Periodically, Ninepatch proposes various themes for contributors letters. Here are the letters we received in response to the 'Hurricanes & Other Weather Stories' theme...

At the recent Ninepatch book sharing, many of us talked about our lives as well as the books we'd been reading. I recall Frances saying how the dark winter days depressed her when she lived in the north.

Her remarks brought to mind how grateful I was when one night recently I saw that the city crews had finally repaired the lights on my street. For the eight long months after Hurricane Charley, my street was in darkness.

I am also making progress with my home repairs. For several weeks I have been replacing my den ceiling which the hurricanes destroyed. In the process, I took down its large fluorescent light fixture. (I really missed that light -- going in there at night was a hazard since I still had stepladders and tools about the room.) Because of the fixture's weight, my son helped me re-install it a few days ago. (What a blessing!)

That incident brought me to ponder how often I hear the term 'light' to express one's self, such as, "I finally saw the light"; "… the light of my life"; "shed light on"; "brought to light"; the "light in his eyes"; " in light of"; "it dawned on me"; and so on.

I'm grateful for many reminders of my blessings.

June ( Apr.'05) says, " Someone said that no amount of darkness can hide a small light."

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Hearing that Hurricane Charley was headed my way with very little notice was like getting an unexpected telegram from a troublesome relative, announcing that he is on his way for a brief visit. The finality of his arrival was in the message. There was no way to weasel out.

First, I felt annoyance at my changed plans and extra work this would cause. Then came my concern: How much of a com-motion would he cause? How much cleaning up would I have to do after he left? and, Yikes! How long would he stay?

(I was beginning to understand why hurricanes have the names of people. There are a lot of similarities. ) Little did I know Charley's real intentions for his visit.

After shifting my prayers for the people on Florida's West Coast to all of us in Central Florida, (and probably intensifying them a notch) like everyone else, I hurriedly got ready.

Offered safe-haven by a niece, I considered the daily mayhem in that house and opted to face Charley alone instead. I'd be comforted by my critters who would likewise need comforting.

Hurricane Charley's arrival date -- Friday the 13th -- fit the occasion perfectly, providing (Next.) overtones of the unknown and the dreaded.

Late that evening, like an enormous helicopter landing in my yard, Charley whooshed across the lake and hit my house with a wail and force that sent a limb banging across my roof. Dog and cats crept underfoot, their tails dragging. I began to realize that this was far from a mere "visit," it was more like the delivery of a long-held grudge. Winds pounded the house, trees crashed, the lights went out and all I could hear was an eerie high wail over the heavy chatter of rain on the windows. I spent the night in the dark, dozing through the mayhem, surrounded by warm, furry dog and cat bodies.

By morning, Charley was gone, but what a mess he had left! Every inch of my yard and driveway was filled with huge tree limbs and shattered tree- tops giving it the appearance of a tropical jungle. As the heat of the day increased, I realized there would be no electricity (and air-conditioning) for a long time. Luckily, I had running water and owned a Coleman lamp and stove.

Finally able to get out on the main road, I had a look around and realized how fortunate I was. Elsewhere, Charley snatched roofs, scattered all manner of signs, streetlights and sheds, crushed dwellings, hurt and even killed people.

Charley's visit had scared me a little and made a B-I-G mess. It would be a long restoration, but I was alive and well to do it.

Joan H. (Jan.'05) adds, "Charley's sisters, Frances and Jeanne were not as devastating as he was, but it was still a very long, hot summer!"

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As a member of the US Navy's Antarctic Support Team in 1964 and 1965, I spent thirteen months on the Antarctic continent. The weather there in the summer season, (October-February) could change in a matter of minutes from calm -- with unlimited visibility -- to raging blizzard-like conditions -- with zero visibility.

My duties there required flying around the continent to the five U. S. scientific research stations. One day I was flying in a C-130, a huge, four-engine cargo plane equipped to land either in snow or on the runway. We had taken off from Byrd Station, headed to my home base, McMurdo Station.

We received a radio message that McMurdo was experiencing a storm with zero visibility. It directed us to turn back to Byrd. Then Byrd Station notified us that the weather there had closed in behind us and it was impossible to land there, too. That left us only one alternative. We'd have to land at a small, temporary weather station manned by three persons.

When we skied to a rough but safe stop there, our arrival quadrupled the population. Extra people put a heavy burden on their food supply and sleeping spaces. For three days we lived, elbow-to-elbow, in this remote and isolated facility. When the weather finally cleared at Mc Murdo another plane flew in to refuel us and escort us back "home."

Shortly thereafter winter set in, and all planes departed for the U. S. The sun slipped below the horizon, and we did not see it again for several months.

The long Antarctic winter is another story for another time.

