The roofers finally arrived today. They were supposed to put our new roof on a couple of weeks ago, but Charley intervened. Lots of banging and thumping, and it looks like they're only a quarter of the way through. At most. They also had a radio up there with them, and the bass made the walls vibrate. However, I don't begrudge this to them : it is so hot at the moment, it must be absolute hell up there. If their music makes it more bearable for them - well, okay. But I'm planning to be out all day tomorrow.

I am going to be livid if Frances lands a tree on our new roof. Apparently it's heading straight here, and all the shops are already sold out of generators, propane, and flashlights.

We'll actually be away in Alabama at the time it's currently predicted to arrive here. Stephen just remarked that, if we escape injury because we're away when Frances strikes, we'll be a statistical anomaly : people for whom rock-climbing is actually protective.

Of course, we're hoping that the hurricane fizzles out or turns away over the course of the next few days ... it seems so unlikely that two hurricanes should strike here in such quick succession.