<html><body> Terry and all, thanks for thinking of us.  Yes our home is indeed uninhabitable.  I was in Sacremento at a Piano Disk training;.  My wife was in Michigan with one doggie.  The other doggie was at camp on high ground on Pine Island.  All are alive and well.  The total devastation began just a few miles away on Sanibel and a few miles north at Punta Gorda.  But the damage around us in ST James City on Pine Island is still pretty daunting. Many people only 1-20 miles away were not so lucky.  Luckily the storm surge of 10-15 feet didnt happen here, at least. Our Living room roof is mostly gone, along with part of a wall.  Debris everywhere on the east side of the room, but my piano and harpsichord are in the center and the west side of the room only a few feet away and appear unscathed.  Time will tell as we get them dried out for a look. Unbelievable scene, with a war zone on one side of the room and sheet music and antique dishes untouched only a few feet away in the same room .    The scene I had constructed in my mind on the flight home was actually much worse.  Noone was injured or killed in my little community, but my friends and neighbors who stayed were absolutely scared @E#$-less.     The eye was heading for Tampa and Terry Farrell when it turned right toward us here. Piano tools on lower level are maybe damp but otherwise seem ok.  SAT III fired right up!  Lots of cleanup but not a total loss .. No tuning for a few weeks as we get movers to get the most exposed things into storage.  We are looking for a place to live for the next 6-12 months until our place is rebuilt.  Then looking for maybe a different state to live in.  Anyone short on piano technicians? THANKS TO MY FRIENDS. I have lodged at the Hotel Phil Bondi for the last two nights and also dined there.    Phil drove me to my home today aand helped me get a few things out of harms way until we get the roof patched or tarped, or whatever.  , Special thanks to Phil.   The moral support was as important as anything..  I was really dreading the first look.  Dennis Mueller has loaned me his generator.  Terry Farrell has offered residence in Tampa.  Honestly, it brings tears to my eyes when I think of the help of my friends..  Thanks.  It means a lot Dave Smith Pine Island  FL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Farrell" <<A href="mailto:mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com">mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com</A>> To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 10:03 AM Subject: Re: OT Charley > No Sarah, it was not as you think. Yes, I was busy yesterday attending to > pianos, but nothing hurricane-related - I had an emergency tuning for a > wedding ($165!!!) and was busy routing out your keys and gluing in center > rail pin inserts the rest of the day (seems to be going well). And BTW, that > work was being done in my DRY shop that has windows and a roof (I am feeling > sooooooooo lucky). > > I'm glad to hear Phil Bondi and his family are well. He is Bonita Springs, > and was about 30 miles from Charley's eye wall with the 150 mph winds - > however, he still likely experienced winds of hurricane strength. Phil's > area is only a few feet above sea level, which likely explains the power > outage. > > Dave Smith's home is located at the southern tip of Pine Island, which was > only about 10 miles from the 150 mph eye. He has a condo right on the water. > His living room windows face the ocean. I hope the best for him, but I fear > his home may have suffered significant damage. I have little doubt his area > saw at least 100 to 120 mph sustained winds. His condo is three floors and > the lower level can't be but five feet or so above sea level. I hope he > didn't flood out. I hope his windows/roof didn't blow out/off. I hope he > still has a boat (I fear we won't be going fishing for a long time). Phil > told me Dave was out of the state at some function in California on Friday - > don't know his whereabouts at this time. I hope his wife was not at home and > is OK. > > Dave, are you out there??? > > Newspapers are reporting dozens dead, but hundreds are missing - they have > no idea how many may be buried in debris and how many may have evacuated. > The cadaver dogs are out searching. This was truly a terrible disaster. > Let's hope for the best. > > Terry Farrell > in intact & very lucky Tampa Florida. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Sarah Fox" <<A href="mailto:sarah@graphic-fusion.com">sarah@graphic-fusion.com</A>> > To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> > Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2004 11:31 PM > Subject: Re: OT Charley > > > > Hi Ric, > > > > I suspect Terry is a bit busy right now, perhaps doing first aid on > > unfortunate pianos?  Anyway, he's OK too.  Early predictions put Charley > > right in his back yard, but the hurricane turned east and comfortably > missed > > him.  He had no damage of any kind.  Last I'm aware, he even had power, > > although it's quite possible a tree fell across a power line somewhere and > > knocked him off the Internet for a while. > > > > I can't say I did as well.  Charley dumped tons of rain on us.  I slipped > on > > a wet step and went down.  Ouch!  I'm one enormous bruise right now. ;-) > > > > Peace, > > Sarah > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Richard Brekne" <<A href="mailto:Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no">Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no</A>> > > To: "Pianotech" <<A href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A>> > > Sent: Saturday, August 14, 2004 6:47 PM > > Subject: OT Charley > > > > > > > Hi folks > > > > > > Been a quite day on Pianotech, thought perhaps it was a good time to > > > send some good thoughts down Florida way... Terry, Jim, and the rest of > > > you folks down there...hope everything is ok for you and yours... > > > > > > RicB > > > _______________________________________________ > > > pianotech list info: <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A> > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > pianotech list info: <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A> > > > > > _______________________________________________ > pianotech list info: <A href="https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives">https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives</A> </body></html>