like a circle in a spiral

okay, got the flashlights, got the batteries, got the candles.  the camping lantern's all charged up.  battery-operated radio ready to go.  lotsa tuna, peanut butter, hardboiled eggs, freezer packs, apples, dark chocolate, water.  what are we forgetting?  OMG, beer!  G's going give up her evening gig tomorrow to stay home and help me heave heavy objects into the garage, put down the storms, big stuff.  mowing the back forty isn't technically part of hurricane prep, but it was so out of control......i had to do it.  the better to drag kayaks and stuff across it.  the yard is so full of bloom, masses of color everywhere.  the butterflys, dragon and damsel flies, bees, birds blissing out on it all.  as am i.  sucking it up today in this glorious sunshine.  after the mighty winds churn through the flowers will all be gone.  after Bob in 1990 on cape cod everything went into a nuclear winter from the salt blown on the wind.  in august it looked as though we'd had a freeze.  then in october the forsythia and lilacs began to bloom, thinking it was spring. 

the outer banks are evacuating, it must be hell at the ferry.  although okracoke island is one of our top ten favorite places, at times like this we're glad we're not there.  my students were worried this morning.  ismail, a big macho turkish guy said "what can we do, teacher?  i'm scared."  i could only say, "me too, ismail, me too.  all we can do is make sure we have what we need in advance, and then just wait."   and in the meantime, mow the yard.  watch the butterflies.  enjoy the gloriosa daisies.  gather rosebuds.  etc. 

and the general has decided to join the race.  pretty interesting.  michael moore's  letter urging him to run was noteworthy.  it's hard to imagine supporting a military officer at this point in our story, but moore at least convinced me to see clark's entering the fray as a positive thing.  he is an intelligent man, a rhodes scholar, seemingly a man with a mind open to dissent and alternative opinion.  it would be entertainment if it weren't so deadly important what happens here.  i'm staying very tuned.