Hi. Still alive. Still not sure about new job. DH healing well, but still sore. Says it feels like someone kicked him for hours in the ribs. Thank you all SO VERY MUCH for being there with me through all of this. It's really helped, more than I can ever say.

I think I'm going to ask the new job for a company boat instead of a company car. Good god almighty is it wet here. Towson was almost floating. Glad I didn't sneak through Baltimore on the way home like I did this morning (for sara: Security to Gwynn Oak to Rogers to Northern Pkwy to 83N to 695 to Charles Street or York Rd). Surprisingly, cutting through the city in the morning is quicker than sitting on 70 waiting to get on 695 only to sit there as well.

PA's getting blasted as well. Water in the basement of the restaurant again; in fact, it will be in the shop proper. The Susquehanna is supposed to crest at 26.2 feet in the Harrisburg area, and 25 ft is the magic number to force a health inspection when it's all said and done. Blergh. My poor sister.

Maria! So good to see you. We've all been thinking about you. May the rain stop soonest!

Thanks for the recommendations, folks! Currently using Wet 'N Wild brand, which smudges far too easily for my taste.

Oh, Maria, glad to hear from you, and stay dry!

Maria! You come pretty close to here! But yeah, good to avoid that route going home. I think they had a fair amount of flooding at the exits around there. One thing about cutting through is that while there are stoplights, but there are alternate routes!

Thought of you when I saw they're opening gates on the Conowingo.

I am surprised to only have a trickle in the basement so far. And relieved. I don't know what the totals are so far, but it's filled my watering can to 3/4. Which is large. And half covered.

It's nuts out there.

Good to hear from you, Maria!

I just went to check my basement, and it looks like it didn't get any new water today, and the landlord cleaned up the water that was there before. The floor and walls are all damp, but there aren't any puddles.

I'm trying to figure out alternate routes out of my town. The route that I usually take is along the street that's always the first to get flooded, since it runs parallel to the creek and just a few feet away. Every other route that I could think of, and even every other way that I could find from looking at a map, goes up a really steep hill that I really wouldn't want to drive while the roads were slippery. But I don't actually have to go anywhere tomorrow -- I've got an appointment to get my new ankle brace fitted, but if I can't get there, then I can cancel it -- so I'll be OK, unless something else happens.

FWIW, my vet recommends Frontline over Advantage. According to him the chemical they use for ticks is outdated. Not that it doesn't workat all, but that more effective things have been developed and they're not using the latest and greatest.

Naturally I had just bought six months of Advantage when he told me this. But wasn't a big enough deal to not use.

Kate, I really hope the morning sickness subsides quickly. I can't imagine day after day of an upset stomach.

'suela, how is your job situation, other than untenable because of insane cow-orker?

sara, I thought I was close by you, but I didn't have time to peruse the map as I was plotting my course. The new office is off of Kenilworth Drive, and I didn't realize how close Towson actually is to downtown Baltimore. Frederick is a lot drier than east of I-95 right now.

Every other route that I could think of, and even every other way that I could find from looking at a map, goes up a really steep hill that I really wouldn't want to drive while the roads were slippery.

Hil, you should be fine. Just don't stop and start suddenly. Keep steady pressure on the gas pedal. Cars today can make the millions of adjustments needed to drive in less-than-ideal conditions.

You're still off to the west and north of me, but I take the cats to a vet in Mt Washington (which is tucked into the elbow of Northern and 83) and that's about 10-15 minutes away. I'm sure you already know this, but there's a Trader Joe's tucked under Joppa by the Towson mall.

Huh. My lawyer neighbor works up there as well. Not sure what kind of law she practices though.

After the commutes you are used to, everything in Baltimore metro probably seems close!

And godDAMNIT! Loki just nipped me in the ass because I had the temerity to fart.