Things are not good here. The track is now looking like Irma wants to come almost right over Tampa Bay. The wind speed forecasts have doubled. The rainfall forecasts have tripled. We were never going to "tough it out" in our home, but now we wonder whether we'll have a home when it's all over.

We were all set to go--had hotel reservations in advance. Then today our county decided to shut down all hotels in Evacuation Zone B, which included the one we were heading to! Now our plan is our friends' house. It is not in any evacuation zone. That doesn't mean everything will be hunky dory, though. This was looking like a much milder event over here, and now in the last day or two, it's not.

The least of our concerns is what we may be eating.

Good luck JayEll! Hoping for the best possible outcome for you on all counts.

Dagmar

Good luck, JayEll. Thinking of you.

Sending supportive thoughts, JayEll.

We have Miami relatives who are staying home. A friend over on the Beck Thread has a sister and BIL who are staying in Key West. The 'conch' mentality is strong.

This is the first time in my life that I hope Rush Limbaugh is right.

Hoping everything works out for you, JayEll, and that the forecasts are wrong. They've been wrong before, thankfully.

Best of luck, JayEll. I hope you have a home to come home to once this is over. I was looking at the trajectory and it looks like my friend, who is not on the evacuation zone, might be greatly impacted in Apopka. It's very worrisome. And then I just read an article that the earthquake in Mexico has greatly impacted the stability of the San Andreas fault and one other that goes more north. They've been predicting the Big One for a few years now and now it seems more imminent. Yikes.

Wishing you and all Floridians an uneventful night and a milder-than-feared storm. Stay dry.

Sunday morning at 160.2.

How are you faring, Jay?

I'm so glad that my direct report who lives in Key West was able to evacuate on Thursday. But she's had to move on from where she'd been staying because of the forecast and changing track of the storm.

My company has an important hub office in Fort Myers. I'm wondering what will happen to it. Of late, I've been annoyed by the existence of that office because my department has been directed to stop hiring out of CT and the greater NY area and instead hire in Fort Myers. Because we're hiring trained technical writers, being limited to that geographic area has really limited our pool of applicants. It's been challenging and I've pushed back. But heck, I never wanted that problem solved by seeing that office physically destroyed.

It's breezy and rainy. Been that way most of the morning. I helped our hosts put up their folding closet doors over the windows, in lieu of plywood. It's actually a pretty neat fix. Their neighbors helped.

It's not bad yet. The wind will start to climb around 8 pm, and then we are in for it most of the night.

Edited to add: Latest storm forecast drops it to a category 1 by the time it reaches us! This is good news! Who knows, it could weaken some more.

Monday morning at 160.6.

I'm glad to hear that the hurricane is weakening. No word yet from my evacuated direct report, but she's probably also waiting for word of what happened to their second-floor apartment in Key West and whether she still has a home or not.

I need someone to march me off to bed on Sunday nights at a reasonable hour, since I'm not being a responsible adult myself. It really would make Mondays more bearable.

That is scary about the fault, Allison. My yoga teacher yesterday was telling us that he is from the next town over from where the earthquake hit in Mexico. He said they've been trying to reach friends and family and everyone is okay that they've reached but they haven't reached everyone.

I do have news, but I can't share it publicly yet. The person whose news it is isn't planning on sharing it online for about a week. Vague I know, but if you know me, you may be able to read between the lines. I am going to Houston this weekend to see family and to deliver Hurricane Harvey relief. Suffice it to say, we are going to celebrate while we are there....

I'm assuming one of your daughters is getting married. If so, congrats!

Shannon How are things where you are? Apparently Irma has made it on to your doorstep?

Dagmar

So glad it weakened, JayEll. Any idea about whether your house has been damaged?

Yes, me too asking you, Shannon, how things are going.

Saw my trainer who is now sorting out pre-Olympic athletes' problems as well as me. So knee, hip and shoulder are now moving in harmony once more. I'm shattered after the work he did but a good night's sleep should make it all [was going to say 'as right as rain' but that really doesn't sound appropriate] fine.

Reporting in to tell you that I had a good night's sleep and I'm feeling more like myself.