I do like that typo though. "Loves closest" is a real plus.

Hah! Make that lives closest. She's about six blocks away. Which would be super convenient...and probably would freak me out if I actually dated her. :)

Thanks, Cindy. And yeah, kind of what Strix said.

Cindy, I read that and thought "Gustav? Is that the latest hurricane name?"

There was a hurricane Gustav, a few years ago. People evacuated from NOLA for it.

She's about six blocks away. Which would be super convenient...and probably would freak me out if I actually dated her. :)

The real problem is if you break up.

Not really awake... going back to sleep.

I am so fortunate. Again. Merciful heavens I am grateful to have passed the night with no problems.

A friend-neighbor's car is completely totaled on my block due to sudden and vicious tree bangage. An entire third of a stately shade tree landed right on top of his little red convertible. Geico won't cover it because it is 'an act of God.'

Fussy neighbor's immaculately tended garden is pretty much wiped out due to another tree limb.

Street closed for chainsaws and trucks.

One street over, a red pick up truck is now a spectacular V due to a 40 foot tall, roughly 10 feet around tree not so gently lying down on it. The tree reached across the street, scraped off the guttering on an old Victorian, destroyed the iron stairs up to the next house over and settled in the front garden. Bad, yes, but at least the houses weren't Godzilla'd.

Good friends will probably be without power for a few days, so I'm making room in the fridge for whatever they can cram in there.

It felt pretty weak that all I could do this morning was go into the yard of a disabled neighbor and right her bins, then carry away some branches.

At least two people are reported dead. One when a tree fell on his car.

I've said it before, but praise be to the City gods who cut down my beloved 40' tree about 8 years ago. The replacement is about 15 feet tall and provides lovely shade...and is unlikely to take anyone out any time soon.

I've said it before, but praise be to the City gods who cut down my beloved 40' tree about 8 years ago.

Due to the extreme smallness of our yards (front and back), we have literally one tree, in the backyard, which is pretty tall and close to the house. Its branches were resting on our roof and into the next yard and on *their* roof (the houses are close together in this 'hood).

We had the tree-trimmer come out in May and lop off a TON of the branches that were on our roof and the neighbor's roof.

After yesterday's storm -- I think what you got in DC might be the same storm, or a similar system, that we got in Cincinnati -- a LOT of our friends have no power, and have had serious damage from trees. Us? Not a thing. Power stayed on, a few tiny branches -- more like kindling, really -- came off our tree, and the only thing that really freaked me out was the smell of smoke when the windstorm that preceded the rain came through (as it turned out, it was not a fire; just ashes from a neighbor's fire pit, thank god, because that freaked me out big time).

I grumbled about the expense of the tree-trimmer in May, but now I am SO GLAD we did it.

Oh my lord, bonny! I hadn't realized it was so bad. Glad you are okay.

Frankie and I are catching the last few minutes of Doggies and Donuts, and I hope they can trim his claws.

I'm losing weight again - I guess all the working in heat does it. I have a pair of size 10 shorts that were up at my waist just a couple of weeks ago, and now they're down on my hips. I don't think I've been an 8 ever. Odd.

Christ, bonny! I'm glad you're OK. Sounds very scary.

And you're an excellent neighbor.

Went to the local community farm/market. Man, there were a lot of people there. And tons of kids! However, we did get some figs (which was the primary reason for going- fig season is woefully short) and milk and fruits and veggies and things.

Should: go get cat litter, do menu planning, go shopping for niece's 18th birthday.

Am: lying on the couch.

Today we take the big rental truck and move everything out of my mother's apartment -- my aunt boxed everything up last week, and it should be a simple grab-and-load operation.

I have a lovely bunch of friends/chosen family who are helping me with the move. I can hear them laughing and joking in the next room as we prepare to make the 70-mile drive from our place up to the apartment.

And all I want to do is curl up in a ball and cry for about a week. I love them all, but I can't relate to them right now. I am overwhelmed and cranky and angry and sad.

Ah well, time to go put on a brave face and lead the charge. I'll check in tonight around 7pm board time and let you know how it went.

Thanks for listening/reading.