Wednesday, August 31, 2016

What Kind Of A Name Is Hermine?

Shy red passion flower on my fence. 

I've been amazingly unproductive today although I guess that's not entirely true. I did laundry, I did some kitchen stuff, I went through my closet and culled three garbage bags full of clothes to give away but if it had been eight bags, it wouldn't have been enough.
Still.
And I wrote a real letter. Four pages of handwritten words to a dear friend and I realize with sure and troubling certainty that my handwriting is not what it used to be and I never in my young life thought that I'd ever get out of practice putting real pen to real paper but there you go. I can write on my phone more easily than I can with my fountain pen. A sad but true fact.

Still. I feel, as I told the friend I was talking to a few days ago, that I am failing at life. I am sure this will pass but it's how I feel and that's valid.

I can't decide whether or not to be more worried about this storm than I am. How silly is that? Mr. Moon went to get gas after work and the lines were long. People ARE concerned and they've canceled school for tomorrow and Friday and they've called for evacuation of all visitors and residents of Dog Island and St. George Island and for those who live in trailers on the coast.
Better to be safe than sorry is always the feeling and I agree with that.
I'm not sure what in hell I'd be doing if I really felt threatened. For one thing, move my hanging front-porch ferns to the inside of the porch and check to see if I have batteries for flashlights. Hermine, as they've named her, now that she's reached Tropical Storm strength, could bring us winds up to and above 50 miles an hour and the resulting little twister tornadoes that do occur under such circumstances, not to mention a great deal of rain in a very short amount of time.
We have a generator which hasn't been cranked in years and we won't starve and really, the only true worry I have is that a tree will fall on us and when I say "a tree" I know exactly which one it would be. Unless it was two others that are also a bit perilous. Not to mention the resurrection fern laden old branches of the live oaks which I worship but which could fall if things get wild enough.

Ah-lah. It is what it is and this house has been standing for over 150 years and I doubt that this tropical storm will flatten it.

Florida. What can you do? Love it or leave it and I guess I must love it.

Let's all be well and be safe.

Love...Ms. Moon




5 comments:

  1. If you do move you can come to live in Canada. I have a basement suite. But then, those grandkids of yours would not have you and that is just wrong.

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  2. I know the feeling of failing at life. It doesn't matter that it's a lie if it feels true. I'm feeling it right this moment. It feels like emptiness in the midsection rather than knots. A throat full of regret. At what I'm not sure. Let's hold hands through this. And yes, better to prepare for the storm even if it fizzles. Hugs.

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  3. I have family in Bradenton, Sarasota, and Anna Maria Islans, all of which are flooded. Our little place in Palmetto is OK for now, but some flooding is imminent. I dreamed of you last night, Ms. Moon! Hubby and I were driving all over Florida looking for shelter and a man at a rickety old store told us the only safe place was a potting shed on Dog Island. I asked how many people it would hold, and he said usually only about a thousand, but they were up to 1100 with room for a couple more. He said Mary Moon owned the potting shed and she was making egg salad for everyone. Guess I need to cut back on my Valerian Root. LOL

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  4. OK, I am out of the loop on this storm news. I had no idea it was that severe, or that close to you! I'm going to have to catch up. In any case, as you said, your house has been through plenty of hurricanes before, so that's a good sign.

    Hermine is kind of a great name. For a hurricane, anyway. When I was a reporter I once encountered a woman whose name was Howardene. I always loved that one, too.

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  5. Are we already to H? Well, I have caught up but no commented. I get busy and don't read blogs for a day or two and it's like I've been gone a week. anyway...I think we all feel like we are failing at life now and then. I know I do. I think that I should be the darling of the collectors by now and I have failed to get their attention but then I look at my life and while I may not be sought after I still have a pretty good life.

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Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.