THE ROONEY BIN: The ‘joys’ of hurricane season

"If any event teaches you how to perform on no sleep, it's a hurricane." -- David Muir, news anchor

Yikes! Hurricanes are scary. Although the Rooney Bin survived another major meteorological event, this one actually turned my hair white. (Admittedly, it could have been the fact that the storm delayed my monthly color and cut.)

I have a theory. If we spend two days in this heat -- a snow storm is beginning to look good -- sweating bullets wing-nutting 100 plus heavy metal storm shutters on Bin windows, we'll look silly, but Florida's First Coast will be spared. My spouse the Binmeister calls me Storm Queen. In turn, I call him a wing-nut. A little name calling relieves Cat 2 pressure, and his wing-nut obsession led my clever Binmeister to invent an attachment for his power drill that zips the nuts in place.

"Hurricane season brings a humbling reminder that despite our technologies most of nature remains unpredictable," author Diane Ackerman wrote.

Speaking of technology, the pressure was on as Labor Day and Hurricane Dorian neared and our five-year-old refrigerator's icemaker broke for the fourth time, adding to prestorm urgency to get to the store to take advantage of holiday appliance sales.

That done, Storm Queen began making lists: Watch weather reports on TV; stock up on water; buy batteries; get more water; make reservations; cancel reservations; tell Binmeister to select a couple of bottles of wine to take along -- he chose six, just in case -- watch The Weather Channel; make new reservations; pack snacks and don't forget the water. Who needs that much water when we have that much wine? As someone named anonymous said, "I can't wait to lose power so I can start eating my junk food."

Deegan addresses women's club

First Coast News meteorologist Tim Deegan told Sawgrass Women's Club members that he has been fascinated with weather maps since he was a child and watched people do the weather on TV. The meeting at Sawgrass Beach Club ironically took place Sept. 9, less than a week after hurricane Dorian passed Northeast Florida.

Club president Jeanne Pilcher conducted a brief meeting, introducing the many activities it offers its 367 members, including Lunch-Around, arts and crafts, a walking group, Storied Lives, Needlers, Quilt Chicks, Mah-Jongg, Bridge, Day Trippers and holiday parties as well as monthly meetings with interesting speakers.

Program chair Laura Kettell introduced the Channel Twelve meteorologist, who said he went to Texas A&M to become a scientist with no intention of becoming a weatherman. However, the weather was a career that sought him out, eventually drawing him to Jacksonville where he did the weather on Jacksonville's first morning show.

"One of my draws here was, I could work where I could surf," he told the women gathered to learn about the job of forecasting Dorian and other storms on the horizon. He talked about the meteorology of hurricanes. "Hurricanes need warm water; that's their octane, their gasoline."

Tropical cyclones raise many questions, he added, but the fact that they move slowly means there is more time to prepare.

"It's so stressful. Small doesn't necessarily mean weak; large doesn't mean intense," said Deegan.

A category 1 or 2 storm is a big event, but not life changing; a category 3, 4 or 5 is major, and definitely life-changing if you get a direct hit.

"The words used to describe category 5 are 'unimaginable destruction,'" he said.

According to Deegan, the stretch of coast from Ponte Vedra Beach to Fernandina Beach is impacted as much as any other areas on the coast of Florida, but has the lowest probability of direct hits.

Then he offered some evacuation tips: Go where you're sure you're not going to lose power, and if you're going to evacuate, do it early.

Hotel hurricane party

Unlike 2017 when Irma kept shifting paths and had us driving all over two states, Dorian tracked up Florida's coast with its eye on the Bin, or so we thought. It took its time. A decision was made to take our 2019 hurri-cation 10 miles away to a Residence Inn Marriott, where we spent an inordinate amount of time fixated by the weather on TV. Nevertheless, it was a relief from obsessing over the latest political disputes.

The Residence Inn's staff was friendly and helpful, and we met other escapees from the Beaches. The second night of our stay, fellow evacuee Kenny Holliday, an actor known for Rod Stewart tributes, showed up at the manager's reception with guitar in hand. He started strumming and the hurricane pizza party (compliments of hotel manager Troy Morzelewski) turned into a sing-a-long led by Ponte Vedran Jim Alexander. The 90-year-old former Marine encouraged other hotel guests to join in singing patriotic tunes -- "It's a Grand Old Flag," "Yankee Doodle Dandy" -- as well as country songs and familiar tunes from the past, such as "Take Me Home, Country Roads," "Danny Boy" and "Tiny Bubbles."

Pablo Beach Train Day

Dorian canceled or postponed a few social events at the Beaches, but it didn't interfere with Riding the Rails: Pablo Beach Train Day at Beaches Museum and History Park. The museum's real 1911 steam locomotive, Florida East Coast Foreman's House and Mayport Depot are always a source of interest. However on Sept. 7, more than 800 "trainiacs" of all ages packed the museum and swarmed the park to see three operating model train layouts, ride a "trackless" train with real steam and whistle sounds, and take part in a "Train Robber" scavenger hunt.

Although he has six or more model trains in his garage at home, Ethan Foster, 6, was fascinated by the layout assembled by the Atlantic Coast S Gaugers. "I do like the model trains," he said.

"It is always our best show for the most children seeing the layout," said Larry Shughart, cofounder of Atlantic Coast S Gaugers. "This year we allowed a few of the kids to operate the trains."

The club takes its portable layout to a number of events each year, including the Southern Division of the Train Collectors Association at the Morocco Shrine Auditorium coming up Saturday, Nov. 23. In June 2020, they will be at the National Toy Train convention at the Hyatt Regency in Jacksonville.

The spinning "shark-nado," a tornado that appears to have sucked up sharks on the layout beach of the First Coast Model Railroad Society, attracted young and old train fans. The club was founded in 1993 as the Beaches Area Model Railroad Club by Richard Paul and Dave Henk. The portable On30 scale layout travels to the DeLand fairgrounds, Volusia County four times a year.

There also was an operating model train in the Florida East Coast Mayport Depot and a static display of historic model trains in the museum's 1903 Post Office. Operation Lifesaver was there to instruct folks about train safety; the volunteer organization travels to events and schools to teach people to be cautious when crossing railroad tracks. The museum's historic chapel featured a screening of Walt Disney's 1956 "The Great Locomotive Chase." Adding to the fun was a display of antique autos and refreshments sold by Boy Scout Troop #37.

The final word

Upon returning from our hurricane adventure, we were greatly relieved to find little damage, some tree debris and no flooding ... until I did a load of laundry, and the washer flooded the laundry room with a half-inch of sudsy water. Back we went to the store where the Labor Day sale was still in effect. Dorian was a Bin appliance disaster.

"Laughter is like a hurricane, once it reaches a certain point, it becomes self-feeding, self supporting. You laugh not because the jokes are funny, but because your own condition is funny," said author Stephen King.

Joking about our hurricane experience is a way to relieve stress. We feel fortunate to have escaped the storm's fury, and our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to all who lost property and lives in the storm.

Jackie Rooney is a freelance writer living in Ponte Vedra Beach. Contact her at [email protected].

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