Hurricane through a pinhole: the post-Irma post

The pictures that follow were taking during calmer periods in the storm, through one of the tiny holes in the bathroom shutter. Smallest window, least danger from opening it.

On some of the pictures I took, you can see the curve of the holes where I didn’t have the lens lined up quite right.

We lost trees, lost power three times (but it came back up each time, so we were really, really lucky compared to most of the folks in the area), and we had the slashing rain and screaming wind that come from high sustained winds and higher gusts.

The shutters and our homemade hardware held. We had no way to see what the damage outside was, though. You don’t want to put your eye up to the hole and chance debris being blown through at that moment.

I figured out that the lens of my cellphone camera would fit against the hole in the bathroom shutter, though, and I could look at the screen and see what was out there, whether trees or light posts or power lines were down. And while I was looking in between bands, I took a few pictures.

The whole process was frightening and exhausting. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in two weeks.

Sheldon was a trooper. He kept going to the windowsills trying to see what was going on outside, but most of the time, he sat on laps and snuggled and stayed with us.

All three of us were glad for his company.

We came out the other side of this with everything intact but our nerves, took the shutters down yesterday, have sunlight in the house again for the first time in about a week and a half (for most rooms).

And Monday, I’ll be back to work.

Thank you to every person who offered comfort during this. We didn’t have Internet until Tuesday, and that was spotty. My daughter in Georgia, where the infrastructure hasn’t been hardened against hurricanes, was without power for a couple of days, and just got her internet back steadily yesterday.

And if you missed the notice, and related to the hurricane, and my realization that I’m going to be 57 on the October 8th, and I don’t want to face another thirty years (or even one more year) watching hurricane maps and filling empty soda bottles with tap water and wrangling heavy shutters over windows and wondering if this is going to be the time we lose everything (again)…

I put together a Patreon to fund the writing of my fiction, with the plan being to have my fiction create a fund for moving us to a hurricane-less place.

Patreon is a site that allows any creator’s fans to pay small monthly amounts to fund the creation of work, in exchange for monthly rewards from the creator. The site handles the money and the delivery of rewards, lets patrons know about new posts and reward delivery, and gives folks like me a little security in knowing there’ll be some money each month to cover bills while we create.

If you’ll take a look at the page, consider becoming a member, or let someone else know about the page, I would really appreciate it.

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14 responses to “Hurricane through a pinhole: the post-Irma post”

  1. Tuff Avatar

    Late to the party (was on vacation, then my Dad had a mini-stroke and subsequent carotid surgery, so now with him this week), but did want to chime in and say I’m happy all went relatively well. Glad you are safe and I look forward to reading Longview 4 when it comes out!

  2. Anne Avatar
    Anne

    What part of the country do you want to move to?

    1. Holly Avatar
      Holly

      North-western Georgia, or western South Carolina, North Carolina, or Virginia. I want to be closer to my two adult kids, and as far from the ocean as possible while doing that.

  3. Amanda Truscott Avatar

    So glad you made it:-)

  4. Storm Avatar

    So glad that you came through the storm safely. We had quite a few friends and family who fell under Irma’s cruel hand, and I’m glad that you are alright.

  5. Sallie Avatar
    Sallie

    I completely understand and if I’m ever in a position to support you on Patreon, I will. I left Hurricane Alley (Louisiana) in 1975 for NM and have never looked back, but then, I fell for the desert and fell hard. Hope you find another place to love for the next 30 years and get to move there soon.

    1. Storm Avatar

      That’s where I’m headed in the next couple of months — but Arizona rather than NM. Harvey left me without access to my doctors and without a couple of critical medications that didn’t manage to make it through the refill process before the storm hit and that ran out before the pharmacy re-opened. One of the meds was a heart medication, and going off of it, even temporarily, is something that has to be done through a weaning process… which means ‘don’t run out’. It was a scary couple of weeks and something I am too old and too sick to repeat again… so I am heading for someplace where we don’t have hurricanes and tornadoes. *nods lots* Fortunately, I have family who are helping me make the transition.

      1. Sallie Avatar
        Sallie

        EEP! Not a good situation. Hope AZ turns out well for you!

  6. Irina Avatar
    Irina

    I’m glad you three plus feline companion are unharmed!
    My best wishes ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. sophia Avatar

    So glad you and yours came through safe and sound (relatively speaking. Shot nerves are no joke but…could have been so very much worse for you guys).

    Awesome to see your patreon starting strong; fingers x’d you get the chance to move to safer climates sooner rather than later. (Speaking from experience: Northern midwest isn’t so bad if you can cope with crazy cold winters and the occasional tornado warning/watch. Fairly cheap cost of living too, depending on where you look.)

    Good luck finding a safer place to call home and very very glad to see you on your way back to fiction. (I miss your fiction; can’t wait for more Cady among other things.)

    Our thoughts are with you and the rest of FL, Texas, Georgia and anywhere else under the path of hurricanes this season.

  8. Deb Salisbury Avatar

    I’m glad you’re safe, Holly!

  9. Reziac Avatar

    The modern version of a periscope ๐Ÿ™‚

    Glad you have sunshine again. We just lost ours — snow in the high country today!

    1. sophia Avatar

      Oh but that’s good right? Considering all the wildfires and such? Hugs and stay warm up there ๐Ÿ˜€

      1. Reziac Avatar

        Maybe that’s why this evening my little town had a big fireworks display — in the pouring rain! to celebrate the abrupt end of fire season. Yeah, we’ll take that.

        Hugs back ๐Ÿ™‚

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