Don (Mar.'05) adds, "Most people think of Antarctica as the white spot on the bottom of the globe. It in fact covers an area larger than the USA and Mexico combined."

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Hi Fritzie!

We are back in Ohio after visiting my son and his family in Florida. What devastation!

We saw a lot of blue roofs there. My son's yard was a mess. It had been full of old trees that have been there for awhile. They were uprooted. He had to have them cut and hauled away. It's especially sad, because the trees were part of what drew him to buying the house. Now they are gone, but luckily, his house was not damaged.

I feel so sorry for the people of Florida - so much destruction from the storms.

Patricia (Jan.'05) says, "I did get the basement steps painted. (We leave the door to the basement open because of the litter boxes and I place the cats' food on the landing, too.) The basement is nice but the steps were peeling off their old paint. Now the steps are freshly painted and look nice.

With this house, I tried to take our painting projects really slow. I have a tendency to want to get it all done in one day and burn out trying."

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Dear Frances and JK,

I'm glad to hear you didn't have much more than shingles missing and roof leaks during the hurricanes. It is as if the month of September went by in a day -- one storm after another.

Don't know if I told you but my daughter and I went to Atlanta during Hurricane Frances. There, we stayed with my sister and her husband.

When we got back it took a day or two to return to normal. We took down sheets of plywood window-boarding and put back things we'd moved inside to protect. Then suddenly, the weather people were saying we should again evacuate the East Coast Island where we live -- Hurricane Jeanne was on the way! But, this time we stayed home.

Compared to Charley, it wasn't too bad. I did lose some shingles and also some roof flashing came down. Of course, tree debris was every-where. Still, that was all, thank God.

VLB

VLB is a single parent of a high school-aged daughter. She says, "In my limited leisure (Ha! Ha!) time I enjoy reading and walking." She continues, "I wanted to pull out my file of quotes I've collected and find something to share -- maybe next time. For now, I don't know why but this is the only one that comes to mind (I don't even know who said it.), S/He not busy being born is busy dying."

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The good Lord took care of me again, during Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Ivan. I had no damage until Hurricane Jeanne. Each time we had hurricane warnings, I went and stayed with my son and his wife. He lost power - and AC in the 90- degree heat. I chipped in and together we bought a generator so we could sleep and cook. It helped take the edge off. Luckily, we had the generator because we used it for two of the three other storms. We used that again for one night.

One of the nice things that happened during my stays there is my daughter-in law did not work during the worst of the weather. It was nice to visit with her.

In spite of the good points of our time together, the major storms were very stressful. They wore me down. I needed to pack up valuables and papers each time and then stay in another place. Just being out of my own home and bed - was bad enough.

I kept my composure pretty well due to my positive-thinking, helpful friends and also meeting regularly with other spiritual seekers. That helped me keep some perspective.

Helen B. (July '04) adds, "I lost my screened patio and car port during the last hurricane, Jeanne. But, from what I saw on my street, I am lucky to have a home at all."

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Hey Frances!

You sure have caused a lot of conversation all throughout the state!! (Don't feel bad, the next one formed will be a "J" name so maybe they'll call it Joanne!

I hope you are fine and you are safely "up in JK's woods". That is probably a good place to be for a few more days. I see that Hurricane Ivan is on his way. Hopefully, he won't hit this part of our state.

Joanne W.

Joanne W. adds, "We continue to have a positive attitude about the various stages of my husband's cancer. We pray for the best."

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I just read the January '05 Ninepatch over morning coffee at Einstein's Bagels outdoor café, so I make these notes while the memories of our fall hurricanes are still fresh in my mind.

First, it's lucky you were out of state during the hurricanes, Frances, but sorry to hear of the damage to your house.

My wife and I sat through three storms in our home near Orlando: Charley, Frances and Jeanne. ( Hurricane Ivan traveled up the West Coast.) We lost power once for thirty hours and cable TV for five days. However, we emerged relatively unscathed. It was a great help that a good friend, a custom builder, sent his crew to board up our windows!

We lost one oak tree, some of our stockade fence blew down and, of course, branches and limbs of our neighbors' trees cluttered yard and pool. I had help with clean up, too. My son and son-in-law came over and together we picked up the mess.

I was sad to see stately trees down all over beautiful, elegant Winter Park not far from us. There, some of my friends lost of power for a couple of weeks.

We were also luckier than my friend, Michael, who lost his beautiful beach house at Ponce Inlet. Often, I visited there to write and recharge my creative batteries. It's also the place where, standing in the surf, I baptized both of Michael's children.

These losses affected me more than my own insignificant damage.

Don

Don (July '04) says, "I must share this bit of serendipity: while we were without electricity …no lights, no TV, no computer, no microwave, hot water or sewing machine, we pulled out a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle that had never been opened and worked it by candlelight! It was an opportunity to share many things that drew us closer together."

