Storm Warnings...

All of my life I have held Nature in Awe. I grew up knowing that at any time the Earth could heave, and we would be in the midst of a disaster. Dad always had the car fully prepared with the emergency kits, to the degree that sometimes it was an embarrassment. The garage always had Parachute bags full of K-rations, and first aid kits. All with USN stamped on them. When we lived in San Diego, it was the fear of Earthquakes. When we lived in Hawaii it was the fear of Hurricanes, (or Typhoons) and Tidal Waves. In Washington it was the fear of Weather. The roads could get too icy to travel, the lights could go out, the wind could put a tree on the house, oh, and lets not forget those pesky Volcanoes! All of these put a true respect of nature in us.

Dad made sure we were always prepared, and safe, and he also always instilled in us a sense of excitement and anticipation of the natural event. If it were a storm coming, we would get out the red Coleman Lanterns, bring in the firewood, curl up in our sleeping bags and wait for it to hit. If it was a Tidal Wave, and there was plenty of warning, we would head up to the top of a high hill, (usually a dead volcano in Hawaii) and watch for the wave. Then we would drive around the island afterward to see the damage. That was always awe-inspiring. If it was an Earthquake, well we were on our own, because Dad was usually at sea and Mom was under the bed. Seriously! She was terrified of them.

Both Phyllis and I are storm junkies. We LOVE them. We are prepared as Dad taught us to be, and we are safe as we can be, and we sit and anticipate the storms wrath. We both have Police scanners, that have battery back ups and we can listen to the emergency calls and know what is going on, and where.

I have always wondered at the people that never thought about either being prepared for a storm or emergency, or never thought that one would actually hit them even though they were right in Harm’s way. It is to me, like thumbing your nose in the face of God. Dare you to hit me back! WHACK! And then they are stunned because they were hit and destroyed.

Ivan Whacked a good one on the hotels and condos that were built on top of sand that once held other buildings that had been destroyed by Natures Wrath. I heard one newscaster ask a representative from some state senate, just why these people continue to build there when they know it will eventually get destroyed, and he responded by saying that as long as these developers can continue to get money selling the condos, they will continue to build them. Follow the Money.

I truly feel sorry for the poor people that lost everything, but I can’t feel sorry for them if they rebuild right back in harms way. I also do not understand why the Government of their respective States allows them to rebuild there. Do they sign a waver that they know they cannot get disaster relief or that they will not hold the government responsible?

I just read about a couple in Florida that had fled to a relative’s place away from the storm, and on returning to their home breathed a sign of relief upon finding the front of their house intact. Even the plywood sign they had nailed to the window was still hanging there. It said “Hit Me With YOUR best Shot IVAN”

Then they walked around to the back and saw that Ivan had indeed hit them. The entire South side of the house was gone, As if someone took a chainsaw and cut it right in half, from roof to foundation it was GONE!

"There's no saving this," said Michelle, 40, as she peered in at kitchen cupboards still stocked with Jif peanut butter and a can of Green Giant peas. A boat -- she has no idea whose -- is parked almost right beside the pantry, a blender sitting inside.

"It's ugly, isn't it?" 46-year-old Randy added. "You see things like hurricanes and tornadoes on TV, but it doesn't really make any sense until it's yours. You don't understand until you actually stand inside your house, and it's gone."

No you don’t really understand, but you should have known. I have been reading and learning about weather and earthquakes and volcanoes all of my life. I have no degree in them, just a wondrous respect for them. I know better than to thumb my nose at them. I know that just makes the weather Gods angrier. And one never pisses off Pele, the Goddess of the Volcanoes as she gets even really quick.

Earthquakes are something you just have to live with. They give no warning at all, as of yet, and they can be horrifying while they are happening. There is no where to go, and no way to prevent them. I like them least of all.