We're seriously thinking about packing the truck and taking the dogs and heading northwest ... out of Florida. We've never evacuated from a storm before; we're not in a flood zone but the streets in our neighborhood do flood heavily with normal rainfall. We have a 2 story house so I figure if water did make it all the way through the yard and up into the house, we could move to the second floor and wait it out there but I don't really like that thought. What really worries me is the dozen huge live oaks and the other oaks and maples on our property, some very close to the house. We have a wood frame house with a metal roof but it's doubtful it could withstand one or more of the big live oaks falling. We had them trimmed July 2016 but if a Cat 4 or 5 storm were to come through here, I'm sure we'd have some major structural damage. I'm not sure where we'd go ... but thinking about heading inland to I-75 and northwest up into Tennessee maybe. We know of one dog friendly motel near Chattanooga and I may call and see if we could make a reservation, just in case. If we go, I'm hoping to get out of here Thursday rather than waiting until Friday ... I know traffic is going to be horrendous. The Keys are already being evacuated and I wonder where all those folks will be heading.
Last month when we were inundated with rain, we found this little guy swimming in the swale at the end of our driveway. If we were to flood, I sure wouldn't want to find one of his relatives (or snakes either for that matter) swimming inside the house!