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(September 25, 2004- - an email)

Okay, so we lied! We were planning on staying put through Hurricane Jeanne.

However, the authorities called for mandatory mobile home evacuation.

So, we drove seventy some miles to the Comfort Inn at Bradenton Beach. Hard to believe but this time the west coast - near the ocean-was actually safer! There was a family in our central Florida area that we could have gone to stay with. However, my husband and I had simply been missing each other due to our work and volunteer schedules. So we decided to spend some quality time together.

It all worked out for the best.

Pam

Pam (June '04) adds, "The wind was already blowing pretty strong when I wrote the line above. So, I quickly threw things together and we drove west to safety - and had some fun!"

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Our small town was in the direct path of Hurricane Charlie in the early evening hours of last August 13. I "hunkered down" in my home, determined to ride it out. I watched in the growing darkness as the merciless winds tore at the surrounding trees, twisting off huge limbs and slamming them at my little house and barn. My lawn was rapidly covered with branches and other debris.

The next morning my son, Bruce, and his wife showed up. We exchanged hugs and assurances that everyone was all right. Amid the devastation left behind, he began to chain saw the largest limbs and we dragged them out to the curb to be hauled away. The following day, he climbed on my roof and put tar on all the places where the shingles had torn away and where leaks were likely to occur. I worked on the ground which was still littered with smaller branches, broken shingles, and other debris. With the unrelenting August temperatures in the 90's, we toiled almost wordlessly. We sought comfort in trying to restore some normality. As we worked, my mind went back to another Sunday morning many years ago.

One Mother's Day, my husband, and I helped our son, Bruce, and his wife put a new fiberglass shingle roof on their house. My husband was re-covering from some health problems but he was able to help. From atop the house I could hear the grandchildren, now wide awake, hungry and whining. After a bit, I asked Bruce if he wanted me to go down and make breakfast for them. He stood up, looked at me and said firmly, "No, I need you up here to show me how to line up and start the first row (of shingles)." Then he turned to his wife and suggested she go down and feed the kids.

Life truly is a cycle. When I think of later times and other roofs, I see an analogy for family caring and closeness, which is not about roofs.

While his dad was dying of cancer, Bruce took his vacation and he and a friend put a roof on the carport to our cabin in the mountains. Then, not long after my husband died, and using material he and I had purchased at auction, I helped Bruce square up and roof a barn he had built for himself.

Now as I watched my handsome son patiently applying tar, pride and gratitude filled my chest and rose in my throat. I knew I could cope with my losses and the almost overwhelming list of repairs and cleanup to be done.

In the weeks to come I would need this resolve when Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne sideswiped us.

June Poucher (Oct. '04) remembers: "Being without air conditioning for thirteen days of unbearable high humidity and 90 - degree heat after Charley was the most trying part of the aftermath."

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Jeanne-- Yet another, a fourth hurricane was on the way! I had to again prepare to leave my residence. My thoughts went to Chuck, my husband of thirty- seven years, who passed away almost six years ago of cancer. I missed him so, especially at times like this -- decision- making times. However, I can recall times I took Chuck's love, presence and all he did for granted. I console myself that at least I had time to thank him before he went on to his eternal home.

Questions crowded my mind. What shall I take? How long will it be this time? Should I take food? How much? Will my home be here when I got back?

I called my boyfriend, for the past seventeen months and cried a little. It was comforting to hear his voice and know I had a safe place to stay and someone who loved and cared for me. I have much to be thankful for.

Dottie (Sept.'04) adds, "I was fortunate. Only a screen door was damaged. I thank God I didn't have to go through the trauma many did with flooding, property damage and losing jobs. Again, I learned lessons of gratitude. I have so much to be grateful for: health, wonderful friends, grandchildren, children, my church -- my list goes on and on!"

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I made my list to get ready for Hurricane Ivan: bleach, toilet paper, water, and loads of batteries: all sizes. But, I didn't know that the thing you have to do to prepare for a hurricane is get your hair done!!

Sadly, I learned one has to make the appointment a year before to guarantee a slot. One friend was kind enough to break this to me when I stopped by to see her. She was sitting in her kitchen getting a hurricane permanent by a home-visiting hairstylist. Once I got the word, I scurried over to my hairdresser. Her windows and front door were boarded up in the front, so I had hope that she would be grateful to do my hair due to poor business.

Alas! The room was FULL of savvy women getting beautified! They laughed when I tentatively asked if I could get an appointment to get my hair trimmed.

I may never live it down!
Joy

JW/Joy (May '04) adds, "Our family is all well, and our house is socially acceptable with our blue plastic FEMA* roof like too many of the other houses in our neighborhood. Our truly wonderful neighbors and friends all pulled together after the first hurricane, Charley."
*Editor's note: FEMA stands for Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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