channel before I went to bed, but if there is flooding she is better off going to the Mts. Anywhere she can spend time with all her family will be fun anyway.
They were lucky to find a place on a holiday weekend. Everything is booked solid here at the beach communities.

[patchiepoopoo]

Have a wonderful time Irish. I think you made a wise decision. :thumb:

[frawniemae]

It was meant to be IMHO since you were able to get accomodations! Have a great time!

[Slitter]

Virgo, Fuel, please send your rain to us!!! We've gotten a little this past week but we need lots more. Never thought I'd be saying that so soon after those bad July storms but there you go. Gully-washers don't really help because most of it just runs off. We need a nice, steady downpour, not the wrath of God.

[Virgo6]

Sli, I just got a call from daughter Kris on the peninsula of Maryland. She has terrible rain and her power went out from the wind. She said that people closer to the water are evacuating. Its suppose to hit us tonight while we sleep. I don't mind rain, but we have several trees near our house and I don't want the wind to knock one down while I am sleeping. ewwwwww! Had a tree fall on us once but that was during the day. I'll Huff and I'll Puff and send it all your way...hehehehehe Oh, the wind is building up now I can hear it. It is a'coming. Fuel must be getting hit bad from the maps I see.

[Slitter]

If only we could even it out. Nobody gets the wrath of God and nobody gets droughts. I wonder if we'll be able to do that someday.

[Virgo6]

Sli, we can't even solve the race issue how "the you know what" :biglaugh: :biglaugh: will we control Mother Nature

[Irishlass]

I'm sitting here looking out over the Smoky Mountains using my son-in-law's laptop. The view is fantastic (not the ocean, but still beautifulI). I'm overdosing on grandchildren and loving every minute of it. I'll check in now and then during the week. Happy Labor Day to you all.

Sli,your memories are correct........the road getting to this cabin is exactally what you described. Mrs. Sillywilly is going to get some pics for you.

[Gabby]

I'm glad you all made it safely!

Enjoy the time together!!!

[Virgo6]

Have fun Irish! You made a good choice. My daughter in Maryland got hit badly with flooding and all. Here on Long Island it looks like a hurricane went through here. Branches, twigs and leaves all over from the high winds and rain. Actually, partly cloudy today. My oldest made it home from her cruise to Bermuda, but said it was the scariest thing in her life. Couldn't sleep because the ship was rolling back and forth and doors were opening. She traveled and arrived back in NY yesterday. Cruised along the Eastern Seaboard and said around Washington/Maryland area was terrible.
Enjoy the family......safe trip home.

[Slitter]

Sli,your memories are correct........the road getting to this cabin is exactally what you described. Mrs. Sillywilly is going to get some pics for you.

:eek:

It sounds like you're having a great time even without the ocean. And the ocean view will be all the more sweet when you do get there for having missed it this time. Enjoy!

[Irishlass]

We arrived home yesterday evening, exhausted , but happy. The mountains were beautiful and we had some quality family time. We laughed, ate, played, and generally had a great time.

I LOVE my grandkids.......................I knew that already, but it was so much fun to have a concentrated dose of them. Little James took his first steps while we were there. Before we left he was up to eight consecutive ones. I loved "seeing" things through 3 1/2 year old Amanda's eyes. She had a wonderful take on things, it was so fun to hear her telling about seeing a real bear in a tree and telling stories about the bugs and birds who were our neighbors. Baby Anzie is just getting cuter and cuter, she has a smile that would melt a witch's heart.

Slitter, your memories of those mountain roads are so on the money........it was Wednesday before I made the trip up the mountain to our cabin with my eyes open the entire way (I wasn't driving). I never did figure out what we were supposed to do if we met another car, thank God that never happened. And guard rails..................what guard rails, not on that road. Mrs. Sillywilly took some pictures, but they really don't do it justice. We may post some anyway.

I really missed the beauty and sound of the ocean, but there were some good things about the mountains too.

It's good to be home, I'm trying to get my Survivor "game face" on. I can't believe it starts on Thursday.

