Mayhaws, Mimi, Mel, and Mayhem – Brought to You by a Nasty Gal Named Irma
What a couple of weeks we’ve had. Virtually every square inch of Florida has been impacted in one way or another by hurricane, Irma. We didn’t just get to watch as most of our country did, from a safe distance and the air-conditioned luxury of our living room. No, we had to watch in order to make the decision if we should stay or go. Many of Florida’s citizens had no choice as they were in mandatory evacuation zones. Where we live was right on the edge of one of those zones. So, we prepared by putting up our storm shutters, bringing in supplies of food and water, talking our two middle sons into coming to our home, gassing up our car, and praying.
The path of Irma seemed pretty settled at first, and then at the last second they said she was moving more toward the middle of the state. Knowing that we would get a lot of high winds from this, then category four storm, we waited and watched. By Saturday morning, we determined that Irma was heading straight toward Tampa Bay and that we would likely be in the eye of the storm.
Our bags had been packed for a couple of days, so all we needed to do was throw it all in the car and leave. But that decision wasn’t an easy one as we were leaving behind three of our four beloved sons who didn’t want to go, no matter what. The fourth son lives many miles away in another state, well out of harm’s way.
We’re Outta Here
After a lot of praying, and knowing that I would be terrified in the midst of such a storm, we decided we would leave. We bid a tearful good-bye to our youngest son who lives with us, got assurances from his two big brothers who live across town that they would be here soon, and off we went. Our emotions were on that roller-coaster we had been on for days in watching Irma as she ripped a path of devastation across the Caribbean.
We had no clue where we would go. We had tried for days to get a hotel room anywhere out of Irma’s path, but to no avail. That is when I got a private message on FB from a long-time friend offering us her condo in the panhandle of north Florida. Irma wasn’t due to travel that way. Tired as we were, and as emotionally drained as we were, we sent a quick acceptance with our heartfelt thanks. We spent the night in her very lovely condo on the tip of the bay in Panama City. We settled in for the night and watched as Irma made yet another turn.
Now, you have to know that I cannot swim. Nope. I can’t even dog-paddle. We were surrounded by water on all sides. As unpredictable as Irma was, I knew I couldn’t stay just mere feet from the water’s edge.
My sister, Mimi as we all call her, her daughter Melanie, and Mel’s son, all fled to our cousin’s home in south Alabama. We headed that way, too, but we stopped and stayed at the home of that cousin’s mother, my first cousin, Florence. We’ve never been so happy to see dry land and a home without trees surrounding it.
But we made one little stop on the way to Florence’s. We passed a roadside stand with signs which touted Mayhaw Jelly. Mayhaw jelly has been my favorite since I was a child. My sons love it,too.How could I possibly pass by and not purchase some.
Not familiar with the mayhaw? Well, it’s in the hawthorn family, and its little bright-orange berries are ready for picking in May, hence the name. It only grows in certain parts of the country, in bogs. I have fond memories of going with my Granny Ludie to a mayhaw grove or patch when I was a very young child. We entered the grove and placed old, white sheets on the ground and shook the trees. Soon, a lovely shower of the orange berries came raining down onto the sheets. We gathered them into buckets and headed home where Mama and Granny made the best jelly this side of Glory.
While in Dothan, Alabama, we joined together as a family and prayed for the safety of loved ones left behind in Florida. We gathered around the piano where my niece, Melanie, played while we all sang the old hymns on which we’d been raised. We gathered around Florence’s daughter’s table and ate food prepared by loving hands.
Blessings in the Midst of Mayhem
In short, in the midst of the storm, there were blessings. Countless blessings. A safe haven in which to rest for the night, out of Irma’s path, a place to gather thoughts and make a plan for the next couple of days. Cousins with open homes and open hearts, willing to take in family, but also who took in my niece’s in-laws, extended family whom they had never met.
Family and friends made it through the mayhem of Irma. My sister’s son and his wife rode through the eye in their Ft. Myers home. Other than a few broken limbs, and a yard full of water, they had no damage. Thanks be to God! Another cousin whose home in Ft. Myers was only a couple of blocks from the river, suffered only minor tears to her pool cage, many limbs in her yard, but no flooding and only a handful of days without power.
And our boys? Well, Irma decided to take a turn to the east before she arrived in Tampa. So they had minimal winds for a hurricane, no damage, and we didn’t even lose our power. Now, at close to a week since Irma paid the state of Florida a most-unwelcomed visit, lives are trying to return to normal. Many places have a long way to go, but people have a way of coming together in the bad times. As they did after Harvey, Americans are doing what we do─helping one another.
I thank all of you for your prayers as we endured this. How did you fare during Irma? Tell us your story below.
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Mayhaws, Mimi, Mel, and Mayhem @DDuPreeWilliams (click to tweet)
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