Since the storm slowed, I've extended my stay in Hinesville through Monday morning. Many people have left the hotel to go back to FL since Frances was downgraded to a Cat 2, but I'm going to wait it out here.
After seeing what Melbourne got hit with, I have a pretty good idea of what damage to expect upon my return. Oh well, that's what insurance is for. The power's out anyways, so it's not like I'd be able to get anything accomplished. Also, it takes almost a full tank of gas for me to get from the GA border to Melbourne, and I'm hoping some of the gas stations along the way will have gotten more gas by then (on the way out, those stations that weren't sold out were rationing customers to two gallons).
I'm treating these last two days as a "vacation," as I'm mentally exhausted at this point.
It's turned out to be quite an eventful evac, and was quite a learning experience. Just before I left my house on Thursday, I accidentally dropped a metal ashtray on my right little toe. I didn't even give it a second thought until today when it started aching and I noticed that about 20% of that toe is now purplish-black. No worries, though.
On the way up here, my left rear brake caliper froze, which wore the pad down fairly quickly, and probably didn't help my mileage too much. Realistically, the damage was already done by the time I had any indication of a problem, so I chose to press on. $380 later, my car's roadworthy again, although I did have a bit of concern about the smoke billowing from that brake after I drove it back to the hotel. Turned out it was just some splashed brake fluid burning itself off.
The icing on the cake, though, came when I went to pay for the car repair. I opened my wallet and noticed a blank sleeve where I once had two credit cards. Dang things just slid right out somwhere without me noticing. The bummer about that is that one of those cards was intended to be used to pay for gas on the way back. So now my Discover, which is the only other card I have with me, will be maxed out once I pay my hotel bill. Luckily, I was able to find a Bank of America in Savannah and wrote myself a check, so at leat I have cash to pay my way home.
Like I said, these last two days here, I'm treating as a "vacation." I need to take my stress level down a notch or two before I go home and ping it out again.
