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Frances is traversing the peninsula of Florida now, passing south of here on its way to the west coast and north of Tampa.
I just took a peek outside, and from where I am, it's not terrible and frightening like Charley. It's a steady, hard wind, which isn't supposed to let up for another six hours or so.
So it's not nearly as intense as Charley, just unrelenting.
What's just as unrelenting is the 24/7 weather nuts, standing in their rain slickers, telling us over and over again that it's windy and rainy while holding onto their hoods and hats. The east-coast beaches must be crawling with TV and radio reporters, fighting and bumping into each other over every square inch of space.
My BF and I have been put up in a downtown Marriott, courtesy of our employer, since our power is out at our house. I'm thankful for that. The pets are at my folks', who don't have power either but are otherwise safe.
Between Charley and Frances, the hotel we're at has sustained some damage. There's a three story-high patch of siding that's come off the parking-lot side of the building. It looks as though the top layer of skin has been ripped off, revealing the flesh underneath.
We are in room 911. I don't know if that means anything.
At 6:30 this morning, the manager came on the PA and requested everyone to leave their rooms and come down to the second-floor meeting halls. Apparently, a few windows were leaking, and there was water in some stairwells. We found a couple of chairs and got comfortable. The hotel, to my glee, is also a pet-friendly shelter, so I was entertained by the pooches that had come down to the meeting halls with their owners. One woman had a fluffy, golden chow mix and two beautiful great danes. I was like a kid in a candy store. The great danes had to have been 4 feet tall at the shoulder. Another woman jokingly said, "I didn't know they let horses in here." The danes were incredibly well behaved; they found a comfy spot next to their owner and sat quietly as guests came to pet them. I was entranced by them like a kid furiously rapping on the keypad of a Gameboy. I love big dogs.
About 20 minutes later, those whose rooms were not near the damaged side of the building -- that included us, thank goodness -- were allowed to return to their rooms, but not after being given a free breakfast buffet. That was worth the inconvenience to me! I'm such a whore for free food.
Meanwhile, I'm back at work. We returned here early this morning, trying to beat the worst of Frances before we got trapped at the hotel. I think I'll be here until early Monday morning.
Current mood: Bored
Replies: 2 shoutouts
OMG. the paper put up people in a hotel who didn't have power?
*dies of jealousy*
Posted by tiff @ 09/12/2004 01:31 AM EST
I'll never understand the logic of showing the reporter fighting to stay standing in the storm, barely heard on the mic. Why not just sit in the van, point the camera out the window and narrate off-camera?
Posted by ~ @ 09/05/2004 01:09 PM EST