Re: Fran: The view from E\l\v\e\g\a\s\t\Kapellenberg

["Robyyan Torr d'Elandris" <robyyan@pop.mindspring.com>]

Poster: "Robyyan Torr d'Elandris" <robyyan@pop.mindspring.com>

Duncan said, (on Sept 8)
> ..and the view is pretty dismal, I'd say. I'm still without power, and 
> from what Duke Power says, it will be on sometime within the next hour 

Our power was finally restored today, Sep. 11 -- 6 days without.  
Yuck.  And we were under a "boil water 3 to 5 minutes" advisory for 
several of those days.

> The worst of the damage came not from flooding (although Crabtree Valley 
> Swamp/Mall is still a mess, I hear), but from downed trees. Damage ranges 
> from mild in some parts of Durham to severe in parts of Raleigh. The 
> power lines near my parents' house in Raleigh have been torn up so badly 
> by fallen tress that they resembled Silly String more than electrical 
> wires.

There were seven trees across the road (and power line) from our house 
to the next pole up the street.  And 5 down in the back yard, plus 
one on the roof.  Fortunately, the one on the roof seems to have done 
little or no damage -- I can see half a dozen shingles I need to 
replace, and I might have to do something about a 4x8 section of 
sheathing, but that's all.  Good thing the ones in the back yard fell 
away from the house -- anyone interested in some tulip poplar?  Speak 
up quick -- they're getting sawn into fireplace size pieces Saturday. 
The longest pieces left are probably 20' (I've already done a lot of 
cutting) all 18"-2' diameter.  If you want them, you'll have to come 
get them, prepared to move heavy logs.  Fern thinks we should go into 
the totem-pole carving business...

Duncan also has some good emergency preparation advice (all except 
the Pop Tarts -- I'd prefer to store *food*!! :-)  to which I'd add
 * solar shower bags work at places other than Pennsic.  And I'm 
planning to visit a marine shop soon and get corrosion resistant 
hardware to put a hook permanently in the ceiling above the tub.
 * Coleman stoves are good, as are Coleman lanterns.  But remember to 
leave windows open for ventilation if you're using them inside.  And 
keep careful track of flammables.
 * flywheel flashlights (that you pump to make work) don't depend on 
batteries.  We normally keep ours in the car -- ask to see it if 
you're curious.

Robyyan Torr d'Elandris                         Dennis R. Sherman
Kapellenberg, Windmaster's Hill, Atlantia         Chapel Hill, NC
robyyan@mindspring.com              dennis.sherman@mindspring.com
http://www.unc.edu/~sherman/robyyan.html
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