Friday Stuff

Crazy week. My editor, I believe, is still sort of trapped in Brooklyn. My heart is going out to the East Coast because if there's anything we understand here on the Gulf Coast and particularly in Houston, it's hurricanes. After our direct hit by Ike in '08, we all get hurricane booklets in the mail (really!) every June.  From June  through November, the freeway warning signs regularly flash: It's Hurricane Season. Be Prepared.

Even with all that, you still go on believing that it won't happen. That's just what we do.
But now I'm remembering our week or so without electricity and how even though we prepared, unless you're a survivalist, you're never prepared enough. Eventually the fun of cooking your defrosting freezer of food on the propane outdoor grill fades and you really want to use your blow dryer and flat iron and your realize that people who call into AM radio are by and large kind of scary. The quiet is nice, and you actually miss it once the juice comes back on, but you also miss the internet and your vacuum cleaner and your washer and dryer.

But we were lucky then because our house sustained no damage. If your house isn't floating or gone, the rest eventually is just a set of droll tales of suburban survival.

Hang in there, East Coast!

In a slightly related topic, we were just in Ireland for a week (before the Texas tour) and I fell in love with not only the country:

and the pubs and Guinness:

And the desserts at Queen of Tarts across from Dublin Castle:

But also the emergency exit sign guy:

And the many signs warning of impending possible doom at Cliff's of Moher:

Have a good weekend!