The wind picked up overnight last night and so did the rain. It whipped around our heads, riling up the trees, now nearly denuded of their leaves, all night long. We're having sustained winds of 30-40 .m.p.h. with gusts over 55. By the time this is done, sometime tomorrow, we'll have over 8 inches of rain. All the schools are closed, even the medical school where Neel works. We couldn't have made it off our block anyway, much less through downtown. Many streets are underwater. High tide is still hours away.

I had a chat with my friend Debbie yesterday about the differences in our essential natures. She prefers clear skies and being out and about, while for me, well, I wish these unchained windy elements that send me homeward would last for days. I can picture her, restless at home, and I bet she's picturing me, happily settled in.