Arrival

Ordered Friday, arrived Monday. Fender Sonoran electro-accoustic guitar, $289. This one is in a color described as "surf green," which was the same color as a house I grew up in as a boy in Florida. I can't play a lick, but I'd like to at least learn a few early Jimmy Buffett tunes to strum, if nothing else.

Hurricane Day!

Hurricane Florence has washed ashore in North Carolina near Wilmington, and will be crossing the Carolinas throughout the day. I'll make updates throughout the day as long as power stays on. I'm also available on Facebook and on Twitter (@drawncutlass).

Update, 4:40 p.m.: woke from a nap. No rain, wind is gusting but not blowing steadily.

Update, 6:10 p.m.: rain finally arrives. Wind still mild.

Update, 3:00 a.m.: It's now the 15th, I woke up a half hour ago. We still have power, currently no heavy winds or rain. Checked on the cars outside, they are undamaged.

Update, 3:45 a.m. Sunday 16 September. Nothing much to report in the last 24 hours. We had gusting winds but not sustained wind conditions, and rain has been mostly moderate. Florence apparently spent herself slamming into the NC coast, and has been downgraded back to tropical depression status. Crossing my fingers and touching wood and saying a prayer that it stays that way.

Update, 12:01 a.m., Monday 17 September: *at work* So the hurricane weekend is now over, and I'm back at work. I violated the Union County curfew by driving around after 9:00 p.m. tonight, but no one stopped me, so...

We made it through well at the house. Never actually lost power, although it flickered at least once, my sister reports (I was asleep at the time). The storm itself came through our area on Sunday, with heavy rains but little wind. A lot of areas in the county flooded, and I was worried about our rental house, with it being bordered by a creek; but the creek provided enough quick drainage that our house was never in serious danger of flooding. A neighbor's house down the street required sandbagging to avoid damage, however.

This will be the last storm update.

Musical Interlude

Chris McDermott, Even the Devil Gets Right Someday. He's sort of goofy-looking, but it's a great song. Sounds like it would be fairly easy to learn on guitar:

O Noes, It's the Attack...

...of the Giant Pickle:

Regarding the Pederasts In the Catholic Church

Vanilla Extract Project, Update 1

The vanilla beans were bottled in rum on July 19th, it is now September 2nd, so just over a month in bottle, with the bottle shaken vigorously several times per week. Color is now that of dark rum or vanilla extract or tobacco juice; when the bottle is opened to smell, a strong vanilla aroma dominates. I'm happy so far.