No school tomorrow for Steve and Em, courtesy of Hurricane Charley.

They're thrilled.

It's hard to believe that there's a storm on the way. Right now, it's a lovely calm evening. The sky is almost clear, there's a tiny hint of a breeze, and the kids are in the pool, cooling off before we go climbing.

I just read online that our city is giving 10 free sandbags to everyone who asks. Thing is, even if I'd known this earlier, and gone and got some, neither Bobby nor I would have a clue what to do with a sandbag.

I hope nothing falls on our home. One of the reasons why we bought this particular house was that we loved all the big trees which surround it. Hopefully, they are not only big, but also very securely rooted. It would be just our luck to buy a house and have it destroyed in a hurricane only days later. Though the destruction would eventually make a good anecdote for the grandkids, I suppose. "And then, just as the roof blew off, Grandpa said `Gosh, I wonder if the sandbags would have helped?' " ...