Parts of Florida have many pluses for retirees - not this week though (single, taxes)
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I definitely want to see the Grand Canyon some day. I hear that it's truly breathtaking. I guess it's the idea of living in a dry, arid, dusty climate far away from the water that doesn't appeal to me. I know that Arizona is a popular retirement destination. I've never actually been there so it's hard for me to relate to what people love about it. The mountains and the cool forests do sound nice.
Very breathtaking. We drove up there from Phoenix on a whim. I parked the car - all I remember is walking from the parking area and going through a few trees and then - there it was - of course, still far away - but wow - amazing.
I guess it depends on the situation, but I saw a ring video of a family packing up their car in a panic as a wildfire was quickly encroaching upon their neighborhood and starting to engulf homes down at the end of their street. The terror in those people was horrific.
With hurricanes you at least have a week or so where you know that they are coming. In Florida, if the hurricane comes down the west coast, the people can evacuate inland and eastward. If it's coming down the east coast they can evacuate inland and westward. It's not like they have to drive all the way to Alabama or Georgia to get out of the danger zone. The problem is when the hurricanes jog a bit in another direction and change where they are going to come ashore.
One thing I noticed in this storm is that officials were telling people just get to higher ground; no need to drive to another state.
I think some people especially those who can't make up their minds to stay or go get fixated on the "perfect" evacuation.
So, sure if you have to go you want to have everything you want/need and find a nice place to stay and maybe have a mini-vacation while you wait it out.
But, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. If you've waited too long or you don't have the energy or money for the perfect getaway, then just find the closest shelter and go there.
I think this needs to be stressed more during these storms.
That is good news about your electricity. Do you all still have running, potable water?
We have a well with potable water and use a reverse osmosis system. The well pump and RO both needs electricity which was one of the reasons we have solar and a generator. We live in an unincorporated area that has not been put on the county water system yet. The county water system had been shutdown and has just come online for many people with a three day boil order and a request to limit usage when possible. All barrier islands had water shut off the day before the hurricane hit and then shut off afterwards inland to protect the water system.
This is the reason water is one of the items on a hurricane prep list. We have three days worth of bottled water on hand when hurricane season begins. Pool water can be used to flush toilets.
One thing I noticed in this storm is that officials were telling people just get to higher ground; no need to drive to another state.
I think some people especially those who can't make up their minds to stay or go get fixated on the "perfect" evacuation.
So, sure if you have to go you want to have everything you want/need and find a nice place to stay and maybe have a mini-vacation while you wait it out.
But, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. If you've waited too long or you don't have the energy or money for the perfect getaway, then just find the closest shelter and go there.
I think this needs to be stressed more during these storms.
Most of the people they show they interviewed cited staying with their pets. I think it needs to be emphasized it's safer for your pets for you to leave early with them (getting them out of harms way). If you can't get people to care about themselves maybe at least you could get them to want to save their pets. All shelters need to make allowances for pets also.
Most of the people they show they interviewed cited staying with their pets. I think it needs to be emphasized it's safer for your pets for you to leave early with them (getting them out of harms way). If you can't get people to care about themselves maybe at least you could get them to want to save their pets. All shelters need to make allowances for pets also.
There are plenty of hotels that take dogs and other pets. Yeah, it's a pain and an expense to evacuate but you have to get your pets and yourself out of harm's way.
You can book a pet friendly room in advance of an approaching storm and if the storm shifts and the room isn't needed you can cancel it.
I wouldn't want to go to a storm shelter with my own dogs - a bunch of stressed out people with their stressed out animals seems like a recipe for trouble. I'd honestly rather drive inland and park at a campground or even at a rest stop for a while and tough it out. Hurricanes are generally over pretty quickly so it's not like you have to stay there for long.
Hopefully, you will still have a home to go back to when the storm is over but even if you don't it'll be a blessing that you and your fur babies are safe.
We have a well with potable water and use a reverse osmosis system. The well pump and RO both needs electricity which was one of the reasons we have solar and a generator. We live in an unincorporated area that has not been put on the county water system yet. The county water system had been shutdown and has just come online for many people with a three day boil order and a request to limit usage when possible. All barrier islands had water shut off the day before the hurricane hit and then shut off afterwards inland to protect the water system.
This is the reason water is one of the items on a hurricane prep list. We have three days worth of bottled water on hand when hurricane season begins. Pool water can be used to flush toilets.
I figured that the public water system had been shut down on the islands but I wasn't 100% sure how that was handled. It's good that you have a well system that is up and running now. Do you have to test your well water for contaminates after a storm like that or is the well contained enough that contamination should not be an issue? I've never had a well, so I'm not sure how they work.
I'm glad that conditions are starting to improve where you live. I saw some video footage of Naples and was pleasantly surprised by how much of the area has held up. There are even some gas stations and other stores open there which surprised me given the horrible flooding that happened in parts of Naples.
I definitely want to see the Grand Canyon some day. I hear that it's truly breathtaking. I guess it's the idea of living in a dry, arid, dusty climate far away from the water that doesn't appeal to me. I know that Arizona is a popular retirement destination. I've never actually been there so it's hard for me to relate to what people love about it. The mountains and the cool forests do sound nice.
I think it's worth the trip to see the Grand Canyon. I would not live in a desert, either, but it was fascinating to visit and see. We went to Vegas. Took a Hummer tour of the Red Rock Canyon in the desert outside of Vegas, and we drove through the Arizona desert to the Western rim of the Canyon. Breathtaking.
Even driving there was interesting. A very different landscape from our lush greenery in NJ and other east coast states.
And all the stuff that is involved in that one as they try to skirt it, from drilling for oil to naval maneuvers! It's enough to have you shaking your head, such as when part of Florida was bought during the Bush years to preserve its nature so it was argued why not do that for Texas, too.......but long story short, Florida was just a political bribe that never came thru, to bring you to tears that people would think like that of "this is a perfect place for that! (development)".
I was with the Sierra Club when they wanted to go to Padre Island to build sand animals to protest potential oil drilling there.....and that was one project I could not participate in. For things like that draw attention, the press, and I could see it now, being in a security interview and the magazine cover slid across the table with me in on the picture......"Now, Ms. Ounce, can you explain this?".
I'm fine with the government offering assistance to home owners who have lost their homes and personal possessions. Some of those people have lived in their homes for years and years only to have their flood insurance dropped suddenly or the rates raised so high that they couldn't afford to pay it. They chose to stay in the homes and communities that they knew and loved.
Those people I can see helping. But the non local investors who chose to invest heavily in coastal real estate, running up real estate prices for everyone else - no. I don't think that they should be compensated.
I would add second homes to that list as well. Why should the government pay to reimburse me for the loss of my vacation cottage or my winter snowbird home? Those are luxuries. Nobody NEEDS more than one house.
I also think we should be getting realistic about what global warming is going to do to southern Florida and to coastal areas all throughout the Gulf and the eastern seaboard, and start using buyouts to encourage people to relocate to safer locations. In the long run, that will be cheaper then trying to rebuild in a bad location over and over again.
I think it's worth the trip to see the Grand Canyon. I would not live in a desert, either, but it was fascinating to visit and see. We went to Vegas. Took a Hummer tour of the Red Rock Canyon in the desert outside of Vegas, and we drove through the Arizona desert to the Western rim of the Canyon. Breathtaking.
Even driving there was interesting. A very different landscape from our lush greenery in NJ and other east coast states.
Visiting Grand Canyon is now on my official list of things I've got to do. Apparently it's one of those things that you've got to see with your own eyes to truly appreciate it.
We have been planning a cross country road trip for a while now and that'll definitely be one of our stops.
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