Life in Paradise

I spent a lot of last week preparing for Tropical Storm Isaac, stocking up on gas and food, following the NOAA hurricane map, pulling the shutters at the beach, that kind of thing.  After  almost 17 years in Florida, it's become rather routine and like the other seasoned residents here, it doesn't really cause me a lot of anguish. The folks in the Keys have this down to a science and they were "barely stirred from their famed nonchalance". 
 
But waiting out hurricane or tropical storm day is rough. It is a day out of time, away from my normal routine, and it seems to stretch out endlessly.  It is gloomy and spooky, and there's this weird calm even as rain and wind are out in full force.  I wander from room to room and watch TV as the storm pummels wherever it has decided to make its presence felt.  Even though I have productive things I might be doing, I don't feel like doing any of them.  I can hardly wait to stop languishing around and get back to "normal" and once again feel a rush of energy. They've lifted the warnings and watches as I write this, but the rain is still heavy and I am still in my funk.

Isaac could have been far worse and for that I am grateful.  And I still adore living in Paradise!