Grr. Day 4 and counting without power, post-Isabel. Lost electricity Thursday afternoon, 6 *hours* before she even blew into town. We are now among the Pepco Unhappy Campers. Of course we had just filled up the deep freezer with a Costco run, and now it's all spoiled. Our cuisine is reduced to eating out or Things That Can Be Heated on the Stovetop.

On the Counting Blessings side, no toppled trees, no roof damage, and we still have gas and hot water.

Here comes Isabel. The large oak trees around our house in the rain-soaked ground make me very nervous. Two houses near us have already been hit by trees in past, smaller storms this summer. Really not looking forward to what the winds of a hurricane may do, even if it has been reduced to a tropical storm by the time it reaches us.

Whew! Back from Mexico. Followed by illness. Followed by work busy-ness. Followed by visit from Mom. And continuing with work busy-ness. Need to catch breath.