| Sammy & Hurricane Charlie By Larry
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| | particular RV and Mobil Home Parks. We
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| Whittler August 13, 2004
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| | began preparing the RV for our departure,
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| It was Monday August 9, 2004 and we have
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| | rolling the awning up which exposed our
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| been living in a Tampa RV Park for almost
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| | picnic table, Sammy didn't move, we
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| a year, it's the rainy season and the
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| | carefully picked him up and place him in
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| frogs are chirping. The weather stations
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| | the wheel well were it was protected. He
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| have been talking about a hurricane
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| | stayed perched there while we prepared
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| approaching Cuba for a while and it was
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| | everything including turning the picnic
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| possible that it might go up the west
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| | table upside down on the grass in front
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| coast of Florida. Tampa has been missing
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| | of our car. We were heading for my
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| the bullet for years but we were due to
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| | daughters in Land O Lakes. We departed
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| get hit at some point.
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| | around 7 PM, Sammy watched as we pulled
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| Tuesday August 10, 7 AM: My wife and I
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| | away.
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| are early risers, our morning routine is
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| | Friday August 13: 7 AM: We were up early
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| to set on the patio and have coffee next
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| | waiting for the storm to hit, it was
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| to our picnic table. This morning we had
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| | coming and nothing was going to stop
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| a guest; it was a large tree frog……
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| | Charlie. We had decided that the best
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| Now there is nothing unusual about a tree
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| | protection would be in the hall with
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| frog in Florida except that they are
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| | mattresses over us to protect us from
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| nocturnal and normally hide during the
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| | falling debris. We were getting reports
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| day, this one was right out in the open
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| | of the power and water being turned off
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| next to the grill we had on the table.
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| | as the storm approached areas on the west
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| He didn't have any fear of us; he didn't
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| | coast as it headed for Tampa. Slowly
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| seek any type of shelter no matter how
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| | information started coming in that
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| close we came. At first we thought maybe
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| | Charlie had turned and was battering the
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| he was ill and would be gone by tomorrow.
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| | coast below us, but it was still possible
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| Wednesday August 11, 7 AM: The news on
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| | that it was going to hit Tampa Bay but
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| the hurricane path has been updated to
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| | not as a category 3. Charlie was now
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| include the west coast of Florida, and it
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| | spawning tornadoes all around central
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| looked like it was heading directly for
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| | Florida, Unfortunately it was pounding
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| Tampa Bay. This morning we are having
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| | areas that had not been evacuated and
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| coffee as usual and our new found friend
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| | people were not given anytime to prepare.
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| is still with us. We decided to name him
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| | We missed the bullet, but stayed the
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| Sammy because that covered both sexes
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| | night anyway.
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| (Samuel or Samantha). Sammy was really
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| | Saturday August 14, 10 AM: We had
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| friendly; he would jump on your hand or
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| | breakfast and watched the news as it
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| arm and then allow you to return him back
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| | unfolded. After seeing what it had done
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| to the table. My wife and I started
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| | to RV's and Mobil Home's we realized we
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| kidding each other as to which deceased
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| | would have lost everything, millions of
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| relative had come back to watch over us
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| | people were without power or water, it
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| during this time of possible disaster.
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| | was a terrible disaster, thank goodness
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| We didn't agree as to who it was, but had
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| | Florida had learned a lesson with Andrew,
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| a little chuckle bantering back and forth
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| | help was on the way.
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| whether it was her Grandfather or my
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| | With our family safe it was time to head
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| Mother.
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| | home and survey the damage. There was
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| Thursday August 12, 7 AM: We are
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| | very little damage to the RV Park. We
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| starting to look forward to having coffee
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| | pulled in next to our RV, everything
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| with Sammy. My wife was already asking
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| | looked just as we had left it … it was
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| me if we could keep him. Sammy became
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| | at this moment that my wife and I spotted
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| the focus of conversation that morning.
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| | Sammy setting on top of one the legs of
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| Today they were dead serious about the
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| | the picnic table, broad day light,
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| path of Charlie, it was coming directly
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| | eyeball to eyeball. We walk over to him,
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| to the Tampa Bay Area, and the word was
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| | picked him up, and placed him back on the
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| out a category 3, with a storm surge of
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| | wheel well. He stayed until the evening
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| 16 feet. It was coming and the word was
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| | watching, as if he wanted to make sure
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| going out to evacuate the area and in
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| | everything was alright.
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