This Week on the Island 09/07/2008

'This week on the Island' is written by Doug Bennett and is an update to friends about happenings in Key West last week. Everything is true except for those parts that are lies.----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The picture this week (click to enlarge) is ‘The Lourdes Grotto’ built in 1922 after a killer hurricane hit Key West. As long as this grotto has stood, Key West has not been hit by a major hurricane. Many people gather here to pray before a hurricane.

The Weather: Summer time in the Keys. ‘It’s slow and it’s easy and I like it just fine’. Hurricanes lined up like race cars at the track. Gustav missed us but we got lots of rain, the rest of the week was beautiful. Hanna turned toward Savanna, but we still have Ike and Josephine coming our way. September is the height of hurricane season.

The book this week was ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

‘Women in Paradise’ (A Key West Party for Lesbians and their Friends) was the theme for this week. We were expecting about 8,000 visitors. http://www.womenfest.com/ Three hurricanes lined up and none of these ladies are leaving the island.

I have mentioned it before, http://conchscooter.blogspot.com/ is one of my favorite Key West blogs. Lots of pictures.

Hurricane Ike (category 4) is a bad boy. A mandatory evacuation of all tourists was called Saturday morning with an evacuation of all local starting Sunday morning. It is still beautiful here with the rain expected to start on Monday. I have closed the shutters and taken down the wind chimes. The front porch rocking chairs are in the house and the cars have been moved to high ground (16 ‘ above sea level). Nothing to do now but wait and get everything off the floor incase we flood. We all have life vest, including the dogs.

Key West, You have got to love it

'Living the life that others dream'

Doug Bennett

Lat 24.55967N, Long 81.80169W

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