Joy and Doom in the Panhandle

We're rolling into our one year anniversary of moving here, and, once again, it will probably be a record hurricane season.

Surviving Ivan brings some solace, as Opal did to all those that have been here longer. Many are the stories of "well, if we survived Opal/Ivan...".

The winds have started to pick up here. As Legolas says, a storm brews in the East. Except it's south. Still, I repeat that line for any storm, no matter its direction of origin.

We had to cover the computers with plastic wrap at work, the radio stations are giving frequent updates, clouds are moving in, etc. It's amazing how big these storms are. Also, a lot of the Southeast depends on the rains for agriculture, and it looks like we'll get plenty this weekend.

Such is the price for living near the beach I guess. I could do without all the worries. The greatest feeling is passing through the end of the season and enjoying the cool, tourist-free (it's funny to talk of them as tourists now) weather and atmosphere around here. Gotta get through the summer first.