Thar he blows!!

Well, it is that time of year again. The time of year for flashlights and bottled water, plywood and tuna fish as well as freak outs and delayed flights. Hurricane season has been on since June 1 but this is the most active time and of course everyone feels incredibly ill prepared. The mad dash at the local Home Depot and Lowe's has begun and work has already begun moving in all the loose furniture and antennas. Tropical Storm Ernesto (where do they come up with these names!) is currently baring down on Cuba and predicted to make a track right up the east coast of Florida. Great, right?! Not only did we have a Shuttle launch scheduled but I am poised to head back home to NY for my brother's wedding! I hate flying to begin with and the prospect of taking off as a Hurricane looms on our heels doesn't give me any comfort. I ask everyone who reads and is listening to keep their fingers crossed that I can get out of this disaster area before they lockdown the airports. I will be super peeved if I can't get there on time not only because my brother would be upset but I am supposed to be in the wedding and I have already spent all this money on the dress, alterations, shoes, etc. I want to be there to see him get married and I want to see my cutie of a nephew as well. Perfect timing.
They are also making preparations to roll Space Shuttle Atlantis back into the Vehicle Assembly Building for protection during the storm. The Shuttle would be like a sitting duck out there and potential damage to the vehicle would be devastating. It can only sstand a maximum of 50 mph winds and it is being predicted we will experience 70+ mph. Unfortunatly, this will delay the launch even further because it takes forever to get this ridiculous piece of machinary back and forth from the VAB. We will know tomorrow if they are definitly going to roll back but let me tell you, it doesn't look good.
The only thing that brings me comfort to this whole situation is that my roommate Nina, Jill and Gary will be here to look after the dogs and the house, as well as each other. I really don't think this is going to be a very bad storm but after the 3 storms we had in 04 and Katrina last year, no one is taking any chances. It is going to be interesting over the next couple of days to see how this all pans out but hopefully I will get out on time and this Hurrican Ernesto (jerk!) will take it easy on us and tell all his friends we have had enough and don't want to see any of them for a long while!