Tony: I've been through flood, drought, fire, tornados, and hurricanes here. We will endure. Still no power, but it looks to be less than a week until it's restored. I live near Vernon, FL, about 50 miles north of Panama City Beach. We drove around the area today while I was out bidding on work . Compared to the surrounding area, we were so fortunate. We took minimal damage over all on the farm, but the devastation elsewhere is ......awe inspiring, to say the least.

DHW: Thank you again for keeping us informed. I love the positive spirit of “We will endure”, which epitomizes everything that I admire about our species. We won’t give up or give in. All the more admirable as you have seen the effects in reality. I’ve only seen the images on the screen, but my awe is overshadowed by my feelings of sadness, sympathy and helplessness, plus thankfulness that I live in a comparatively mild region. (Tempting fate, as I watch the trees in my garden waving madly in the wind, well within reach of my house.)

Tony: David, my mother is staying with her brother, and her religious organization looks as if they intend to repair the damages free of charge. Such a blessing for her and her husband.

DHW, it has been so much better than enduring, though endurance is certainly part of it. People have a way of thriving under adversity that I truly believe is predicated upon having their priorities forcefully, if temporarily, realigned. When food, clothing, shelter, and clean water are your priorities for life, all the other B.S. in life gets put in its proper place. I've watched my family pull together more strongly, and the gets good qualities burn through the normal layer of teenage angst and apathy, and I hope that I can keep that fire burning.

We got power back on today, finally, and it was interesting that it was almost anti-climatic. We had all acclimated to our new routines as far as cooking and survival went, that we ended up making another cook fire, smoking some ham, and eating out under the stars despite having lights and all of that for the first time in over a week. It has certainly been a humbling experience, and awe inspiring in its way. Whatever anyone else thinks or believes, you can bet your behind that I was thanking Jehovah that my family and the other people that came under my humble roof were safely preserved through the storm and the aftermath.

All of that said, we still have a ways to go here before things return to normal. The clean up is barely begun. Right now, utility crews are working their rear ends off getting utilities back up and running. Their efforts are nothing short of heroic, particularly given the scale of the job and the sheer amount of debris and devastation,though I doubt many of them see themselves that way.

The area north of Panama City, where I live, is pretty much always three days away from an economic depression. Most of us are out of work, at the moment. Last week, the worry was that fuel, food, or water would run out due to availability;this week people are afraid that they will run out because they are unaffordable. This is an agricultural region, particularly in cotton (which was nearing harvest) and planted pines. Their crops were scattered to the winds or broken like matchsticks. Watch for the price of lumber and clothing to go up.

Thank you for a wonderful description of what you guys are going through. And I love your attitude, seeing the best in a mess. Sounds like great news for your Mother.