Hurricane Wilma

[Red J]

Red J checking in:

Wilma caught Palm Beach County with both sides of the eye wall. Being ground zero, we did experience the "eye" of calm for a good half hour or so after getting pounded by the leading eye wall. As fast as the calm came it went with the back half of the storm being worse than the front. Everyone is safe. I lost 16 trees, one on the roof, and have been cleaning up since Monday afternoon. Luckily it was not the impact of Katrina or nothing like the Yucatan, but it was nerve racking. We had 90 mile an hour sustained winds with gusts well over 100. My neighborhood came together immediately and everyone helped out whoever needed it. It has been our 3rd cane in 14 months and this was worse than Frances or Jeanne. The trees that survived those two got toppled by Wilma, not to mention the roofs, screen rooms, fences, etc. I hope this is it for a good long while. Living without electricity and the things we take for granted is tough, but I am very grateful that I made out so well as there are those that lost so much more.

[Patrick]

Glad to hear you're alright.

I was born in West Palm Beach.

[Red J]

Hey, Patrick. Thanks.

You wouldn't recognize the place, not only from the latest storm but also from all the growth.

[Patrick]

Yeah. I wouldn't recognize it, anyway. Didn't live there for that long.