Noon-SAT from Chumuckla

Power has been out for about an hour. This is 25 miles inland. The eye is not yet ashore. Mom (by cell phone) says the wind is ripping at the trees all around and the rain is intense. With Ivan, all this happened at night and Mom slept through it. Now, she can see it happening. and they are not yet in the worst of it. I think they feel safe as long as the roof stays on. And, it should unless a tornado picks that very spot to kick in. Reporters say the eye is expected to make landfall in about two more hours. this tells me the thing is hovering a bit before it crashes inland and begins to lose its own power. I am guessing the tree damage will again be intense. The price of pulpwood went to nothing after Ivan. There will be enough downed trees to keep a lot of cleanup crews busy for a long time.