The 13th Anniversary of Andrew, Cat. 5 Hurricane-Devastation to South Florida (vanity)

8-24-05

[Sam Cree]

I was just 6 blocks south of Mangledwood, same basic neighborhood.

I vote for the next cat 4 or 5 coming ashore in So FL to hit Palm Beach, where they probably feel like redecorating anyway.

[Clemenza]

Much as I am tempted to share your sentiment, I've got parents in Boca (surrounded by Wexlercrats), so I just hope they get ample warning.

[Sam Cree]

"Yep, as well as the AIDS infected monkeys that were on the loose"

I remember a friend wondering how AIDS infected monkeys could be a problem, supposing that one actually has to consumate relations with them to get the AIDS.

At one point during the days after Andrew, a couple of small antelope looking animals came bounding through my yard, followed moments later by running soldiers. My dogs were outraged, to say the least.

[Sam Cree]

I have close friends in Boca too. Wish there was a way for it to just hit Palm Beach and dissipate there.

[STARWISE]

Oh yeah . .. that demographic got worse with the abandoned homes and those who were hungry to leave and sold cheap. Krome Ave. was plagued with refugees of all stripes .. and you DID NOT want to go there. All those businesses dried up afterward. I think it's being revived now, but with the storm damage and infrastructure, the severe economic blow to the area, and imported produce, the whole area, including the ag base, suffered horribly, and the farmers finally sold out to developers. That's the saddest thing to me. I used to be able to go to the fields and pick the greatest veggies .. there's was always a U-pick field open for something.

One of the scariest things was in deep deep South Dade, there was a primate research facility, and they got decimated, and the chimps ran wild.

I was helping a friend salvage down there, and we looked up and there was a little darting chimp in the exposed rafters. No one knew how diseased they were or what diseases they carried . .. caused quite a bit of mass panic.

This is my INTERIOR wall that was the first EXTERIOR standing wall after the fury. The 3 connected units there were brought down to a pile of trusses, I-beams, and particles of furniture and possessions spread across the slabs .. nothing survived in those 3 units.

Outside shots -(Webshots won't let me load the pics with and "img src" prompt for some reason -- this is the only way the picture can be viewed right now) Just copy and paste into your browser:

Outside View of the INTERIOR wall that became an EXTERIOR wall:

http://image62.webshots.com/62/7/6/13/432370613PJhyOM_ph.jpg

Inside View - before demolition and after the mini dozers had been in scraping away the debris:

http://image62.webshots.com/62/7/20/61/432372061aYkkdw_ph.jpg

[onyx]

I just read the entire narrative aloud to my husband and after I post this, I'll show him the pics.

Thanks for the ping, Star.

[GretchenM]

Thank you for alerting me to this thread.

I'm glad you survived.

I'm glad you moved north.

[STARWISE]

Thanks for looking for and your suggestion. Just being out of there has made a WORLD of difference except for spontaneous and very sporadic anxiety .. which I expect will wane with more familiarty with my new lifestyle and location, and Praise God!! It looks like I start a great job on Tuesday!!! Thank you so much for your prayers.

[GretchenM]

Is it a set deal, the new job on Tuesday? Let me know how things go.