Enough!

Yesterday was another prep day for a possible power outage:  laundry, charging the cell phone, dishwasher, etc.  Good grief, I've had just about enough of this wind and rain.  My hearing is strained as I'm constantly listening for the crack and crash of a falling tree.  The yards are littered with broken branches, ranging from four-inch, eight-foot logs to twiggy bits.  My friend Kathy V. sent a "comfort" package with a homemade fruitcake and a packet of instant coffee for when we lose electricity, and Deb, Craig, and Clay gave me small, very powerful flashlights to keep throughout the house.  I'm about as ready as I can be, but am holding on to hope that they won't be needed (except for the fruitcake, from which I've had a couple of trial slices).

The wind is constantly changing direction.  When it comes from the west, it blows rain all the way across the porch and soaks the firewood on the rack.  Makes it hard to start and keep a fire burning, and the cats huddle on my lap to get warm.  Rambunctious Ralph surprisingly asks polite permission before jumping up, but sedate Celeste bulls her way up without a by-your-leave.  None of us gets much rest as I'm constantly getting up to either stoke or restart the wood stove.  Wind from the south, as it is now, sends rain like shotgun pellets against the bedroom windows.  Enough already!