Key West is getting a visitor today. Her name is Nicole.

Her entourage has already started arriving.

Nicole will be better known before the day ends as Tropical Storm Nicole.

It is still dark outside.

I can hear the wind. It will get stronger. 25-35 miles per hour. Gusts projected at 40 miles per hour. Not bad.

I can hear the water. The waves have to be pretty good. Probably small white caps. By later in the day, they will get bigger. No time to be out on a boat. No one will be out on a boat.

Rain today is projected at 100 per cent. To be believed. How much seems a question. Projections are anywhere from 1 inch to 1 foot.

Nicole is a tropical depression. A step below a hurricane. Not necessarily dangerous.More of a pain. A lot of wind and rain. The problem is these storms at this time of the year are unpredicatable. A tropical storm can easily turn into a hurricane.

I am not a weather expert. The little I know is that these tropical storms are caused by a tropical depression. Whatever that is. I know the term, but not the meaning. What I do comprehend is that the waters this time of the year are extremely warm. Even faucet drinking water is warm. Hot water is not required to shower. The warm water is sucked up into the atmosphere and causes/contributes to these storms.

Nicole is coming to us from the northwest Carribean. Another oddity. Hurricanes generally initiate off the coast of Africa and travel this way. Nicole started in the immediate south compared to an African bred hurricane. Ergo it is coming upon us swifter that an African storm. There is less distance to travel.

All in all, Nicole should not be a big deal. Just 24-36 hours of big rain and wind. However, you never know!

Many consider the hurricane of 1935 the worst ever to hit the keys. It was not. The hurricane of 1846 was. And…..it came from the Carribean to the south! At relatively the same time of the year as now. October 5, 1846.

The winds were horrendous! Homes and buldings were generally of wood. Some stone. Neither built to withstand such force. One survivor reported that “…the air was full of boards, timber, slate…buildings falling in every direction.” Another “…the air was filled with missles-the slates were driven with deathlike celerity, giving dreadful wounds.”

There was a surge. The next day. The ocean covered the island. There was no escape. As low as 5 feet. As high in some parts as 7.5 feet.

Worry not. Our trials and tribulations, if any, over the next 24 hours will not compare.

Golf this morning. I will not be playing. It will rain heavy at some point. The winds will pick up. The game will be no fun.

I walked yesterday. At Truman Annex. A touch of difference. The area was developed roughly 15 years ago. Lovely white homes. Picket fences. Well foliaged. Quiet. Nary a person on the streets.

I had to return to Publix. I am eating up my supply of food rapidly on this diet. Needed more veggies and fruit. I bought a piece of salmon which I had for lunch. Delicious!

Dinner last night was with Lisa and the family. Lisa has been a vegetarian for years so I had no worry about eating. Her meals are the family’s meals.

Robert and Ally showed off a bit. Their golf putting prowess. On the living room carpet. I continue to be impressed!

At one point Ally was absorbed in a magazine. It was a catalog for halloween costumes. They were terrific! So were the prices! Roughly $50 to $60 each. I told Lisa and Corey to go to K-Mart. They agreed.

I was listening to the radio in the afternoon. Howard Livingston was guesting on KONK radio. He has signed to do a televison show beginning November 4. A one hour show to be aired 3 times per week. On Direct TV. Channel 354.

It will reach 34 million homes!

God bless, Howard! You deserve it!

I plan on spending the day finalizing friday’s radio show and writing a bit. Hope the power stays on!

Enjoy your day!

2 comments on “

  1. Nicole or whatever she is after leaving Florida shall be visiting Virginia tonight and tomorrow. Stay high and dry down there. No worries here about the high..being in the Piedmont but the dry will be difficult when the streams swell.

  2. lou, did they have to close ft. zach? i noticed bahia honda and curry hammock park had to close. keep dry today my friend, gary and tecia.

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