[Slitter]

Welcome home, IL! :)

The kids sound so precious! I'd love to hear Amanda's stories. :lovey: What luck also to see James' first steps too. Talk about good timing! Anzie was a doll in the pics you posted. Hard to imagine her being cuter but I guess she is probably more in tune with her surroundings now and also making those funny baby faces. :) Even without the ocean, I know you were loving every moment with them.

OMG, I bet it's been 30-35 years since I was there and still no guard rails???? :eek: Are they trying to control the population by giving little kids in the backseat heart attacks? The only thing that even compared to that in scary for me was that horrible skyway bridge that used to go over Tampa Bay. Both were the same. You couldn't see out the windshield so you looked out the window. And there was nothing there between you and your certain and imminent death! I still have dreams about that bridge during periods of great stress. Only that instead of the mountains I suppose because I was subjected to that view more times. {shiver}

[patchiepoopoo]

Welcome back Irish, glad you enjoyed your trip and time with the family. You were missed while you were away, glad to have you back again. :wavey:

[TigerLily]

Welcome back :) Glad you had a great time. Maybe you could do a mini trip to the ocean with hubby.

[Virgo6]

Irish, you are such a wonderful grandma. Every word you type pours out the love and tenderness you have for those children. Glad you had a great trip. I am a mountain person and really shouldn't be living on an island because I don't appreciate what others find so beautiful about the ocean. I get joy out of visiting two of my daughters who live upstate in the mountains or my family in Maine. But, where ever we roam as long as we are with the people we love that is all that matters. Welcome home! And Sli, I went over that skyway bridge you were talking about...yikes.

[TigerLily]

Awesome Avatar Virgo!

[snip the elf]

My turn!
It came here this morning. The wind is blowing and the rain isn't too bad right now. I'm just worried about flooding and the 2 big trees in the front yard....I hope a big strong wind doesn't blows in the right direction. :suspiciou

[Irishlass]

Snip, I believe that you are being visited by Hurricane Florence. I hope your trees stand firm during the storm. Hopefully, the flooding will be minimal. Stay safe and keep us posted.

[Virgo6]

Yes, Snip keep us posted. It is definitely scary living on an island during a hurricane or severe storm conditions...I know. LOL Take care and I hope you have no problems to contend with as far as trees and flooding. Hope the power stays on also.

[snip the elf]

Yeah you're right, my bad. It is Florence. I was thinking it had moved up here rather quickly. lol Sorry about that everyone.

[frawniemae]

No matter what the name is, any storm like that is scary! Stay safe!

[snip the elf]

The storm has passed us, it was nothing special at all. was kinda weak when it got here. Some places were bad with 60 foot swells and 160 KM winds, but around thi part of the city I hardly noticed. The wind was some warm though, which was nice

[Slitter]

Glad you got off lightly, Snip. :)

[Virgo6]

Glad to hear Florence Fell Flat!!! and all is well.

[Irishlass]

Finally, here are the pictures Slitter has been waiting to see. They really don't do the "drop offs" justice, but you can get the idea of what the roads must be like. It really was beautiful, just intimidating for this "flatlander".

We will be traveling through the area again later this week on our way to Georgia. I'm hoping the fall colors are at their peak. It is time to visit little Anzie again, she is growing and changing so quickly. I need a "hands on" visit. Mr. Irish agrees and so we'll be leaving on Thursday. Shhhhhhhh..........we are going to surprise our daughter. Our son-in-law is in on it, I hope we get it pulled off. We're going to be sitting in a restaurant on Friday evening and they are going to come in and our daughter, hopefully, will notice us sitting there.

[Irishlass]

I'm not sure what happened, there were supposed to be 5 photos. I'll try the other 4 again.

[Slitter]

Very pretty. I guess without the frame of the car window, you don't really get that feeling of impending death that I remember, lol. Of course, I was maybe 8 or 9 at the time too which could count for some of that. They are still beautiful pictures though. Thanks for sharing them. :)

[Virgo6]

Beautiful area Irish. I love forests and mountains..........why am I on an island???