Hurricane... Get The Fuck Out!

[susandennis]

In in 1989, my parents lived in the old section of downtown Charleston, SC. They had retired there and lived in an old old old house designed by an almost famous architect. They had lived there full time for about 3 years when Hurricane Hugo hit.

They had tons of warning. Hurricanes are like that. Usually they turn out to be way more warning than actual hurricane. My parents had lived all over the world. They had been in bad weather. They were born in Texas and Oklahoma and lived through the dust bowl. They were not fazed by a little bit of wind and rain.

So when they were told to evacuate, they made sure they had enough bourbon, scotch and ice and put their feet up to relax.

Hugo came through and over the course of the first couple of days and then the next few weeks, explained to them the difference between a little bit of wind and rain and A FUCKING HURRICANE!!!!!

They actually did stay in their house until the 3rd day of no electricity. Mom's hair needed washing and Daddy was totally out of ice. My brother and his wife were living in Jacksonville, FL and so that's where they went.

Hugo really fucked up Charleston. They lost a couple of their favorite restaurants and several businesses they used just never came back. Their dry cleaners disappeared totally which does not sound like a big deal unless you understand that in the South it is quite common to store your winter clothes at the dry cleaners. Daddy always said that he figured his good camel hair coat was somewhere over Bermuda.

Ever after Hugo, whenever there was hurricane talk, my parents started their Get The Fuck Out Of Town planning. They never had to actually ever go but they were ready. Once burned.

Today Charleston is once again being evacuated. Before they died, my parents moved into a retirement village that was huge and beautiful and a mix of able bodied, needs assistance, and total dementia. And it's out on one of the island peninsulas off the Charleston coast. I wonder how they are managing.

Comments

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I am glad we don't really get such extremes of weather here

I evacuated Charleston this morning

[beadyeyedbeth.livejournal.com]

Yep. A lot of folks are predicting Hurricane Matthew will be another Hugo. We'll see. A frightening number of my neighbors are opting to stay to ride out the storm. In the mean time I decided to play it safe and drove to my sister's in Aiken this morning with my dogs, most important belongings, a ton of food and butterscotch schnapps. Ed is staying until the last minute, as his father is refusing to leave (Summerville). He'll reassess the need to leave on a day-by-day, hour-by-hour basis. Our house is in zone B. Ed first came down to Charleston from NY in 1989 because of all the home repair work available after Hugo. There was so much work for months after that he decided to just stay. They've already started the lane reversal on interstate 26. A good friend's daughter had no where to go (student at College of Charleston), and all hotel rooms even in Aiken were booked solid as of yesterday afternoon, so we invited her and her two roommates to come here for the duration. Supposedly they're coming tonight or tomorrow morning, but you know how changeable young girls can be, so again, we'll see. I'm now happily relaxing in my comfy clothes in my designated bedroom at my sister's and considering a nap. Right after I check The Weather Channel. Right after I eat. :-)

Re: I evacuated Charleston this morning

[susandennis]

I read that you had split. I hope everything ends up safe and sound... including all the dry cleaners!

When my parents moved from downtown, they moved into Bishop Gadsden on James Island. I assume they had to evacuate. What a nightmare! They are about 1/2 independent living folks and 1/2 dependent. Yikes.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Charleston. I lived there when I was a very little girl, and I've spent time there all my life. I believe it is invincible, but nothing is.

So many people I love there.

[susandennis]

I do hope they make it through this one all fine and dandy!

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Sure hope the same for your parents!

[susandennis]

oh no worries. I forget about new readers. My folks have both passed away more than a decade now.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the misreading! Mine are long gone, too, but this makes me think about them.

[susandennis]

Oh you didn't misread... I was being unintentionally obscure.

They retired to Charleston in the mid 80's. First they lived in Ansonborough. Then they moved into Bishop Gadsden on James Island. Where they lived out the rest of their lives. They loved Charleston so much. Their ashes are in a memorial at First Scots Church.

[mamculuna.livejournal.com]

I love Ansonborough. That's a great way to spend the last years--they chose well.

[susandennis]

They did.

Next time you are in Ansonborough, find 57 Anson Street and look in beyond the drive in the back and, if it's still there, you will see an old brick fountain. And sitting on the fountain is a large copper frog playing a violin. They commissioned the frog for the fountain. It was a favorite of the carriage tours.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

It was kind of a misreading - you did say "before they died" which tends to be a big clue about whether or not they need to worry about hurricanes. But yeah, I missed that on my first glance, too.

[underwear-slave.livejournal.com]

This post reminded me to check on my cousin who lives in Charleston. She said they were evacuated, but hopefully it's not too bad and they can go home soon.