we are two months into the annual hurricane season with nary a tropical storm or even significant rains lately. Which makes me nervous. The last real ass-kicker of a hurricane we had close to home was Elena in 1985 and that was bad. The worst ones seem to kick up around Labor Day so I'm wondering if the unusually quiet summer storm season is more of the proverbial foreboding calm before a major ass-kicking from mother nature. I hope not.

On other fronts, Schmoopie is preparing to enter her freshman year of high school. I am stunned that she will be a HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT in a week and more depressing--that the time we have with her here at home with us is winding down. In four years she'll be gone. Argh.

Did I mention that the small, familial mom and pop operation I've worked for for 5 years was recently purchased by an entrepreneur from Seattle? It's been painful. It's been entertaining. I fear we will not exist a year from today. I hope I am wrong. But I don't think I am.