Quick Update

So we are watching the news about Gustav and feeling for the folks in the Gulf Coast. After the devastation of Katrina - which Mark witnessed first hand when he volunteered post Katrina for a week saving puppies - it must be so difficult to go through all of this again.

We are also watching the sea. It seemed very angry today although the sun was shining and we got to go for a swim, the pool tasted awfully salty from the ocean splashing over the wall.

Hurricane Hannah (yes she is now a hurricane) is now scheduled to give our little 21 mile island a direct hit. Hannah has decided that she wants to play and she will probably be joining us around Thursday for a little party. Ike wants to be part of the action so it looks as though he will visit us on the weekend. What's a weekend without a party anyway?

Mark has figured out the hurricane shutters and the ocean side of the house is securely wrapped up. Today Mark made an urgent run for cat food. Tomorrow we will move our patio furniture indoors, pack up the outdoor bar, dismantle our conch shell fountain and bring in the plants. Lisa is still trying to persuade him that we need to cut down the missiles... I mean coconuts.

This house has been standing here, right on the ocean, since the 1920's and is made of very thick poured concrete. It has been through more hurricanes than we can possibly imagine and it is telling us to relax. We are assured by many that our house is the safest place to be and have had lots of advice. We like our nieghbour Cindi's advice the best... "have a cocktail during the storm and all will be forgotten!"