Hurricane panels are done!
July 17, 2005 
We have finally finished the installation of tracks, drilling of holes, and other tasks related to being ready to cover our windows and doors with metal panels if/when a hurricane should strike. Whew! This has been a chore and a half. Shown here is a pic of one of the front windows with a few panels installed. That was taken just over a week ago, on 07 July 2005, when we were preparing in case Hurricane Dennis decided to pay us a visit. But the one remaining job was to drill the holes and do the prep for panels to cover the front door (we plan to use a small door in the back from a bathroom to the outside - and one of the garage doors in the front - as our emergency exits in the event of a storm).
So today I finished the job. This pic shows some of the holes drilled below the front door. Our Bosch hammer drill does a great job of boring the necessary holes in the stucco and cement block, but MAN, drilling into the brick is HARD! The drill still handled it fine, but it was definitely slower going that just boring into the regular cement. So Shirley and Ben decided to come out and let me know that the weather stations were saying that in our area it was currently 93F (34C), and that with the humidity, it felt more like 106F (41C). I told them that really helps a lot to hear that, as if I didn't already know that it was warm. So they told me they'd be in the pool if I needed anything (I discovered that they actually were out back painting a cloud mural on the ceiling of the lanai, so that's pretty cool).
The other thing I've been working on lately is installing one-sided deadbolts at the top and bottom of the front door and (soon) the pool bath door. That's just one more thing that's recommended to help secure a home when a hurricane strikes. OK, gotta go ....just got word that I need to get the barbecue going for dinner. Cheers!
Florida
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