Typhoon Roke Clean Up

The base is abuzz and swarming with seabees and NAVFAC guys cleaning up all the debris from the storm yesterday. My neighbor across the street lost 3 trees, but luckily their house was undamaged and no one was hurt. It seems to be the case all over base, mostly large pine trees that couldn't handle the 85+ mph gusts.

Stella and I hung out at home all day once the storm got closer around 2 pm. Stella about pooped in her invisible pants because she didn't want to go past the stairs. I didn't either! Once the rain let up around 7 pm we went for a walk and checked in on our favorite friends, the Gilberts. Typhoons are lonely when it's just me and Stella!

Typhoon Roke

I'm sitting right in the middle of the orange horizontal band. It's gonna be a rainy, windy day. I wish Glenn were here.

I guess I slept through it?

Currently, it is 75 degrees, sunny, blue skies and a light breeze. So much for the typhoon! We had strong winds this morning and lightning (I'm told) last night but now it's a beautiful day.

The news is making it sound much more dramatic, but then again all of Japan went to work and school today. The US Navy? We stayed home and closed everything. I really wish they would open the post office now though- I want my new boots that arrived this week!

All is well in Japan though, just wanted to update everyone!

Typhoon coming our way!

Typhoon Melor is headed towards Japan. Of course, Glenn left today. Save the planes, leave the women and children. I'm getting pretty used to the idea of what's important to the Navy. We've been getting a ton of emails and radio announcements about what to do and how to prepare. I haven't done anything. Am I suppose to? Perhaps I should buy Stella more dog food tomorrow since she has about 1 days worth left? and get some gas? Is it wrong that I feel pretty non-chalant about the whole storm. If it comes, it comes, what am I going to do differently?

This is the kind of info we've been getting in emails- just to give you a taste of what it's like to live on a military base:

*Tomorrow, Wednesday, all services, i.e. Exchange, Commissary, gas station, mini mart, will be open until 9 PM.

*All services will be closed on Thursday and only essential personnel will be sent into work.

*School at SL Elem. School is canceled for Thursday.

*When the winds reach a certain knot level, the gates of the base will close so anyone off base will remain off base.

* Wednesday, 07 OCT will be a normal work day and all base services will
be open. Forcasted to be rainy, but no winds. Some base services will
have extended hours to accommodate last minute preparations (Auto Port,
Commissary). Please take this time to ensure you have adequate supplies
on hand. Expect to go into TYCOR 1 at 2100 Wednesday night.

* Thursday, 08 OCT, as per NAF CO, all base services and DODDs schools
will be closed. Only "essential personnel" as designated by each
command will report to work. For the Air Wing, those "essential
personnel" are the watches assigned to the hangars that have CVW-5
aircraft inside. Buddy system will be utilized for the watches.
"Essential Personnel" need to be in place by 0700 Thursday morning.
Base gates will close during TYCOR 1 EMERGENCY which is when the winds
exceed 50 knots. As of now, the NAF Galley will try to remain open
through out the storm.

* Friday, 09 OCT will be a normal work day & clean up.

* Thursday's forecast has the onset of strong winds starting at
approximately 0900 in the morning. Expect 45-50 knots, with gusts to 65
knots most of the day. Heavy rain, 6-10 inches is expected. The heavy
rains and flooding on the base will be the most dangerous aspect of this
storm.

* NAF is NOT ordering off base residents to come onto the base (Home
Share Program) for the typhoon. But if folks that live off base are not
comfortable with their off base dwellings, both the CBQ & BOQ will have
rooms available if folks want to stay on base during the storm. Just
need to check into the front desk of barracks 482 (main BOQ) or barracks
1290 (main CBQ). They will still charge the normal transient room
rates.

* Pregnant spouses in late term stage should contact medical tomorrow
(Wednesday) for guidance (the low pressures experienced with typhoons have
been known to induce labor for some women in the last trimester).

Deep Breaths

Glenn was supposed to come home today. Supposed. The tropical storm/typhoon headed our way has him stuck in Chicago until tomorrow morning.We're in Kanagawa prefecture just to the left of the red one. We're yellow.

The house was clean, the floors were mopped, my classes have subs. I was ready. I suppose I thought that since he was flying commercially and not tied to the whims of the Navy this week that he would be home when expected. I hate you typhoon Krovanh!

Deep breaths though, I suppose. He'll be home soon, but an extra day? That seems like torture.