Let's Talk with Nancy J. Cohen
The Calm Before the Storm
May 23, 2024
May is like the calm before the storm. It’s our last respite in Florida before temperatures rise along with the humidity. Hurricane season starts on June 1st, which is rapidly looming on the horizon.
While the busiest storm months run August through October, it’s best to prepare early. Store shelves empty fast when storm warnings go up. This year is predicted to be an active season, so now is the time to start thinking about preparations.
If passed by the Florida legislature, there might be two sales tax holidays for disaster supplies. The first will run from June 1-14. The second one will be Aug. 24-Sept. 6.
September is often the prime month for active storms. This tax holiday helps Floridians buy supplies such as flashlights and lanterns, radios, coolers, portable power banks, batteries and more. I keep these things in stock year-round anyway.
What scares me the most is a power blackout in ninety-degree weather.
So, I’m going to enjoy these last days of May to visit outdoor shopping venues, sidewalk seating at restaurants, parks and botanical gardens, and other activities that will become too sweltering in a few months.
What does the month of May herald to you? Does it forecast outdoor barbecues, pool parties, and fun at the beach? Or do you anticipate stormy skies ahead?
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Posted in Let's Talk, with Nancy J. Cohen • Tags: Disaster, Let's Talk, Nancy J Cohen, The Calm Before the Storm | 6 Comments
We luckily miss most of the storms (though we still have to be careful when tornadoes are stirred up), but May for me is new beginnings for people I love. My sister, niece, and granddaughter have end of May birthdays, while another granddaughter and my husband have early June birthdays – so each has a new year ahead of them. This year, a granddaughter and my niece graduate preschool in May- kindergarten will be a new beginning. The other mentioned granddaughter will celebrate the end of elementary school and look forward to the adventures of middle school. And, I will rob my rib my sister and husband that for them. It is the beginning of new aches, pains, and the joy of aging.
We enjoyed a lovely, cool Spring until the derecho (straight-line high-velocity wind) that hit Houston last week wreaked havoc on many of our neighborhoods. Thankfully, we were spared, but the aftermath brought us unwelcome weather: 90+ degrees and high humidity. The rest of May will be mosquito season. Sigh…
Here’s a little haiku for all of us in Southern California
May Gray, it has arrived
We miss our blue skies and sigh
Is the sun alive?
I have been enjoying the blue skies, when we have them!
Moving to TN from NJ has meant trading hurricanes for tornadoes.
We have gotten lucky in northern California this year. May was lovely with no storms and no extremely hot weather. Hope everyone has a happy (and safe) summer!