The tropical winds continue. The local news is filled with the disaster along the coastal and wetlands areas. They've been buffeted for a couple of days now by the rising winds and waters. The United States' land area is decreasing.

I noticed that my sycamore tree appears to have toppled. It's on the "off" side of the house--the side where I have not yet completely cleared stuff from previous storms. I can sort of see it out of the side window in my office room. I'll check on it later.

This tree started out about 30 years ago as a five foot tall twig I got for $5 at K-Mart. It grew and grew and grew. In 2003 it had to have the top amputated, because a storm had snapped it almost through and it was hanging over my roof. Katrina took a bunch from it. I'm sure that even if it gets cut down to a low stump it will regenerate.

For now, it doesn't appear to be threatening anything.

So---today will no doubt be (another) at home day, although if it isn't raining I may go somewhere where there are people.

I'll have to think about whether I want to put my car under the patio cover again. I think there's still room, although I brought some of the trash recepticles back out yesterday when I was in the weeding mood.


Re: the map--Louisiana is the L-shaped state about in the middle. Slidell is in the far east "base" of the L. So is Lake Pontchartrain--a fairly large oval on the map. You'll note that the entirie coast of Louisiana is currently (1100CDT) under tropical storm warning.

Ike