Submitted by Fred on

Waiting For Irma

Categories
Lifestyle

You may know that we have had a house in Paradise (Key West) for 20 years and some have even rented it. 

It is a small house on a nice street with many neighborly people.  Cayce dubbed it the Klein Cottage and may have been our last visitor. 

I am writing this last Sunday morning as Irma is making land fall in Paradise as a Category 4 hurricane with 120 MPH winds and an anticipated accompanying sea surge.  I fear the worst and will know the verdict when you read this. 

We have many friends who defied the entreaties to leave and hunkered down in place to await their fate. 

We are here in the North, so we are safe and we have insurance with ace adjuster Jason Greenberg at the ready to help us, if necessary, to rise from the ashes like Phoenix (Jason's company name).  We will return and rebuild come what may to our Winter haven.

One of the very heartening things that had grown out of our present anxiety is the well spring of prayers, good wishes and expressions of caring humanity that you have extended as we await our fate.

Possessions can be replaced, but the goodness of the human spirit is incomparable. 

Thank you all. We really appreciate you!

P.S.  As of last night, the report from the ground is that Key West was spared, as was our cottage.  Information is limited as there is no power or cell phone service at this time.  Thank you again for your concern.

Comments

Daniel Schwartz

You were very lucky. Glad to hear the cottage lives on. I just found out there is some damage on my central, easternt Florida piece of paradise. But as you say, items can be rebuilt and replaced. Time will tell how bad it really was.
Cayce Crown

The Klein Cottage is Paradise and we are so grateful that it seems to have missed the worst of it.
I encourage all Gothamites to utilize this haven once it's all up and running.
It doesn't surprise me that Fred charmed Irma.
Paul Napolitano

Victoria said it perfectly above. We watched hour by hour as the storm slid west.
Rona Gura

As I wrote on Monday I was transfixed by the coverage and my heart was with all who were going through this.

Submitted by Michael__Appell on Fri, 09/15/2017 - 06:59

Permalink
Michael Appell

We are so happy that our many friends and their communities were spared the brunt of the storm; the worst being loss of power. One friend's son had recently closed on an expensive home a block from the Ocean in Miami Beach. He loaded the family including their dog into the car, left a couple of days early and drove to NC.. He thought the house would not survive, but it was spared. Our place 4 blocks west of the East River, is as close as I want to be from the water!

Submitted by Fred on Fri, 09/15/2017 - 08:35

In reply to by Michael__Appell

Permalink
Fred Klein

Will call you Monday.

Submitted by NeilHollander on Fri, 09/15/2017 - 08:59

Permalink
Neil Hollander

Irma had a face . Each time I tuned in to coverage I thought of you and Jo . I even built my own forecast model . Knowing how much the two of you cherish Key West kept my body language a la Carlton Fisk . I had the Key West barometric pressure streaming on my IPad . I kept thinking don't go south on us Irma . Irma goes South , Fred and Joanne go South and then I go South . Pun intended . I rode out Andrew in August of '92 alone with my Yellow Lab and my thoughts in the living room of my home in Key Biscayne . I might as well have been in a jet engine test cell as the eyewall came over the top . Milo Yiannopolous couldn't have caused more chaos . Fred and Joanne I said a prayer for Klein Cottage , you and humanity . Ooh Rah ! You're still in the game !

Hollander Sends

Submitted by Fred on Fri, 09/15/2017 - 09:23

In reply to by NeilHollander

Permalink
Fred Klein

Thanks for changing its course!

Submitted by MarilynGenoa on Sun, 09/17/2017 - 13:26

Permalink
Marilyn Genoa

I am very pleased your home was spared, it appears most of my friends and relatives were equally fortunate (gratefully)---so many others unfortunately were not as fortunate, and for many of them putting back the pieces will not be easy.

Submitted by Fred on Sun, 09/17/2017 - 21:41

In reply to by MarilynGenoa

Permalink
Fred Klein

And now we await Maria.

Add new comment

Restricted HTML

  • Allowed HTML tags: <a href hreflang> <em> <strong> <cite> <blockquote cite> <code> <ul type> <ol start type> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <h2 id> <h3 id> <h4 id> <h5 id> <h6 id>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.