Florida Weather Watching

Eight hurricanes in two years was at least part of the reason that we "sought higher ground" than our Cape Coral home several years ago when we embarked on our supposed 5 year plan of full time travel in an RV. Not that we didn't love the weather here most of the time, and especially in the winter when it was pretty cold elsewhere. And not that we didn't and don't love being by the water- the sea, the river, the lake, whatever- we do. But weather watching when severe storms are forecast can be stressful. Florida has more than its share. And who needs that?

But it seems that weather, severe and otherwise, finds you where-ever you go- at least it does us! We've been in floods in the Dakotas (you ever see an ocean there???) and in the mountains in Canada and along the small streams in North Carolina, and, come to think of it, just about everywhere else we have gone. So should we be surprised to find ourselves in yet another tornado watch in southern Florida after a day and a half of heavy tropical downpours. Oh probably not, but we didn't have anything else terribly important to do today, so why not stress over Florida weather. Myself? I don't have to turn on the weather channel- ever. Marilyn will do that at each and every time there is the remotest possibility of severe weather in our area. Therein lies the principle difference in our thinking. She wants to know that she and the coach are about to be tossed and turned and abused by whatever it is that is headed our way. I'm pretty sure she believes that advance knowledge of the inevitable will somehow lessen the severity. I have already faced my own personal inability to change the weather- so I prefer, especially in the dark of night- to sleep through whatever it is I am about to sleep through. I do not wish to hear the harsh and grating jazz of the weather channel OR the static cyber noise of the NOAA weather radio lulling me into restless sleep, so if she must watch or listen- I'm off to bed. Even motor coaches have pocket doors!

She will prepare in vain. I will report after the fact. What a team! So at this point with a couple hours left in the watch, here is what is going on. Our non water front campground is, at this very moment, waterfront real estate (per photo). I sincerely hope, this being Naples and all, that the management will not come around in a golf cart and hit us with a sur-charge for waterfront access lots. Also, the guy across the street lost his awning and wind break in last night's heavy rains and high winds. He never bothered to fold it up, so either Marilyn forgot to tell him what the Weather Channel watch and warning was saying, or he has replacement insurance and needed a new one anyhow. That's my guess, owing at least in part to the duct tape I see at a couple places on the frame........


I am tempted to tell you that Marilyn is "keeping her eyes on the weather," but she had a sty that had to be lanced yesterday at the eye doctor (talk about cute), so technically, she is just keeping an EYE (that is to say one only) on it for now. One wonders if she is only getting half the picture, so to speak.

So that's the news for now. And either I report more, later, at another time...or the weather watch finally takes me out, and you can make up your own mildly humourous recountings of violent weather in the future! Storm Stories marches on!