Reply #33: Guy, so glad to hear you and yours are ok.

[soup]

It's a very strange feeling to be sitting here at home in what we were repeatedly and urgently told was the bullseye of this storm and to see the utter devastation throughout the state around us. We live in an A evacuation area, and fully expected that when we left and closed the door behind us that we would have no home to come back to.

There is no joy that we 'dodged the bullet' when so many suffered so much loss. But there are definitely smiles of relief as I go through the DU threads and see so many familiar Floridians' names pop up and let us know they made it through.

Our daughter called this morning. She's arriving from Iowa tomorrow and will be one of the representatives assisting with insurance claims down your way. They told her to expect to be here in Florida at least 3 weeks. Just heard on the news another 20 Salvation Army units are being sent out, too.

True help is on the way, not just a *bush photo-op -
"Look at me, I'm riding around above the destructeration in a helicopter because I care. Hey, you guys, what's this little silver knob for? Can I wiggle that stick thing? hunh? can I? I'm a pilot, too, you know. Come on, it's my turn."
Sorry, can't resist any chance to take a jab.

I send my best wishes to all who suffered any loss to this storm, and hopes for strength through what it will take to put their lives and communities back together.

Thank you for taking the time today to let us know you made it through. So many of us share in the relief of hearing that news.