So, Irma....

Last night we went to bed thinking....

This morning, the news says the Rolling Witch of the Ocean will *probably* make landfall on the southern tip of Florida and make it's way straight up the middle and will *only* be a Category 3 witch when it gets to us. In case you don't know the classes of hurricane witches, here they are:

Category 1 Witch: Steals butter from windowsills (flutterby)
Category 2 Witch: Might fling some lightweight stuff in your pool.
Category 3 Witch: Might want to head for safer ground, but you can count on the witch ripping down power lines and uprooting some trees. She might steal some shingles off your roof, and maybe rip your pool screen like a giant, terrible cat. The
Category 4 Witch: Better get to safety, because her wrath and vengeful tears of anger will flood low lying areas and maybe she'll fly her broom right through a dam. Count on months of clean up.
Category 5 Witch: Consider moving to Canada.

All kidding aside, this storm is serious. It's the strongest hurricane in recorded history on the Eastern seaboard. I have never seen an eye so defined as the one barreling down on us. For a while, some "meteorologists" were saying that if she got any stronger, they might have to create a new category, Category 6. We learned from NOAA that that probably wouldn't happen--the new category, I mean.

Here's NOAA's current track:

And it may even track a little more east, which would mean Aidan will evacuate NSB to wait out the storm with us. That'll mean she will be here for my birthday Saturday. :)

It was funny taking Joe to school yesterday. His friend, Colton, calls this storm "Hurricane Matthew II, Electric Boog-a-loo." I laughed. As you recall, last summer Hurricane Matthew skirted up the east coast of Florida and wiped out power for many for several days.

Anyway, schools here are closed tomorrow and Friday to give students time to evacuate and give the school time to prepare to take the role of emergency shelter.

James experienced long gas lines when he took my Rav 4 to fill up the tank. And experienced the craziness of Wal Mart before the storm when he attempted but failed to find water.

His job is waiting for the last minute to decide whether he has to work, so if Irma does wobble toward us, we will have to evacuate at the last minute. I'm not sure I want to do that, because more people die in those last minute evacuations than they do hunkering down in their homes.

So, Irma, although you have a pretty eye, you just need to go play somewhere else...