otoh

Note: This is being transcribed from my notebook a couple days after it was actually written.

It’s Labor Day afternoon. My electricity has been out for about 36 hours so far. Frances has been like some of our other tourists — moving very slowly, tying up traffic, and generally pissing off the locals. (In fairness, most of our tourists cause far less damage.) The only thing I’ve seen move more slowly is a student on the way to the discipline office.

I went out briefly this morning. Krispy Kreme was about the only thing open so I had fresh, warm donuts and hot coffee. We are in our third day of rain. Being cooped up in the house gets pretty boring. As the outer bands have continued to cross the area they bring tropical storm force winds and rain and spawn tornadoes.

I’ve written three letters this afternoon to friends that I don’t have email addresses for and have been out of touch with. Until Charley knocked out my power three weeks ago, I don’t remember the last time I sat down to write a letter. Virtually all of my long distance communication the last few years has been by computer and occasional telephone calls.

We’re in a period of relative calm right now so I’m sitting on the patio with the dogs in the back yard. Schools in Orange County (and all the surrounding counties) will remain closed at least through tomorrow — the ninth day of closure in our first month of this school year.

Now Ivan is headed in this general direction. It’s still about a week or so from here, if he really hits us at all. That’s certainly possible, just too far out to really know.

I’ll be really surprised if I get my electricity back any earlier than tomorrow and it could be several days again. The repair crews are out today, but they have to assess damage first. They also have to work around the continuing bad weather and my little neighborhood is nt a high prioroty. So I’m expecting another night in the dark with my transistor radio. I’ve been told before that I look good in the dark, but that’s another story.