Hurricane Pics

scared to death we're all going to die!


The coconut canon!


I tried to take a picture of a bird, but it blew away.



Notice the piece of sheet metal in the drive way?

It was protecting the windows on the other side of the house.

Quiet at last

We had loud wind for about 24 hours so now that its quiet it seems weird. The wind is still blowing when I go outside, but now you can't hear it or feel it's effect inside.

I have seen lighting in North Florida that made night seem like day. I have seen rain on the amazon that made me feel like our boat parked under a waterfall for 12 hours. And now I have seen wind blow so hard for so long it made me feel like the atmosphere got popped and the world was deflating.

Everything is fine except for a busted window and a carpet soaked dinning room. We are definitely going to try to move to a more solid house.

Sorry about the pictures, but the blog just isn't sucking them in.?

Hurricane!

05:45
Its really whipping out there! Right now!! As soon as daylight comes I'm going to snap some photos. The sound is what is really unnerving.

I've already had to go out and repair one of the "clam shells" that cover the windows!
cool.

10:54
The wind is still kicking around 30-40 with gust up to 50-70. A little unnerving at times especially when you feel the walls move. The sound of the wind is what is really unnerving still. I'm amazed that we still have power. The south side of the island is experiencing storm surge and power outage, because that side is getting hit by the wind.

It's pretty cool sitting on the back porch because all the wind blows away from you. It's still kinda wild watching the wind blow the water. It looks like somebody is blowing it with a high power blower. Pictures are coming.

14:45
We're still here and still getting pounded. the winds are slacking up finally after 10 solid hours. I'm thinking about venturing out in the jeep. That's kinda like saying "watch this"

18:02
It's amazing what you get use to. Just walked outside and watched all the commotion of a 30-40 mph wind like it was just another day in paradise. 13 hours of this crap will do this to a person. Our dog who had been cowering at our feet all day was out there wanting to jump in the water to fetch a ball. A ball that I tried to just toss in the yard, but the wind caught it and blew it in the water. I would normally let her get it, but the ball was drifting away faster than she could swim.Which would have been bad because she just doesn't stop when it comes to "getting the ball".The last thing I really want to do right now is go on a rescue mission, but it would have been fun.

I went to the grocery store in the jeep, which was pretty cool because water was pretty deep in a couple of spots. Didn't get a chance to pull anybody out of a puddle, but it was fun anyway.

2 weeks down 34 more to go

Things are getting better. My wife has accepted the fact that the 9th graders are insane and I believe her because my 7th period is 9th graders. Now she just looks at it as an intense human study. I just like stopping their butt.

My stage fight was at a controllable level Friday so it gave me hope. Someone suggested that I take drugs to cut the fear factor in half. I told them the fear factor is the most interesting thing about my job right now. I've been trying to kill myself my whole life to experience this level of fear. Its hard, but to honest I'm a little sadistic that way. I hate the fact that its only talking in front of people and not getting shot at by an overwhelming force of communist pinkos or maybe some terrorist.

I'm beginning to see my kids a little different now. At first I thought it was just flat out disrespect or challenge of authority. I'm beginning to think they are just bored to death. They haven't done anything but sit in a class room or play on the water. They don't know what is important and they are tired of people telling them their opinions about life.

I think high school should last until your old enough to drive a car. Driving a 4,000 lb. mass at 75 mph is about as much responsibility anyone can have at any given time. Every time you drive down town it is like walking into a mall with 100 people with loaded pistols and no safety.

9th grade they are insane and can't drive for a good reason. 10th grade their learning how to drive so why not learn how to take responsibility for yourself and either go to school to make a lot of money or go to work and start saving money for toys.

11th and 12th grade is simple to make sports more interesting for the home town. You could eliminate 2 grades, get the best teachers and pay them what they are worth. Improve community college with technical education and core classes so the kids can decide what they want to do. If they are stupid then they need to learn how to be tough or learn how to be smart.

I'm a mechanical Engineer just trying to make things more efficient.

Ticket for Survival

Get home throw Kayak in the front water with mask and snorkel.


try not to run over our dog which loves to go with me, but I just like to act like I'm going to leave her
After a little warm up swim I wait for her.
Then I yank in the boat with all the grace of a 400lb. ballerina
Turn sideway for a Kodak moment!

Bam! God knows how to balance the Good with the Bad. Go swimming for about an hour and I'm good to go.

thanks for every body's prayers. We have found a great church that feeds the people real food at every service, good music and solid "on my level" preaching/ teaching.

School Day +8

Where are those hurricanes!? We could really use a monster Cat.5 NOW!

"Spare the Rod! Spoil the Child!" constantly rings in my head.

They have dropped us into the meat grinder.

I think my wife has sent over 10 kids to detention already and the class is still not under control.

I'm suffering from stage fright! I can't breath and try my hardest not to shake visible. I have always hated talking in front of people, but talking infront of a bunch of people who don't want to be there is worse. Not to mention I can't think. So far I've tried to do 2 simple example's and my brain froze. Lucky for me the class just stops paying attention and I'm able to move on without them noticing I didn't finish. That's what I'm telling myself anyway.

We have found HELL in Paradise.

The job itself is relatively easy. No pressure from the Boss to make big plays. I feel like they are just seeing if we make it through the year. I knew something was fishy when they said they had to replace 50% of the teachers last year and was thankful of only replacing 35% this year.

One teacher said she has taught all over Fla. for 17 years and these kids are by far the worse, because of a lack of discipline. "Mommy will let me do what I want!"

One of the new teachers volunteered to help with the volleyball team. She got in trouble for making then do 1 wind-sprint. "That was way too mean!"

I'm stomping the crap out of my kids with notes. I'm trying not to let my enjoyment show from being sadistic with them. I have mostly 12 graders so most of them will work. My wife has 9th graders and they won't do anything. I think they gave her all the kids everybody didn't want.

Anyway! we are constantly in prayer and Our hope is in Jesus. His Love, Wisdom, and Power is in our situation and we will be O.k.! That is the only peace we have, but it's enough. It doesn't feel like it, but we know it is.

school day -1

a picture is worth a billion words, but being a fly on the wall tomorrow.... priceless.