Well, we kept checking the storm updates this morning, and eventually, after much indecision, reluctantly decided that we should cancel our Alabama climbing trip. We had hoped that the storm would turn, but it's still heading directly for us. Although it's currently less violent than Charley was, it's travelling really slowly. Which means that we could bear its full brunt for 8 to 10 hours, as opposed to the 1.5 hours of intense wind he had last time around. And we're thinking that the storm's longer duration might cancel out its reduced intensity.

It's also going to rain a lot more this time. This article from today's paper predicts flooding, and anywhere from 10 to 20 inches of rain. The bottom of our garden got awfully swampy last time around - there was a pond-like effect in the corner, around 4 inches deep and several feet across - and that was after a relatively small amount of rain. So I refuse to even try to imagine what 10 or more inches would do. Best case scenario is that our yard is going to be a big muddy mess. And apparently one has to be extra vigilant about snakes after a big downpour. I suppose because the poor things get washed out of their homes. I am a little nervous about snakes right now anyway, as one of our neighbours just got out of hospital after having been bitten by a rattlesnake. A rattlesnake! I didn't even know you got those here!

I am really hoping that we don't lose power for too long this time around. The paper says it's possible that the outages will last even longer, though. I desperately hope they're wrong. It's so hot and humid here right now, it's just miserable without air-conditioning. And they're also saying we might not have water this time. That would be really grim. Last time, what kept me sane was being able to take a shower to get clean and cool - it didn't matter that the water was cold.

At least the roof is on, though. The roofers only finished at lunch-time today. It was a huge relief when they were finally done, as the work had seemed to be progressing terribly slowly. Some people in our neighbourhood still have unrepaired roof damage from Charley. I feel awful for them; I can't imagine that tarps can possibly keep out the kind of rains we're expecting.

I think our family is reasonably well prepared for the storm, this time around. Both cars have full gas tanks - already many filling stations here have run out of fuel. We have torches that actually work (as opposed to last time, when we had one itty bitty one that emitted a tiny, weak, wobbly ray of light). We have charcoal, so we can grill outside if it's not too wet. We have propane for our little camping primus. We don't have matches. They were all sold out in both the grocery stores I tried. But I was able to buy a cigarette lighter. We have bottled water. And we have enough food for several days. The kids got a big kick out of buying tons of non-perishable processed crap, since normally we don't venture down those aisles at all. I did get oranges and apples as well ... I think those are the fruits that'll last longest without refrigeration. So hopefully no-one will get scurvy.

We haven't boarded up our windows. Many of our neighbours have ... with any luck it'll prove not to have been necessary. Even if we wanted to, we wouldn't be able to at this stage, as I hear that everywhere is sold out of both plywood and nails.

So now we wait. It's supposed to start to rain tomorrow evening, and we should feel the main impact of the storm in the early hours of Sunday morning. Em is feeling very pleased with herself right now. Earlier on, she sent an email to the guy who owns the climbing gym, suggesting he have a members-only hurricane party there tomorrow. She wrote :

You guys should have a hurricane party at aiguille. Only the members
would come and we could have pizza and soda. We could boulder and it
would be so cool. Please write back to me and tell me if its a good idea.

He responded by sending email out to all the members, saying that the gym would be open to members from 10 till whenever the wind started getting strong. And he sent her an email saying he'd make a point of ordering pizza for her. So I guess we'll go there tomorrow morning. Should be fun.