Deacon today marks the two years anniversary that Herricane Wilma visited Key West! 2005 was a very active Herricane year, so many tropical storms the hoomans ran out of names. That year Key West saw Dennis (July), Katrina (August) and Rita (September) impact us.
Katrina is that the one JH was separated from his first family?
Yes, Deacon. Katrina was only a Category I herricane when it passed Key West. However, it grew into ferocious hurricane that destroyed many places and caused so much anguish too many pets living near New Orleans. Many a dog never saw their owner again. I saw pictures of many stranded pets. JH is very lucky to have found such a wonderful loving home. JH and Jake have a Herricane Wilma stories too.
Did you and Dad stay at home for Wilma?
No, we left while Wilma was a Category V battering Cancun, Mexico. We went north to Valdosta, Georgia to visit Lucy. The weather was calm, cool and sunny. While we visited the storm swung east and damaged areas in southern Florida and the Keys. Over 90% of Key West was under storm surge water at one time. Hoomans paddle boats over the roads, cars caught on fire, and Dad knew people that had over four feet of water inside their homes.
Wow, that is a lot of salt water. Did we take a lot inside our home?
We were lucky though our home only had about four inches (100 mm) of water inside. Home did smell like a kitty litter box until Dad and Bob, our neighbor, pulled up and threw out all the carpet. A lot of houses had mounds of trash outside twice as tall as a collie. Many dogs and people lost things. I lost Tigger and some other stuff, but most importantly I was with Dad. Angel Paws was a mess and it was several weeks before Dad took me over to do fence patrol.
Auntie Essex, did you help Dad?
I kept Dad sane during all the clean up. He’s told me many times that walking me was the only thing that felt normal. That every day thing kept him from feeling overwhelmed. I stayed by his bed for several weeks after we had come back home. After all a good dog can tell when their Dad or Mom needs them.
Dog gone it Auntie Essex, I can see why you watch over Dad.
Deacon, we’ve made Dad feel better. It is time to think of good things like playing at Angel Paws, Hattie and Cassi, chasing squirrels, the taste of cheese and other happy thoughts.
A dog keeps lookout, while his Dad paddles down a street.
Cars and storm surge. Some caught fire
Lucy welcomed Essex into her home
Pre-Wilma - four-month old Essex with Tigger
Tigger was good to sleep with too. 
2 comments:
Yeah, Deacon, Mom and Dogdad have been looking at the calendar and remembering too. Your Auntie Essex was very brave.
Mom went through Hurricane Andrew in Kendall in 1992, so she knows exactly what you mean when you talk about ditching the carpet and all those other smelly things that mold creates almost instantaneously. And 1992 was before Dogdad or us, so she was all by herself.
Thanks for including JH in the story. So many other animals too --
Paws crossed to keep us all safe. And thinking about those who have been suffering from the fires in Southern California -- kind of like a hot hurricane from which there is little escape.
Woofs and sniffs,
Jake and JH
Holy Cannoli! I'm glad I live up North. All we have to do is shovel our butts off in winter.
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