Beat up and battered around ` Longish

Well my son and I survived yet another hurricane, but not without some
cuts and bruise, and major structural damage. Lost nearly all shingles,
all screens on porch, and my tangerine tree. Developed at leat two dozen
leaks. The worst was when the top half of the front door (glass) blew
in. As if on cue we lost power within 30 seconds. So it is pitch black,
glass is everywhere, and wind and rain is whipping thru the living room.
I took a mattress and secured it with a recliner. It held until the
strong bands passed, and I had to hold it. Billy, of course, slept right
thru it all. Had to go to the ER at daybreak and received 36 stitches in
my foot. My boat was at the shop and got dragged about 75 yards by a big
pontoon. Received a couple gouges, but not to bad. We went for a ride
this afternoon to check boat ramps. Walk in Water is a complete mess.
The ramp has compacted plant material 3' high blocking the ramp and the
dock is submerged. Lots of flotsam littering the lake. Seems real
unsafe. Most all the ramps we visited (7) are about in the same shape.
Unusable. Did find one small lake that is not to bad. Will probably go
this weekend just to get my mind off all this mess. Hope all Florida
members made it ok. Sorry for the length of this post. Hopefully this
will be the last hurricane post, EVER!
Bill