After many years of visiting on Saint Simons Island (GA),
back in 2002 we purchased a second home on the island.
My grandson had his first ocean experience on the sand at SSI.
Jake still enjoys special times in the Golden Isles!
At the time we bought on Saint Simons,
there had been only five hurricanes to hit the Georgia coast
starting back with Carolina in 1854 and ending in 1985 with
Hurricane Kate. We really didn't worry about them much.
Then on October 7th in 2016, a storm named Matthew came to visit.
We were fortunate to get by with some roof damage and ceiling leaks.
Others on the island had more damage.
Then this year Dorian came along. Saint Simons was lucky this time.
But our prayers continue to go out to the Abaco Islands
and other Bahama Islands that were devastated.
We really have no way of understanding what they are going through.
But we do know what it feels like to deal with damage from a hurricane.
Hurricane Irma paid a visit to Saint Simons on September the 11th 1917.
This is a picture a neighbor, across the street, sent after Irma.
When we walked into our condo at first glance we
thought things looked pretty good. The floor was the
only thing that looked off. It was much darker. Then we
realized it was dried sand. It did not come up
without some hard scrubbing and elbow grease.
We then took the cushions off of our sleeper sofa.
Still not to bad, until we opened it up, Rusty water went
everywhere. It had been four days since the storm hit
and the frame had already started to rust!
We headed into the kitchen and started opening drawers and cabinets.
Our muffin pan was in a bottom drawer and had standing water.
Some of my favorite cookbooks were on a bottom shelf.
After talking with a neighbor, we went with a contractor
out of Florida to do our reconstruction work.
We were so glad we did. Larry and his crew
made everything so much easier during this stressful time.
I can't say enough good things about this company!
It was unbelievable how quickly the mold started growing.
After the tear out was complete, large fans were brought in
to start drying out the framing.
Large piles of trash and debris were scattered all around the
streets on the South side of the island. All over the island
there were also piles of tree limbs and dead plants.
Our landscaping took a beating. It didn't like salt water.
I started on the design for the inside. All of the appliances
and cabinets had to be replaced. This was not the way
I wanted to remodel the kitchen!
The upholstered furniture in the living had to go.
Luckily the dining area, seemed to clean up okay.
This is the foyer area after the new floor was installed.
This is the powder room before....
This is the powder room after. We added paneling
so we could keep the wallpaper in here.
This was the kitchen before. You can see the shelf
where I had my cookbooks. The water came up that high.
It was time for the wallpaper to go in here.
But I do miss the painted cabinets I had before.
They were I soft sage green. When we bought the condo
they were a dark stained wood.
The other side of the kitchen. I was glad I didn't
have to replace my window treatments and
art work.
This is the living area before Irma.
Here is the living area after. We have since replaced
the rug. I wish I had my old one back! The company I
bought it from is no longer around.
Here is the dining area . We were lucky we didn't
have to replace these pieces.
It is nice to be able to sit back and enjoy our condo again.
There is still some landscaping to do, but now we can look forward to
….more Beach Time!
We are so thankful for many wonderful days and years
spent on the island and look forward to many more!
If you are interested in enjoying some "Island Time"
You can find our condo listed on:
Please continue to pray for those whose homes and lives
were destroyed by Hurricane Dorian. If you would
like to make a donation click on the link below.
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