A friend sent this to me...

Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season is Like Christmas

10. Decorating the house (boarding up windows)

9. Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season (camping gear, flashlights)

8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores

7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for "specials"

6. Family coming to stay with you

5. Family and friends from out-of-state calling

4. Buying food you don't normally buy .. and in large quantities

3. Days off from work

2. Candles

And the number one reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas .....

1. At some point you're going to have a tree in your house!

Time for Charles and Neil to stop relaxing, this one is headed straight for England!

More hurricane jokes...

1. An oak tree on the ground looks four times bigger than it did standing up.
2. Even after all these years it is still nice to spend time with Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the lead pipe.
3. When house hunting look for closets with lots of leg room.
4. Water from the shower is much colder than water from the kitchen sink--- and tastes just as bad.
5. AA, C and D are the only alphabet we need.
6. The four way stop is still an ingenious reflection of civility.
7. Radio can be the best way to watch television.
8. Chainsaw wielding men are nothing to be afraid of.
9. SUV's are the best makeshift tents on the market.
10. You can use your washing machine as a cooler.
11. It's your God given right to sit on your back porch and eat Chinese takeout by candlelight in your underwear.
12. We shouldn't complain about "useless" tools in the garage-- we actually DO need a generator
13. You can't spell "priceless" without I-C-E.
14. Downed power lines make excellent security systems.
15. Lake Eola can generate waves.
16. Gasoline is a value at any price
17. Cell phones: Breaking up isn't hard to do.
18. The life blood of any disaster recovery is COFFEE
19. The need for your dog to go out and take care of business is inversely proportional to the severity of the storm.
20. Candlelight is better than botox--- it takes years off your appearance.
21. Air Conditioning: BEST. INVENTION. EVER.
22. Water is a comfort food. But 3 day old Cheetos are too.
23. Shadow animals on the wall---Still fun.
24. No matter how hard the wind blows, roadside campaign signs will survive.
25. You should never admit to having power at your house in the presence of co workers or neighbors who do not.
26. There's a plus to having NOTHING in the refrigerator.
27. Getting through the day should be an Olympic event.
28. The movie theater can be a most pleasant place, even if the feature is Alien vs. Predator
29. Somebody's got it worse.
30. Somebody's got it better. Obviously, they are getting preferential treatment.
31. Singing Row Row Row your boat hundred times can be fun!

Looks like it's going to catch me, but might miss Charles. Still, we haven't had a good destructive storm (we don't call them "hurricanes" - well we, the peasantry, do, but the meteorologists keep telling us we're wrong) since 1987, and that bastard destroyed Shanklin Pier. Before and after pictures follow.

The severity of the storm is in direct proportion to the amount of patio furniture that I leave in the back yard.